Advancing Construction Industry Performance through Sustainable Project Management Practices in Developing Economies: A Framework for Resource Efficiency and Sustainability

Abstract

This study examines the role of Sustainable Project Management (SPM) practices in enhancing construction industry performance in developing economies, with particular emphasis on resource efficiency and sustainability. A quantitative research approach with a cross-sectional design was employed to investigate the relationships between sustainable planning, sustainability-oriented procurement, stakeholder involvement, sustainable risk management, resource efficiency, environmental performance, social performance, and overall project performance. Data were collected from construction professionals and relevant project records and analyzed using descriptive statistics, reliability analysis, correlation analysis, and multiple regression techniques. The findings indicate that sustainable project management practices were moderately to highly adopted across the projects examined. The reliability of all constructs was satisfactory, while the relationships between sustainability-related variables and overall project performance were positive and statistically significant. Resource efficiency, sustainable planning, and sustainable risk management emerged as the three strongest predictors of overall project performance. Furthermore, the findings demonstrate that the effective adoption of sustainable practices positively contributes to project cost, time, and quality performance, while also strengthening environmental and social outcomes. Based on these findings, a five-stage framework is proposed to integrate sustainability into construction project planning, implementation, monitoring, and continuous improvement. Overall, the study demonstrates that Sustainable Project Management provides a viable approach for improving construction project performance, reducing resource waste, controlling costs, and enhancing environmental and social sustainability in developing economy contexts.