Egyptian Construction Industry Research Articles

Study the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the construction industry in Egypt

This paper attempts to quantify the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the construction industry under different investment and economic scenarios in Egypt. The survey was conducted to assess the cost impact of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic on the construction industry, considering essential aspects, such as manpower, plant and machinery, and material, and their net effect on overall construction cost. The recommendations covered in this paper address many such measures under short, medium, and long-term categories. These measures underline the need to improve systems and processes for adequately responding to the current changing environment and effectively confronting such disruptions in the future. In addition, the paper serves as a start to thinking about the study of procedures during a future pandemic to inhibit any impact on the project timeline or personnel health.

Analysing BIM implementation in the Egyptian construction industry

PurposeThis research is built up upon exploring the concepts of building information modeling (BIM) adoption and strategy formulation with the aim to develop a strategy for implementing BIM in the Egyptian construction industry.Design/methodology/approachThe development of the BIM implementation strategy was based on two pillars, namely the literature review and results of the survey questionnaire and interviews. First, the review of literature helped investigating the BIM challenges and international strategies developed to implement BIM worldwide.FindingsThe research presented recommendations to assist policymakers in Egypt to facilitate BIM implementation.Originality/valueAlthough multiple frameworks have been proposed to aid in BIM implementation, a practical strategy to implement BIM in Egypt is still lacking. Moreover, current market scale studies neglect nonsoftware aspects of BIM adoption, do not identify market gaps or reflect market-specific criteria. As such, it cannot be used by policymakers to facilitate BIM diffusion.

Comparative study for assessing the OSH relationship to the quality of construction projects in Egypt

Background: Construction and architectural projects(CAPs) play a significant role in the economic development of most countries. The construction industry in Egypt has significantly grown in recent years. Due to this growth, the number of occupational accidents in the country’s construction industry has also increased. Methods: This study aimed to assess the Occupational Safety and Health(OSH) field. Then, the assessment effects on the construction project quality are evaluated. The statistical analysis of the question naire surveys conducted on project safety, quality, and executive management at construction companies based on the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences(SPSS). Results: After comparing two sites, the research results indicated differences in completion times and overall costs between the two sites.70% of the respondents agreed that the completion times, costs, and project qualities vary between the two sites. About 92% of the sample completely agreed and were willing to follow the international laws, which stipulate the principles of OSH in construction sites. They also agreed that there should be an increased understand in gof the importance of OSH management in sites, which can help prevent clashes between the two departments. Conclusions: Companies should hire a social worker to take care of the workers, help them solve their problems, and ensure that safety standards are being met in the construction sites. In addition, regular medical examinations of all workers must be conducted to ensure that the yare free from any occupational, non-infectious, or infectious diseases, such as the coronavirus.

The impact of corporate social responsibility on corporate image in the construction industry: a case of SMEs in Egypt

ABSTRACT The current study explores Corporate Image (CI) for companies as one of the primary measures of competitive advantage. Hence CI has been considered the dependent variable to test whether Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) practices could affect CI in SMEs. This research focuses on the construction industry in Egypt due to the limited availability of studies investigating CSR and corporate image. The authors performed a regression analysis to assess CSR's effect on CI in Egyptian construction companies. The results revealed that Egyptian SMEs in the construction industry implemented most of the CSR practices included in ISO 26000, and those practices positively impact the companies’ corporate image. The results of the study are in line with the literature and theory of both CSR and CI.

Quantifying materials waste in the Egyptian construction industry: A critical analysis of rates and factors

Construction and demolition waste (CDW) is a critical challenge facing the construction industry. It leads to deterioration of the triple bottom line of sustainability. Unfortunately, the CDW management research in Egypt lacks studies investigating (1) the variations in CDW generation (CDWG) among different types of construction projects, and (2) the factors affecting CDW reduction (CDWR). Based on a benchmarking approach, this research (1) quantifies CDW in terms of generation rates and costs among different construction project types in Egypt, and (2) investigates the relationship between CDWG and different adopted CDWR factors. Using structured interviews, a comparative case study was conducted to investigate industrial, residential, commercial, and infrastructure projects. Analysis of results demonstrated that CDWG rates and costs differ from one project type to another due to the project's nature, size, and complexity on the one hand, and the applied CDWR factors such as waste-efficient practices, awareness, culture & behaviour, and legislation on the other hand. On average among the four project types, it was found that “timber”, “sand”, and “bricks/blocks” are the most wasteful materials. It was also found that “practices” and “legislation” are the least applied CDWR factors on average among the four project types, which need to be better applied for better CDWR results.

Exploring the value management critical success factors for sustainable residential building – A structural equation modelling approach

Sustainability principles should be implemented during all the phases of the decision-making process of constructing residential buildings to achieve maximum gains without compromising the function of such projects. This study identified and examined the critical success factors (CSFs) required for implementing value management (VM) in residential building projects. With a view to the sustainability of such the projects. The CSFs for VM were identified from previous studies, which were then contextually adjusted using both semi-structured interviews and a pilot study via the Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) technique. The EFA results showed that the VM CSFs could be categorized into four constructs: stakeholders and knowledge, culture and environment, workshop dynamics, and standardization. Questionnaires were then administered to 214 building stakeholders within the Egyptian building industry. Partial least square structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) was used to develop the CSFs model. Despite that Egyptian professionals with limited practice experiences were quite knowledgeable about VM, results showed that stakeholders and knowledge were crucial CSFs for implementing VM. The results of this study will be a guide for decision-makers to reduce costs and improve sustainability by introducing VMs in the Egyptian construction industry.

Systematic processing framework for analyzing the factors of construction projects’ delays in Egypt

Nowadays, the subject of delays is considered one of the most challenging problems for construction projects, particularly in Egypt. Delays occurrence normally leads to an increase in the project’s time and so its cost. Analyzing the factors of construction project delays in Egypt is a matter of crucial importance; thus, the reason why a systematic processing framework is developed. Considered as one of the main elements for this framework, a survey questionnaire was conducted among the key parties in the Egyptian construction industry. The aim is to assess the relevance and impact of the various delay causes on construction projects, to identify the responsible party as well as to evaluate the effect of using the Building Information Modeling (BIM) on delays. Thus, this paper promotes the use of a systematic processing framework to outline a course for examining delay factors of construction projects in Egypt while validating the outcomes through a survey questionnaire. This leads to prioritize delay causes and hence to identify the most suitable approach for dealing with construction projects’ delays and their associated cost impact. Also, it is worth mentioning that this framework is of major use to construction projects with similarity nature such as residential buildings, hotels, etc. This study opens the doors for further development of parametric models which will help in effectively treating this subject.

Critical Value Management Activities in Building Projects: A Case of Egypt

Value management (VM) is one of the principles adopted by stakeholders to manage issues in the building industry. This paper aims to examine VM diffusion between residential building entities in the Egyptian residential building industry. This research was confined to the Cairo and Giza regions, with enough residential building experience from clients, consultants, and contractors. A quantitative questionnaire survey was generated to find answers from those active in the residential building industry. The results show that although VM’s most widely practiced activities in the Egyptian construction industry are only information phase activities, professionals in Egyptian building projects agreed that all VM activities are important. The results also demonstrated that there is a significant positive correlation among VM phases. The results constitute activities for the adoption of VMs in Egypt. Its guidelines will dramatically enhance the implementation of VMs both in Egypt and in other developing countries where similar projects are conducted. Finally, this research strengthens the residential building industry’s present management by enhancing VM tools and elements to generate value for money.

A framework to activate the health and safety regulations in the Egyptian construction industry

PurposeThe construction industry is considered one of the most dangerous industries especially in developing countries such as Egypt. Although safety in Egypt is regulated by mainly four pivotal legislations, namely, Law No. 12 (2003) and Ministerial Decrees No. 211, 126 and 134, construction accident records in Egypt are high. Accordingly, this paper aims to develop a framework to activate the health and safety regulations in the Egyptian construction industry.Design/methodology/approachTo achieve this aim, a research methodology consisting of a literature review and a survey questionnaire was developed to accomplish three objectives. First, a literature review was used to identify the causes of site accidents and strategies adopted in different countries to improve and enforce safety, safety roles of stakeholders. Second, a survey questionnaire was conducted with a representative sample of large- and medium-sized construction firms in Egypt to examine their perception of the causes of site accidents. Finally, a framework was developed to activate the health and safety regulations in the Egyptian construction industry.FindingsThe research identified 16 causes of construction site accidents. These causes were classified into three categories based on the party responsible for the occurrence of site accidents, namely, workers, organization management and government. Results of data analysis showed that “lack of housekeeping” and “lack of governmental inspection for safety” were ranked the highest causes of site accidents in the Egyptian construction industry, whereas “inefficiency of old safety equipment or no safety equipment at all” and “reluctance to input resources for safety” were ranked the least causes.Originality/valueThis research provides valuable information about the nature of the construction industry with a particular focus on site accidents, causes and impacts of construction site accidents. The study highlighted the safety roles of the Egyptian Governmental bodies in Egypt to improve and enforce safety. The research tackled a topic that received scant attention in construction literature especially in the Egypt context. The framework presented in this paper represents a synthesis that is important and adds value to the knowledge in a manner that has not previously occurred in the Egyptian construction industry.

Barriers of value management implementation for building projects in Egyptian construction industry

This research aims to address barriers and obstacles to the adoption of value management (VM) in the Egyptian building projects. Furthermore, the primary contribution of this research paper is to establish the current level of the VM implementation in the Egyptian construction industry which is the first research that appears this level. The research was limited to the regions of Cairo and Giza, and clients, consultants, and contractors with sufficient experience in building construction management are the key participants. With a view to find answers from those who work actively as part of the construction industry, a quantitative questionnaire survey was used. The analysis of the collected data was based on descriptive statistical tools. Research shows that the critical barriers in the construction industry are inadequate facilitation of skills and training, and difficulty in the involvement of decision-makers and other key partners in the VM workshop. The results constitute barriers to VM implementation in the country and its guidelines will significantly promote VM adoption, both in the country and in other developing nations, where the same projects are carried out. On the other hand, this study concluded that implementation and usage of the VM technology concept within the organization has a significant impact on professionals and management skills.

Causes and impacts of site accidents in the Egyptian construction industry

This paper aims to investigate the causes and impacts of site accidents in the Egyptian construction industry. To achieve this aim, a research methodology consisted of literature review and survey questionnaire was developed to accomplish three objectives. First, literature review was used to investigate the nature of the construction industry, identify and classify the causes of site accidents as well as their social and economic impacts on organizations and affected families. Second, a survey questionnaire was conducted with a representative sample of large and medium sized construction firms in Egypt to examine their perception of the causes of site accidents. Finally, outlining research conclusions and recommendations useful to construction firms and governmental organizations. The research identified 16 causes of construction site accidents. These causes were classified into three categories based on the party responsible for the occurrence of site accidents namely, workers, organization management and government. Results of data analysis showed that “Lack of housekeeping” and “Lack of governmental inspection for Safety” were ranked the highest causes of site accidents in the Egyptian construction industry, while “inefficiency of old safety equipment or no safety equipment at all” and “reluctance to input resources for Safety” were ranked the least causes. Moreover, Spearman correlation test showed there are relationships between many causes in which some causes may affect the occurrence of other causes. This research provides valuable information about the nature of the construction industry with particular focus on site accidents, causes and impacts of construction site accidents. The research tackled a topic that received scant attention in construction literature especially in the Egypt context. The work presented in this paper represents a synthesis that is important and adds value to the knowledge in a manner that has not previously occurred in the Egyptian construction industry.

FACTORS CAUSING REWORK AND THEIR IMPACT ON PROJECTS’ PERFORMANCE IN EGYPT

The Egyptian construction industry suffers from severe delays and cost overruns. Rework is a prime cause of this challenge. Therefore, the objective of this study to identify the root causes of rework for Egyptian construction projects and their impact on the project duration and cost. An extensive literature review has been done to identify the most common factors affecting rework. Hence, eighty-seven factors were identified and categorised into ten groups. Structured interview technique was adopted to get the opinions of 67 Egyptian construct professionals for nineteen different construction projects. Total Importance Index of Rework Impact (T.I.I.R.I%) was used to analyse and rank rework factors. Accordingly, the most critical five rework factors are economic situation for the country, schedule compression, design changes, specifications change, and inadequate feasibility study. Based on the survey results, the project stakeholders should consider the critical rework factors during the planning stage and before the project execution, to eliminate or reduce the occurrence and impact of rework causes and to improve the performance of the projects. This paper provides state of the art for rework causes and their effects on construction projects performance, and it can be beneficial for both practitioners and researchers for future work.

Overcoming the limitations of the green pyramid rating system in the Egyptian construction industry: a critical analysis

ABSTRACT Despite the tangible contributions of the construction industry to social development and economic growth, it is known for its natural resources overconsumption and solid waste (SW) generation both of which have major negative impacts on the natural environment. In the particular case of materials waste, the construction industry worldwide accounts for about 50% of global annual generated SW. In addition, construction materials may contribute up to 50% of the total project cost. Accordingly, the negative implications of the construction industry have compelled many nations to develop green building rating systems in order to preserve the environment, promote the economic efficiency of using resources, and enhance the quality of citizens’ lives which are necessary aspects for achieving the triple bottom line (TBL) of sustainability. Recently, Egypt developed the Green Pyramid Rating System (GPRS) in its first version in 2011. Through investigating the GPRS and especially its Materials and Resources (M&R) category, some shortcomings were identified. Towards improving the GPRS, this paper aims to investigate the GPRS and compare it with its peers BREEAM and LEED with a special focus on M&R category. The investigation and comparison results helped proposing suggestions which may improve the GPRS on the categorical level and the criteria level of M&R category. Moreover, the importance of M&R category is demonstrated by a case study through using palm fronds as a green material for concrete reinforcement to prove the positive impact of this category on the TBL of sustainability.

Fuzzy model for assessing delays in Egyptian residential projects

PurposeConstruction delays are a common problem in the Egyptian construction industry. Frequent delays in a project can lead to disputes and litigation. This paper aims to study and analyze the causes of construction delays.Design/methodology/approachThis research identifies delay causes in residential projects in Egypt and analyzes these causes with the relative importance index method. The feedback of construction experts was obtained through interviews. Subsequently, a questionnaire survey was prepared. Fifty-six different delay causes were identified and categorized into eight categories based on a literature review and interviews with 36 experts from the construction industry who represent owners, consultants and contractors.FindingsAccording to the highest values of the relative importance index, the top ten delay causes of residential projects in Egypt are determined. Statistical analysis is carried out using the analysis of variance method to test delay causes obtained from the survey, which revealed a good correlation between residential projects parties with respect to most of the delay causes. A fuzzy logic model using MATLAB is developed for determining the probability of delay of residential projects, and the model was tested in a real case study and was found to be satisfactory.Originality/valueDelay causes in residential projects in Egypt were identified, and these causes were analyzed using the relative importance index method and fuzzy logic.

An investigation into solid waste problem in the Egyptian construction industry: A mini-review

Solid waste management (SWM) is one of the most critical global challenges nowadays. It has a severe negative effect on the triple bottom line of sustainability. Construction and demolition waste (CDW) contributes about 50% of the total global annual generated SW. In the particular case of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region including Egypt, the SW problem has become a major challenge, and the need to find sustainable solutions is overwhelming. However, the region faces several challenges that hinder the development of an effective and efficient SWM system. This has resulted in the predominance of unsustainable SWM practices such as indiscriminate disposals. The aim of this paper is to investigate the escalating problem of SW in the MENA region, while focusing on CDW in Egypt as a part of the total generated SW, by reviewing the most recent research papers, and technical and governmental reports on the SW problem. The main challenges towards effective and efficient SWM systems and recommendations for improvement are gathered in this study based on the explored literature. Findings from this study are expected to be beneficial to local and central governments, academics, construction industry practitioners, and policymakers contending with the problems of SW in the MENA region and especially CDW in Egypt.

Innovative production of structural light-weight concrete by manufactured porous basalt aggregates

ABSTRACT Structural Lightweight Concrete (SLWC) is rarely used in Egyptian construction industry because of the unavailability of appropriate lightweight aggregates that capture its salient features. The aim of this research is to produce aggregates of low density and reasonable strength suitable for SLWC and to add new perspective for the structural lightweight concrete in the Egyptian market causing a reflection on the ECP 203 by adding limitations concerning the lightweight aggregates, as the only limitation for lightweight concrete is to install it for architecture uses. In this paper, an innovative procedure for producing SLWC using locally Manufactured Porous Basalt Aggregates (MPBA) is presented as a side product to basalt fiber industry. The scope of work is an experimental investigation to produce the MPBA then examine the feasibility to obtain SLWC. The physical and mechanical properties of Parent Basalt Rocks (PBR) are calibrated then the methodology of producing MPBA is explained and the obtained properties are assessed. The new MPBA is produced when solid basalt is melted and mixed with polypropylene through an established optimum mixing. The newly proposed process includes a sequence of temperature variations using both methods the Rheocasting and Thixocasting process. The phase diagram is illustrated showing the melting point of the basalt rocks and the MPBA. The produced MPBA is further used for SLWC mixes and the presented data provide the possible properties needed to figure out a new material.

Framework of performance measurement practices in construction companies in Egypt

Abstract Construction industry is considered as one of the most important sectors in Egypt. One of the major challenges faced by the industry, however, is the unavailability of suitable performance measurement systems for assessing companies’ performance. Modern performance assessment systems adopt a more universal approach to the measurement of construction company performance as opposed to the traditional project triangle. This paper aims to examine the practice of performance measurement in the Egyptian construction industry. Results show dominant role of in-house developed performance management systems as well as the use of KPIs as a method of performance assessment. The study further reveals that the highest importance is given to measures related to the time of project delivery, quality of works, clients’ satisfaction and profitability. Hence, the traditional project triangle of project’s success is the most prevalent approach to performance evaluation in the construction industry in Egypt. However, a shift towards a more holistic approach to performance assessment in larger companies was observed.

Roadmapping BIM Implementation Processes Using IDEF0 Diagrams

This article presents a framework for the implementation of BIM in organizations on a strategic level in Egypt. Earlier analysis of the Egyptian construction market was carried to measure the BIM maturity of organizations. The assessment was required to study where the Egyptian market stands when it comes to BIM knowledge. This was done as a prior step to create an implementation plan. After aligning BIM goals with the current BIM status, recommendations are highlighted in order to create a roadmap for BIM implementation in organizations. A modeling tool was selected to represent the created roadmap. The modeling tool was selected in order to facilitate the implementation of the roadmap in the Egyptian construction industry. The model is created using Integrated Definition (IDEF0) diagrams as a functional modeling tool. The model is made accessible for industry practitioners to use it as a prior step for BIM implementation planning.

How Knowledge Management Implementation Affects The Performance Of Egyptian Construction Companies

This study examines the effectiveness of knowledge management systems within the construction industry in Egypt from the perspective of knowledge infrastructure capability (KIC), knowledge process capability (KPC) and their impact on business performance (BP) from the financial, consumer, learning and growth, supplier and internal perspectives. The sample consists of 75 first class Egyptian construction companies. The authors used a questionnaire that was modified from the questionnaire previously used by Gold, Malhotra and Segars (2001) and Smith (2006). The authors used one-way ANOVA, t-tests and OLS regressions. The results indicated that both knowledge infrastructure capability (KIC) and knowledge process capability (KPC) have a positive effect on business performance (BP). The results also indicate that organizations with well-developed training and development plans have significantly higher KIC and KPC scores compared to those that do not have such plans.

TOWARDS APPRAISAL AND IMPROVEMENT OF PROJECT MANAGEMENT PRACTICES FOR EGYPTIAN CONSTRUCTION CONTRACTORS

Project Management has evolved and emerged by several organizations not only to gain competitive advantage; but also as a crucial factor that determines the success of the organization. In this regard, there is a global growing interest and attention for organizations to evaluate and improve the level of their project management practices. The past decade has shown a dramatic increase in the attention, research and practice of the project management maturity and the maturity models. These models are used to evaluate the current project management capabilities of an organization and to ensure its efficiency and uniformity in delivering projects successfully. Moreover, these models are used to further enhance the performance of organizations. Although the maturity models has evolved during the last decade as one of the tools for achieving project management excellence on the organization level; however, the excessive variety of maturity models has made the choice between those models difficult and need careful attention and consideration in both the model choice and its practical implementation in the business. For developed countries (such as USA, Canada, UK, Europe, etc…) several maturity models have been proposed and commonly implemented successfully. In Egypt, there is a lack of documentation available on the current status and use of maturity models in the contracting organizations working in the construction industry. This paper constitutes a part of a larger research project aims to fill this gap. To achieve this, an extensive literature review has been conducted on the predominant existing maturity models, a market survey to assess the current status of maturity awareness in the construction contracting organizations has been developed and the basis of integrated framework for appraisal and improvement of project management practices for the contracting organizations working in the Egyptian construction industry have been proposed.