Construction waste management key drivers: Insights from on-site construction and rebuilding

Abstract With progressive urbanisation, construction waste management (CWM) has emerged as a prominent environmental challenge, with extensive documentation of its environmental, societal, and economic consequences. Recent studies highlight the human factor as crucial to the efficiency of CWM strategies. However, integrating this factor into CWM research presents methodological challenges due to the diverse personality factors involved, complicating the comparison and generalisation of results. This research views CWM behaviour as a product of social influences shaping beliefs and values, alongside systemic freedoms or restrictions in an individual’s environment. Focusing on the Serbian student population, the study identifies key drivers of CWM behaviour among future psychologists, hydraulic and environmental engineers, and construction engineers. Three critical factors emerged: CWM Organization, CWM Social Support, and Social Network CWM Implementation. Civil engineering students experienced the most favourable organisational conditions for CWM, reinforced by strong social networks and role models. Both civil engineering and hydraulic and environmental engineering students were part of supportive social networks, reflecting a professional culture that strongly endorses CWM efforts. This study underscores the importance of social and organisational contexts in shaping effective CWM practices among future professionals.