Systematic Methodology for Estimating the Social Dimension of Construction Projects—Assessing Health and Safety Risks Based on Project Budget Analysis

One of the major challenges in the construction sector involves achieving sustainability in all three of its dimensions: economic, social, and environmental. Economic and environmental assessments have already been unified, but social indicators are still excluded. In this line, it is important for...

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Main Authors: María D. Alba-Rodríguez, Valeriano Lucas-Ruiz, Madelyn Marrero
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-07-01
Series:Buildings
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2075-5309/15/13/2313
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author María D. Alba-Rodríguez
Valeriano Lucas-Ruiz
Madelyn Marrero
author_facet María D. Alba-Rodríguez
Valeriano Lucas-Ruiz
Madelyn Marrero
author_sort María D. Alba-Rodríguez
collection DOAJ
description One of the major challenges in the construction sector involves achieving sustainability in all three of its dimensions: economic, social, and environmental. Economic and environmental assessments have already been unified, but social indicators are still excluded. In this line, it is important for a rapid introduction of sustainability indicators that the evaluations of its three dimensions are carried out simultaneously and without adding new training or a large workload to the project. In this work, it is proposed to use the definition of tasks in construction cost databases. These, due to their long tradition in the sector, have a clear definition of the contours of the problem and the inventory of resources. Therefore, based on this inventory that does not leave any unaccounted element, the evaluation of the social dimension is proposed through the use of the work units of the databases as an element of occupational risk assessment. The project cost and risk assessment are performed simultaneously in the construction of a social housing project in Andalusia, Spain. The costs of prevention measures represent 5% of the work units’ costs and reduce the risk indicator by 65%.
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issn 2075-5309
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spelling doaj-art-41858ea64f30480eb2e50655e0ccc8c92025-08-20T02:35:43ZengMDPI AGBuildings2075-53092025-07-011513231310.3390/buildings15132313Systematic Methodology for Estimating the Social Dimension of Construction Projects—Assessing Health and Safety Risks Based on Project Budget AnalysisMaría D. Alba-Rodríguez0Valeriano Lucas-Ruiz1Madelyn Marrero2Design Engineering Department, Higher Polytechnic School, University of Seville, C/Virgen de África, 7, 41011 Seville, SpainDepartment of Architectural Constructions II, School of Building Engineering, University of Seville, Av. Reina Mercedes 4, 41012 Seville, SpainDepartment of Architectural Constructions II, School of Building Engineering, University of Seville, Av. Reina Mercedes 4, 41012 Seville, SpainOne of the major challenges in the construction sector involves achieving sustainability in all three of its dimensions: economic, social, and environmental. Economic and environmental assessments have already been unified, but social indicators are still excluded. In this line, it is important for a rapid introduction of sustainability indicators that the evaluations of its three dimensions are carried out simultaneously and without adding new training or a large workload to the project. In this work, it is proposed to use the definition of tasks in construction cost databases. These, due to their long tradition in the sector, have a clear definition of the contours of the problem and the inventory of resources. Therefore, based on this inventory that does not leave any unaccounted element, the evaluation of the social dimension is proposed through the use of the work units of the databases as an element of occupational risk assessment. The project cost and risk assessment are performed simultaneously in the construction of a social housing project in Andalusia, Spain. The costs of prevention measures represent 5% of the work units’ costs and reduce the risk indicator by 65%.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-5309/15/13/2313health and safety costrisk assessmentoccupational riskssocial indicatorproject budget
spellingShingle María D. Alba-Rodríguez
Valeriano Lucas-Ruiz
Madelyn Marrero
Systematic Methodology for Estimating the Social Dimension of Construction Projects—Assessing Health and Safety Risks Based on Project Budget Analysis
Buildings
health and safety cost
risk assessment
occupational risks
social indicator
project budget
title Systematic Methodology for Estimating the Social Dimension of Construction Projects—Assessing Health and Safety Risks Based on Project Budget Analysis
title_full Systematic Methodology for Estimating the Social Dimension of Construction Projects—Assessing Health and Safety Risks Based on Project Budget Analysis
title_fullStr Systematic Methodology for Estimating the Social Dimension of Construction Projects—Assessing Health and Safety Risks Based on Project Budget Analysis
title_full_unstemmed Systematic Methodology for Estimating the Social Dimension of Construction Projects—Assessing Health and Safety Risks Based on Project Budget Analysis
title_short Systematic Methodology for Estimating the Social Dimension of Construction Projects—Assessing Health and Safety Risks Based on Project Budget Analysis
title_sort systematic methodology for estimating the social dimension of construction projects assessing health and safety risks based on project budget analysis
topic health and safety cost
risk assessment
occupational risks
social indicator
project budget
url https://www.mdpi.com/2075-5309/15/13/2313
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AT valerianolucasruiz systematicmethodologyforestimatingthesocialdimensionofconstructionprojectsassessinghealthandsafetyrisksbasedonprojectbudgetanalysis
AT madelynmarrero systematicmethodologyforestimatingthesocialdimensionofconstructionprojectsassessinghealthandsafetyrisksbasedonprojectbudgetanalysis