Boas práticas de sustentabilidade em micro e pequenas empresas construtoras do sertão de Crateús, semiárido nordestino

Abstract

The construction industry is known for its environmental impacts, either by the excessive consumption of raw materials or by the generation of waste. Face of this, the society has exerted pressure on companies for Sustainable Construction, which not fully attended yet, specially by small enterprises. These companies have as the main characteristic the low professionalization of its management and, frequently, operates in small and media cities, as the city of Crateús, Brazil. Thus, a gap of knowledge was identified that is the implementation of sustainable best practices in small enterprises of construction sector, due of the incipient literature of construction management for this type of companies. Then, this works aimed to surveying sustainable best practices, through a multiple case study performed with three construction companies from city of Crateús. For that, a systematic literature review was performed, and 50 Best Practices were identified as feasibly to small enterprises. These practices were analyzed considering the sustainable dimensions of triple bottom approach and support the cases studies. In following, three managers from top level administration were interviewed and its perception about best practices and sustainability were identified. From the interviews was possible to check the benefits for the companies, for workers and the society if best practices of sustainability were adopted. For the interviewees, these practices are viable and the main barrier for its adoption is the culture. The managers also point the best practices implemented in their companies, which verified by observation at construction site. Others best practices listed in the literature review were also identified, despite of the managers did not perceive them as best practice. The surveying evidenced the inexistence of best practices related exclusively with Ambiental dimension. It can conclude that the best sustainable practices, in general, are widely related to process efficiency in order to promote quality improvement and productivity growth, leading to the reduction of waste and costs and impacting the social and environmental dimensions. This list of Best Sustainable Practices can help other managers of small enterprises to adopt, from a wide range of options, sustainable best practices. Future research was suggested.