Third discussion of Silvious et al’s book on Project Management and Sustainability

Third discussion of Silvious et al’s book on Project Management and Sustainability

Sustainability in Project Management, 2012

Silvius, G.,Schipper, R., Planko, J., Brink, J., Kohler, A.

Gower Publishing Limited, Surry, England

 

Project management and Sustainability

Sivious et al provide a model for exploring sustainability and project management through context of the project within the chartering organization. I saw this as directly correlated to the power or authority of the project manager within the organization.  In other words, my ability to influence sustainability is related to my authority and my power. Although this may seem obvious, Sivious looked at project management processes, project management delivery, and project management life cycle among other concepts.

Let’s take an early project in my career where Bethlehem Steel built a new coal injection plant at the integrated steel plant in Burns Harbor IN. The Board of Directors authorized the new plant to reduce the cost of steel as well as reducing the environmental impact of the steel plant. The Coal Injection plant reduced the need for coke which was both dirty and expensive. From almost every perspective (profit, people and planet) this met the criteria of a sustainable project.  

Bethlehem assigned a project manager to execute the project. The project manager had a deliverable that was sustainable from an organizational context. The project manager also had authority and the power to design the facility and include sustainability within the design of the facility. What is the expected life cycle of the facility, how can I reduce energy usage, what are the most sustainable equipment specifications for this plant. These are major questions that will influence the project costs, operating costs and the sustainability of the project from the plant design and build project perspective.

Fluor was contracted to design and build the new plant based on the specifications developed by the plant project team. The sustainability of the deliverables of the Fluor Project Team was determined by the client’s specifications. The Fluor Team could and did make recommendations relative to the deliverables that would reduce cost, add durability and save time. These suggestions were approved or rejected by the Plant Project Manager. Again, the Plant Project Manager retained the power and authority over the sustainability of the project within this context.

The Fluor Team also explored how to design the plant maximizing the use of electronic files and reducing paper, recycling paper, reducing the need for air travel and various techniques and processes that could be labeled green or sustainable. This was another context for sustainability in project management. Within this context the project manager used the power and authority of the position to execute a green project.

The Project Management Institute and other professional project management institutions have not yet included a sustainability requirement within the code of ethics but I suspect it is coming. How we define sustainability and the role of the project manager will be important is defining the ethical obligations and we are not there yet. Sivious et al and others are providing some models that may encourage this conversation.

Russ