ICIDA 2017 - 6TH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT IN AFRICA - 12-14 April 2017, KNUST, Kumasi, Ghana 12 Conference Proceedings www.icida.knust.edu.gh A CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK OF PUSH FACTORS FOR IMPLEMENTING ENVIRONMENTALLY SUSTAINABLE CONSTRUCTION PRACTICES De-Graft Joe Opoku 1 , Joshua Ayarkwa 2 and Koi Agyekum 3 1, 2, 3 Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana joedeggie2000@gmail.com, ayarkwajosh@yahoo.com, agyekum.koi1@gmail.com Abstract Sustainability has become a worldwide cliché as a potential solution for the numerous global problems facing the world recently. he lack of environmental deliberations in the utilization, development and efective management of natural resource lead to the pollution of the environment. However, sustainable construction is becoming increasingly more prevalent as the construction industry continues to intensify its awareness of the necessity to employ sustainable construction practices and their successive beneits. In ordertoenhancesustainableconstructionpractices,itis prudenttocriticallyconsiderthepushfactorsthatcreate the desire to implement these practices. his paper sought to identify the push factors for implementing environmentally sustainable construction practices. Comprehensive coverage of these push factors are systematically reviewed through literature with the aim of identifying the drivers for sustainable construction practices. Using the ‘Resilience heory’, a conceptual framework is developed to help achieve environmentally sustainable construction. The outcome this paper will present a basis for practitioners as well as researchers to appreciate the need for environmental sustainability within the construction industry. Keywords: Construction Industry, Environmental Sustainability, Push Factors, Resilience Theory, SustainableConstruction Introduction Sustainable construction does not only provide remarkable cost savings through reduced energy usage but also presents a wide range of beneits through decreased employee turnover, less sick leave, better self-conidence and increased productivity (Blundell, 2010). Baird (1996) highlighted that sustainable projects can improve lives, societies, and culture. his notwithstanding, the construction industries of most developed as well as developing countries have taken momentous pace with its involvement in realizing improved environmental performance. his is highly driven by growing orientation of the government policies towards Environmentally Sustainable Development(ESD). The United Nations World Commission on Environment and Development (WCED) (1987) indicated that sustainable construction involves construction activities that meet the present-day demandswithoutnegotiatingontheabilityofmeeting the demands of generations yet to come. Department of Energy, DOE, (2009) further indicated that these sustainable construction projects designed considering sustainable issues cater for concerns relating to interior environmental excellence and satisfaction of users, productivity and health beneits which are identi ied as sustainable great performance construction projects. Furthermore, sustainable construction presents an improvement in project complexity compared to the traditional project delivery systems that are normally practiced. To achieve construction