A TOOL FOR ASSESSING SUSTAINABILITY IN THE CIVIL CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY: PROPOSAL FOR THE SUSTAINABLE BUILDING SITE MATURITY MODEL (SBSM4)

ABSTRACT The purpose of Maturity Models (MMs) is to assess, by focusing on skills, the level of performance of organizations, projects, or processes. In the civil construction sector, MMs were investigated with a view to evaluating the integration of sustainability in single/multifamily housebuilding projects. However, these models were found to be insufficient to evaluate projects in a balanced way, which take the three pillars of sustainability into consideration throughout their life cycle. In addition, there was a need to incorporate the evaluation of technical elements, thereby enabling opportunities to be identified for improving technologies, information systems and materials, which would result in maximizing operational efficiency. In this context, this article presents a management tool to evaluate the performance of sustainability in single/multifamily building projects. Using a mixed methods research approach, a systematic literature review was conducted to identify the main sustainable practices adopted in civil construction. Based on this, the Sustainable Building Site Management Maturity Model (SBSM4) was developed, which underwent refinements using a consultation process with six experts, using the Delphi method. It encompasses 4 dimensions, 16 categories and 61 assessment attributes, covering the planning, design, construction, and post-construction stages. An application was carried out in a project that aimed to build 5,000 single-family houses. This tool can perform a complete analysis of the practices adopted, thus providing a deeper understanding of the level of sustainability achieved. The SBSM4 contributes to advancing sustainable management in the civil construction sector and provides a solid basis for decision-making and the continuous improvement of projects toward more sustainable civil construction.