Barriers to the Implementation of Sustainable Practices in Infrastructure Projects: A Multi-Analytical Approach

Abstract

Infrastructure development is a key pillar in realising the Sustainable Development Goals. Yet implementing sustainable practices across the various stages of infrastructure development remains suboptimal. This study aims to identify significant barriers to sustainability implementation in infrastructure projects in Zimbabwe and to develop targeted interventions to overcome them. A quantitative research approach was adopted, in which 246 structured questionnaires were distributed online to construction professionals in consultancy firms, contractors, and government and private property developers in Zimbabwe. The data were analysed through a multi-analytical approach using mean score, exploratory factor analysis (EFA), and fuzzy synthetic evaluation. This study identified 31 barriers that hinder the implementation of sustainable construction in infrastructure projects. The top five factors are resistance to change, lack of funding, lack of sustainable construction policies, inadequate building regulations, and the perceived high cost of sustainable projects. EFA revealed five dimensions that are ranked as follows: ‘enforcement and policy-related’, ‘government support, regulations and standards-related’, ‘financial, market and attitude-related’, ‘knowledge, skill and ability-related’, and ‘technical capacity’. All dimensions tend to have a high level of impact on the implementation of sustainable practices in Zimbabwean infrastructure projects. The results highlight the need to enhance awareness and provide adequate financial information on the economic benefits of investing in sustainable infrastructure projects. The provision of financial incentives, funding initiatives, and appropriate policies, regulations, and standards can help to enhance the implementation of sustainable practices in Zimbabwe. Construction stakeholders can utilise the results of this study to improve the implementation of sustainability across infrastructure projects.