Constructability Practices to Manage Sustainable Building Knowledge

Construction professionals have knowledge and competencies that can help improve the design and delivery of sustainable buildings. The introduction of construction knowledge during design using constructability practices has been shown to improve design and project performance. From a process perspective, this paper examines specific constructability techniques that can help manage sustainable building knowledge throughout the design process. Through scientific research, four constructability practices employed at the Pentagon renovation are assessed for their capability at managing sustainability input from contractors. The four practices are: (1) the use of an integrated organizational team to champion the effort; (2) physical and computer building models (mock-ups); (3) on-board reviews; and (4) lessons learned workshops. Twenty-one specific principles are then identified to provide further guidance to industry practitioners. These practices and principles pinpoint methods to help manage sustainable building knowledge, especially that made available by construction professionals during design and construction.