In my experience, I found it that many contractors don’t intentionally ignore climate change but several structural, economic, and behavioural factors often push them into treating it as a secondary concern, even though it is undeniably real and already affecting projects.
1. Cost Pressure and Thin Profit Margins
- Construction margins are tight,
- Climate-resilient materials, design adjustments, and environmental safeguards usually cost more upfront,
- When contractors are already struggling to win tenders at the lowest price, sustainability measures get sidelined.
Mindset: “If the client doesn’t pay for it, why should we include it?”
2. Short-Term Focus vs Long-Term Impact
Contractors generally operate on short project cycles.
Climate impacts : flooding, rising temperatures, soil movements, extreme storms are long-term issues.
They prioritise:
- completing the job fast,
- avoiding delays,
- meeting immediate specifications
Long-term climate resilience is seen as the consultant’s or client's problem.
3. Lack of Awareness or Outdated Knowledge
Some still rely on old rules of thumb:
- historical rainfall data,
- traditional soil assumptions,
- old drainage standards
But climate patterns have shifted drastically, and old assumptions no longer hold. Not all contractors keep up with new guidelines.
4. “Not My Responsibility” Mentality
A mindset common in the industry:
- Designer handles design,
- Client sets requirements,
- Contractor just builds according to drawings
If climate adaptation isn’t explicitly written in the contract, many won’t consider it.
5. Pressure to Meet Deadlines
Weather delays already cause friction between contractors, consultants, and clients. Ironically, instead of planning for more extreme weather, contractors often:
- rush work,
- cut corners,
- ignore environmental protocols
to maintain the schedule.
6. Insufficient Enforcement
Even when climate-related regulations exist (e.g., flood mitigation, erosion control, stormwater management), enforcement on-site varies.
- limited manpower in local authorities,
- inconsistent monitoring,
- penalties too low to deter non-compliance
This encourages a "deviate a little from the specs" approach.
7. Culture of Reactive, Not Preventive, Action
In many places, people only take climate change seriously after a flood, slope failure, or structural issue happens.
The construction ecosystem often mirrors this culture:
- Fix after failure,
- No prevention before failure,
- Risk Assessment didn't seem not to identify such long term risk,
8. Competitive Tenders Reward the Cheapest Bid
If tenders do not explicitly require climate-resilient design and construction:
- bidders who include climate provisions will look more expensive,
- bidders who ignore them win the job
9. Lack of Training in Climate-Resilient Construction
Many site teams and subcontractors have limited exposure to:
- climate adaptation engineering,
- sustainable material choices,
- biodiversity considerations,
- hydrological risk forecasting
Without training, they default to outdated practices.
10. Human Bias (“It Won’t Happen to Us”)
A psychological factor:
People underestimate risks they have not personally experienced,
Until:
- a site gets flooded,
- a retaining wall fails,
- temperatures cause material expansion issues
…climate change remains abstract.
Summary
Contractors often ignore climate change because the industry system encourages short-term savings over long-term resilience.
But climate change is already affecting:
- soil behaviour,
- stormwater flows,
- concrete curing,
- material durability,
- worker safety,
- scheduling and costs
Ignoring it will cost more later than preparing now.
SO, THEN, WHAT SHOULD THE AUTHORITIES, CLIENTS OR CONSULTANTS DO?
1. Authorities (Government, Regulators, Local Councils)
Authorities have the biggest influence because they set the rules everyone must follow.
A. Strengthen regulations and standards
- Update earthworks, drainage, flood mitigation, stormwater, river buffer, slope, and coastal protection guidelines to reflect today’s climate data not 20-year-old data,
- Make climate-resilient design mandatory in all planning approvals.
B. Strict enforcement
Conduct frequent site inspections, especially during earthworks and foundation stages.
Enforce stricter penalties for:
- poor erosion/silt control,
- incomplete drainage,
- unsafe temporary works,
- environmental non-compliance,
When compliance becomes expensive to ignore, contractors will comply.
C. Require Climate Risk Assessments
Before approving a project, require:
- Flood risk study,
- Updated hydrological modeling,
- Soil movement/expansion due to temperature and rainfall,
- Heat stress assessment,
D. Incentives for climate-resilient construction
- Fast-track approvals for green/resilient projects,
- Tax incentives or grants for climate-adaptation technologies,
- Encourage use of permeable pavements, green roofs, detention ponds, etc.
E. Digital Enforcement
Require contractors to submit real-time photos, drone data, or IoT rainfall logs for monitoring,
Use digital systems (GIS + satellite overlays) to track compliance in flood zones or sensitive areas
2. Clients (Developers, Government Agencies, Property Owners)
Clients drive the direction of the entire project. If they don’t prioritise climate resilience, nobody else will.
A. Specify climate-related requirements clearly
Include in tender documents:
- Erosion/sediment control measures,
- Flood mitigation systems,
- Heat-mitigation design (reflective materials, shading, green areas),
- Resilient drainage solutions,
- Stronger structural specifications for extreme weather
If it's not in the drawings, the contractor won’t do it.
B. Accept realistic budgets
Climate-adapted construction costs more upfront but saves millions later. Clients must avoid forcing contractors into the cheapest bid.
C. Avoid rigid timelines that create risky shortcuts
Extreme weather will cause delays that’s normal now.
Clients must allow for
• rain delays,
• high-wind shutdowns, and
• access road deterioration
These factors should be properly reflected in the project’s critical path scheduling. Failing to build these climate-related risks into the timeline forces contractors to rush, cut corners, and compromise both safety and quality.
D. Engage specialists early
Bring in:
- hydrologists,
- geotechnical climate specialists,
- coastal/marine engineers,
- sustainability consultants
Don’t wait until the problem appears on-site.
E. Implement long-term asset management
Clients should plan for:
- future maintenance,
- floodproofing,
- structural upgrades,
- adaptation over the building’s lifespan
Climate change doesn’t stop after the project is completed.
3. Consultants (Engineers, Architects, Planners, QS/PMC)
Consultants are the guardians of quality but many still design based on outdated assumptions.
A. Update technical calculations
Use:
- the latest rainfall intensity curves,
- current soil behaviour data,
- updated wind loads,
- revised temperature expansion factors,
- existing climate adaptation guidelines
B. Incorporate climate resilience into design
Examples:
- higher drainage capacity,
- deeper footings in flood-prone areas,
- retaining walls with increased surcharge,
- materials suitable for extreme heat,
- wind-resilient roof and façade designs
C. Educate the client
Many clients don’t understand climate risks.
Consultants must explain:
- Why we need bigger drains,
- Why slopes need proper geotextile,
- Why river setbacks must increase,
- Why detention ponds cannot be shrunk for “extra land”
If consultants don’t defend technical integrity, contractors will exploit the silence.
D. Be stricter during supervision
Consultants must:
- Reject shortcuts,
- Insist on proper implementation,
- Document non-compliance,
- Enforce contractual penalties,
- Refuse to certify work that ignores climate adaptation
E. Integrate multidisciplinary collaboration
Climate change is not a single-discipline issue.
Structural + geotech + hydrology + M&E + landscape architects must all align.
Conclusion: Everyone Has a Role
Climate change is no longer theoretical, it affects:
- construction cost,
- scheduling,
- durability,
- safety,
- structural behaviour,
- environmental damage
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