scholarly journals Underlying indicators for measuring smartness of buildings in the construction industry

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Frank Ato Ghansah ◽  
De-Graft Owusu-Manu ◽  
Joshua Ayarkwa ◽  
Amos Darko ◽  
David J. Edwards
Keyword(s):  
Construction Industry ◽  
High Performance ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Building Performance ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Smart Building ◽  
Building Technology ◽  
Zero Energy Building ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Analyse Data

PurposeThis study investigates the underlying indicators for measuring the smartness of buildings in the construction industry; where the Smart Building Technology (SBT) concept (which incorporates elements of the Zero Energy Building (NZEB) concept) could ensure efficient energy consumption and high performance of buildings.Design/methodology/approachAn overarching post-positivist and empirical epistemological design was adopted to analyze primary quantitative data collected via a structured questionnaire survey with 227 respondents. The mean ranking analysis and one-sample t-test were employed to analyse data.FindingsResearch findings revealed that the level of knowledge of smart building indicators is averagely high in the Ghanaian construction industry. Future research is required to evaluate the awareness level of Smart Building Technologies (SBTs) by construction professionals and identify barriers to its adoption.Originality/valueA blueprint guidance model (consisting of significant indicators for measuring building smartness) was developed to help improve building performance and inform policymakers.

A learning-based framework adopting post occupancy evaluation for improving the performance of architectural design firms

2018 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 418-438 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ayman Ahmed Ezzat Othman ◽  
Heba Elsaay
Keyword(s):  
Organizational Performance ◽  
Construction Industry ◽  
Architectural Design ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Building Performance ◽  
Learning Tool ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Post Occupancy Evaluation ◽  
Design Firms

PurposeDespite the active role of continuous learning on improving organizational performance, the construction industry generally and architectural design firms (ADFs) in particular are criticized for their inability to properly use learning to improve their performance. This paper aims to develop a business improvement framework based on post occupancy evaluation (POE) as a learning tool for improving the performance of ADFs.Design/methodology/approachTo achieve the above-mentioned aim, a twofold research strategy, namely, theoretical and practical, is used to achieve four objectives. The theoretical approach is used to conduct thorough literature review to investigate three main topics: building performance, organizational performance and learning organization. The practical approach is used to present and synthesize two relevant field studies to examine the role of POE toward improving the performance of ADFs and evaluate the perception and application of ADFs in Egypt toward improving their performance through POE. Based on the results gleaned from the objectives, the research developed a framework to facilitate the adoption and application of POE as a learning tool for improving the performance of ADFs. Finally, research conclusions and recommendations useful to ADFs and future research are outlined.FindingsThe construction industry is a fragmented business that is characterized by low performance compared to other industries. This is because the separation between design, construction and end-users results in missing the opportunity to provide designers with learned lessons, feedback and suggestions for design improvement that ultimately obstructs the performance of ADFs. POE is an effective tool adopted to measure building performance and provide learning environment to improve the performance of new projects and ADFs. The research realized that there is a need to fill the gap in construction literature concerning improving ADFs’ performance through POE and to develop a framework to facilitate the adoption and application of POE as a learning tool for improving the performance of ADFs.Research limitations/implicationsThe research focused on improving the performance of ADFs only.Practical implicationsThe framework developed by this research establishes organized procedures to enable AFDs to implement POE and use its benefits toward improving their performance.Originality/valueThis paper presents a business improvement framework integrating POE as learning tool for improving the performance of ADFs. This ideology has received scant attention in construction literature. The developed framework represents a synthesis that is novel and creative in thought and adds value to the knowledge in a manner that has not previously occurred.

scholarly journals Examining the implementation of ISO 9001 in Indonesian construction companies

2015 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 94-107 ◽  
Author(s):  
Debby Willar ◽  
Vaughan Coffey ◽  
Bambang Trigunarsyah
Keyword(s):  
Quality Management ◽  
Construction Industry ◽  
Current Practice ◽  
Iso 9001 ◽  
Quality Management Systems ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Construction Companies ◽  
Main Motive ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Management Attitude

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the implementation of quality management systems (QMSs) of Grade 7 (G-7) Indonesian construction companies. This includes the initial motives that have driven the development of QMSs, barriers to effective QMS implementation, the current practice and integration of QMS-ISO 9001 principles and elements, and the performance of contractors implementing such QMSs. Design/methodology/approach – A survey was conducted involving 403 respondents (Quality Management Representatives, Managers, and Project and Site Engineers) from 77 G-7 as well as ISO 9001 certified Indonesian construction companies. Findings – The main motive for G-7 contractors in establishing and implementing ISO 9001 based QMSs are identified as being to effectively and efficiently control project activities. Respondents apparently do not often experience problems related to QMS implementation. However, issues of management attitude and purpose are identified as barriers that may affect effective QMS implementation. The study highlights the ISO 9001 principles and elements that still require to be more critically applied by G-7 contractors in order to fully implement and improve their current QMS effectiveness. The findings also suggest that, although certified, many G-7 contractors have not yet achieved a satisfactory level of performance to be truly competitive in global markets outside Indonesia. Originality/value – To date, only limited research has been conducted into the application of ISO 9001 in the Indonesian construction industry. The research findings reinforced the value of pursuing more effective QMS implementation. They also support current attempts to introduce ISO 9001 QMSs to a much wider base of Indonesian construction companies, particularly small and medium sized contractors and builders.

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.

Mainstreaming pre-manufactured offsite processes in construction – are we nearly there?

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph Kwame Ofori-Kuragu ◽  
Robert Osei-Kyei
Keyword(s):  
Construction Industry ◽  
Relevant Literature ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Technical Paper ◽  
Sustainable Systems ◽  
Technology Firms ◽  
Current State ◽  
Academic Publications ◽  
The Subject

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the current state of popular modern methods of construction (MMC) and pre-manufactured construction in the construction industry and propose a framework for future implications for practice and future research. Design/methodology/approach This technical paper is based on a narrative review of the extant literature on the subject. First, the Scopus search engine was used to retrieve relevant papers on MMC, offsite and pre-manufactured construction. Second, institutional literature such as reports by industry professional and trade bodies, literature from leading technology firms and contractors with experience of MMC were extracted. These two strands of literature were synthesised and a comprehensive discussion on the topic was provided. Findings Results show that journal publications on MMC and pre-manufactured construction have increased in the past decade. The paper found significant advances in the development of premanufactured and offsite construction approaches with many benefits. Offsite and pre-manufactured construction are viable and sustainable systems currently suitable for wider adoption as the mainstream construction method. Research limitations/implications This technical paper based on an integrative review of relevant literature could have benefitted from interviews of professionals with experience of offsite and pre-manufacture techniques and from wider availability of current academic publications on the subject. Validation of the framework has not been undertaken. Originality/value Not much-published work has been undertaken on the current state of development globally and the viability of these construction approaches. This paper evaluates evidence from academic and industry sources to address this gap. A framework has been developed which can help the industry’s industrialisation drive.

scholarly journals Comparative Profiling and Discovery of Novel Glycosylated Mycosporine-Like Amino Acids in Two Strains of the Cyanobacterium Scytonema cf. crispum

2016 ◽  
Vol 82 (19) ◽  
pp. 5951-5959 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul M. D'Agostino ◽  
Vivek S. Javalkote ◽  
Rabia Mazmouz ◽  
Russell Pickford ◽  
Pravin R. Puranik ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acids ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Uv Radiation ◽  
High Performance ◽  
Parent Compound ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Chromatography Analysis ◽  
Paralytic Shellfish Toxins ◽  
Cell Extracts

ABSTRACTThe mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs) are a group of small molecules with a diverse ecological distribution among microorganisms. MAAs have a range of physiological functions, including protection against UV radiation, making them important from a biotechnological perspective. In the present study, we identified a putative MAA (mys) gene cluster in two New Zealand isolates ofScytonemacf.crispum(UCFS10 and UCFS15). Homology to “Anabaena-type”mysclusters suggested that this cluster was likely to be involved in shinorine biosynthesis. Surprisingly, high-performance liquid chromatography analysis ofS. cf.crispumcell extracts revealed a complex MAA profile, including shinorine, palythine-serine, and their hexose-bound variants. It was hypothesized that a short-chain dehydrogenase (UCFS15_00405) encoded by a gene adjacent to theS. cf.crispummyscluster was responsible for the conversion of shinorine to palythine-serine. Heterologous expression of MysABCE and UCFS15_00405 inEscherichia coliresulted in the exclusive production of the parent compound shinorine. Taken together, these results suggest that shinorine biosynthesis inS. cf.crispumproceeds via anAnabaena-type mechanism and that the genes responsible for the production of other MAA analogues, including palythine-serine and glycosylated analogues, may be located elsewhere in the genome.IMPORTANCERecently, New Zealand isolates ofS. cf.crispumwere linked to the production of paralytic shellfish toxins for the first time, but no other natural products from this species have been reported. Thus, the species was screened for important natural product biosynthesis. The mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs) are among the strongest absorbers of UV radiation produced in nature. The identification of novel MAAs is important from a biotechnology perspective, as these molecules are able to be utilized as sunscreens. This study has identified two novel MAAs that have provided several new avenues of future research related to MAA genetics and biosynthesis. Further, we have revealed that the genetic basis of MAA biosynthesis may not be clustered on the genome. The identification of the genes responsible for MAA biosynthesis is vital for future genetic engineering.

scholarly journals Engineering project networks: providing “sustainable work systems” for construction knowledge workers

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Reza Hosseini ◽  
David John Edwards ◽  
Tandeep Singh ◽  
Igor Martek ◽  
Amos Darko
Keyword(s):  
Construction Industry ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Work Life ◽  
Quality Of Work Life ◽  
Work Place ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Engineering Project ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Project Networks ◽  
Life Issues

Purpose The construction industry faces three emergent developments that in all likelihood will transform the industry into the future. First, engineering project networks (EPNs), in which teams collaborate on projects remotely in time and space, are transforming global construction practices. Second, as a major consumer of resources and significant producer of green-house gases, construction is under pressure to reduce its carbon footprint. Third, the construction industry presents as one of the least socially sustainable work environments, with high job dissatisfaction, skewed work–life balance and over representation of depressive and mental disorders. It is incumbent on the industry to reconcile these issues. Specifically, what scope is there to shape the evolution of EPNs towards a configuration that both promotes sustainability generally, and enhances quality of work-life issues, while at the same time continuing to apprehend the economic dividends for which it is adopted? As salient as this question is, it has not been broached in the literature. Therefore, this study aims to survey the extent to which EPNs align with the sustainability agenda, more broadly, and that of employee work-place satisfaction, more specifically. Design/methodology/approach A literature review of current knowledge of these concerns is explored and a summative assessment presented. Findings To the best of the authors’ knowledge, as the first in its kind, the study brings to light that EPNs go a long way towards facilitating economic objectives, part way towards realising ecological and sociological objectives but make hardly any impact on improving employee work satisfaction. Originality/value This paper examines an entirely novel area that has not been studied yet. Future research should take up this finding to determine how EPNs may be further adapted to accommodate these wider necessary objectives.

A decision-making formula for value engineering applications in the Sri Lankan construction industry

2017 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 77-91 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gayani Karunasena ◽  
Kosala Rajagalgoda Gamage
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Construction Industry ◽  
Cognitive Mapping ◽  
Value Engineering ◽  
Sri Lankan ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Regulatory Bodies ◽  
Research Outcome ◽  
Analyse Data

Purpose The construction industry in many developing countries is reluctant to apply value engineering (VE) due to uncertainty of outcomes. The purpose of this paper is to examine the existing practices of VE techniques and make recommendations to organisations and national construction regulatory bodies, to standardise VE practices. A decision-making formula is introduced to determine profitability of VE applications prior to implementation. Design/methodology/approach A broad literature review and six case study projects that applied VE were selected. Thirty-nine semi-structured interviews were conducted to gather data within cases. Six expert interviews were conducted as confirmatory interviews to clarify and validate research outcome. Content analysis and cognitive mapping were used to analyse data among case studies. Findings Application, knowledge and experience on VE techniques among construction professionals are unsatisfactory. Recommendations include reducing contractor’s design responsibility, introducing proper VE guidelines and statutory regulations. A framework is introduced to assist authorities to standardise application of VE techniques. A decision-making formula is suggested to determine margins of contractor’s portion due to VE techniques and original profits gained. Originality/value The formula can be used as a decision-making tool by construction industry practitioners to determine successfulness of proposed VE techniques, and the proposed framework can be used to guide construction professional bodies to standardise VE practices.

Why research is needed in women entrepreneurship in India: a viewpoint

2018 ◽  
Vol 45 (7) ◽  
pp. 1042-1057 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sucheta Agarwal ◽  
Usha Lenka
Keyword(s):  
Women Entrepreneurs ◽  
Growth Process ◽  
Uttar Pradesh ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Men And Women ◽  
Women Entrepreneurship ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Gender Biases ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
The Government

Purpose The spirit of entrepreneurship among nationals of a country leads and contributes significantly to the growth process of a country. In this drive, there cannot be gender biases among men and women. The government in India has taken several initiatives to increase the participation of women entrepreneurs and, thus, making a partner to the growth and development process of the country. The initiatives in this direction were taken up through five-year development policy plans commencing from the fifth five-year plan (1974-1978). The focus of five-year plans since then has been reoriented toward women welfare stressing more specifically on women empowerment through women entrepreneurship programs. The purpose of this paper is to appraise the series of development plans and programs initiated for the empowerment of women entrepreneurship in India. Design/methodology/approach The paper is developed based on the concepts, policies and practices being implemented across the regions to promote women entrepreneurs. The methodology adopted to assess and analyze the relevant components very much matches the existing practices. The paper relates the concepts, programs and practices. This study has revealed certain issues based on the available data and information on women entrepreneurship to establish a view and rational as of why research is needed in the area of women entrepreneurship. To support this concept, the study has considered the experiences of two important states of India, namely, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. Findings The study reveals that Government of India has launched several policies and development programs to infuse the spirit of entrepreneurship among the women groups and thereby not only making them financially self-sustained but also to contribute to the growth process of the economy. However, there remain many gaps in achieving the goals due to the variety of factors. This becomes more significant as the level of women entrepreneurship in India is very low as compared to other economies and also between the men and women entrepreneurs within the country. The study brings out the need and importance for the future research in the area of women entrepreneurship and thereby exploring the areas of concern and bringing out needed improvements to strengthen the women entrepreneurship programs and policies. Originality/value This research provides a future direction to the academicians, researchers and policymakers to provide a framework to reorient the programs and policies for the cause of women entrepreneurship growth in India. The paper very much emphasis that the research findings will have influence on government policies and serve as an effective tool for implementation of state programs meant for woman entrepreneurs more effectively and efficiently. The ultimate impact of research findings will be an economic change in the quality of life of woman enterprise in the society.

Investigating the adoption of social media in the construction industry: empirical evidence from project teams in China

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Guofeng Ma ◽  
Shan Jiang ◽  
Jianyao Jia
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Project Management ◽  
Environmental Factors ◽  
Construction Industry ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Project Teams ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Time Interval ◽  
Content Type

PurposeA lack of reliable and effective communication tools poses major barriers impeding the performance of construction projects consisting of diverse participants. Although some construction project teams (CPTs) begin to apply social media (SM) as an available approach for project management the entire mechanism of SM adoption in this specific context remains understudied. Therefore, this study aims to adopt a CPT's lens to investigate the critical antecedents and associated effects underlying SM adoption in the construction industry.Design/methodology/approachBased on the technology–organization–environment (TOE) theory, a conceptual model was proposed and tested by empirical data collected from 159 CPTs in China. Structural equation modeling technique was employed for data analysis.FindingsThe results demonstrate that all the five extracted TOE-based antecedents including two technological factors (i.e. compatibility and expected cost), one organizational factor (i.e. top management support) and two environmental factors (i.e. project partner collaboration and project fit) are crucial to the adoption of SM in CPTs. Besides, SM acceptance is found to mediate the relationships between organizational and environmental factors and SM use. Moreover, SM use significantly predicts the communication effectiveness of CPTs.Research limitations/implicationsA questionnaire study based on cross-sectional data from China may only unveil the logic of SM adoption in the context of Chinese construction industry within a shorter time interval. It is recommended that future research could develop longitudinal studies among various construction practitioners in different countries to further specify and generalize the current findings.Originality/valueThis paper provides a comprehensive understanding of SM adoption in the construction industry by exploring the preadoption antecedents and postadoption effects from the perspective of project teams. The empirical findings advance the current web-based project management literature and afford new insights for construction practitioners into better managing SM application to reap its full capabilities in projects.

The hidden side of sub-supplier firms' sustainability – an empirical analysis

2020 ◽  
Vol 40 (12) ◽  
pp. 1771-1799
Author(s):  
Shobod Deba Nath ◽  
Gabriel Eweje ◽  
Aymen Sajjad
Keyword(s):  
Management Practices ◽  
Supply Management ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Second Tier ◽  
Institutional Types ◽  
Institutional Actors ◽  
Normative Logic

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate how sub-suppliers decouple the implementation of sustainable supply management practices in supply chains, and what institutional logics permit these suppliers to do so.Design/methodology/approachFollowing a qualitative design, we conducted 23 in-depth semi-structured interviews with owners and managers of apparel sub-suppliers. To corroborate research findings, the views of owners and managers were triangulated by further interviewing 18 key representatives of wide-ranging institutional actors.FindingsThe findings suggest that owners and managers of sub-suppliers use two decoupling responses: (1) consensual strategy to compromise sustainability requirements (2) concealment strategy. In addition, this paper identifies multiple institutional types of conflicting logics: instrumental logic, legitimacy logic complexity and gaps in normative logic, which interplay amongst sub-suppliers whereby permit to decouple the implementation of supply management practices.Research limitations/implicationsWhile the current paper provides an early contribution from the perspectives of second-tier and third-tier suppliers, future research could be extended to include further upstream sub-suppliers and downstream tiers including the end consumers.Practical implicationsIt is important for brand-owning retailers and first-tier suppliers to predict sub-suppliers' decoupling behaviour and conflicts for supply management practices implementation since they may present potential vulnerability for buyers and lead suppliers.Originality/valueThis study extends the application of institutional theory and contributes to the literature on extended suppliers' supply management practices in a developing country context, which is an under-researched area.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document