Will contractors pursue unsustainable practices following environmental recovery? A highway case in China

Purpose: This study aims to map out contractors' thoughts on construction-related environmental recovery as an excuse for deliberately carrying on unsustainable construction. Design/methodology/approach: A typical highway construction project in China was investigated. Textual materials were collected through semistructured interviews. Content analysis was conducted to derive qualitative data from the textual materials. Findings: The research findings reveal a trend of environmental recovery associated with construction activities. It is found that contractors utilize this trend to maintain unsustainable construction. Furthermore, the effects of environmental recovery equip local governments with a tolerance for environmental degradation, and the environmental tolerance allows contractors to continue unsustainable construction without being discovered. Originality/value: This paper presents an environmental recovery-based perspective on unsustainable construction and sheds some light on the promotion of sustainable construction.