Sustainability by information and communication technology: a paradigm shift for construction projects in Iran

Anecdotal evidence refers to impacts of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) as an enabler of sustainable delivery of construction projects. This study aims to explore such claims through reflecting on and sharing the experiences of project managers in a developing country. It used a ‘sequential exploratory design’ (qual→Quan) mixed method approach containing sixteen semi-structured interviews followed by Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) analysis of 101 survey questionnaires conducted in Iran using a hierarchical component model. The findings are presented as a model that quantifies the impacts of ICT on sustainability in delivering construction projects. Results show that process optimization, media substitution, and externalization of control are the means through which sustainability by ICT could be achieved. Having Iran, as the context, the study contributes to the field in two ways. First, the potential to use ICT as a vehicle to facilitate sustainable delivery of construction projects is quantitatively assessed. Second, several ICT-based solutions are proposed to assist in smoothing this transition.