Enhancing sustainability in renovation projects: the roles of the contractor and consultant

Abstract

The construction industry significantly impacts the global economy, with renovation projects offering key opportunities for sustainable practices due to their flexibility and resource efficiency. However, in Sri Lanka, stakeholder collaboration particularly between contractors and consultants remains weak, hindering effective sustainability integration. This study investigates how contractors and consultants contribute to adopting sustainable practices in renovation projects. A qualitative research approach was adopted, combining a comprehensive literature review and semi-structured interviews with twelve construction industry professionals. The interview responses were analysed using manual content analysis methods to identify the roles of contractor and consultant, challenges, and to develop suitable recommendations for improving the integration of sustainable practices in renovation projects. The research findings revealed that consultants primarily contribute to sustainability assessments, material selection, and client advising, while contractors focus on implementing sustainable practices on-site, such as waste minimisation and efficient resource management. Although, the findings identified the key challenges including lack of understanding among clients, high initial costs, and limited availability of resources, which significantly affect the practical integration of sustainability in Sri Lankan renovation projects. The study contributes to the integration of sustainable renovation by providing recommendations including improved stakeholder communication, the adoption of sustainable materials, design Integration and climate adaptation. Moreover, it mainly highlights the importance of government support, policy changes and proper training to improve the sustainable integration. These findings provide a strong foundation for improving policy frameworks and professional practices in renovation projects across Sri Lanka.