Sustainability performance assessment of heavy construction equipment in design and manufacturing phases

The purpose of this paper is to assess and rank sustainability indicators that affect heavy construction equipment productivity and performance during the design and manufacturing stages, using a structured multi-criteria decision-making tool. Through a review of the literature and expert collaboration, a comprehensive framework comprising 9 main indicators and 40 sub-indicators was developed to determine the weights and rankings of these indicators. The Full Consistency Method (FUCOM), a recent development in multi-criteria decision-making procedures, was utilised. Sensitivity analysis was employed to evaluate the model's resilience. The results show that the most important environmental elements influencing the sustainability and performance outcomes of equipment are greenhouse gas emissions and the use of fossil fuels. Sub-indicators of production and digitization, such as the integration of IoT and the utilization of renewable energy, also rank highly. On the other hand, social responsibility and end-of-life indicators received less attention, which pointed to the areas that need managerial attention. By improving design and strategically concentrating on important sustainability levers, the study provides a useful decision support model that original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), sustainability managers, and legislators can use to improve the environmental compliance and performance of heavy construction equipment.