Where do we go from here? Making the building and construction sector sustainable seems to be a forgone conclusion. But attitudes still need to be changed, more than anything else.

The processes involved in a building's lifespan - conceptualization, design, construction, use, maintenance and demolition - have immense implications for the GHGs produced in terms of resources and energy consumption. Building and construction processes can be subject to the principles of sustainability.

What would this mean to local governments? What are the key elements of a sustainable building and construction policy? What policies and programmes are needed to ensure the success of such a policy? Who needs to be involved - up and down the supply chain, besides the local government itself?

Incorporating sustainability principles in the buidling and construction sector is critical, but the decision-making proicess is fraut with mind-sets that resist the change towards greater sustainability. The following table illustrate the common reasons for resisting action towards sustainability, and some of the strategies and justifications we can adopt in facilitating appropriate decision-making.

Common reasons for lack of action	Stratigies for change in decision-making processes
"I don’t benefit from making this building easily disassembled ... "	some construction companies now provide services directed at the full life-cycle of a building, thus benefiting, for example, from making provisions for disassemble in design. professional ethics may force us to think of all stages of a building, not only on the stage we are concerned with
"Each stakeholder pursues his/her own goals, ignoring others ... "	we may want to work in collaborative teams to ensure better understanding of other stakeholders we have a responsibility sometimes to 'educate' the client, whether it is the developer, financier or user, to think life-cycle Providing services of all stages of the building’s life-cycle may, in itself, be a business opportunity
Social development is more important than environmental issues ... "	Many times, action needed for solving environmental problems can generate income or create jobs! Environmental management has many externalities in ensuring good health, better air quality or efficient water usage.
"One person (or one building) cannot make a difference! ... "	But by embracing sustainability principles, we can be leaders and role models in the field! All action starts small - one step at a time - which eventually leads to its broad adoption within the entire industry sector Proper publicity and media coverage may educate clients to 'copy' a good green or sustainable building, the best pressure that can put pressure on building and construction professionals to 'go green'
"It’s too expensive ... "	Some initial costs may be high, or may be perceived as unncessary 'extras'. But money will be saved in the long term from energy efficiency, costly remedial action, maintenance etc. Costly litigation may be saved by ensuring all aspects of a building's environmental impacts are considered (including the activities that take place within a building - for example, through an ISO 14001 certification process)
"Building codes (functional efficiency, comfort) are not favourable towards sustainable buidlings and construction ... "	This is changing, and international action towards SBC is increasing (for example an SBC code is being developed by ISO) Sometimes current building codes and standards have to be interpreted to extract its sustainability roots
"Banks and clients always focus on bottom lines and high profits ... "	Banks and clients need to be made aware of sustainability's positive externalities and long-term costs of not taking action Environmental and sustainability aspects need to be included in budgeting and investment processes, and can in itself be used as a 'selling' point.
"Professional ethics is very weak, so implementing SBC is difficult ... "	Sustainability has to made an integral part of the education of professionals involved in building and construction sector Continuing education programmes, on-the-job training, awareness building workshops etc. should be used to place emphasis on sustainability principles

Elsewhere on GDRC:
• GDRC's Urban Environmental Management Programme - Green Construction