Sustainable Construction Costing Practices: Case Study of Citywide Public Housing Program

Thesis Abstract

The escalating cost pressures in citywide public housing programs threaten delivery timelines and affordability, necessitating a systematic examination of sustainable costing practices that integrate lifecycle value, risk allocation, and stakeholder collaboration. This study addresses the gap in empirically grounded costing frameworks employed within large-scale public housing initiatives by evaluating how sustainability-oriented costing practices influence project performance in terms of cost certainty, time efficiency, and quality outcomes. The aim is to develop a robust, context-specific costing model that embeds sustainability criteria into procurement, budgeting, and financial risk management for public housing programs. Specific objectives are (1) to identify the cost drivers and sustainability indicators most influential in citywide public housing projects; (2) to evaluate current costing methodologies and their alignment with lifecycle cost optimization; (3) to examine governance and contractual arrangements that facilitate or hinder sustainable costing practices; (4) to quantify the relationship between sustainable costing practices and project performance using empirical data; and (5) to propose an integrated costing framework and best-practice guidelines for policy-makers, developers, and contractors. A mixed-methods approach is employed. The study adopts a convergent parallel design with a quantitative phase comprising a cross-sectional survey of 120 project managers, quantity surveyors, and procurement officers involved in citywide public housing across five municipal districts, complemented by 20 in-depth interviews with senior executives and policymakers to capture strategic perspectives. Data collection instruments include a structured questionnaire measuring constructs such as lifecycle costing, value engineering, risk-adjusted budgeting, green procurement, and collaborative contracting, as well as semistructured interview guides. The quantitative data will be analyzed using multiple linear regression and partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) to test the hypothesized relationships between sustainable costing practices and project performance indicators (cost variance, schedule variance, defect incidence, and customer satisfaction). The qualitative data will be analyzed thematically using a framework aligned with the theoretical underpinnings and will be integrated with the quantitative results through a triangulation approach to enhance validity. Validity and reliability procedures will include pilot testing (n=15), Cronbach’s alpha assessment for internal consistency, and inter-coder reliability checks for qualitative data. Theoretical grounding draws on agency theory to explore governance and information asymmetry in cost planning, and the theory of value-based management to connect sustainability outcomes with financial performance. The study will also reference the lifecycle costing framework and the Triple Bottom Line perspective (economic, social, environmental) to frame sustainability in financial terms. Anticipated findings include (i) a positive association between the adoption of lifecycle costing and reduced cost overruns and schedule slippage; (ii) significant mediating effects of early integration of sustainability criteria and supplier collaboration on project performance; (iii) evidence that green procurement and value engineering under robust governance correlate with improved defect rates and long-term maintenance costs; and (iv) identification of organizational barriers such as fragmented data systems and misaligned incentives that impede sustainable costing practices. The study contributes to knowledge by translating conceptual sustainable costing frameworks into an empirically validated model tailored to citywide public housing contexts, offering a practical, scalable framework that integrates lifecycle cost analysis with green procurement and collaborative contracting. It also provides policy recommendations for standardizing costing practices, improving data governance, and incentivizing sustainability alignment among public bodies, developers, and contractors. The main conclusion expected is that sustainable costing practices, when embedded within governance structures and reinforced by early design-stage collaboration, lead to measurable improvements in total project value and user outcomes. Recommendations include developing a standardized lifecycle costing toolkit for public housing programs, mandating cross-disciplinary training for cost professionals, implementing performance-based procurement mechanisms, and establishing continuous auditing of sustainability-related cost drivers to sustain project value over the housing program’s lifecycle.