Linking Digital Tools and Five-Dimensional Sustainability for Green Development in Construction Management

Abstract

Sustainable and democratic governance in infrastructure development is increasingly challenged by the intersection of digital transformation, sustainability demands, and institutional complexity. This study investigates how accessible digital tools can support sustainable construction governance through a five-dimensional framework encompassing environmental, economic, social, technological, and institutional dimensions. Particular attention is given to institutional sustainability, defined through governance structures, regulatory coherence, accountability, transparency, and stakeholder coordination. The study conceptualizes low-cost digital tools, including spreadsheet-based project tracking, mobile communication applications, and web-based reporting platforms, as socio-technical governance mechanisms that enable information sharing, coordination, monitoring, and participatory decision-making. A qualitative- dominant mixed-method approach was employed, combining secondary case study analysis with policy evaluation. Evidence was drawn from peer-reviewed literature, documented case studies, policy reports, and institutional guidelines and analysed through qualitative content analysis and cross-case comparison. Findings demonstrate that accessible digital tools can enhance economic efficiency, project coordination, and environmental monitoring by improving information management and communication. However, their contributions to social inclusion and institutional accountability are conditional upon governance quality, digital literacy, stakeholder engagement, and regulatory coherence. Institutional sustainability therefore functions as a critical mediating dimension across sustainability outcomes. The study contributes an integrated socio- technical framework linking accessible digitalization with sustainable and resilient construction governance.