CSI’s treatment of sustainability—as reflected in CDT materials and related practice guides—aligns with widely recognized sustainability concepts: construction and building standards should protect human health, the environment, and the welfare of the broader community (public).
Sustainability-related texts (including green building rating systems, green product standards, and sustainability sections in specifications) consistently emphasize:
Protection of human (occupant/public) health and safety,
Protection and enhancement of environmental quality,
Responsible use of resources and reduction of negative impacts over the facility life cycle.
Within that framework, standards for sustainable facilities and products are not primarily written around the preferences of a particular project team (like architect, contractor, or owner team). Instead, they are driven by the broader need to safeguard public and private users’ health and environmental health.
Thus, among the options provided:
C. Public, private, and environmental health is the only choice that reflects that sustainability standards focus on health and welfare of people and the environment, which is consistent with CSI’s project-delivery and specification guidance.
Why the other options are not correct in CSI context:
A. Architect, supplier, and contractorThese are project participants, not the underlying “needs” that sustainability standards are written to protect. Sustainable standards may affect their work, but the ultimate emphasis is on health, safety, and environmental impact, not on the interests of these parties themselves.
B. Owner, stakeholders, and participantsWhile owners and stakeholders are important in defining project requirements and may have sustainability goals, the standards themselves focus on performance outcomes like reduced environmental impacts and improved health and safety, rather than simply serving stakeholders’ preferences.
D. Owner team, contractor team, and design teamAgain, these are roles on the project. Sustainable standards are not framed around serving these teams’ “needs,” but around protecting people and the environment and achieving long-term performance.
In CSI-aligned specification practice, sustainability-related requirements are often placed in:
Division 01 sections (e.g., “Sustainable Design Requirements,” “Environmental Requirements”), and
Appropriate technical sections (Part 1 – general, Part 2 – products, Part 3 – execution),
and are tied to environmental and health outcomes, aligning with Option C.
Relevant CSI references (no URLs):
CSI Project Delivery Practice Guide – Sustainability and life-cycle considerations in project delivery.
CSI Construction Specifications Practice Guide – Guidance on specifying sustainable requirements and environmental performance.
CSI CDT Body of Knowledge – Sustainability and environmental considerations in construction documentation.
