Criteria for the selection of sustainable onsite construction equipment

Abstract

Today's construction projects are highly mechanized and becoming more so every day. With the growing industrialization of construction work, the role of onsite equipment and machineries is vital in achieving productivity and efficiency. During the construction phase, selection of right equipment has always been a key factor in the success of any construction project. This decision is typically made by matching equipment available in a fleet with the tasks at hand. Such analysis accounts for equipment productivity, equipment capacity, and cost. However, the emerging notion of sustainability in construction has emphasized energy conservation, efficiency, green environment, economy and human well being. In this context, selecting the most appropriate equipment from the available options is highly challenging. Therefore, this paper aims to determine a selection criteria based on the fundamental concept of sustainability and provides an assessment framework. A questionnaire survey was conducted among a classified group of Malaysian contractors to elicit information pertaining to the sustainable selection of onsite machineries. The findings of this study will guide the decision makers to appraise the selection process of construction equipment on the triple bottom line of sustainability.