15. Theoretical Analysis of the Metrics for Measuring the Sustainability of Infrastructure Projects

The built environment contributes significantly to the emission of greenhouse gases. Empirical evidence suggests that these gases are principally responsible for climate change. To mitigate the impact of climate change on the environment, there is an increasing need to ensure that infrastructure projects are sustainable. Hence, this chapter presents a systematic review of extant literature on metrics for evaluating the sustainability of infrastructure projects, as there are currently limited studies that have holistically addressed the lack of theoretical information on the metrics for evaluating the sustainability of infrastructure. Indicative results from the extant review of literature revealed that the number of publications on sustainability metrics has been increasing and there are a growing number of systems and sustainable development indicators for measuring the sustainability of infrastructure projects. These findings suggest that issues relating to sustainability are becoming more important to built-environment researchers and practitioners. The results of the study provide valuable insights on the trends and gaps in theoretical knowledge on metrics for measuring the sustainability of infrastructure projects in the global South. The identified metrics in this chapter could be used in the development of an infrastructure decision support tool that can be used by for project teams to facilitate optimization of processes associated with sustainable infrastructure projects.