A Research On Construction Waste Reduction Behaviors

Construction waste reduction behaviors refer to these conscious activities, in the construction activities of the entire life cycle, the practitioners save the project materials, improve construction quality and reduce the negative effects on the environment by reducing construction waste generation, recycling waste and other similar work. Currently, construction waste related research focused on the technologies, management methods and related mechanisms of construction waste reduction and recycling. In addition to technologies, the research on the policy and management strategies from a macroeconomic perspective is more, while the research on the main body of the construction waste generated - building enterprises and its employees'behaviors is less. In this regard, based on empirical investigation, this paper, from micro to macro, from three levels of individual acts of reduction, organization and social environment, studied the construction waste reduction behaviors, the mechanism of waste reduction and related management model by using environmental behavior theory and organizational behavior theory. The main results include the following.(1) Based on literature research, field and questionnaire survey, the paper summarized the impact of construction waste reduction factors, obtained the research data of construction waste reduction and 143 random answers reflected the real attitude of waste minimization of practitioners, and grouped these 143 random answers into 11 representative views. The work provided adequate empirical evidence for further study.(2) After identified the affecting strength of main factors and characteristic analysis, it found that the most important factors affecting construction waste reduction are the environmental awareness of employees, construction supervision and regulatory system soundness. Improving regulations and related taxes is the key measure in the promotion of waste reduction. Considering these results and 11 representative views from survey, it found that the factors affecting construction waste reduction can be attributed to three levels, environmental awareness, the attitude of waste reduction and awareness of employees; enterprises'waste management measures, management systems, skills training and work environment; government's regulations, policies and measures.(3) From the perspective of environmental behavior theories, it systematically identified the internal factors affecting the behavior of waste reduction and the main determinant ones. It revealed how these factors affecting the waste reduction behaviors and the inner mechanism of waste reduction behaviors, and established a model on determinants of waste reduction behaviors. The results showed that environmental value has a lasting impact on the waste reduction attitudes and these two factors are the driving force of waste reduction behaviors. Subjective norms and perceived behavioral control are the main cause led to the differences of waste reduction behaviors of different individuals. Cognitive factors may transform into the attitudes and awareness, and affect the waste reduction behaviors. Situational factors affects behaviors not only the attitudes and personality factors, but also directly on the act itself. To promote individual waste reduction behaviors in an effective way,?change the external stimulus;?establish good situational conditions;?the accumulation of cognitive factors;?directly affect the individual's attitude and personality factors.(4) Based on organizational behavior theory, it studied in-depth the impact of leadership behavior, group factors, organizational incentives and organizational culture on individual waste reduction behaviors, established a dynamic model on construction waste reduction, and analyzed the form process of the dynamic mechanism of construction waste reduction for enterprises. The results showed that the driving forces of employees'waste reduction behaviors include: good corporate culture shaping the values of staff, internal management system, positive interpersonal influence, incentives and leadership have effect on attitudes and subjective norms. The driving forces for enterprises implementing waste reduction activities include: the establishment of the external constraints and guide mechanisms, the recognition of economic, social and environmental benefits after implementing waste reduction.(5) Using strategic analysis, it obtained that the choice of the government's economic policy is implementing subsidies to compensate the increased costs of waste reduction. Using cost-benefit analysis, it found that the condition ensuring the economic effectiveness of waste minimization is taking the equivalent cost from construction waste disposal and environmental management into the income of waste reduction as subsidies, this may conductive to optimal social cuts rate. It proposed a new management mode of construction waste reduction and the corresponding operating mechanisms. It believed that the clear laws and regulations, a wide range of economic policies, perfect technical specifications and standards, management system with clear responsibilities and rights and a management mode with the active participation of all the interests are the external drive to implementing waste reduction for enterprises.This paper also put forward the corresponding measures and policy recommendations to encourage enterprises implementing construction waste reduction and the establishment of corresponding management system and operational mechanism for the government. These research results have important theoretical and practical reference value for the authorities in promoting source reduction of construction waste.