A holistic review of research on carbon emissions of green building construction industry

2020 ◽  
Vol 27 (5) ◽  
pp. 1065-1092 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wei Lu ◽  
Vivian W.Y. Tam ◽  
Heng Chen ◽  
Lei Du
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle ◽  
Construction Industry ◽  
Carbon Emissions ◽  
Green Building ◽  
Recent Decade ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
The Body ◽  
Technical Standards ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Research Areas

Purpose Addressing global warming challenge, carbon emissions reduction potential of the construction industry has received additional attentions. The decoupling of construction industry and carbon emissions through policies, technologies and model innovations is an effective way for reducing environmental pollution and achieve eco-urban target. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach Within the scope of green building carbon emissions (GB-CO2) research, a large number of scientific literature has been published in construction discipline over the past few decades. However, it seems that a systematic summary of strategies, techniques, models and scientific discussion of future direction of GB-CO2 is lacking. Therefore, this paper carries out data mining on authoritative journals, identified the key research topics, active research areas and further research trends through visualization studies. Findings This study contributes to the body of knowledge in GB-CO2 by critically reviewing and summarizing: professional high-quality journals have a greater influence in the scope of research, developed countries and developing countries are all very concerned about sustainable buildings, and the current hot topics of research focus on the application of the life cycle models, energy efficiency, environmental performance of concrete material, etc. Moreover, further research areas that could expand the knowledge of cross-national long-term carbon mechanisms, develop comprehensive life cycle carbon emissions assessment models, build technical standards and tests for the sustainable building material and systems, and exploit multi-objective decision models considering decarbonizing design and renewable energy. Originality/value This study is of value in systematic insight the state-of-the-art of GB-CO2 research in the more recent decade. A more vividly and effectively method is documented in extending the traditional bibliometric review to a deeper discussion. This study can also benefit construction practitioners by providing them a focused perspective of strategy and technologies innovations for emerging practices in green building projects.

Mapping the field: a bibliometric analysis of land use and carbon emissions (LUCE) research from 1987 to 2018

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Chunhui Liu ◽  
Kongqing Li
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Land Use ◽  
Carbon Emissions ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Knowledge Structures ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Research Areas ◽  
New Ideas ◽  
Active Research ◽  
Combat Climate Change

PurposeOne of the most critical and active research areas in the field of climate change in recent years has been the interaction between land use and carbon emissions (LUCE). As there is a lack of data to represent the knowledge structure and evolution of LUCE between 1987 and 2018, this paper turned to CiteSpace in order to identify and visualize the cited references and keyword networks, the distribution of categories and countries and highly cited references in connection to LUCE research. Two indicators, betweenness centrality (BC) and citation burst (CB) embedded in CiteSpace, were utilized to investigate the knowledge structures.Design/methodology/approachTwo indicators, BC and CB embedded in CiteSpace, were introduced to investigate the knowledge structures.FindingsFirstly, pre-2000 papers provide the main theoretical foundation for LUCE research, and the innovation of computer technology also provides new ideas and methods for related research. Secondly, greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture are attracting more attention. As agriculture also involves food security, the pressure on agriculture to reduce carbon is enormous, and more research and policy investment will be needed in the future. Thirdly, although the natural sciences ranked highly on BC detection, social and humanities sciences have contributed more to the LUCE research with an increasing emphasis on regional and global governance to combat climate change. Finally, keen interest in carbon emissions and sustainable development in developed countries, particularly in Europe, has led to a large number of LUCE studies. Research being done in developing countries that are most affected by climate change is also outstanding.Originality/valueThe results collected will assist scientific researchers to better understand the research status and frontier trends in this sector, thus permitting researchers to comprehend current research interests in the LUCE analysis field and providing useful information for further investigation and publication strategies.

scholarly journals International retirement migration and Thai stakeholders’ views: a Japanese case study

2017 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 7-22 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ann Suwaree Ashton ◽  
Noel Scott
Keyword(s):  
Development Strategy ◽  
Local Community ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
The Body ◽  
Local Resident ◽  
Role Of Government ◽  
Stakeholder Collaboration ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Retirement Migration ◽  
International Retirement Migration

Purpose This paper aims to investigate Thai stakeholders’ perceptions of developing a destination for international retirement migration (IRM). Increasingly, residents of developed nations such as Japan who retire from work are choosing to live in Thailand or other less-developed countries. Design/methodology/approach Qualitative approach was used, and data were collected through focus groups and in-depth interviews in Chiang Mai and Bangkok. Content analysis technique was used to analyze data after completing the interviews of 35 industry participants. Findings It was found from the participants that considerable new real estate development and services specifically for these retirees has been created in recent years, but that there is a lack of stakeholder collaboration in catering to this market. Moreover, local resident knowledge of the retirees’ culture and language is lacking, along with a need for policy and planning support from government. Research limitations/implications A limitation of this study is that it explored only the perception of business stakeholders involved with Japanese IRM, a group of importance to the Thai Government due to their increasing numbers. Further study could look at local community attitudes toward IRM and how a community adapts to this new phenomenon. Practical implications This study provides guidelines for stakeholders, government and local communities. Especially, the role of government is to provide support with clear information about the visa process and legal documents. Originality/value This study contributes to the body of knowledge of destination development strategy for a specific international retirement tourist group.

Bibliometric analysis and critical review of the research on big data in the construction industry

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yusheng Lu ◽  
Jiantong Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Big Data ◽  
Construction Industry ◽  
Bibliometric Analysis ◽  
Critical Review ◽  
Rapid Development ◽  
Heterogeneous Data ◽  
The Body ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Temporal And Spatial Distribution ◽  
Content Type

PurposeThe digital revolution and the use of big data (BD) in particular has important applications in the construction industry. In construction, massive amounts of heterogeneous data need to be analyzed to improve onsite efficiency. This article presents a systematic review and identifies future research directions, presenting valuable conclusions derived from rigorous bibliometric tools. The results of this study may provide guidelines for construction engineering and global policymaking to change the current low-efficiency of construction sites.Design/methodology/approachThis study identifies research trends from 1,253 peer-reviewed papers, using general statistics, keyword co-occurrence analysis, critical review, and qualitative-bibliometric techniques in two rounds of search.FindingsThe number of studies in this area rapidly increased from 2012 to 2020. A significant number of publications originated in the UK, China, the US, and Australia, and the smallest number from one of these countries is more than twice the largest number in the remaining countries. Keyword co-occurrence is divided into three clusters: BD application scenarios, emerging technology in BD, and BD management. Currently developing approaches in BD analytics include machine learning, data mining, and heuristic-optimization algorithms such as graph convolutional, recurrent neural networks and natural language processes (NLP). Studies have focused on safety management, energy reduction, and cost prediction. Blockchain integrated with BD is a promising means of managing construction contracts.Research limitations/implicationsThe study of BD is in a stage of rapid development, and this bibliometric analysis is only a part of the necessary practical analysis.Practical implicationsNational policies, temporal and spatial distribution, BD flow are interpreted, and the results of this may provide guidelines for policymakers. Overall, this work may develop the body of knowledge, producing a reference point and identifying future development.Originality/valueTo our knowledge, this is the first bibliometric review of BD in the construction industry. This study can also benefit construction practitioners by providing them a focused perspective of BD for emerging practices in the construction industry.

scholarly journals Key drivers for green building project financing in Ghana

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kofi Agyekum ◽  
Chris Goodier ◽  
James Anthony Oppon
Keyword(s):  
Construction Industry ◽  
Qualitative Data ◽  
Green Building ◽  
Green Buildings ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Project Financing ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Comparative Review ◽  
Key Drivers ◽  
Building Project

PurposeThe majority of the literature on green buildings in Ghana focuses on environmental benefits, innovative designs, construction technologies and project management techniques. However, little is known about how such facilities are financed. This issue creates potential knowledge gaps, one of which this study aims to address. This study examines the key drivers for green building project financing in Ghana.Design/methodology/approachThe study uses an explanatory sequential design with an initial quantitative instrument phase, followed by a qualitative data collection phase. An extensive critical comparative review of the literature resulted in the identification of eight potential drivers. One hundred and twenty-seven questionnaire responses based upon these drivers from the Ghanaian construction industry were received. Data were coded with SPSS v22, analysed descriptively (mean, standard deviation and standard error) and via inferential analysis (One Way ANOVA and One-Sample t-Test). These data were then validated through semi-structured interviews with ten industry professionals within the Ghana Green Building Council. Data obtained from the semi-structured validation interviews were analysed through the side-by-side comparison of the qualitative data with the quantitative data.FindingsThough all eight drivers are important, the five key drivers for the Ghanian construction industry were identified as, in order of importance, “high return on investment”, “emerging business opportunity”, “ethical investment”, “conservation of resources” and “mandatory regulations, standards, and policies”. The interviewees agreed to and confirmed the importance of these identified drivers for green building project financing from validating the survey's key findings.Research limitations/implicationsKey limitations of this study are the restrictions regarding the geographical location of the collected data (i.e. Kumasi and Accra); timing of the study and sample size (i.e. the COVID-19 pandemic making it difficult to obtain adequate data).Practical implicationsThough this study was conducted in Ghana, its implications could be useful to researchers, policymakers, stakeholders and practitioners in wider sub-Saharan Africa. For instance, financial institutions can invest in green buildings to expand their green construction and mortgage finance products to build higher value and lower risk portfolios. The findings from this study can provide investors with the enhanced certainty needed to help guide and inform their investment decisions, i.e. what to invest in, and when, by how much and how a scheme being “green” may influence their rate of return. Also, for building developers, it will give them a clearer understanding of the business case for green buildings and how to differentiate themselves in the market to grow their businesses.Originality/valueThis study's findings provide insights into an under-investigated topic in Ghana and offer new and additional information and insights to the current state-of-the-art on the factors that drive green building project financing.

scholarly journals Barriers to implementing lean construction practices in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) construction industry

2018 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 246-272 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jamil Sarhan ◽  
Bo Xia ◽  
Sabrina Fawzia ◽  
Azharul Karim ◽  
Ayokunle Olanipekun
Keyword(s):  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
Construction Industry ◽  
Lean Construction ◽  
The Body ◽  
Item Score ◽  
Kingdom Of Saudi Arabia ◽  
Cultural Economic ◽  
Convenience Sample ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Principal Factors

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to identify the barriers to implementing lean construction in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) construction industry and to prioritise the principal factors that constitute these barriers. Design/methodology/approach A literature review was initially used to reveal the global barriers to implementing lean construction. Subsequently, these barriers were incorporated into a structured questionnaire, and a convenience sample of 282 construction professionals in the KSA construction industry was surveyed. The results were analysed using mean item score (MIS), Mann–Whitney U test and principal component analysis (PCA). Findings The findings revealed 22 barriers to lean construction implementation in the KSA construction industry. Principal factors that constitute these barriers were found to be traditional practices, client related, technological, performance and knowledge and cost-related barriers in descending order of pervasiveness. The study also proposes solutions to overcome these principal barriers. Originality/value This study provides a global overview of the barriers to implementing lean construction. It contributes to the body of knowledge, as it uncovers for the first time the barriers to implementing lean construction in the KSA construction industry with reference to the socio-cultural, economic and operational context of the KSA. Thus, it is relevant to other countries in the Middle East because of their shared similarities to the KSA. Furthermore, the solutions proposed to overcome these barriers in the KSA construction industry can be applied in other countries where similar barriers are identified.

Entrepreneurship in rural hospitality and tourism. A systematic literature review of past achievements and future promises

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Arun Thirumalesh Madanaguli ◽  
Puneet Kaur ◽  
Stefano Bresciani ◽  
Amandeep Dhir
Keyword(s):  
Literature Review ◽  
Systematic Literature Review ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
The Body ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Limited Attention ◽  
High Concentration ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Research Areas ◽  
Hospitality And Tourism

Purpose Entrepreneurship in the rural hospitality and tourism sector (RHT) has received wide attention in the past decade. However, a systematic review on this topic is currently lacking. This study aims to track the progress of the RHT and entrepreneurship literature by examining the various thematic research areas, identifying the research gaps and forecasting avenues of future research on the topic. Design/methodology/approach This paper catalogs and synthesizes the body of literature from the year 2000–2020 using a systematic literature review methodology. After discussing a brief history of RHT and entrepreneurship, the current study presents a review of 101 research articles. Findings The review highlights that RHT and entrepreneurship have received relatively limited attention from entrepreneurship journals. The content analysis revealed different gaps and limitations in the understanding of entrepreneurship in RHT, including a predominance of qualitative studies with limited theoretically-grounded and generalizable empirical studies. Furthermore, a high concentration of studies is from European countries. Six main thematic research areas were identified, namely, barriers and enablers, the roles of an entrepreneur, women in RHT, influencers of firm performance, innovation and value creation and methodological commonalities. The review also advances an RHT entrepreneurship ecosystem framework to summarize the findings. Originality/value Six promising research avenues are outlined based on the six themes identified. The suggested research questions draw from allied literature on small and medium businesses, innovation, women entrepreneurship and institutions to encourage the interdisciplinary cross-pollination of ideas. The findings are summarized in a novel research framework.

Risk analysis of construction of administration projects using Bayesian networks

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammad Osama ◽  
Aly Sherif ◽  
Mohamed Badawy
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Risk Analysis ◽  
Construction Industry ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Causal Relationships ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Project Life Cycle ◽  
Project Objectives ◽  
Project Life

Purpose This paper aims to enlighten the importance of the risk management process which is considered as a major procedure to effectively handle the potential inherent risks in the construction industry. However, most traditional risk analysis techniques are based on theories that deal with each risk factor as an independent, which does not take into consideration the causal relationships between risk factors. Design/methodology/approach This study aspires to identify the overall risk of the administrative construction projects in Egypt and to recognize the most influencing risk factors through the project life cycle by using Bayesian belief networks (BBN). Through a review of the literature, 27 risk factors were identified and categorized as the most common risk factors in the construction industry. A structured questionnaire was performed to estimate the probability and severity of these risks. Through site visits and interviews with experts in the construction field, 200 valid questionnaires were collected. A risk analysis model was developed using BBNs, then the applicability of this model was verified using a case study in Egypt. Findings However, the outcome showed that critical risks that manipulate administrative construction projects in Egypt were corruption and bribery, contractor financial difficulties, force majeure, damage to the structure and defective material installation. Practical implications The proposed study presents the possibilities available to the project parties to obtain a better forecast of the project objectives, including the project duration, total project cost and the target quality by examining the causal relationships between project risks and project objectives. Originality/value This study aspires to identify the overall risk of the administrative construction projects in Egypt and to recognize the most influencing risk factors through the project life cycle by using BBNs.

Systematized literature review on financial inclusion and exclusion in developed countries

2019 ◽  
Vol 38 (3) ◽  
pp. 600-626 ◽  
Author(s):  
Beatriz Fernández-Olit ◽  
José María Martín Martín ◽  
Eva Porras González
Keyword(s):  
Literature Review ◽  
Financial Services ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
The Body ◽  
Financial Inclusion ◽  
Vulnerable Groups ◽  
Theoretical Frameworks ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to provide a systematic literature review of the research published on financial inclusion (FI) and financial exclusion (FE) in developed countries using key terms and strict inclusion and exclusion criteria. Design/methodology/approach In total, 52 papers were deemed to be relevant to the analysis. These works were critiqued using a framework that addressed geographical contexts, topics, methodologies and theoretical frameworks. Findings This review highlights the uneven level of development of the academic debate between North America, the UK and continental Europe, and identifies the different theoretical frameworks that construe the body of literature in each region. In addition, the findings show the scant offer of work on the impact that the digital economy has on FE, as well as the reduced number of studies which have focused on certain vulnerable groups and the access to some financial services. Social implications The studies reviewed have not analyzed the specific needs of vulnerable groups while considering the different contexts and pathways to exclusion. The evaluation of solutions and strategies to achieve inclusion is one of the least addressed aspects in the literature. Originality/value The paper synthesizes the main contributions of the top literature on the redefinition of FI/FE in developed countries, the role of fringe services and new determinants of exclusion. The proliferation of studies regarding FI in low- and middle-income countries has generated a great amount of meta-analysis and systematized reviews of asymmetric results. However, no systematized literature review on the broad scope of FI/FE in developed countries has been published in the last decade. This work sheds light over poorly analyzed areas of research that refer to notable social problems.

scholarly journals Life cycle costing: evaluating its use in UK practice

2015 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
pp. 73-87 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anthony Higham ◽  
Chris Fortune ◽  
Howard James
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle ◽  
Built Environment ◽  
Construction Industry ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
Project Evaluation ◽  
Life Cycle Costing ◽  
Evaluation Tool ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Uk

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to establish the extent to which life cycle costing (LCC) is used as an early stage project evaluation tool by practitioners in the UK construction industry. The use of this evaluation tool has long been advocated by academics as a means of ensuring best value rather than lowest cost is a driver for business decisions related to potential built environment projects. Therefore there is a need to appraise its current uptake levels amongst built environment professionals and assess whether there are any barriers affecting its use in UK practice. Design/methodology/approach – Using a mixed methods approach, the authors present the findings from a survey of construction professionals located in the UK and the results from a series of follow up semi-structured interviews designed to further explore the factors found to affect the use of LCC in practice. Findings – The study shows that LCC is still not widely used by built environment professionals in the UK. The greatest inhibitor on the take up of the tool is the need of clients to budget on short-term horizons. Other factors such as a lack awareness of the tool by practitioners and clients, unreliability of data into the long term and the overriding need for commercially driven projects to achieve maximum return on investment continue to inhibit the widespread adoption of LCC as an early stage project evaluation tool. These findings have implications for the capability of the UK construction industry to deliver on its commitment to enhance the sustainability of the built environment. Originality/value – The paper offers insights into the current use of LCC and the factors affecting its use in the UK.

An analytic network process (ANP) model to examine LEED-certified buildings’ operational performance

2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 366-376 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gulbin Ozcan Deniz
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle ◽  
Analytic Network Process ◽  
Economic Life ◽  
The Body ◽  
Assessment Model ◽  
Operational Performance ◽  
Building Performance ◽  
Extensive Literature ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Network Process

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to create and present a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design New Construction (LEED NC) building performance assessment model that will identify and prioritize external parameters affecting a LEED-certified building’s operational performance. Design/methodology/approach The uncertainty associated with external parameters affecting a LEED-certified building’s operational performance is examined through the use of analytic network process (ANP). An ANP model is created based on the extensive literature research and experiences of professionals in the green building industry. Eight case studies are analyzed, and data collected through interviews with experts are utilized in prioritizing external parameters affecting buildings’ operational performance. Findings The findings show that the most important external parameters affecting a LEED-certified building’s operational performance are lack of enhanced commissioning, lack of life cycle assessment/life cycle costing analysis, lack of energy modeling, and lack of knowledge in green technology. The results demonstrate that both asset value and profit, as well as the economic life of the facility, are mostly affected by the energy efficiency of the building, and consequently LEED NC energy and atmosphere category. Originality/value This research contributes to the body of knowledge on green architecture by defining and prioritizing external parameters and their relationships to operational building performance in LEED NC projects. The proposed model can be used by construction managers and facility managers to operate LEED-certified buildings better and reduce environmental impacts throughout the functional life cycle of the building.

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