scholarly journals Regional Comparisons of Contemporary Construction Industry Sustainable Concepts in the Chinese Context

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 3831 ◽  
Author(s):  
Liang Ma ◽  
Yun Le ◽  
Hongyang Li ◽  
Ruoyu Jin ◽  
Poorang Piroozfar ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Construction Industry ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Regional Differences ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Green Building ◽  
Sustainable Construction ◽  
Sustainable Practices ◽  
Construction Market ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Industry Professionals

Emerging construction practices such as building information modelling (BIM), prefabrication construction, green building, and integrated project delivery methods are gaining momentum in China, with great potential due to the size of its construction market. Through this, the sustainability level of China’s construction industry is expected to be enhanced from the economic, social and environmental perspectives. So far, there has been limited understanding of how BIM, as a digital technology, would affect other contemporary sustainable construction practices from the industry professionals’ point of view. Limited studies have been carried out to study the regional differences of these contemporary sustainable practices in China. This study adopted a questionnaire-based approach targeting industry professionals from three different metropolitan cities (Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Wenzhou).The follow-up comprehensive statistical analysis revealed that with regards to these contemporary sustainable construction practices, survey participants held much varied views on the growth of renovation projects, traditional Design–Bid–Build delivery, and conventional on-site construction methods. These three types were also generally perceived to have weak correlation with BIM application. Regional comparison further conveyed information on differences in perceptions among survey respondents from these three cities. For example, respondents from Wenzhou perceived more positive effects of BIM use in conventional construction projects. This research addressed the inter-correlation among these emerging sustainable construction practices, as well as the regional differences in China’s construction market. The findings provide insights and the big picture for both governmental authorities and industry practitioners on the latest sustainable practices of China’s construction industry. Recommendations are also offered towards improved economic, social and environmental sustainability performance for construction projects in the country.

scholarly journals Identification of Obstacles to Implementing Sustainability in the Civil Construction Industry Using Bow-Tie Tool

Buildings ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (9) ◽  
pp. 165 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emanuelly L.G. da Trindade ◽  
Luanda R. Lima ◽  
Luciana H. Alencar ◽  
Marcelo H. Alencar
Keyword(s):  
Construction Industry ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Raw Materials ◽  
Construction Material ◽  
Adverse Impact ◽  
Sustainable Construction ◽  
Technical Knowledge ◽  
Technical Standards ◽  
Sustainable Practices ◽  
Bow Tie

The construction industry is responsible for causing a large adverse impact on the environment. To minimize these impacts, sustainable practices are being sought mainly in the area of the wastage of and the waste from raw materials. Many obstacles and difficulties are encountered when trying to implement sustainable practices in civil construction. Thus, a study to identify what the obstacles are to implementing such practices is necessary. Therefore, the objective of this study is to present an assessment of the main obstacles to implementing sustainability in civil construction for which the bow-tie tool is used. Three cases were analyzed: construction material waste, the wastage of plaster and planning a sustainable construction project. Results showed that the lack of planning for sustainable construction projects, the lack of compliance with technical standards and the lack of technical knowledge of the workforce and of standardization are among the main obstacles to implementing sustainability in civil construction. This study offers a structured methodology to identify causes, consequences and obstacles related to events that affect the implementation of sustainable practices. It provides a visualization of the scenario investigated through the diagram generated, facilitating its understanding and analysis.

The implications of reuse and recycling for the design of steel buildings

2006 ◽  
Vol 33 (4) ◽  
pp. 489-496 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark Gorgolewski
Keyword(s):  
Construction Industry ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Steel Production ◽  
Green Building ◽  
Environmental Issues ◽  
Local Area ◽  
Sustainable Construction ◽  
Limiting Factor ◽  
Steel Buildings ◽  
Construction Companies

There is an increasing interest in reuse and recycling in the Canadian construction industry. This interest is driven partly by the recent adoption in Canada of the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) Green Building Rating System and partly by a greater general awareness of environmental issues. Designers are beginning to look at how to incorporate reused steel components into construction projects, thereby reducing greenhouse gas emissions by saving on primary steel production. However, although some designers are willing to redesign their projects to make use of available reclaimed structural steel components, it is often difficult to identify suitable materials in the local area at the appropriate time in the life of a project. A limiting factor is that designers, construction companies, and others perceive a lack of a well-established and easily available mechanism for exchange of reclaimed components. This paper reviews the issues that are relevant to increasing recycling and reuse in construction and focuses on examples that illustrate the benefits that steel can bring to sustainable construction. In particular, it discusses the issues relevant to designing to enable future disassembly and the way in which steel components can be readily reused.Key words: reclaimed steel, reuse of materials, steel recycling, design for deconstruction, sustainable construction.

Conceptual framework of value management adoption in the Nigerian construction industry

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lekan Damilola Ojo ◽  
Deji Rufus Ogunsemi ◽  
Olusola Ogunsina
Keyword(s):  
Conceptual Framework ◽  
Construction Industry ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Value Management ◽  
Chi Square ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Construction Market ◽  
Innovative Management ◽  
Coefficient Of Concordance ◽  
Global Construction

Purpose The Nigerian construction industry is bedeviled with poor project performance and outcomes which value management (VM) could address if applied. The application of VM on Nigerian construction projects is very minimal due to certain obstacles, namely, lack of VM experts, paucity of knowledge on the techniques, etc., which inhibits the adoption into the construction industry. Therefore, this study aims to develop a conceptual framework of the adoption of VM on construction projects in a typical developing economy. Design/methodology/approach This study engaged 15 selected VM experts in two rounds of Delphi survey to develop a conceptual framework of VM adoption. The method of data analysis includes mean score, standard deviation, Kendall’s coefficient of concordance, chi-square (χ2) test, interrater agreement analysis and significant level analysis. The developed conceptual framework was sent to a team of local and international VM experts for validation. Findings This study reveals that the adoption of VM requires the collective effort of relevant stakeholders in the construction industry. The framework developed presents individual and collective activities to be undertaken by the stakeholders. The activities include training, legislation, government-funded research, etc. Thus, the adoption of innovative management methodology like VM requires the collaboration of academics, construction professional bodies and government parastatals. This will assist in the judicious use of limited construction resources and boost the relevance of the Nigerian construction industry among developing nations and in the global construction market. Originality/value This study used the opinions of few construction professionals that can be regarded as VM experts in Nigeria, as against engaging a pool of construction professionals who may not be knowledgeable in VM process. Engaging the few VM experts in the Nigerian construction industry is important to have a valid basis for drawing conclusion, as large questionnaire survey could be possibly filled by inexperienced or unqualified respondents if stringent criteria are not considered at the outset of this study.

scholarly journals HOW GREEN TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERSHIP INFLUENCES SUSTAINABILITY? MEDIATING EFFECTS OF GREEN CREATIVITY AND GREEN PROCUREMENT

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 69-87 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ashok Kumar Shah ◽  
Yu Jintian ◽  
Dinesh Sukamani ◽  
Manita Kusi
Keyword(s):  
Transformational Leadership ◽  
Construction Industry ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Practical Implication ◽  
Green Building ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Green Procurement ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Project Team Member ◽  
The Impact

Research on environment management in construction industry is as topic of debate globally. Thus, this study examined how green transformational leadership played for green building sustainability via green creativity and green procurement. We developed an assimilated research model to examine the impact of green transformational leadership, green creativity and green procurement on sustainability in construction industry by accessing resources-based view theory and componential theory of creativity. The sample included from 305 project team member of construction firm in Nepal. Structural equation model (SEM) using SPSS 25.0 and AMOS 24.0 have been applied to find empirical results. The results revealed direct positive effects of green transformational leadership, green creativity and green procurement on sustainability. Green transformational leadership also appeared as predictor of green creativity and green procurement. Moreover, green creativity and green procurement found partial mediators of the relationship between green transformational leadership and sustainability in construction industry. Discussed future research direction along with theoretical implication and practical implication for environment policymakers and researcher attentive in promoting sustainability in construction industry.

scholarly journals Discussion on the Application of New Photovoltaic Energy in Building Electrical Energy Saving

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 1
Author(s):  
Qian Yang
Keyword(s):  
Energy Conservation ◽  
Construction Industry ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Rapid Development ◽  
Social Economy ◽  
Green Building ◽  
Electrical Energy ◽  
New Energy

<p>With the rapid development of social economy, the demand for new energy is also increasing, and then the problem of large consumption also has a negative impact on the development of the construction industry. Under the concept of green building, the design and construction units pay more attention to energy conservation and environmental protection, so they actively use photovoltaic new energy in the field of electrical energy conservation of construction projects, so as to improve people's quality of life. Starting from the principles and characteristics of building electrical energy conservation, this paper discusses the methods of building electrical energy conservation, and analyzes how to use photovoltaic new energy in the field of building electrical energy conservation, hoping to better practice the concept of energy conservation.</p>

scholarly journals An Application of Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) for Sustainable Procurement of Construction Equipment: Multicriteria-Based Decision Framework for Malaysia

2019 ◽  
Vol 2019 ◽  
pp. 1-20 ◽  
Author(s):  
Muhammad Waris ◽  
Shrikant Panigrahi ◽  
Abdullah Mengal ◽  
Mujeeb Iqbal Soomro ◽  
Nayyar Hussain Mirjat ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Construction Industry ◽  
Life Cycle Cost ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Sustainable Construction ◽  
Construction Equipment ◽  
P System ◽  
Bottom Line ◽  
Sustainable Procurement ◽  
Selection Framework ◽  
Hierarchy Process

Sustainable procurement is an emerging theme in the construction industry across the globe. However, organizations in the construction industry often encounter impediments in improving environmental performance in construction projects, especially in procurement. Besides its other facets, procurement of construction equipment is inherited to be capital-intensive and vital for managing environmental concerns associated with built environment projects. In this regard, selection criteria in such procurement processes are generally supportive of considering cost and engineering specifications as key parameters. However, sustainability apprehensions in today’s Malaysian construction industry have mounted pressure on industry professionals to rethink their equipment acquisition strategies. The notion of green or sustainable procurement is still infancy for the Malaysian construction industry and facing challenges for embedding it in the current procurement practices. This research aims to address these apprehensions by considering six main criteria, namely, life cycle cost (LCC), performance (P), system capability (SC), operational convenience (OC), environmental impact (EI), and social benefits (SBs), and their 38 subcriteria towards procurement of sustainable construction equipment. A multicriteria-based equipment selection framework on the triple bottom line of sustainability in the context of the Malaysian construction industry has been developed and tested. The application of analytical hierarchy process (AHP) established the sustainable procurement index with a consistent sensitivity analysis results. As such, the proposed procurement index shall help decision-makers in the process of the acquisition of sustainable construction equipment in Malaysia.

AN ENTROPY-BASED STUDY ON THE EFFECTIVENESS OF PREFABRICATION IN ACHIEVING SUSTAINABLE CONSTRUCTION

2016 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter S. P. Wong ◽  
Luke Edmonson ◽  
Michael Phillip Kanellopoulos
Keyword(s):  
Construction Industry ◽  
Energy Efficient ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Carbon Materials ◽  
Sustainable Construction ◽  
Project Delivery ◽  
Design Stage ◽  
Construction Process ◽  
Industry Survey ◽  
Ranking Analysis

Prefabrication has been widely adopted in the construction projects in recent years. It has also been advocated as a greener and more sustainable approach of project delivery. However, with a wealth of evidence supporting other reasons as the drivers of using prefabrication, it is questionable whether the real goal of prefabrication is to achieve sustainable construction. This study aims to investigate the roles of prefabrication in fostering sustainable construction. The effectiveness of prefabrication on fostering sustainable construction was evaluated on the five aspects enlisted by the UK’s Green Construction Board: Waste, Water, Carbon, Materials, and Biodiversity. An industry survey was conducted in Melbourne, Australia for data collection. 200 questionnaires were sent via email or post to a variety of fields within the construction industry. Entropy ranking analysis was adopted to analyze the effectiveness of using prefabrication in construction. The results suggest that prefabrication is effective in reducing construction waste and sourcing energy efficient materials. However, the utilization of prefabrication was found unsuccessful in reducing carbon emissions during the construction process. It is suggested that proactive actions should be taken at the design stage to unleash the potential of prefabrication in construction.

Embracing sustainability practices in UK construction organizations

2014 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 90-107 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alex Opoku ◽  
Vian Ahmed
Keyword(s):  
Built Environment ◽  
Construction Industry ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Sustainable Construction ◽  
Organizational Leaders ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Construction Organizations ◽  
Sustainability Practices ◽  
The Uk

Purpose – Adopting sustainable construction practices minimizes the overall environmental impact of the built asset throughout its whole life. Currently, there is demand from key stakeholders in the construction industry for organization to deliver sustainable built environment, however, leaders/champions within construction organizations charged with the adoption of sustainable construction practices face many challenges. The purpose of this paper is to present the results of an investigation into the challenges facing intra-organizational leaders charged with the promotion of sustainable construction practices. Design/methodology/approach – Qualitative data were collected through semi-structured interview with 15 leaders, followed by an industry-wide survey of 200 intra-organizational leaders in contractor and consultant organizations in the UK construction industry. Findings – The results revealed that increased capital cost is the most significant challenge facing construction organizations in attempt to adopt sustainability practices in the delivery of construction projects. Originality/value – This study provides the empirical evidence linking leadership within construction organizations and sustainability; filling the gap in literature and serving as a source of reference material for higher education programmes in the built environment.

scholarly journals The Status of Value Management Practice on Construction Projects in Uganda and Strategies for Improvement

2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 251-267
Author(s):  
Apollo Tutesigensi ◽  
Nathan Kibwami ◽  
Saul B. Matege
Keyword(s):  
Construction Industry ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Management Practice ◽  
Univariate Analysis ◽  
Bivariate Analysis ◽  
Value Management ◽  
Ordinal Variables ◽  
Raising Awareness ◽  
The Status ◽  
Industry Professionals

In many developing countries, value management (VM) is not applied widely and systematically in construction projects. This limits the achievement of value for money. The objectives of this study were to describe the state of VM practice in Uganda and suggest strategies for improvement. Based on the extant literature, a conceptual framework depicting VM practice in the lifecycle of construction projects was developed. A questionnaire containing both nominal and ordinal measures was distributed to a sample of Ugandan construction industry professionals. During data analysis, the distributions of nominal variables were expressed in terms of percentages. A univariate analysis of the ordinal variables was undertaken using measures of central tendency (mean) and dispersion (standard deviation). A bivariate analysis of the ordinal variables was undertaken using Friedman, Fisher's exact and Mann-Whitney U tests. The application of VM in Uganda was rudimentary, inconsistent and misguided, based on the reports of the respondents. This finding constitutes the first major contribution of this work to knowledge. It also led to the idea that the practice of VM in Uganda can be improved by raising awareness and the standard for VM application. Ten strategies for these two purposes have been put forward in this article. These strategies constitute the second major contribution to knowledge.

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