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A review of research on enhancing the post-disaster recovery of interdependent critical infrastructure systems
Get PDFDue to the increasing frequency of disasters, the ability to quickly recover from disaster-induced damage is crucial for critical infrastructure systems (CISs). The interdependencies among CISs pose a challenge that must be effectively addressed to ensure more efficient recovery measures. To enhance the resilience of interdependent CISs, an increasing number of studies have utilized simulations or real-world data to understand the mechanisms of these interdependencies and proposed possible solutions in the post-disaster phase. This paper examines this area of research and categorizes existing studies into simulation-based and data-driven approaches, summarizing existing strategies for improving interdependent CIS resilience through expedited recovery processes. In this literature, power systems are the most interdependent with other CISs, followed by transportation systems. The review focuses on research trends, analytical methods, and their methodological limitations. Additionally, several unresolved research gaps are identified, including overlooking specific social entities, challenges on the applicability of research findings, and the trade-off between computability and accuracy. Potential solutions and future research directions are discussed. The findings and conclusions of this paper can contribute to a better understanding of post-disaster recovery decision-making regarding interdependent CISs and are of significant value to real-world stakeholders engaged in infrastructure management
The role of the university in making the built environment more accessible and inclusive for people with disability: A case study from New Zealand
Get PDFThe need to reduce inequality for people with disabilities is a strong theme in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Cities and communities should be inclusive, but the Built Environment has many buildings and spaces with problematic access features that make full participation impossible for this demographic. Universities can play an important role in addressing the issues underlying barriers to access and in providing clear steps for improvement and inclusion. The role involves interacting with all the key stakeholders including people with disabilities, disability advocacy organisations, construction professionals, legislators, students and the general public. This research demonstrates the role in a case study project by two New Zealand universities. A panel of experts with a lived experience of different disabilities provided oversight. The academics designed coursework to facilitate student engagement in the concepts of Universal Design and supervised student research involving building owners, advocacy organisations, construction professionals and people working in buildings. Presenting the research to audiences of legislators, construction professionals, advocacy groups and others interested in accessibility helped raise awareness amongst the stakeholders and led to a petition to the government with recommendations for achieving improved accessibility in the Built Environment. Other outputs included fact sheets for construction businesses, conference presentations, reports and articles for academic journals. The research plan may provide a useful roadmap for other academics to follow in their attempts to improve accessibility and inclusion in the Built Environment for people with disabilities
To what extent do prevailing U.S. transportation infrastructure sustainability rating systems align with UNESCO SGDs: an empirical study
Get PDFUnited Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization Sustainable Development Goals (UNESCO SDGs) were adopted by UN General Assembly in 2015 as part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. As a member state of UN, United States also adopted SDGs. However, the United States were not a member of UNESCO during 2017 to 2023. The United States has never submitted any voluntary national review so far, as what has been done by 115 countries across the world. Nevertheless, rather than claiming that the United States does not commit to the SDGs, there is more supporting evidence for the argument that the United States is working on the SDGs in its own way. For instance, even though no voluntary national review has been submitted, General Services Administration is developing a website U.S. National Statistics for the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals , whose data are not less detailed than many review reports submitted to and archived by UNESCO. With regards to transportation – a major greenhouse gas (GHG) emission sector – the United States has voluntary sustainability rating systems, such as INVEST by Federal Highway Association (FHWA). The level of alignment between UNESCO SDGs and U.S. transportation infrastructure sustainability rating system has significant implications on the achievement of sustainable developments, considering the deciding roles of U.S. as a country and the central positions of transportation as a sector, in attaining environmental, social, and economic sustainability. This study, for the first time, comprehensively evaluates the level of alignment between the two systems via empirical content analysis and discusses the pressing needs along the road ahead
Landfill Waste Diversion in Residential Projects in New Zealand
Get PDFIn recent years, the zero-waste objective has garnered significant attention from researchers and policymakers as a promising approach to mitigate the environmental impacts of the construction industry, with the goal of diverting 100% of waste from landfills and maximising resource recovery. In New Zealand (NZ), while various policies and initiatives have been implemented across the country, limited empirical studies have investigated the status of waste diversion in construction projects. To address this research gap, the authors analysed 160 residential projects across six cities in NZ, using waste reports and site waste management plans (SWMPs) to evaluate current waste diversion practices. Quantitative data in the waste report was used to calculate the landfill waste rate (LWR), waste generation rate (WGR), and waste diversion rate (WDR) for descriptive analysis. These results were further investigated through an analysis of SWMPs. The findings reveal regional differences in the amount of construction waste (CW) sent to landfills, influenced by on-site sorting practices and the availability of local off-site sorting and recycling infrastructure. These insights are crucial for waste managers and policymakers in developing strategies and regulations to minimise waste in the construction sector
Strategic Facilities Management Contingencies Implemented by Office Real Estate Owners in Response to Drought Risks in Cape Town
Get PDFClimate change has impacted the natural water supply in South Africa. This has resulted in a more intentional adoption of environmental, social and governance (ESG) initiatives, specifically within the context of real estate. Water management is one of the key ESG factors, which became apparent to office real estate owners during the 2018 drought in Cape Town. Strategic facilities management (FM) is recognised as the crucial link to ensure that strategic real estate goals are achieved. A form of strategic FM pertaining to water is defined as water management features and initiatives (WMFIs). The research comprised a multiple case study analysis where senior real estate practitioners were intereviewed in a semi-structured format. The data was analysed via thematic analysis, where the following prominent themes emerged: strategy towards WMFIs; implementation of WMFIs; drought preparedness; benchmarking and consumption; and barriers and drivers of WMFIs. The results indicated that office real estate owners were relatively well prepared for the 2018 drought. The majority of WMFIs were reactionary, as they appeared to form part of future strategic risk plans and ESG objectives. The barriers and drivers to the implementation of WMFIs were explored where one of the main barriers was cost, however drivers were identified as cost effective measures that were successful in reducing water consumption and addressing ESG strategies. The Cape Town drought tested the resilience of office real estate owners and fast tracked a change in addressing water supply problems
The Influence of 4IR on Human Factors in Construction Health and Safety in South Africa
Get PDFThis article seeks to evaluate the influence of 4IR and human factors on the construction health and safety in South Africa to provide an effective framework for improving construction health and safety in South Africa. The construction industry has been identified as one of the most hazardous industries in many parts of the world, as measured by work-related mortality, workers’ compensation, injury, and fatality rates. The researchers adopted a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative and qualitative methods to comprehensively address the research questions and employed SPSS analysis to examine safety factors related to work pressure and their effects on compliance with safe work procedures. The research found significant relationship between work pressure, safety violations, and construction accidents. By comprehending human factors\u27 contribution to non-compliance with safe work procedures. The findings and recommendations can serve as a foundation for policy development, training programs, and practical strategies aimed at reducing accidents and promoting a safer construction environment
Italian Territory and its Attractiveness for Young People
Get PDFThis paper describes the results of a survey administered to the Italian Local Public Administrations, investigating which initiatives, if any, they are implementing in the housing sector and in the entrepreneurial field in the next five years in favour of young people, and how they are going to finance these initiatives. Student housing, social housing and coworking seem to be the favorite choises, and the main financial sources are public funds (among them the National Recovery and Resilience Plan - NRRP). The ability of a territory to attract and retain young people is linked to its ability to guarantee housing and work. Without young people, the very future of local communities is put at risk, especially in a country like Italy with a very low fertility rate and an increasingly ageing population
Conceptual Circular Economy Maturity Model for Construction Organisations
Get PDFIn the construction industry, the main contractor organisations play a significant role in implementing Circular Economy (CE) as they involve one or several phases of a construction project while handling multiple supply chain processes and collaborating with various stakeholders. Hence, implementing CE within main contractor organisations positively impacts CE transformation in the construction industry. Assessment of CE has become a prominent approach at any level that will lead to implementing, improving, and monitoring circularity. However, the existing CE assessment frameworks for construction organisations are associated with several issues. They do not take a holistic approach when developing these frameworks and lack a systematic method for improving CE over time, relying instead on quantitative equations or qualitative checklists for assessment. To address these issues, this study proposes a Circular Economy Maturity Model for Construction Organisations (CEMM4CO), with a specific focus on identifying the relevant Process Categories (PCs) essential for its implementation. The study follows two systematic literature reviews and identifies maturity models in similar domains: sustainability maturity models in construction and generic CE maturity models. Subsequently, by comparing the PCs of identified maturity models, this study justifies the suitability of construction organisations by supporting a comprehensive discussion. Finally, the study conceptualises the CEMM4CO by highlighting its requirements and suitable PCs
Design of an IoT-based Intelligent Construction Energy Monitoring and Management System
No full textTo address issues such as low energy efficiency and delayed energy consumption data collection during construction processes, we have designed and implemented an IoT-based intelligent construction energy monitoring and management system. The system adopts a three-tier architecture of the IoT, deploying various types of sensors in the perception layer to collect data on electrical energy, water resources, and equipment operation. Data preprocessing and local storage are performed through an edge computing unit. The network layer establishes a data transmission and processing center based on a cloud platform, while the application layer develops a web management platform using a microservices architecture to achieve real-time monitoring, statistical analysis, and alert management of energy data. The system was validated in a large commercial complex project, showing high data collection accuracy and processing efficiency, significantly improving energy efficiency at the construction site, reducing equipment idle rates, and yielding substantial economic benefits. This provides a new technological solution for energy management in construction projects
Evaluation of Solar Adaptability in Transit Station Areas: A Comparative Case Study of Tokyo and Hong Kong
No full textDue to climatic differences between cities, there is a complex relationship between urban form and sunlight comfort. In the compactly developed transit station areas, the higher development intensity further limits the space for urban form adjustment, making it difficult to maintain ideal sunlight conditions in all public spaces. This study aims to provide a method for assessing the solar adaptability of public spaces around rail transit stations. By constructing a betweenness-solar performance (B-S) model, the appropriateness of spatial form in station areas is assessed based on the balance between predicted pedestrian flows and sunlight conditions in urban public spaces. The article selected three transit stations each in Tokyo and Hong Kong as case studies. The results indicate that the B-S model is helpful in identifying specific locations within the station areas that have issues. Preliminary strategies have been summarized for spatial form optimization, including shadow control under different climates, open space design methods, and increasing the connectivity of street networks. The application of these strategies will help improve sunlight conditions in the core areas of the stations and minimize the loss of overall development intensity in the station areas