Exploring Networking Barriers for Excavated Soil Management : A case study in the construction industry

Sammanfattning: The construction industry is today one of the greatest consumer of natural resources, and considering the current construction rate, the resource efficiency are to be a challenge. The complexity and uniqueness of the industry create barriers for managing resources efficiently. Construction entails excavation of soil, and from a resource perspective, the excavated soil can be managed more efficiently. The purpose of the study is to examine the network of excavated soil management and how different actors and their roles are intertwined with each other and how they are related to environmental aspects in construction projects. A qualitative case study with a systematic combining approach has been conducted, where semi-structured interviews, observations and secondary documentations were used to collect data. The collected data were further analysed using the ARA-model and the iron triangle. The results generated five main networking barriers for managing the excavated soil more efficiently; communication, co-operation and willingness to compromise/collaborate, unified vision, commitment and structure. However, the analysis resulted in two concluding barriers with the most substantial impact on the excavated soil management. First, the public procurement act which limits the opportunities for early involvement of the contractors, and second, the lack of unified vision regarding the responsibility of the excavated soil. Further, commitment among all actors is required for a joint long-term management. The findings are specific to the case, due to the complexity of the industry. Further research is required to make the results more generalizable.