Work

Assessing the Sustainability Skills Gap between Industry Needs and Academic Training in Construction Management

Year: 2025

Type: conference-paper

Abstract: According to the Building Science Education Guidelines, construction managers must evaluate the integration of whole building systems and analyze building science principles, particularly regarding energy efficiency and building enclosure, to promote sustainable construction. However, current construction management (CM) programs often lack comprehensive training in these areas through design and construction integration. While curricula include some building science and systems training, available resources remain scattered or limited to specific topics, potentially misaligning with industry needs. In this respect, this research examines the sustainability skills gap between industry practice and academic curricula. Using a task inventory analysis approach, this research identifies key industry-required sustainability tasks and compares their competencies with academic offerings, highlighting areas needing course transformations and interventions. The findings of this research will help better prepare construction management students for workforce success while promoting sustainable design and construction practices in the built environment.

Source: CIB Conferences

DOI: 10.7771/3067-4883.1816

Authors: Minsoo Baek, Hayoung Kim, Ryan Manuel, Soowon Chang

Institutions: Kennesaw State University, Purdue University West Lafayette

Language: English

Topic: Sustainability in Higher Education

Subfield: Education

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Quality education

Open Access status: bronze

Funders: American Society for Engineering Education, Emerald Publishing, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory