Ahmad, T, Aibinu, A A and Stephan, A (2017) Green Building Projects: Process
Innovation Leading To Project Innovation In: Chan, P W and Neilson, C J (Eds)
Proceeding of the 33
rd
Annual ARCOM Conference, 4-6 September 2017, Cambridge,
UK, Association of Researchers in Construction Management, 299-308.
GREEN BUILDING PROJECTS: PROCESS INNOVATION
LEADING TO PROJECT INNOVATION
Tayyab Ahmad
1
, Ajibade Ayodeji Aibinu and André Stephan
Faculty of Architecture Building and Planning, University of Melbourne, Masson Road, Parkville, Victoria
3010, Australia.
Green Building (GB) project delivery is complex since these projects have many different
requirements compared to conventional construction. There is not yet an agreement on
which delivery approach is more effective in delivering more innovative and
environmentally conscious GB projects. This paper investigates the GB project delivery
approaches from an innovation perspective by reviewing the various empirical findings
from previous research. Using 13 relevant studies identified through a systematic search,
the relationship between innovation in delivery process and project innovation is
identified. Depending on the extent of innovative features incorporated, each Project
Delivery Method (PDM) is found to have the capacity to produce successful results.
Incremental process innovation through the use of traditional PDMs is typically
associated with a low level of project innovation and environmental performance while
radical process innovation using integrated delivery method is found to be associated with
a high level of project innovation and environmental performance in GB projects.
Delivery process that encourages team work can be valuable as this promotes team
integration and collaboration thereby leading to innovative solutions.
Keywords: green building, green performance, innovation, project delivery method
INTRODUCTION
Green Buildings (GBs) require the use of innovative construction techniques and delivery
processes. Slaughter (1998) defines innovation as the actual use of a nontrivial change
and improvement in a process, product, or system that is novel to the institution
developing the change. GB projects are innovative projects and their level of green
performance can be considered an indication of their level of innovation, which
significantly depends on the project delivery approach. Unlike conventional building
development where the environmental effects of construction activities are often
disregarded, GBs focus on improved environmental performance.
For successful GB projects, delivery process can be as important as the technical aspects.
Various Project Delivery Attributes (PDAs) are involved which are basically a set of
circumstances, facts, influences or forces that either facilitate or impede project outcomes.
Project Delivery Method (PDM) is one of the key PDAs for project success as it defines
how project teams form, their working relationships, and levels of involvement during
project timelines, and incentives to encourage contribution to the project. Two elements
1
ahmadt@student.unimelb.edu.au