5.2 Guiding Principles for Sustainability Assessment
5.2.1 Data collection and analysis
A comprehensive literature review has been carried out using literature review through qualitative analysis to explore the guiding principles. The literature on sustainability practices being adopted by various engineering organizations for infrastructure development has been the focus of the qualitative analysis. The preliminary list of articles for literature review was selected using the keyword ‘principles of sustainability for infrastructure development’ in Google Scholar search engine. The final list of literature was then screened using two criteria: (i) publications were selected based on whether they included international overviews of the sustainability assessment; and (ii) accessibility of publications to a wide international audience. A total of 22 key documents were selected and subjected to comprehensive review for identifying the guiding principles for sustainable infrastructure development. The selected articles include 07 research articles, 09 research reports, and 06 online sources.
After identification of the guiding principles, classical content analysis and constant comparison analyses were carried out to count the number of articles coded under each guiding principle and classify the guiding principles based on the goals of core principles of sustainability fulfilled by those guiding principles, respectively. The last column of Table 5.2 shows the result of the classical content analysis. It has been observed from classical content analysis that the guiding principle ‘Environmental Protection’ coded highest number of sources (i.e. 17 times), while the guiding principles ‘Up-gradation’ and
‘Risk Management’ coded the lowest number of sources (i.e. 5 times).
78
Table 5.2: Literature review and coding of guiding principles Sl.
No.
Guiding principles (Open code / Free node)
Sources or Authors Total
sources coded
Research articles Research reports Online source
a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v 1 Environmental protection – Reduce the impact
on life support system & ecological services
√ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ 17 2 Polluters pay – Plan for pollution cost and
compensation
√ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ 09
3 Quality of life – To ensure provision of key prerequisites for decent life
√ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ 08
4 Creativity – Encourage innovation, flexible for change and share a knowledge
√ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ 08
5 Up-gradation – Education, training, participation and awareness
√ √ √ √ √ 05
6 Affordability – Affordable user charges/
customer satisfaction
√ √ √ √ √ √ 06
7 Social justice and poverty alleviation – Improving well-being of all community
√ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ 12
8 Equitable distribution of resources between present and future generation
√ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ 12
9 Long-term strategic planning for commercial viable or bankable service
√ √ √ √ √ √ √ 07
10 Maintenance of natural resources – Use of renewable resources
√ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ 11
11 Value for Money – Improve quality, cost, access and the financial viability
√ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ 09
Contd.
79
Table 5.2 (Contd.) Sl.
No.
Guiding principles (Open code / Free node)
Sources or Authors Total
sources coded
Research articles Research reports Online source
a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v 12 Efficient project delivery – Adopt efficient
processes and technologies
√ √ √ √ √ √ √ 07
13 Public participation – Consultation of all stakeholders / Users participation
√ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ 17 14 Institutional capacity – Strong organization and
leadership
√ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ 11
15 Accountability – Transparency in decision making by Government
√ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ 11
16 Risk Management – Balance risk profile between government and private sector
√ √ √ √ √ 05
17 Adaptability and Resiliency – Consider of future impact and uncertainties
√ √ √ √ √ √ √ 07
18 Precautionary – Identification of problems and its solution
√ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ 12
19 Multidimensional – Integration of 3 dimensions of sustainability to seek a balanced solution
√ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ 09
20 Continuum – Representing various degrees of sustainability
√ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ 08
[Sources: a - Luederitz et al. (2013); b - Ramani et al. (2011); c - Berke and Conroy (2000); d - McKercher (2003); e - Terry and Tony (2011); f - Millar (2009); g - Harris (2000); h - UNCED (1992b); i - RAE (2005); j - IAIA (2003); k - DME (2009); l - OECD (2001); m - UNDES (2012); n - CEC (2005); o - NSDSS (2007); p- FIRE (2011); q - OSE (2013); r - Cledan (2005); s- UBC (2013); t - YRGM (2007); u - IISD (2013); v - MHEENG (1993)]
Further, the second and third cycle of coding procedure had been conducted for the constant comparison analysis. In second and third cycle of coding, the core principles and three dimension of sustainability have been coded through axial and selective coding as tree nodes in NVivo10, respectively. Then, the constant comparison analysis had been conducted to classify each guiding principle based on the extent of fulfillment of the goals of core principles and three dimension of sustainability. Table 5.3 shows the classification of the identified guiding principles with their respective core principles and dimensions of sustainability being fulfilled by the principles.
Table 5.3: Guiding principles to accomplish the goals of sustainability Level I: Dimensions
of sustainability
Level II: Core principles of sustainability
Level III: Guiding principles of
sustainable infrastructure development Environmental
Sustainability
Socio-ecological system integrity
Environmental protection Polluters pay
Precaution and adaption Adaptability and Resiliency Precautionary
Risk Management Social
Sustainability
Livelihood sufficiency and opportunity
Quality of life Creativity Up-gradation Intra-generational equity Affordability
Social justice and poverty alleviation Intergenerational equity Equitable distribution of resources
Long-term strategic planning Economic
Sustainability
Resource maintenance and efficiency
Maintenance of natural resources Value for Money
Efficient project delivery Socio-economic civility
and democratic governance
Public participation Institutional capacity Accountability All three dimensions
of sustainability
Immediate and long-term integration
Multidimensional Continuum
It has been observed through constant comparison analysis that all the guiding principles have fulfilled the goals of core principles and three dimensions of sustainability. The final set of guiding principles with core principles are Socio-ecological system integrity:
Environmental protection, Polluters pay; Precaution and adaption: Adaptability and resiliency, Precautionary, Risk management; Livelihood sufficiency and opportunity:
Quality of life, Creativity, Up-gradation; Intra-generational equity: Affordability, Social justice and poverty alleviation; Intergenerational equity: Equitable distribution of resources, Long-term strategic planning; Resource maintenance and efficiency:
Maintenance of natural resources, Value for money, Efficient project delivery; Socio- economic civility and democratic governance: Public participation, Institutional capacity, Accountability; Immediate and long-term integration: Multidimensional, Continuum.