RESEARCH ARTICLE Contractors' attitudes towards the factors affecting sustainability performance: Evidence from Palestine Bassam A. Tayeh 1 | Serdar Durdyev 2 | Ibrahim O. Abuzuhri 1 | M. Reza Hosseini 3 | Derek Thurnell 2 1 Department of Civil Engineering, Islamic University of Gaza, Gaza, Palestine 2 Department of Engineering and Architectural Studies, Ara Institute of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand 3 Lecturer, School of Architecture and Built Environment, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia Correspondence Serdar Durdyev, Department of Engineering and Architectural Studies, Ara Institute of Canterbury, New Zealand. Email: durdyevs@ara.ac.nz Abstract Implementing more sustainable practices in the construction industry would provide healthier and safer environmental conditions as well as ethical approaches. The con- ventional wisdom is that their uptake will continue to improve in line with its familiar- ity and applicability among industry stakeholders at the forefront of onsite project activities. Thus, an investigation was carried out into the factors affecting the sustain- ability performance of contractors in Palestine, particularly at the project execution stage. A questionnaire survey of 42 factors was administered to 90 registered con- tractors. Analysis of results using the mean value technique revealed that the cost of fundamental project resources, labor‐related factors, and destruction of natural habitat and depletion of natural resources were the most significant factors affecting contractors' sustainability performance. Despite being a limited exercise in scope, it is recommended that consideration is given to any potential cost fluctuations, as well as explicit mention of gain and pain issues within the project documentation, in order to sustainably operate in the construction sector of Palestine, while continuing to con- tribute to the national economy. KEYWORDS construction, contractors, Gaza Strip, sustainability 1 | INTRODUCTION There is no doubt that the construction sector plays a crucial role in an individual's life in terms of provision of infrastructure, contribution to the economy, and creating employment opportunities (Durdyev, Omarov, & Ismail, 2017). However, the same industry is responsible for vast consumption of energy and natural resources, as well as being a major contributor to global carbon emissions (Durdyev, Zavadskas, Thurnell, Banaitis, & Ihtiyar, 2018). The literature reports that the sec- tor has a clear detrimental impact on our ecosystem, particularly by compromising the future of the human habitat (Serpell, Kort, & Vera, 2013). Moreover, increasing trends, particularly in developing countries due to rapid urbanization, show that energy consumption and carbon emissions will likely double or even triple within the next centuries (IPCC, 2014). Therefore, the implementation of a sustainability para- digm seems to be an urgent and permanent solution to mitigate the adverse impacts of the construction sector, which has attracted the attention of academics and representatives of both private and public sectors in several countries across the globe (Sev, 2009). The Gaza Strip is the southwestern part of Palestine, which has been subject to many political, social, and economic pressures that have led to poor consequences for its people as well as its economy. Furthermore, a complete lack of natural resources and dependency on Israel make conditions worse. The Gaza Strip has been under siege since 2006, which consequently limits the importation of basic needs, as well as exports (Ayyash, 2016). Despite the economic squeeze due to the aforementioned problems, which has led to a severe drop in aid, construction remains one of the significant sectors of the economy, Received: 26 November 2018 Revised: 5 January 2019 Accepted: 5 January 2019 DOI: 10.1002/bsd2.51 Bus Strat Dev. 2019;1–7. © 2019 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/bsd2 1