Building Projects Research Articles

FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE SITE INVESTIGATION COST AND THEIR IMPACT ON THE TOTAL COST OF BUILDING PROJECTS IN ABUJA, NIGERIA

Site investigation contribute to the total cost of building projects. Notwithstanding, the cost of site investigation in Nigeria is often skipped, which have detrimental impacts on the total cost of building projects. Therefore, this study aimed to identify the factors that influence site investigation costs and their impact on the total cost of building projects in Abuja, Nigeria. A sample of 50 construction sites within F.C.T, Abuja were chosen. Data analysis include Mean Importance Rating (MIR) for classifying the variables, and correlation analysis to examine which impact of site investigation contributed to the total cost of building projects. MIR findings indicated that unforeseen site condition, site geology, investigation depth and extent, project size and complexity, and environmental conditions should be considered during site investigation planning to minimize cost variability. Furthermore, direct correlation with cost savings, and effective risk management show strong positive correlations (>0.8), indicating a significant association with cost-saving benefits. This upholds that thorough site investigation can mitigate risks by providing valuable data on subsurface conditions, environmental factors, and other site-specific characteristics. It was thus recommended that construction professionals should conduct thorough feasibility studies and assessments, and adopt innovative and advanced site investigation technologies such as geophysical surveys, ground-penetrating radar, and 3D mapping to gain more accurate insights into the site’s conditions.

INFLUENCE OF RISK ON ROAD PROJECTS COST AND DURATION IN ABUJA, NIGERIA

Project risks have a significant effect on time, cost, scope, or work quality. Studies were thus conducted to assess the effect of risk on project cost, time, and work quality. Though, these studies only viewed building projects in Nigeria, and no attempt was made to cover road projects. Therefore, this study seek to evaluate the influence of risk on road projects cost and duration in Abuja, Nigeria. A purposive sample of 100 construction industries involved in selected projects within F.C.T, Abuja were chosen. Data analysis include mean score for ordering the variables. Findings indicated that use of subpar materials, poor quality of work, budget overruns, bad project management, and supply chain disruptions are branded as the most critical influence of risk on road projects cost. Whereas, additional cost to contract sum, prolonged completion date, delay in expected revenue/usage, give rise to fluctuation claims, decrease in the quality of the final product, project abandonment, loss of workers’ productivity, and protracted health and safety issues occasioned by road construction were identified as the most critical influence of risk on road projects duration. The findings accentuate the prominence of comprehensive planning, stable funding, and effective project management to allay road project risks. Thus, it was recommended that construction industries should invest in the use of advanced project management tools to achieve greater project efficiency. Also, project stakeholders should ensure stable funding before the commencement of projects. This can be achieved through government support, public-private partnerships, and financial institutions.

Unending dialectical politics of identity in Ethiopia

Background Identity politics is one of political terminology which is subjected to continuous and increasingly contested conceptualization and use. Moreover, identity exists in all social level starting for individual to international level, which makes identity a multi-layer concept. There has been a great deal of identity-based terminological distortion and misconception in Ethiopian political discourses and practice since its formation in the modern form. One of the primary challenges in Ethiopian present political discourse is misconception, complexity, and contradiction between ethnic identity (የብሄር ማንነት) and civic identity or citizenship (የዜግነት ማንነት), which must be addressed in Ethiopian political discourse. Methods In this paper, critical post-modernism research philosophy and Dialectical Method is used to analyze the rotation of contradiction between Pan-Ethiopianism and Pan-ethnic nationalism. The narrative analysis is used to make a critical investigation of the vicious cycle unending dialectics of identity politics in Ethiopia. Discussion The current political situation is an indication of unending dialectics of Ethiopian politics. The existing politics of ethnic identity and citizenship indicate unending dialectic of political friction with the rotation of thesis and anti-thesis which left the state building projection of country incomplete and weak dialectical process. Wrong policy and political responses of successive regime to the nationality questions (quests for power sharing and autonomous self-government) resulted in the sustained and vicious circle of conflict. Conclusion Generally, it is argued that prescription of one side of nationalism at the expense of the other will never resolve the political crisis of the country. Therefore, it is recommended that both integrationist and accommodationist institutional design and multinational democratic federalism should be implemented effectively to cope with the salience of identity politics in the country.

Conflict of rights in high-rise underground space development: Comprehensive analysis of legal regulation and biomechanical impact

Aiming at the conflict of rights in the development of underground space of high-rise buildings, this paper puts forward a comprehensive analysis framework combining the influence of legal norms and biomechanics. Starting from biomechanics, this paper specifically discusses the rights disputes in three aspects of underground space land transfer fee, the ownership of underground civil air defense project and the ownership of community underground garage, and introduces a biomechanical evaluation model supported by GIS platform to ensure the safety and stability of the project. When considering the underground space land transfer fee, the stability and load-bearing capacity of the soil, which can be analyzed through biomechanical principles, directly affect the feasibility and cost of construction. Just as the skeletal structure of an organism provides the foundation for its movement and survival, the underground geological structure dictates the safety and economic viability of building projects. In the discussion of the ownership of underground civil air defense projects, biomechanical models can be employed to evaluate the potential impact of disasters. By simulating how the structure withstands external forces like earthquakes or explosions, similar to how a creature's body adapts to survive in harsh environments, we can better determine the responsibilities and rights of different parties. Regarding the community underground garage, the layout and design need to conform to human biomechanics. Adequate space for vehicle entry, exit, and pedestrian movement, considering factors such as comfortable walking angles and clear sightlines, ensures convenience and safety, much like how organisms' habitats are optimized for their daily activities. The study found that the municipal government has issued policies to clarify the specific content and scope of underground space use rights, established a unified approval process to strengthen supervision, and promoted the application of biomechanical evaluation models, thereby improving project quality and reducing potential risks. The experimental results show that this comprehensive management strategy effectively alleviates the conflict of rights, promotes the smooth progress of the project, and provides institutional guarantee and technical support for the sustainable development of the city. This paper not only solves the current right conflict problem, but also provides valuable experience for the rational use of urban underground space resources and the maximization of social benefits in the future.

Biocementation beyond the Petri dish, scaling up to 900 L batches and a meter-scale column

Microbial-induced calcite precipitation (MICP), which leverages ureolytic microorganisms, has received significant attention during the past decade as a promising method for sustainable building and geoenvironmental applications. However, transitioning from lab-scale experimentation to volumes suitable for practical use poses challenges. This study addresses these obstacles by screening and analyzing over 50 strains sourced from (i) a natural environment in the canton of Ticino in Switzerland; (ii) microorganism banks; and (iii) an industry-scale bioreactor. Several ureolytic Sporosarcina species have been identified in the natural environment, and their ureolytic potential has been compared with that of other strains. A reference, banked microorganism yielded the highest ureolysis rate. When this latter strain was inoculated in 900 L batches and continuously cultivated at 5400 L, no contamination issues were observed, and the reference strain remained the dominant species. The produced culture, obtained under an optimized medium composition involving the circular valorization of NH4+, was subsequently used to induce the biocementation of a 650 kg column of 0–1 mm sand. The results reveal the successful stabilization of the whole mass, with undrained Tresca strength values ranging from 90 to 140 kPa. This research lays the groundwork for scalable MICP production, which is capable of meeting the demands of real-world building and geoenvironmental projects.

Artificial intelligence, collaboration and BIM in the methodological process of architectural design: using the Architechtures tool

The field of artificial intelligence (AI) has been considered as a means capable of promoting significant changes in the dynamics of the architectural design process. This paper presents methodological questions and reflections, as well as cultural and financial challenges related to the feasibility of adopting the Architechtures generative AI tool, which is aimed at collaboratively proposing volumetric architectural parties and floor plans for preliminary studies. The focus is limited to the Brazilian design field, which has traditionally been peripheral and/or outdated compared to foreign technological advancements and applications. Integration with the BIM environment is sought to address local challenges and explore design possibilities. The assessments include the development of high-rise residential building projects, positioning AI as an active partner or co-pilot in the design process, as well as the Avaliação Pré-Projeto methodology for the qualitative dimension. The results highlight both positive aspects and shortcomings, but they suggest a promising future given the possibilities in the field of AI.

Assessing the Economic and Environmental Dimensions of Large-Scale Energy-Efficient Renovation Decisions in District-Heated Multifamily Buildings from Both the Building and Urban Energy System Perspectives

The European Union (EU) has introduced a range of policies to promote energy efficiency, including setting specific targets for energy-efficient renovations across the EU building stock. This study provides a comprehensive environmental and economic assessment of energy-efficient renovation scenarios in a large-scale multifamily building project that is district-heated, considering both the building and the broader urban energy system. A systematic framework was developed for this assessment and applied to a real case in Sweden, where emission factors from energy production are significantly lower than the EU average: 114 g CO2e/kWh for district heating and 37 g CO2e/kWh for electricity. The project involved the renovation of four similar district-heated multifamily buildings with comparable energy efficiency measures. The primary distinction between the measures lies in the type of HVAC system installed: (1) exhaust ventilation with air pressure control, (2) mechanical ventilation with heat recovery, (3) exhaust ventilation with an exhaust air heat pump, and (4) exhaust ventilation with an exhaust air heat pump combined with photovoltaic (PV) panels. The study’s findings show that the building with an exhaust air heat pump which operates intermittently with PV panels achieves the best environmental performance from both perspectives. A key challenge identified for future research is balancing the reduced electricity production from Combined Heat and Power (CHP) plants within the energy system.

Identifying and evaluating causes of waste effect in green building projects

Green building (GB) projects in the Middle East face several causes of waste that occur during design and construction stages. These causes affect the objectives of GB projects (economic, environmental, and social). Therefore, this research aims to define causes of waste in GB projects and evaluate the effect of these causes on the objectives of GB projects. Forty-five causes of waste are determined and classified into five main groups as follows: (G01) green materials, (G02) green building design, (G03) sustainable site, (G04) green building technologies, and (G05) green building stakeholders. Through field surveys, including semi-structured interviews and brainstorming sessions, the probability of occurrence for each cause of waste and impact on the economic, environmental, and social objectives are evaluated, as well as the waste severity is determined based on a combined effect of probability and impacts. The correlations among the waste indices are assessed, and the highest correlation is observed between probability and economic followed by economic and social objective. The results show that the most significant cause of waste that has the highest value for economic, environmental, and social objectives is “Poor assessment of site conditions before design, such as topography, hydrology, climate, vegetation, and soil.” Group 05 has the maximum number of critical causes of waste, which is considered the most significant group, due to its high values related to all objectives. Results indicate that the economic objective is classified as the most affected one by the causes of waste, followed by the environmental objective.

Developing an openBIM Information Delivery Specifications Framework for Operational Carbon Impact Assessment of Building Projects

Developing an openBIM Information Delivery Specifications Framework for Operational Carbon Impact Assessment of Building Projects

Challenges to the implementation of design for adaptability among design professionals in Ghana

PurposeThe increase in waste and carbon emissions from the construction industry continues to fester although sustainable design approaches such as designing for adaptability (DfA) have been approved as a viable option to minimize construction waste and greenhouse gases while providing cost savings on building projects. This paper examines the views of design professionals on the challenges to implementing DfA in the Ghanaian construction industry (GCI).Design/methodology/approachA critical comparative review of the related literature was conducted on the international challenges to implementing adaptability. After the review, 16 challenges were identified and used as the basis of the questionnaire survey in the Ghanaian context. By using a quantitative approach, a close-ended structured questionnaire was used to seek the views of 236 design professionals operating in the GCI regarding these factors. Data retrieved were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics.FindingsThe findings revealed the key challenges to implementing DfA among design professionals in Ghana to include “limited funding for adaptable buildings”, “lack of collaboration between design professionals, contractors and clients towards the realization of adaptable buildings”, “limited demand for adaptable buildings” and “lack of education and training programs on design for adaptability practices”.Originality/valueThe novelty or originality of this study lies in its focus on the GCI, an area where the concept of DfA has rarely been examined in practice despite its recognized potential benefits in reducing waste and emissions. The study offers a detailed and comprehensive understanding of the multifaceted challenges faced by design professionals in Ghana. This level of detail is crucial for devising targeted strategies to promote DfA in the region.

Effect of Cost of Construction of Medium-Level Building Projects on Project Productivity in Kirinyaga County, Kenya

The construction industry is important in society, the economy and the environment. Despite its importance, it is faced with the challenge of the increasing world's urban population at a rate of 200,000 people per day who require affordable housing, social transportation and utility infrastructure. To counter this challenge, the industry will be under a moral obligation to transform by way of reducing construction costs, improving the use of scarce materials and making more eco-efficient over time. Therefore, this study's objective was to evaluate the effect of the cost of construction of medium-level building projects on project productivity in Kirinyaga County, Kenya. The total costs of construction (cost stack) are split into hard costs, soft costs and unforeseen costs. The methodology adopted for data collection was through the administration of structured questionnaires to select seven categories considered to be the main key stakeholders in the construction of building projects. These comprised landlords/homeowners, architects, structural engineers, quantity surveyors, building contractors, construction project managers, and Ministry of Housing and Infrastructure officials. To analyze the results, descriptive statistics and correlational analysis were used. In the analysis, emphasis was placed on the evaluation of the effect of the cost of construction on project completion time, quality and costs. Results from the study show that key factors affecting project productivity through increased costs are delay in payment to contractors and suppliers, high cost of construction materials and choice of construction materials. Other factors are the level of project complexity, site topography, architectural design errors and changes as well as structural design errors and changes.

Risk Assessment in Mass Housing Projects Using the Integrated Method of Fuzzy Shannon Entropy and Fuzzy EDAS

Mass building projects play a key role in the economic prosperity of any country. Furthermore, these projects are among the main drivers of environmental and social problems. In recent years, with the spread of the concept of sustainable development in the life cycle of construction projects and the dynamic and eventful nature of these projects, the issue of risk management in the sustainable construction industry has received more and more attention among researchers. The construction industry, like other industries, faces various risks. Therefore, it is crucial to identify and evaluate risks in mass construction projects due to the high volume of work. In this study, an integrated model based on fuzzy Shannon entropy and fuzzy EDAS is proposed for risk assessment in large-scale building projects. Initially, by reviewing related articles, 66 effective sub-indicators are identified and classified into 18 risk categories, including 6 external risks and 12 internal risks. Subsequently, a questionnaire is designed to assess the three factors of detection, probability of occurrence, and severity risks for each risk index. This questionnaire distributes to 15 mass production companies in the construction field in Isfahan. The fuzzy Shannon entropy method is then applied to determine the weight of risk factors. The weights of each factor, detection, probability of occurrence, and severity, are calculated as 0.386, 0.342, and 0.273, respectively. These weights are used in the fuzzy EDAS method to prioritize the identified risks in mass-building projects. The results of the fuzzy EDAS method determined the three most critical risks: “inflation rate volatility”, “import/export restrictions”, and “unforeseen climatic conditions”. Additionally, three low-risk sub-indicators are obtained: “limitation on working hours”, “collapse of the structure”, and “unpredictable fire”.

System Design of an Online Marketplace Towards the Standardisation of Sustainable Energy Efficiency Investments in Buildings

Nowadays, the increase in sustainable investments, especially when it comes to energy efficiency in buildings, has been recognised as an important pillar towards reductions in energy consumption. In this context, there is a need for efficient and user-friendly digital tools that can support decision-making procedures for all involved parties in the energy efficiency value chain. The scope of this paper is to present a high-level architecture and system design of the energy efficiency marketplace developed within the framework of the ENERGATE project, an EU-funded initiative aiming to assist Building Owners, Project Implementors, and Financial Institutions to collaborate and execute energy-efficient building renovations. To this end, structured data through predefined information entries will be collected. This will facilitate the interactions between heterogenous stakeholders and contribute to the standardisation of processes. The paper focuses on the functional description of the system design of the ENERGATE platform by defining the architecture, components, modules, interfaces, and structured data, as well as highlighting the requirements of potential platform users and design principles to meet the necessary requirements while ensuring security, reliability, and effectiveness.

20∗20∗60: A multilevel climate change analysis framework.

Cities worldwide have established plans and policies to achieve climate-neutral and climate-resilient objectives in recent decades. Researches have demonstrated that Climate Change Action Plans generally fail to include mitigation and adaptation approaches in their planning processes, despite their importance. A proposed multilevel assessment of Climate Change Action Plans, urban regeneration, and building projects was used to analyze the ten cities most sustainable in terms of developing environmental strategies, including local climate action to determine the degree of adaptation and mitigation integration in cutting-edge contexts and to identify measures that show synergies and co-benefits for urban design practices. Climate Change Action Plans, urban regeneration and building projects have been evaluated through scoring methods to determine firstly the level of integration among adaptation and mitigation and secondly the most used urban design solutions that addresses both approaches. Almost all of Climate Change Action Plans have "moderate" and "early" integration, with the most advanced in North American cities including Toronto, Montreal, New York, and San Francisco. Climate Change Action Plans partly influence urban regeneration projects. Among the cities studied, Royal Seaport and Hammarby Sjöstad in Stockholm stand out as the most advanced in terms of including measures for both mitigating and adapting to climate change, as well as the extent of activities carried out. North American building projects have the highest adaptation and mitigation strategies. Climate Change Action Plans, urban regeneration initiatives, and building projects analyzed have displayed measures to include both climate change mitigation and climate change adaptation benefits into urban design.

Life cycle environmental impact assessment of steel structures using building information modeling

Building Information Modelling (BIM) and Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) are fundamental components within building projects. LCA is critical in building projects’ sustainability. The integration of BIM has the potential to enhance the LCA process, leading to better outcomes. Design for Deconstruction (DfD) study on minimizing, reusing, and recycling of building materials is closely linked. This study aims to evaluate and compare the findings obtained from the E-tool LCD and Tally LCA add-in tools; both used as BIM-based LCA tools. This paper outlines the overarching approach to implementing a process-based LCA for a steel building, explicitly emphasising the many processes the building undergoes during its life cycle. The LCA add-in tools, namely e-tool LCD and Tally, have been chosen to discern the disparities in the LCA outcomes resulting from using Environmental Product Declaration (EPD databases that vary across various regions. The input data, system boundaries, and LCA scope remained consistent throughout the LCA procedures. Global Warming Potential values obtained from the manufacturing module developed by e-tool LCD were included in a case study. A case study of steel structure is used to implement the LCA add-in tools. The discussion also addressed the challenges of enhancing interoperability in contemporary BIM-based LCA procedures. The study revealed that using EPD databases with regional variations notably impacts LCA outcomes. Consequently, the compatibility assessment in BIM-based LCA procedures yielded value innovation, efficiency, and distinctiveness.Furthermore, it was determined that BIM-LCA procedures resulted in notable distinctions compared to conventional LCA methods. These distinctions included enhanced convenience of application, increased efficiency in terms of time and resources, and higher levels of accuracy.

Barriers, Potential Use, Competitiveness, and Implementation Framework of Building Information Modeling (BIM) in the Construction Industry of Pakistan

The use of building information modeling (BIM) in construction industry is believed to help decision makers throughout the project. The building sector in Pakistan is trying to adopt BIM as a tool to enhance the efficiency of projects. However, its actual implementation is being hampered by a number of barriers. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to identify those barriers and propose a framework to ensure its implementation. Data was collected through a questionnaire. Forty-nine (49) responses were collected and data was then analyzed using ANOVA to identify any significant differences in the opinions of different experts. Mean score and relative importance indices of all variables were determined. It is found that the major barriers include lack of expert knowledge, outdated contractual system and use of traditional tools for drafting. Further, the potential use of BIM is found to cause a reduction in rework as well as tool flexibility to allow different people to work at the same time. Moreover, a framework for BIM implementation on building projects include adding clauses in contracts, enhancing the awareness among industry stakeholders, and providing training and financial support. So, the findings of the current study will be helpful to pave the way for technological advancements in building projects in Pakistan. Keywords: Building information modeling (BIM), Potential benefits, Competitiveness, Barriers, Implementation framework.

A Theoretical Proposed Frameworks to Satisfied Sustainability in Iraq's Building Industry

The current research introduces a theoretical framework developed to integrate sustainability ideas into the construction sector. The suggested framework, established on the sustainable triple-bottom paragraph concept, encompasses resource preservation, expensive reduction, and planning that emphasizes the well-being. After conducting a comprehensive literature assessment, each concept related to strategies and methodologies applicable throughout the life cycle of construction projects is elucidated, accompanied by many case examples to illustrate the approaches. The framework will enable designers to achieve a suitable equilibrium among economic, cultural, and environmental considerations, transforming the mindset of construction practitioners regarding the information utilized in evaluating building projects, thus promoting the sustainability of the Iraqi construction industry.

EFFECTS OF TIME MANAGEMENT PRACTICES ON THE PERFORMANCE OF BUILDING PROJECT DELIVERY IN AKURE, ONDO STATE, NIGERIA

Effective management of time in construction project accounts for increased project delivery performance in terms of cost, time, and quality. This study aims to assess the effect of time management practices on the performance of building project delivery in Akure, Ondo State, Nigeria. The study focused on planning, scheduling, and monitoring and evaluation as project time management practices. A survey research design which involves the use of structured questionnaire was used to collect data. The study obtained a sample size of 208 construction professionals from a population of 433 registered construction professional members in the study area, the selection of the participants was based on stratified random sampling technique. The data collected were analysed using multiple regression analysis. Findings revealed that there is a positive effect of time management practices on performance of building project delivery. Planning and scheduling have insignificant positive effects on performance of building project delivery while monitoring and evaluation has significant positive effect on performance of building project delivery. The study revealed that time management practices could predict 33.9% of the variations in the performance of building project delivery in Akure, Ondo State. The study concludes that time management practices have positive effects on the performance of building project delivery in the study area. Monitoring and evaluation is the major predictor of building project delivery performance. Hence, this study recommends that construction professionals should improve planning and scheduling of building project and give more attention to monitoring and evaluation of building project, so as to enhance the performance of building project delivery. Also, government and construction professional bodies should organize seminars and workshop for construction professionals to educate them on the importance of time management practices.

Evaluation of The Implementation of Quality Management, Costs and Time in The Process of Self-Managed Project Development (Study on House Building Projects Muhammadiyah University Semarang Hospital)

The construction of Universitas Muhammadiyah Semarang (Unimus) Hospital employs a self-management approach. During the construction phase, delays and a decline in building quality that did not align with the planning phase were observed. Therefore, a review of the management approach is necessary to ensure timely completion, maintained quality, and cost efficiency. This study evaluates the effectiveness of time, cost, and quality management in the construction project. The analysis method used is the interactive data analysis paradigm, involving data reduction, storage, and analysis using IBM SPSS 20. The analysis results indicate that time and cost management have been effective, with the construction work being completed within the set schedule and the costs not exceeding the Budget Plan. Quality management is rated very good with a score of 4.35, indicating that the construction process is strictly carried out according to specified materials and work procedures. Cost savings are also rated very good with a score of 3.89, indicating effective cost control. Time efficiency is rated good with a score of 4.06, showing that the project can run the schedule efficiently. Based on the research results, the researcher recommends enhancing leadership aspects and increasing active involvement of top management in supervision and strategic decision-making. This study also shows that self-management can promote transparency, efficiency, and high-quality outcomes in construction projects.

Enhancing Sustainability in Project Management through Smart Technology Integration: A Case Study Approach to Green Building Projects

The combination of smart technologies, such as the Internet of Things (IoT) and Building Information Modelling (BIM), however, has become the disruptive approach to improve sustainability in project management, particularly in green construction projects. The objective of this study is to assess the effect of these technologies upon sustainability end points, specifically toward outcomes, including energy efficiency betterment, cost/waste reduction, and optimization of resources use. Based on the Resource-Based View (RBV) and Stakeholder Theory, the current study, for the first time, offers, a theoretical structure to explain how smart technologies relate to sustainability goals. Employing a mixed-method design, the present study obtained quantitative data with standardized questionnaires and qualitative data through semi-structured interviews. SPSS Statistics quantified the outcomes while qualitative data were coded with NVivo to establish relevant themes, for example energy efficiency and stakeholder satisfaction. Results show that IoT-based systems and BIM has a notable effect on project sustainability by providing real-time data for decision making, decreasing operational defaults, reduced environmental impact. This study makes a contribution to the sustainable management of the project literature by presenting the economic and environmental advantages of smart technologies. It also offers practical recommendations--e.g., policy frameworks and capacity-building programs--to facilitate the meta-scale introduction of these technologies. These observations are of great use to those working in the industry, the policy makers and researchers who are contributing to the development of sustainability in the construction industry.