O impacto da COVID-19 na construção civil: no Rio Grande do Sul sob a ótica da sustentabilidade

Abstract

The coronavirus is not the first causer of a sanitary crisis, other diseases have altered the course of history in different moments of humanity, however, the context is similar and the instability reverberates on the life of the population of regions and countries. This paper seeks to understand the perception of the pandemic impacts on the construction sector under the sustainability perspective, proposing a decision tree as tool for management strategy. When analyzing a construction project, we may mention as possible effects: i) the instability in the cost of inputs, ii) productivity variation, iii) change in life quality and iv) adaptations to the construction site to abide to the disease containment measures. All those aspects impact on the projects’ costs and deadlines. The construction sector usually proposes changes in an ordered manner, with tests, rehearsals and planning, however, the pandemic exposed a scenario of great uncertainty and the market had to quickly adapt. In the aim of mitigating the effects of the pandemic, solutions based on a good management with access to quality information, employment of technology, mapping of risks and flexibility to change may be more effective. This study is characterized as a qualitative-quantitative research, carried out based on the application of a questionnaire to businesspeople and workers within the sector that worked in construction sites during the pandemic, and it allows us to compare the current view with the existing literature on the theme. Regarding the results, both social and economic impacts were perceived due to the pandemic. The recent crisis served as a warning for small companies and showed the importance of mapping the business’s risks. This analysis aims to contribute to improve the managers’ decision making in construction within unfavorable scenarios.