Sustainable development: understanding the concept and practical challenge*

There are over 200 definitions of ‘sustainable development’. But if defining it is difficult, putting it into practice is even harder. This paper reviews what ‘sustainability’ and ‘sustainable development’ actually mean in real-world terms, and discusses the practical challenge they represent. It provides an overview of the current UK sustainable development agenda and of the key drivers that will influence civil engineers and the companies and organisations with whom, or for whom, they work. It covers initiatives relevant to the construction sector in the context of changes at the macro level brought about by government policy and public opinion. Examples and references are given to facilitate further reading and research as well as to provide a mechanism for getting in touch with the initiatives themselves.