Challenges for sustainability assessment by indicators

This paper presents an overview of sustainable construction in civil engineering from the perspective of project management and sustainability assessment through indicators. It discusses the different approaches and requirements of sustainability assessment models that are based mostly on criteria and indicators, the needs that are deemed critical for the application of sustainability indicators in the civil engineering sector, and the challenges that remain to be overcome before they can be applied in general practice. The ultimate goal is indicators that allow comparison not only between alternatives but also between projects in regard to sustainability certification. © 2011 American Society of Civil Engineers.