Abstract

This study explores how communication is perceived and used within multidisciplinary green infrastructure (GI) project teams. As GI continues to grow in the United States, projects increasingly rely on collaboration between professionals from different fields, making communication a critical factor in project success. Using a qualitative research approach, semi-structured interviews were conducted with professionals working on GI projects in the Greater Rochester, New York region. The data were analyzed using an inductive, grounded theory approach to identify key themes related to communication practices, challenges, and outcomes. Results show that communication is not just a tool for sharing information, but a central process used to coordinate tasks, manage constraints, negotiate tradeoffs, and align goals across teams. Participants emphasized that strong communication improves project efficiency and outcomes, while poor communication can lead to delays, misunderstandings, and conflict. External factors such as time, cost, and regulatory requirements were also found to shape how communication occurs.

Publication Date

5-6-2026

Document Type

Master's Project

Student Type

Graduate

Degree Name

Environmental Science (MS)

Department, Program, or Center

Thomas H. Gosnell School of Life Sciences

College

College of Science

Advisor

Kaitlin Stack Whitney

Advisor/Committee Member

Kelly Norris Martin

Advisor/Committee Member

M. Ann Howard

Campus

RIT – Main Campus

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