ABSTRACT
There is limited knowledge among Quantity Surveyors in South Africa, on cost and socio-economic benefits of active design principles in construction. This study sought to establish a base level understanding of cost and socio-economic implications of active design principles to improve cost management and provide insights into the associated benefits for the construction sector. The study was exploratory and utilized interviews with purposive sampling within a case study approach. Key findings included five identified phenomena covering health and wellness through construction; interest in active design implementation amongst Quantity Surveyors; financial factors; socio-economic factors, barriers and limitations. The study concludes that despite the potential, there are inherent constraints that limits implementation in the South African construction industry. It recommends that implementation be embraced as an industry norm to add value for end-users and also the emerging role of the Quantity Surveyor in the process of driving innovative concepts in construction industry.
