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Evaluating Workers’ Well-being in Off-site Construction Facilities
No full textWell-being is defined as “the way people feel and function on a personal and social level and how they evaluate their lives as a whole”. It encompasses several interrelated dimensions, including the physical, emotional, social, financial, environmental, vocational, and intellectual. An individual’s well-being is influenced not only by their personal experiences but also by their experiences at the workplace. Individuals spend nearly one-third of their life at work and tend to carry their experiences into non-work-related domains. As a result, promoting a work environment centered on employees’ health, happiness, and satisfaction not only is important to ensure efficiency and productivity but, more importantly, represents a fundamental dimension of social responsibility and ethical obligation. In the context of off-site construction, the production facility is the primary workplace. Studies have shown how off-site construction can positively influence workers’ well-being. To aid in the realization of off-site construction’s full potential, this paper proposes a multi-step generic framework (Well-OS) to assess and evaluate well-being in off-site construction facilities. Well-OS comprises three phases: well-being factor identification, current-state assessment, and intervention design, implementation, and evaluation. A hypothetical case of off-site construction workers’ thermal comfort is presented to illustrate how the framework can be applied. Ultimately, the framework provides off-site construction managers with a structured approach for conducting a baseline analysis of well-being and proposes the necessary promotive and preventive interventions to improve workers’ well-being and productivity
Assessing the Current State and Exploring Opportunities and Challenges of Digital Transformation in Fiber Project Management
No full textThe telecommunications industry is a pivotal driver of technological innovation, with the global market forecasted to exceed $2 trillion by 2026. This growth is fuelled by the rising demand for broadband services, digital transformation initiatives, and the proliferation of mobile devices. This study assesses the current state, opportunities, and challenges of digital transformation in telecom project management, particularly within fibre projects. It aims to evaluate the impact of process automation on enhancing competitiveness and operational efficiency. A mixed-methods research design was adopted, combining qualitative semi-structured interviews and quantitative online surveys to ensure comprehensive data collection. The survey, utilizing a 5-point Likert scale, targeted a sample size of 100 respondents using judgmental sampling to capture domain-specific insights. Results indicate a higher integration of digital tools in areas such as risk management and resource allocation (Mean = 3.15), while lower utilization was observed in planning (Mean = 2.71) and quality control (Mean = 1.92). Although digital transformation has improved data accessibility (Mean = 3.99) and team collaboration (Mean = 3.58), its overall impact on project effectiveness remains limited (Mean = 2.14). The study reveals that 62% of organizations are still in the nascent stages of adopting technologies like IoT, cloud computing, and AI, with 57% relying on traditional management approaches. To address these challenges, the research proposes a structured digital adoption strategy, emphasizing phased implementation, focused training, and change management. These recommendations aim to enhance fibre project management processes, optimize outcomes, and ensure sustained competitiveness in the evolving digital landscape
Analyzine Trends in Capital Construction Expenditures
No full textThis research examines expenditures for renewal/renovation construction and research grant income in higher education science and engineering research facilities to identify correlations. A positive correlation suggests income benefits accrue to institutions that preserve facilities while a negative correlation suggests facilities have limited long-term value and replacement is a more cost-effective means to sustain the physical infrastructure. The research has implications for other non-profit agencies and how they determine whether to maintain facilities or allow development of a significant capital renewal backlog
TOWARDS A PARTICIPATORY ASSESSMENT OF COMMUNITY FLOOD RESILIENCE
No full textExisting Community Flood Resilience (CFR) frameworks often integrate a range of dimensions to measure flood resilience, but social indicators are often overlooked or neglected due to the challenges involved in gathering information and quantifying these aspects. This research presents a novel methodology towards the development of a more comprehensive CFR framework. The methodology presented combines quantitative and qualitative insights through a participatory mixed-methods approach. Initially, the Delphi process is used to co-develop resilience indicators with professional experts drawn from key stakeholders including the Environment Agency, Local Authorities and National Flood Forum, as well as a range of community representatives. This new methodology argues for initiating earlier stakeholder input and sustaining this to enhance relevance and applicability of the framework. Grounding the framework in multiple stakeholder perspectives creates an opportunity to capture local and culturally relevant resilience indicators which thus far have received scant treatment in earlier frameworks. The intention is to apply the new methodology in vulnerable UK communities, using GIS mapping and regression analysis to visualise and quantify resilience levels. This new approach can bridge the gap in traditional flood resilience measurement by providing a flexible tool for policymakers to identify specific resilience needs. It contributes to the growing field of CFR assessment, provides practical solutions for adaptive flood management and supports United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Goal 16 by enabling local stakeholder engagement in resilience planning
The Flexibility of Detached Wooden Houses by Local Builders in Japan
Get PDFThis study examines the flexibility of detached wooden houses supplied by local builders, which constitute a significant portion of Japan\u27s housing production. Historically, prior to World War II, wooden houses dominated the housing supply in Japan, with standardized modules prevalent nationwide. Moreover, century-old wooden houses, considered local historic assets, continue to be utilized through component replacements, additions, and refurbishments, highlighting the inherent flexibility of Japan\u27s wooden housing system. Despite the postwar rise of reinforced concrete and steel-frame houses, numerous local builders emerged across Japan and retain a substantial presence in the current housing market with wooden houses.
Most of the local builders operate a locally oriented business, typically spanning one to two hours by car. Even though they adapt standardized modules unique to Japan, their houses exhibit distinctive features tailored to local climates and utilize diverse construction methods. Furthermore, certain builders have developed proprietary housing systems, such as those aimed at enhancing energy efficiency, and are expanding through franchising initiatives.
This research aims to elucidate the flexibility inherent in houses built by local builders through in-depth case studies. Moreover, this study evaluates how Japanese housing-related legal systems adapt to and accommodate this flexibility
Best Practices in Applying Public-Private Partnership (P3) to US Transit Facility Electrification
Get PDFThe growing number of state, county, and city regulations aimed at achieving zero-emission goals is a significant driver pushing many agencies to transition to electric fleets within the next 10 to 20 years. Despite the accelerated timeline and increasing social/political demands, many transit agencies do not have internal capability required for developing, managing, and operating transit electrification infrastructure, or the required capital. To meet these challenges, some transit agencies have explored the potential for using a Public-Private Partnership (P3) delivery method, yet their practices and lessons-learned are neither documented nor reported broadly. In response, this study aims (1) review the current P3 policies and regulations in the US and (2) to benchmark three successful P3 application cases to transit facility electrification in the US. The study results include P3 policy/project enablers and barriers, P3 contracting structure, and roles and contributions of private partners. The findings of this study will support transit agencies and their stakeholders when considering the use of P3 to accelerate their electrification projects
Decomposing Traffic Flow Patterns Under Extreme Weather: A Novel Field-Theoretic Framework Using Discrete Differential Operators
Get PDFExtreme weather events increasingly challenge urban transportation systems, requiring advanced methods to understand and predict traffic adaptations. Traditional graph-based approaches to traffic analysis, while effective for static conditions, struggle to capture the continuous and dynamic nature of flow patterns during weather disruptions. Current methods lack the mathematical framework to bridge discrete network structures with continuous flow dynamics, particularly in analyzing how traffic patterns reorganize under stress. This paper presents a novel field-theoretic framework for analyzing traffic flow patterns, integrating Hodge decomposition with continuous field visualization. The framework decomposes traffic flows into three fundamental components: gradient flows representing direct movements, curl flows capturing circulation patterns, and harmonic flows revealing background patterns. By transforming discrete network measurements into continuous fields, our method enables comprehensive analysis of flow pattern evolution under varying conditions. Through both synthetic experiments and a case study of London\u27s central district during rainfall events, we demonstrate our framework\u27s ability to reveal previously unobservable traffic adaptation patterns. The method successfully captures the emergence of alternative routes, identifies critical adaptation zones, and quantifies systematic changes in flow organization. This approach provides valuable insights for urban planners and traffic managers, offering a mathematical foundation for understanding network adaptation mechanisms and informing resilience planning strategies
Advancing Circularity: A Review of Technologies for Material Data Traceability in the Built Environment
Get PDFThe construction industry is at a critical intersection, confronting the two challenges of rapid growth and the increasing demand for circularity. Implementing integrated information systems for tracking, managing, and evaluating material data is crucial for accelerating circular economy adoption in the built environment. Traceability is a vital element in the circular economy, enabling the tracking of material data throughout its entire lifecycle. However, there is no structured method to trace data from the extraction to the end-of-life stage, leading to the direct disposal of waste in landfills following the lack of comprehensive data. Thus, this study aims to identify digital technologies supporting material data traceability across all lifecycle stages to facilitate solid circular decision-making. An extensive literature review was conducted, through documents retrieved from the Scopus, IEEE Xplore, Google Scholar, and Web of Science databases to evaluate the potential of various digital tools. Eight technologies were identified, each presenting distinct advantages and limitations in their application to material data traceability within the construction sector. Although many technologies theoretically cover all lifecycle stages, their practical application remains confined to specific phases due to various challenges. The study highlights the need for integrated digital tools to overcome these drawbacks and ensure continuous material data traceability. This research maps technologies to lifecycle stages, evaluating their effectiveness to guide the industry in selecting suitable tools. It underscores the need to integrate digital technologies for comprehensive material tracking, supporting circular decision-making, and transitioning to a circular built environment
Strategies that Enhance the Retention of Women in the Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) workforce: An Integrative Review
Get PDFThe AEC workforce has serious professional skills deficiencies that affect the planning, delivery and maintenance of infrastructure. These skills disparities can be bridged by attracting and retaining women in the industry. Therefore, it is necessary to ascertain the strategies that enhance the retention of women in the AEC workforce. Despite the growing body of scholarship on employee retention, there is a lack of comprehensive review on this topic in the AEC literature. This study adopts an integrative review approach to synthesise knowledge on strategies that enhance the retention of women in the AEC workforce. In total thirty-three papers were extracted. This study identified twelve strategies, however only five retention strategies are discussed in this paper. The retention strategies are classified into organisational and societal (external). These include career development and career progression, family friendly workplace practices, supervisory support, social support from family and friends and support programs from professional networks. This review contributes to the understanding of the retention of women in the AEC industry scholarship. The study also highlights potential areas for future empirical studies to move forward. By understanding the effective retention strategies for women, organisations can design and implement strategies that create a diverse, equitable and inclusive workplace for women in the AEC workforce
Foundations of Resilience: Integrating Māori Cultural Values into New Zealand\u27s Sustainable Construction Paradigm
No full textThe integration of Māori cultural values into the construction sector, as pursued by CanConstructNZ, relates to managing shocks and stresses by promoting resilience and sustainability. Shocks and stresses in the construction industry, such as economic downturns, natural disasters, or labour shortages, challenge the sector\u27s ability to deliver projects effectively. This paper looks at the fusion of cultural values with sustainable development highlighting the role of construction in bridging ‘’traditional’’ values with modern sustainability goals