Sustainability and the Project Manager – Opportunities, Challenges and Contributions

1. Sustainability and the Project Manager – Opportunities, Challenges and Contributions Prof. Charles Egbu Dr. Mohammed Arif The University of Salford, The Old Fire Station, Salford, M5 4WT 23rd September 2010

2. Structure • Presentation • Workshop • Break Out –Session to discuss key issues • Feedback from Break-Out Session • Support with Research - Completion of Short Questionnaire 8

3. Sustainability and the Project Manager PMI 10th Benelux day

4. The pace of changeis increasing “It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is the most adaptable to change.” Project Management – today, now and in the future

5. OPPORTUNITY…..… introducing sustainability initiatives into projects and in organisations through change management…

6. The Changing Face of PMgt? • The dominant way of organising change is in projects • Project and project management are becoming a crucial activity of organisations – Business as Usual (BAU) - Value Adding 8

7. Strategic Planning - Understanding Business Value • Who are our Clients/stakeholders? • What value do we provide to them? (GAP ANALYSIS) • Who will be our customers/stakeholders in the future? • How will we satisfy their needs and expectations?

8. Linking Project and Strategic Plan

9. The Project Manager • Responsibility • Authority • Accontability ... To see the project to its successful completion... 8

10. Sustainability • Sustainability is complex, diverse and tend to mean different things to different people

11. Triple Bottom Line Sustainable Development Economic Principles Social Principles Environmental Principles

12. Sustainability – A global challenge of our time. • In 1987 Brundtland defined sustainability as “…meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs…’ The Brundtland Report (1987) Our Common Future. Oxford University Press, ISBN 019282080. • 1992: Earth Summit - United Nations Conference on Environment and Development -Rio de Janeiro, Brazil • 1997: Kyoto Protocol • 2009 Copenhagen (COP15)

13. UK’s Position • The UK Government identified 4 aims in its strategy for sustainable development • Social progress that recognises the needs of everyone • Effective protection of the environment • Prudent use of natural resources • Maintenance of high and stable levels of economic growth

14. Global Society SustainableProject Management Local Society ModernProject Management Stakeholders Organisation/ Company TraditionalProject Management Scope Project Projectmanager Projectphase Projectdelivery Exploitation& Management Mygeneration Next generations Time horizon Sustainable Project Management

15. People, Planet, Profit Sustainability is about balancing or harmonizing social, environmental and economical interests

16. Environment Revell and Blackburn (2007), and Pasquire (1999) have presented a range of success factors that can help make construction industry environmentally friendly. • imposition of stricter regulations. • establishment of longer customer-supplier relationship. • awareness of environmental, social and economic impact.

17. Environment Contd. • implementation of environmental management system. • push from the top management. • implementation of ISO14,000 kind of certifications. • regular audits on green environmental standards. • customer’s willingness to pay extra for green construction; and • engagement by government bodies during the formulation of the regulations.

18. Waste Minimisation • Dainty and Brooke (2004), and Sarkis (1998) have listed and extensive range of practices that can help minimise waste in construction as well An other infrastructure projects. • standardization of design; • stock control to minimize over-ordering; • environmental education for the workforce; • having recycling and waste disposal companies as part of the supply chain; • just in time delivery; • penalties for poor waste management; • incentives and tender premiums for waste minimisation

19. Waste Minimisation Contd. • waste auditing; • increased use of off-site techniques/mass-production vs. made to order; • use of on-site compactors; • suppliers required to provide in small batch sizes; and • reverse logistics.

20. Energy For energy efficiency in construction, Bartlett and Howard (2000), Tiwari (2001), Sarkis (1998), and Unruh (2008) have highlighted issues and practices. • setting up energy saving objectives at operational level; • consideration of energy objectives at the strategic planning level itself; • value management of energy plans;

21. Energy Contd. • lifecycle costing accuracy; • education/awareness to designers about energy efficient materials and techniques; • use of cost and environmental assessment tools; and • investigation about energy producing opportunities in the project.

22. Sustainable Project Management • The management of project-organised change in policies, assets or organisations • consideration given to the economic, social and environmental impact of the project, its result and its effect for now and future generations

23. Research How do we develop indicators for incorporating the concepts of sustainability in project management?

24. CONTRIBUTIONS…… Contribution through the roles that Project Managers play in projects…

25. Contributions and Roles… (1) • Briefing: Supporting and encouraging clients and sponsor - championing incorporation of sustainability into statements of requirements – and applying them throughout the project • Finance and Funding Models: understand, encourage and promote appropriate financial and funding models at the inception emphasising the triple bottom line and whole life costings with an awareness and knowledge of financial benefits

26. Contributions and Roles… (1) • Selection: Incorporating sustainability criteria in selecting team members, contractors, suppliers, etc. • Strategies: Considering sustainability in the fundamental options of scoping, phasing, sequencing, sourcing, procurement, contracts, etc. • Design Proposals: Stimulate and encourage designs which respond to statements of requirements, statutory, standards and good practice for sustainability

27. Contributions and Roles… (1) • Specifications: Making sure that components and assemblies are sourced and delivered in sustainable ways – including delivery methods, packaging, • Change Decisions– Address sustainability aspects when change is under review • Delivery Stage– Implement predetermined project sustainability arrangements and good practices

28. Contributions and Roles… (1) • Management Arrangements– Adopt effective managerial and operational arrangements covering logistics, meetings, communications, consumables, re-use and recycling • Communications– Convey sustainability aspects of the project throughout its duration – Provide processes for this to happen.

29. CHALLENGES…… WHAT ARE THEY…

30. Challenges… • People are at the core of sustainability. -How people initiate, implement and use project outcomes makes them either sustainable or un-sustainable

31. Challenges… • Developing sustainable solutions requires a greater understanding of the: • Impact that the use of projects have on the environment and quality of life of occupants/users; • Cultural shift needed … by key players (Clients, sponsors, project manager, educators, professional bodies..etc. • Barriers to implementation (i.e. stakeholder reticence, the role of whole life thinking etc).

32. Challenges… • Short-termism of project professionals (and I dare say, their employers and clients) • The Project Management fraternity appear not to speak with one “voice” in their quest to address sustainability. • Collaboration between industry and research in addressing sustainability issues from a project management perspective • No holistic approach towards educating and training of the next generation of project professionals on the implications of “managing sustainability issues”

33. KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND COMPETENCES…… Developing and acquiring what is needed to effectively address sustainability issues in projects…

34. Sustainability and the Project Manager – Knowledge, Skills and Competences

35. Developing and Acquiring Requisite Skills, Knowledge and Competences • Are there targeted programmes on Sustainability and the Project manager (Formal, informal, external, in-house )? • What are the roles of the education and training providers; professional associations…? • What should an appropriate course content targeted at project professionals be?

36. Reflections and Conclusions • Projects are important “tools” for introducing sustainability initiatives into projects and in organisations through change management – An Opportunity • Project Managers have significant contributions to make • There are inevitable challenges… • We need targeted education and training programmes • Need to consider project professionals of the future as well as future generations in what we do TODAY.

37. Key workshop Questions 1. What role should project managers play in addressing the sustainability requirements of projects? 2. What main challenges confront project managers in addressing sustainability requirements of projects? 3. What requisite knowledge, skills and competencies do project managers need in addressing sustainability requirements of projects? 4. How best is knowledge, skills and competencies for addressing the sustainability requirements of projects acquired and/or developed?