Strategic approaches towards achieving sustainable and effective building maintenance practices in maintenance-managed buildings: A combination of expert interviews and a literature review

Buildings have been consistently identified as the sector with the greatest potential to reduce both energy consumption and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions through more sustainable and effective strategies of building maintenance, along with enhancing user behaviour. While ineffective building maintenance practices have environmental, economic and social consequences, according to evidence from the literature, there has been a lack of studies that offer strategic approaches for sustainable and effective building maintenance practices. The significance of these strategic approaches comes from the fact that building maintenance practices are still based on unsatisfactory actions in many countries around the world. Thus, studies that provide such approaches could contribute to improvements globally and help reduce the impact of these practices, while also pointing stakeholders involved in the right direction. Consequently, an in-depth semi-structured interview was developed and conducted based on the current issues and needs, as well as the latest trends in the challenges, in building maintenance, supported by an extensive review of the recent literature. This study introduces seven strategies that will positively improve maintenance work procedures within the domain of sustainability practices and allow for a more effective allocation of resources, capabilities and time. The adoption of these strategies by stakeholders in maintenance-managed buildings will significantly overcome both the current issues and future challenges in achieving sustainable and effective building maintenance practices, which will benefit the environmental, economic and social dimensions.