Breaking barriers: enhancing construction and demolition waste management in Egyptian residential projects

Integrating sustainability principles in all stages of construction decision-making is crucial for achieving optimal benefits while maintaining the functionality of residential projects. However, limited research has focused on identifying and analyzing primary barriers to effective construction and demolition waste management (C&DWM) in Egypt’s residential construction projects and their impact on sustainable waste management practices. This study aimed to address the question: “What barriers impede the implementation of C&DWM in Egyptian residential projects?” Previous research highlighted general barriers to C&DWM, which were contextualized using a questionnaire survey in the Egyptian building sector. The survey targeted industry practitioners in Egypt, specifically those working in various construction companies with expertise in construction management or civil engineering. The survey received responses from 90 out of 120 participants, resulting in a high response rate of 75%. The exploratory factor analysis (EFA) reveals that barriers to C&DWM can be classified into four distinct constructs: culture, resources, efficiency, and procurement. These constructs were integrated into a model using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). The findings underscore that cultural barriers emerge as the primary hindrance to effective C&DWM implementation, whereas procurement barriers were found to have the least impact. This study makes a substantial academic contribution by providing empirical evidence on the classification and impact of various barriers to C&DWM in a developing country context, specifically Egypt. It introduces a novel application of PLS-SEM to model the relationships between cultural, resource, efficiency, and procurement barriers and their effect on C&DWM implementation. Furthermore, the study offers practical insights and actionable recommendations for policymakers and industry practitioners in developing nations, emphasizing the need for targeted strategies to address these identified barriers. The methodological approach and findings of this study fill a significant gap in the existing literature and can serve as a reference for future research in similar contexts, contributing to the broader discourse on sustainable construction management.