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An Integrative Systems Biology Approach to Study Metabolic Changes Associated with PFAS Exposure in Xenopus laevis
No full textBest Practices: Lean Thinking for Corn and Soybean Farmers
No full textThis article presents a practical introduction to lean thinking for corn and soybean farmers. Lean is a proven management approach that helps reduce waste, organize workspaces and improve the use of time, tools, and materials. Although it began in manufacturing, lean has been successfully adapted to agriculture through simple, low-cost tools that focus on improving everyday tasks.
The guide explains six key lean tools — 5S, Kanban, Visual Controls, TPM, Standardization, and Kaizen — with real farm examples and step-by-step recommendations. It also offers advice on how to get started, involve workers and measure improvements using basic indicators.
Lean thinking doesn’t require complex systems or big investments. It starts with small changes that make work easier, safer and more efficient week by week, season by season
Driving Gender Diversity in Construction: Mapping Exisiting Policies Through the Behavioral Change Wheel Framework
No full textAchieving gender diversity in the construction industry remains a critical challenge despite global efforts to reduce workplace inequality. Women remain significantly underrepresented in technical, trade, and leadership roles, with the majority occupying clerical or administrative positions. This study systematically categorises existing gender diversity policies in the construction sector using the Behavioural Change Wheel (BCW) framework to identify gaps and opportunities for improvement. A systematic literature review was conducted using the PRISMA methodology, analysing peer-reviewed studies and reports published over the last 30 years. The identified policies were mapped to the BCW’s seven categories: communication/marketing, guidelines, legislation, regulation, fiscal measures, environmental/social planning, and service provision. Findings indicate that while policies address capability, opportunity, and motivation barriers, significant gaps remain in implementation and monitoring. Key areas requiring further development include transparent recruitment processes, flexible work arrangements, and targeted interventions to mitigate unconscious bias and workplace harassment. The lack of real-world validation and actionable implementation strategies limits the practical impact of existing policies. This study provides a structured, evidence-based categorisation for policymakers, industry leaders, and advocacy groups to design targeted interventions that foster inclusivity. By aligning policies with behavioural change strategies, the research contributes to closing the gender diversity gap in construction, promoting workforce equity, and driving cultural transformation within the industry
A Review of Passive Building Research: Energy Performance Influencing Factors, Research Trends and Future Directions
No full textThe building sector accounts for one-third of the global energy consumption, making it a critical focus for energy efficiency initiatives. To reduce building energy consumption, various technologies have been developed and implemented, and among them, passive building technology has been viewed as effective. However, the development and application of passive building technology faces challenges due to different climate zones, different geographical locations and different social-cultural-technological contexts. Systematically reviewing existing research and analyzing its adaptability and challenges under varying climatic conditions, locations and contexts is important for advancing passive building technology. This study provides a comprehensive review of research progress, over the last 28 years, on passive building technology and energy consumption using a bibliometric analysis method. Drawing on the 409 publications sourced from the Web of Science and Scopus databases, CiteSpace tool was employed to analyze the annual publication, research themes, contents, trends and trajectory. The analysis also focuses on identifying key factors influencing energy performance in passive buildings. The results show that annual publications have been increasing exponentially, with authors came from a few countries such as China, UK, Germany, US, together with several European countries. The results also show that the existing research has covered a wide range of topics, including passive building characteristics, material and technological advancement, environmental impact, application of digital technology and data-driven methods. The results also show that building physics and orientations, extreme weather and occupant behavior significantly impact energy-saving performance of passive buildings. Future research may focus on adaptive technological strategies tailored to diverse climate zones, investigations into the interplay between indoor air quality, thermal comfort, acoustic environment, natural lighting and energy efficiency and balancing building energy efficiency and safety. It is suggested that data-driven analytical methods, multi-objective optimization methods and multi-disciplinary mixed-methods research design be applied in future research
Perceptions of 3D Printing Construction Adoption in Latin America: Opportunities, Barriers, and Strategies for Sustainable Infrastructure
Get PDFWithin Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC), 3D Printing Construction (3DPC) offers significant potential by facilitating design flexibility, reducing reliance on formwork, and enhancing sustainability. However, the broader adoption of 3DPC is hindered by critical challenges, including lack of standards, material properties, and extra costs associated with a high initial investment. While previous studies have already explored the opportunities and barriers regulating the adoption of this technology from the perspective of a developed country, there is a critical need to better understand its potential in developing nations. This research aims to identify the AEC community\u27s perception of 3DPC across four key dimensions: opportunities, barriers, strategies, and potential applications. Using a structured questionnaire, the perspectives of 341 construction professionals from developing regions were analyzed to comprehensively assess the feasibility and potential impact of 3DPC in these contexts, informing future strategies for effective implementation. This research contributes to understanding how 3DPC can revolutionize construction practices in developing countries, promoting sustainable and efficient infrastructure development
Critical Review of Multidimensional Organizational Performance Measurement Models in Construction
Get PDFOrganizational performance is a critical metric for evaluating business success, yet measuring it in construction organizations poses significant challenges due to the industry\u27s inherent complexities, such as its fragmented, project-based structure. Researchers have developed various performance measurement models to address these challenges, including Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), the Balanced Scorecard (BSC), and the European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) framework. Despite the widespread use of these models, their application (in what contexts) and integrative use (how they are used together) remain underexplored in construction studies. This study addresses this gap by examining how KPIs, BSC, and EFQM have been applied in construction research and proposing better ways to utilize them. To achieve this, this study critically reviews the literature on the empirical studies on KPIs, BSC, and EFQM within the construction context, focusing on each model’s characteristics, their practical applications, and opportunities for integrated use. The findings indicate that KPIs, being flexible and quantifiable, are well-suited for targeting specific organizational traits, while the EFQM model, with its formalized structure, is more appropriate for benchmarking across companies. Positioned between these two, the BSC offers a balance of flexibility and structure, contributing to its broader adoption compared to EFQM. KPIs, explicitly or implicitly used in all reviewed studies, are often tailored to firms’ unique needs, ensuring relevance. Previous studies lack strategic management insights and actionable improvement criteria, highlighting the need for future research to provide concrete strategies aligned with performance goals to offer practical guidance for improving performance in construction
Management’s Perspective of Safety Culture in the Construction Industry: Cross-cultural Insights from Australia and China
No full textThe construction industry’s high accident rates underscore the importance of a strong safety culture as a critical strategy for improving safety performance. Developed countries like Australia have successfully embedded safety culture into their practices, achieving significant safety advancements. In contrast, developing economies such as China face persistent challenges in fostering mature safety culture, despite notable efforts by academia and industry practitioners. Recognizing the pivotal role of management in driving a positive safety culture, this study explores how construction management teams in Australia and China perceive, adapt, and implement safety culture within their respective socio-cultural and regulatory contexts. Using a qualitative approach, thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews with 20 construction professionals reveals substantial differences in safety culture perceptions and managerial strategies between the two countries: Australian managers adopt an engagement-focused approach, emphasizing individual responsibility, transparent communication, and active employee engagement. Safety culture practices are deeply integrated into organizational processes and reinforced through consistent leadership and collaboration. Conversely, Chinese managers rely more on compliance-driven strategies, shaped by hierarchical organizational structures and a focus on collective harmony. Proactive engagement and individual accountability receive comparatively less emphasis. These findings highlight how societal values and regulatory frameworks influence the implementation of safety culture, shaping managerial strategies and practices. The study underscores the importance of culturally tailored approaches in enhancing safety culture, particularly in addressing the unique challenges within each country’s context. This comparative research provides actionable insights into improving safety outcomes and contributes to the development of adaptive safety culture frameworks for the global construction industry
From Energy to Health: Role of the Ventilation Systems in Energy-Retrofitted Buildings
Get PDFThe transition towards zero-energy buildings by 2050 has driven retrofitting initiatives across Europe, focusing on renovating existing buildings through improving insulation, solar panel installations, window replacements, and implementation of heat pump systems. While these retrofitting strategies contribute to energy efficiency, they also introduce new challenges related to indoor air quality and occupant health, particularly in highly insulated, and airtight buildings. This paper aims to investigate the intersection of energy retrofitting of buildings and occupants\u27 health, with a specific focus on mechanical ventilation systems. By reviewing relevant literature on health issues and energy retrofitting in buildings, building-related illness is explored. The results highlight that while enhanced insulation and airtightness improve energy efficiency, they necessitate appropriate ventilation systems and informed end-user engagement. This study emphasizes the critical role of manufacturers and installers in providing clear ventilation system manuals for end-users. This research contributes to healthy indoor environments by increasing awareness towards building-related illnesses associated with energy efficiency initiatives