scholarly journals Sustainability in Construction Projects: A Systematic Literature Review

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 1932 ◽  
Author(s):  
Reza Kiani Mavi ◽  
Denise Gengatharen ◽  
Neda Kiani Mavi ◽  
Richard Hughes ◽  
Alistair Campbell ◽  
...  

This paper aims to identify the major research concepts studied in the literature of sustainability in construction projects. Two bibliometric analysis tools—(a) BibExcel and (b) Gephi, were used to analyze the bibliometrics indices of papers and visualize their interrelations as a network, respectively. Therefore, a research focus parallelship network (RFPN) analysis and keyword co-occurrence network (KCON) analysis were performed to uncover the primary research themes. The RFPN analysis clustered the studies into three major categories of evaluating sustainability, project management for sustainability, and drivers of sustainable construction. The KCON analysis revealed that while each paper had a different focus, the underlying concept of all clusters was sustainability, construction, and project management. We found that while ‘sustainability’ was the leading keyword in the first cluster, i.e., evaluating sustainability, it was the second top keyword with the eigenvector centrality of over 0.94 in the other two clusters. We also found that the concept of sustainability should be included in construction projects from the early stages of design and feasibility studies and must be monitored throughout the project life. This review showed that previous researchers used a variety of statistical and mathematical techniques such as structural equation modelling and fuzzy decision-making methods to study sustainability in construction projects. Using an integrated approach to identifying the research gaps in this area, this paper provides researchers with insights on how to frame new research to study sustainability in construction projects.

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Marios Stanitsas ◽  
Konstantinos Kirytopoulos

PurposeThis study aims to investigate the underlying factors that give rise to the set of sustainability indicators which are used for the implementation of sustainable construction projects and eventually the production of sustainable built assets.Design/methodology/approachTo accomplish the purpose of this research, an online questionnaire survey was administered to a sample of 200 experts. By employing the statistical method of exploratory factor analysis (EFA), five distinct dimensions (factors) of stakeholders' attitudes were revealed.FindingsThe findings indicate that the sustainability indicators are based on five underlying factors, namely (1) sustainable competitiveness; (2) stakeholder engagement; (3) sustainable economic growth; (4) social sustainability; and (5) resource conservation and environmental policy.Research limitations/implicationsMore studies would be welcome to verify the underlying factors revealed in this paper.Practical implicationsThe knowledge of the underlying factors enables senior management to maintain a balance of choices during the project management (PM) phase in order to implement and deliver sustainable construction projects. Furthermore, the findings deepen the understanding toward sustainable PM practices by providing insights on its core attributes.Originality/valueAs a theoretical contribution to knowledge, this study enhances the body of knowledge by revealing the underlying factors that give rise to the predefined set of the 82 sustainability indicators which are used to enable sustainable construction projects. In practice, the findings aid senior management in adopting strategies that enhance the delivery of sustainable construction projects.


2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 1386 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alberto Cerezo-Narváez ◽  
Andrés Pastor-Fernández ◽  
Manuel Otero-Mateo ◽  
Pablo Ballesteros-Pérez

Scope management allows project managers to react when a project underperforms regarding schedule, budget, and/or quality at the execution stage. Scope management can also minimize project changes and budget omissions, as well as improve the accuracy of project cost estimates and risk responses. For scope management to be effective, though, it needs to rely on a robust work breakdown structure (WBS). A robust WBS hierarchically and faithfully reflects all project tasks and work packages so that projects are easier to manage. If done properly, the WBS also allows meeting the project objectives while delivering the project on time, on budget, and with the required quality. This paper analyzes whether the integration of a cost breakdown structure (CBS) can lead to the generation of more robust WBSs in construction projects. Over the last years, some international organizations have standardized and harmonized different cost classification systems (e.g., ISO 12006-2, ISO 81346-12, OmniClass, CoClass, UniClass). These cost databases have also been introduced into building information modeling (BIM) frameworks. We hypothesize that in BIM environments, if these CBSs are used to generate the project WBS, several advantages are gained such as sharper project definition. This enhanced project definition reduces project contradictions at both planning and execution stages, anticipates potential schedule and budget deviations, improves resource allocation, and overall it allows a better response to potential project risks. The hypothesis that the use of CBSs can generate more robust WBSs is tested by the response analysis of a questionnaire survey distributed among construction practitioners and project managers. By means of structural equation modeling (SEM), the correlation (agreement) and perception differences between two 250-respondent subsamples (technical project staff vs. project management staff) are also discussed. Results of this research support the use of CBSs by construction professionals as a basis to generate WBSs for enhanced project management (PM).


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ayodeji Emmanuel Oke ◽  
Ahmed Farouk Kineber ◽  
Maged Abdel-Tawab ◽  
Abdurrahman Salihu Abubakar ◽  
Ibraheem Albukhari ◽  
...  

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate the applicability of cloud computing (CC) and the challenges that contribute to more successful projects with a major sustainable construction development.Design/methodology/approachThe previous studies provided information on CC implementation barriers, which were then evaluated by 104 construction stakeholders through a questionnaire survey. As a result, the exploratory factor analysis (EFA) approach was used to investigate these barriers. Furthermore, a partial least square structural equation model was used to build a model of these barriers (PLS-SEM).FindingsThe EFA results revealed that the above-noted factors are in a close relation with three key components, i.e. social, economic and communication. In addition, the proposed model results found the social barrier a key challenge to the implementation of CC.Research limitations/implicationsThe results from this study can help decision-makers to improve the approaches regarding data fragmentation that has great effects on the execution of all construction projects. The focus of the paper is to enhance the data fragmentation processes. In addition, the results would be useful to strengthen the sustainability of existing construction projects by enhancing the implementation of CC.Originality/valueThe novelty of this research work will provide a solid foundation for critically assessing and appreciating the different barriers affecting the adoption of CC.


2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 275-288 ◽  
Author(s):  
Johan Larsson ◽  
Per Erik Eriksson ◽  
Ossi Pesämaa

Purpose Hard project management practices, based on strict planning and control, are traditionally applied in construction projects, although research frequently promotes the importance of teams for various project outcomes. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to examine the importance of hard project management and team motivation for process performance in construction projects. A hypothesis tested is that hard project management can impair process performance if team motivation is not promoted. Design/methodology/approach The paper presents and empirically tests a structural equation model, with and without a mediating link between hard project management and process performance, based on data from a survey of 2,175 respondents, representing contractors and clients involved in 109 Swedish construction projects. Findings The results confirm that hard project management is best conveyed through teams to enhance process performance. “Path analysis,” using the model with the mediating link, confirms that neglecting team motivation can significantly impair process performance. Research limitations/implications The data set provides unusually high representation of views of contractors and clients involved in diverse Swedish construction projects. Thus, the results have likely relevance in other project-based industries and/or national settings, but this possibility requires further investigation. Originality/value The findings show that team motivation is a key process performance factor; hard project management may indeed be important, but its effects will be enhanced by (and partially mediated through) team motivation. Thus, the findings have important theoretical and practical implications for the development of project management practices.


Author(s):  
Huimin Li ◽  
Chengyi Zhang

The actual cost of a construction project is composed of not only production costs, but also transaction costs. The presented model includes the uncertainty of the owner’s behavior, the uncertainty of the contractor’s behavior, the uncertainty in the transaction environment and mechanism, and project management efficiency, to illustrate the influence path of the transaction costs borne by the owner. The model is tested by the structural equation modeling (SEM) using the data collected from construction project owners. The finding indicate that uncertainty in the transaction environment and mechanism appears to be the core construct of the model due to its strong linkages with transaction costs and the owner’s behavior, the contractor’s behavior, and project management efficiency. The uncertainty of the contractor’s behavior is also found to affect project management efficiency positively. A certainty behavior on the part of the owner reduces the uncertainty in the transaction environment and mechanism, increases the efficiency of project management, and reduces the transaction costs of construction project.


2022 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ayodeji Emmanuel Oke ◽  
Ahmed Farouk Kineber ◽  
Badr Alsolami ◽  
Chukwuma Kingsley

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to assess the cloud computing (CC) methods and tools towards the achievement of construction project sustainability in Nigeria. Design/methodology/approach Data were obtained from the literature, complemented by a quantitative method using a questionnaire distributed among 104 respondents comprising mainly construction professionals in Nigeria. Subsequently, data were analysed using the exploratory factor analysis (EFA) method. In addition, the partial least square structural modelling was used to generate a model for the adoption of CC tools for sustainable construction. Findings EFA results indicated that the CC implementation tools could be categorised into four significant constructs: platform, communication, software and data storage. Results obtained from the model showed that platform tools were the most crucial tools for implementing CC in the construction industry. Practical implications The findings from this study are essential to the pursuit of perception of methods and tools connected to the vagueness of CC for future employees. In addition, the identified CC tools are expected to enhance the success of construction projects. Originality/value The novelty of this research work will be a benchmark or board for decision-makers to quality by adopting CC methods and tools in Nigeria’s construction projects to achieve their sustainable projects.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ali Fathalizadeh ◽  
M. Reza Hosseini ◽  
Seyyed Saeed Vaezzadeh ◽  
David J. Edwards ◽  
Igor Martek ◽  
...  

PurposeThe barriers to integrating sustainable practices into construction project management require extensive resource allocations to resolve. Within developing countries such as Iran (where resources are scarce), remedial strategies adopted must prioritise tackling those barriers that can be expected to yield maximum return on investment. The candidate barriers are many, and this paper aims to identify a hierarchy of barriers, providing a priority list of remedial targets.Design/methodology/approachA mixed philosophical stance of interpretivism and post-positivism is adopted within a deductive approach and survey strategy. A list of 30 known barriers are identified from extant literature and used to formulate a questionnaire data collection instrument administered within the Iranian construction industry. Data collected from 176 practitioners are analysed using the relative importance index and Mann–Whitney U test to compare groups based on the participants' demographic variables.FindingsThe findings challenge the common assumption that items related to market and workforce experience are major inhibitors of change. That is, economics and regulatory dependent barriers have a higher impact on the failure of a shift to sustainable practices in Iran. The most influential barriers to incorporating sustainability in construction projects are: (1) lack of understanding of the potential benefits; (2) insufficient cooperation among practitioners, research institutions and environmental organisations; and (3) a lack of a systematic approach to pursuing sustainability goals. No significant associations are detected between the affiliation of the respondents and their attitude towards the issue. Thus, a generalised approach can be applied to a broader range of organisations and construction projects in Iran.Originality/valueWhile studies on sustainability impediments at the firm or project level are ubiquitous within literature, this research identifies that the most significant barriers to sustainable project management in Iran, as an underexplored context, are those experienced at the economic and institutional level. Moreover, this novel research presents important insights into the potential effects of participants' demographic profiles on their view of the importance of identified barriers.


Author(s):  
A.Q. Adeleke ◽  
J.A. Bamgbade ◽  
Maruf Gbadebo Salimon ◽  
Chia Kuang Lee

Working environment and safety behavior are the primary concern in construction projects which in the long run are part of the yardstick in measuring project management performance. Construction safety and performance should be thoroughly investigated empirically by illustrating the current state of accident and performance in construction industries. Entrenched in the Malaysian construction industry experience, three dimensions of the project management performance (resolve cost, schedule, and quality) can buffer the contractor’s and project manager’s performance in building projects. Following organizational control theory, this research investigated the effects project management performance (resolve cost, schedule, and quality) on construction projects among G-7 contractors operating in Kuantan Malaysia construction industries through a personally administered questionnaire. Structural equation modeling (SEM) opined that schedule and quality have positive and significant influence, while resolve cost has a significant negative influence on Malaysia construction projects.


Author(s):  
Md Aslam Hossain ◽  
Abid Nadeem

Having a significant economic impact in country's GDP and being a major workforce, construction industry is yet characterized by low production rate, low technological advancement, minimum automation and robotic usage, and so on. With the visionary idea of Industry 4.0 that focuses on digitization of the value chain of a product and improving productivity through a variety of technologies and automated manufacturing environment, this research aims to develop a framework to adopt Construction 4.0 within a construction company. Current state of the art of the technologies in construction associated with the notion of Industry 4.0 (e.g., Building Information Modelling, virtual reality, augmented reality, Drone, etc.) is explored through extensive literature studies. The proposed framework incorporates current technological advancement related to construction industry, legislative requirements, barriers, enterprise transformation requirements and so on. Construction 4.0 would make a great impact in construction industry through improved value chain of construction projects, productivity improvement, and safe and sustainable construction. Indeed, the proposed framework would contribute to the advancement of new knowledge in the worlds' construction companies and provide potentials of new research focuses.


The international experience of integrating building information modeling (BIM) into project management system with innovation implementation accent has been revealed in this article. The events carried out on federal and regional levels concerning the President of Russia directive on building construction industry modernization and construction objects transferring to life cycle management by means of BIM were analyzed. The large company experience of implementing BIM was summarized with describing some examples in different cities and regions of our country and thus the main directions of this technology development were determined. The key points of BIM and project management system pairing and impacting an innovation choice witch determine the project economic efficiency in the integrated management system were shown. The main reports of "Building construction projects technology and management: new practices and prospects" conference by Moscow Trade and Commerce Chamber were reviewed in this direction and problems of the new investment and construction project management technology implementation were shown. The ways to solve these problems were disclosed by work examples of PAO "Sberbank", and successfully working in our country firms Bilfinger Tebodin - BIM design and Beiten Burkhard -jurisdiction support. Some economic efficiency questions of BIM implementation were disclosed in the report delivered by The Plekhanov University of Economics (project and program management base department of Capital Group). Management system suggestions, regarding BIM implementation in Moscow construction were given.


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