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Knowledge Foundations, Issue 3 - March 2024
Get PDFKnowledge Foundations publication (formally the UCEM e-library e-bulletin) is a compendium of news, views, research and resources relating to the educational sector and the built environment
Designing for a Circular Economy in the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction Industry: Insights from Italy
Get PDFResource consumption in the construction industry is expected to increase globally in the
coming years. Additionally, construction and demolition waste (CDW) remains a significant priority
within numerous global policies due to its vast volume and the inefficiencies in its management. This
situation results in substantial environmental repercussions, primarily due to the low rates of material
recovery in the manufacturing processes for new building materials. In response, the concept of the
circular economy (CE) emerges as a promising solution across various sectors. CE promotes more
resource- and energy-efficient practices, reducing waste generation and mitigating the environmental
impacts associated with product life cycles while also unlocking potential economic opportunities.
The primary aim of this study is to identify and assess the design practices influencing the adoption
of CE principles within the Italian architectural, engineering, and construction (AEC) sector. The
study’s main contribution lies in a survey of 77 Italian designers to explore the core strategies driving
the development of comprehensive circular approaches. This investigation seeks to understand the
constraints and opportunities for CE implementation. The findings will assist in decision-making,
inform policy, promote literacy around the CE topic, enable new quality standards, and serve as a
baseline reference for businesses regarding sustainability investment indexes and markets
A systematic review and meta-synthesis of the barriers of offsite construction projects
Get PDFOffsite construction (OSC) has been increasingly adopted in the construction industry, especially with increased practical interest in digital transformation in construction, automated production, assembly, and delivery. The uptake of OSC has not however been consistent internationally, and the adoption rate of modular and prefabricated construction is still poor in many developing and developed countries. This review aims to detect and classify the barriers for adopting OSC by assimilating previous research studies. This paper systematically analyses 75 research articles, published in the past decade spanning between 2012 and 2022 inclusive. A total of 47 barriers were identified through this review and the five most frequent barriers were: lack of skills and expertise in OSC within the organization, poor cooperation and integration between stakeholders in the value chain, higher project costs, higher capital cost, and lack of a national standards and design codes for prefabricated components. The analysis offers insights into gaps that exist that could support greater OSC activity globally. Barrier trends by publication year and country are reported to highlight changes in research activity to delineate recommendations for future work to ensure greater uptake
Discounted cash flow models for market valuations: a match made in heaven
Get PDFDavid Hourihan puts the case for wider acceptance of DCF modelling in valuation, and addresses some of the key challenges in the way
Knowledge Foundations, Issue 12 - December 2024
Get PDFKnowledge Foundations publication (formerly the UCEM e-library e-bulletin) is a compendium of news, views, research, and resources related to the educational sector and the built environment
Knowledge Foundations, Issue 1 - January 2024
Get PDFKnowledge Foundations publication (formally the UCEM e-library e-bulletin) is a compendium of news, views, research and resources relating to the educational sector and the built environment
Gender Equality in Architecture and Construction: An Assessment Framework at the Institutional and Sectoral Levels in Jordan
Get PDFThe issue of gender equality demands attention from governments, policymakers, and the
community at large. It requires continuous redefinition due to its complex technical, professional,
economic, and social dimensions, all aimed at empowering women to claim their position within
society. Jordan is no exception to this, as women encounter numerous hurdles in accessing equal
opportunities in the professional sphere despite their increasing levels of education. This
underscores the necessity for a thorough examination of the factors influencing this discussion. This
research is targeted at identifying and categorising relevant gender equality indicators within the
architectural practice in Jordan, as part of the construction sector. This research adopts a
quantitative approach, utilising the Delphi Technique and Analytical Hierarchy Process through
engagement with experts from academia and practice to ensure appropriate sourcing, filtration, and
rating of the most relevant indicators. It concludes with the identification of fifty-nine indicators
grouped into the categories of Education, Employability, Enablement, Inclusion, Professionalism,
Facilitation, and Support. This research reveals a higher emphasis on the practical aspects of gender
equality by the participants, prioritising particular categories and indicators. The findings offer
essential insights to effectively address such an important issue across the policy, economic, social,
and professional levels
Knowledge Foundations, Issue 11 - November 2024
Get PDFKnowledge Foundations publication (formerly the UCEM e-library e-bulletin) is a compendium of news, views, research, and resources related to the educational sector and the built environment
Factors Impacting Women Gaining Leadership Roles in the Jordanian Construction Sector: Architects and Civil Engineers
Get PDFThe persistent underrepresentation of women in leadership positions within the construction industry remains a global concern. In Jordan, despite comprising 60.45% and 22.4% of the total workforce of architects and civil engineers, respectively, women’s contribution to management roles is significantly low. Therefore, there is an urgent necessity to examine the factors hindering women’s advancement in the construction sector and their ability to attain leadership positions. This research aims to provide an overview of the current situation in Jordan, focusing specifically on the architectural and civil engineering professions. It presents findings from a desktop study, a survey questionnaire, and focus groups. The Severity Index (SI) formula is utilised to identify critical barriers in the Jordanian context, derived from both the literature review and questionnaire responses. Additionally, the Interpretive Structural Modelling (ISM) technique is employed to establish a hierarchy of critical barriers and analyse their interrelationships. The study reveals that the obstacles impeding women from assuming leadership roles in the Jordanian construction sector primarily stem from 20 critical barriers categorised across 11 levels in ISM. Notably, the lack of childcare programmes is identified as a fundamental barrier at the lower level, while informal networks formed by men emerge as the highest-rated barrier at level 11. Addressing and mitigating these challenges is crucial to facilitating women’s progression into leadership positions within the sector and is anticipated to contribute significantly to addressing the growing complexity of modern construction projects
Knowledge Foundations, Issue 6 - June 2024
Get PDFKnowledge Foundations publication (formally the UCEM e-library e-bulletin) is a compendium of news, views, research and resources relating to the educational sector and the built environment