Construction Stakeholders Research Articles

Occupational health and safety in the construction industry: a comprehensive review with emphasis on Nigeria

The construction industry holds remarkable benchmarks of aptitude and creativity; however, it is among the most lethal industries when it comes to occupational health and safety (OHS). This study incorporates a detailed analysis of the key OHS issues within the construction sector with a special regard for developing countries such as Nigeria. The paper discusses different physical, chemical, biological, and psychological risks within the industry and highlights the importance of compliance with OHS requirements aimed at avoiding mishaps, incidents, and even fatalities. Moreover, it discusses the issues relating to poor training, funding limitations, and project pressures while highlighting the significance of maintaining a strong safety culture, workers' awareness, and compliance in enhancing OHS results. In addition to that, the review also examines current safety measures, identifies gaps, and suggests improvements, drawing on global best practices to inform future policies and strategies. This study serves as a valuable resource for policymakers, construction stakeholders, and employers to minimize health risks and optimize construction workers’ productivity and well-being.

An exploratory factor analysis on technological-related barriers to the construction of zero-energy buildings in Nigeria

PurposeZero-energy building (ZEB) has been considered as an innovative approach to reducing building carbon emissions (CEs) and improving building energy performance. Despite huge benefits of ZEBs, there are still challenges limiting the construction of ZEBs in the construction sector. This study seeks to assess and determine the principal component of technological-related barriers to the construction of ZEBs in Nigeria.Design/methodology/approachThe study designed a questionnaire to examine the technological-related barriers to the construction of ZEBs in Nigeria. Questionnaires were administered, and 272 valid responses were elicited. Thereafter, data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics.FindingsThe results from the exploratory factors analysis show that the principal components of technological-related barriers to the construction of ZEBs in Nigeria are categorised into five principal components: access and awareness for technological integration and innovation; knowledge on renewable technology integration; space and complexity of sustainable energy technologies; cost and readiness for ZEB technologies; and research outcomes with practical implementation in sustainable building technologies.Originality/valueThis study contributed to more effective ZEB studies by highlighting technological-related barriers to the construction of ZEBs in construction industry. An understanding of these barriers can aid construction stakeholders, organisations, policy-makers and governments in devising strategies targeted at reducing these technological-related barriers and fostering the construction of ZEBs in construction sector. Recommendations for further study on ZEBs were also made.

A multi-stakeholder engagement framework for material-building-city synergy through circular transformation

Scholars, industrial stakeholders, and governmental institutions are developing the circular economy paradigm. However, the emergence of multiple perspectives has challenged its implementation. As the industry that is the biggest contributor to the negative impacts on the environment, the construction industry stakeholders are paving the way for more sustainable as well as circular and regenerative construction by considering all actors in the system. Yet, the construction industry has a complex supply chain that requires clear strategies and stakeholder engagement across materials, buildings, and cities for efficient flows in the supply chain. Nonetheless, there is a need for improvement in the engagement of construction stakeholders for circular transformation. Therefore, this study aims to develop a multi-stakeholder engagement framework through circular transformation to guide the decision-makers for circular city governance. It has identified critical success factors by considering the construction stakeholders. The framework includes strategies at the micro (material), meso (building), and macro (city) scales to strengthen the material-building-city synergy. It's a significant step toward advancing circular city governance by bridging the gap between theoretical understanding and practical implementation and establishing a robust engagement for material-building-city synergy. The study employs a systematic literature review to extract strategies and natural language processing to analyze the strategies by topic modeling and defines critical success factors for multi-stakeholder engagement at multiscale. The outcome introduces the REVERT framework, bridging resource, envisagement, validation, entity, regulation, and technology, to facilitate a seamless transition by material-building-city synergy advancing circular city governance.

Influence of technology-related factors on zero-carbon building development in Lagos Nigeria

PurposeThe development of zero-carbon buildings (ZCBs) is beneficial to the society and biodiversity. Despite the benefits of ZCBs, there are challenges limiting its development in construction industry. The current study seeks to examine the technology-related factors affecting the development of ZCB in Lagos Nigeria.Design/methodology/approachThe study designed a questionnaire to achieve the main objective. Data were collected using non-probability and snowballing sampling methods. Questionnaires were distributed, and 272 valid responses were collected. Thereafter, data were analysed using mean value, percentage, frequency distribution, normality test, Kruskal Wallis test and Kendall’s coefficient of concordance.FindingsThe results from data analysis showed that, “less technical expertise in new technological advancements”, “research outcomes are not translated effectively into technology innovations”, “high cost of maintenance on ZCB”, “poor knowledge on renewable technologies” and “industry’s ability to embrace ZCB technologies (policy initiatives and industry practices)” were the topmost five technology-related factors hindering development of ZCBs in Lagos, Nigeria. Also, the results from the study show a statistically significant degree of agreement between various groups of construction organisations in Lagos, Nigeria concerning the technology-related factors hindering the development of ZCBs.Originality/valueThe study contributed to more effective ZCB studies by drawing attention to technology-related factors hindering the development of ZCBs in construction industry. An understanding of these challenges can help construction stakeholders, organisations, policymakers and governments in devising strategies targeted at minimising these challenges and fostering the development of ZCBs in the construction sector. The identified results on technological barriers to ZCBs development can guide targeted interventions and policy adjustments, promoting more effective implementation of ZCBs in Lagos Nigeria and serving as a model for addressing similar challenges in other developing countries. Recommendations for future research on ZCBs were also highlighted.

Data Monetization Strategies: The Construction Industry Market Analysis

Data monetization is leveraging data to obtain economic benefits. In the context of Big Data Analytics (BDA), data serves as a fundamental asset, enabling the transformation into valuable insights throughout various construction phases. Unfortunately, there is lack of studies focusing on data monetization within the construction industry, given the unique supply and demand characteristics among construction stakeholders. This study aims to address the objective of identifying data monetization strategies applicable to the construction industry, particularly for data sellers and data buyers. Data was gathered through a quantitative survey among 100 construction practitioners in Malaysia, encompassing developers, contractors, consultants, government agencies, technology providers, and academia. Respondents were further categorized into data sellers and data buyers. The data were analyzed using mean analysis, t-test and Spearman's rank correlation coefficient. The study identified six data monetization strategies, comprising 19 determinants. The analysis revealed high preference on all data monetization strategies and moderate differences in the preferred strategies between data sellers and buyers. Significant differences were found in 3 determinants which are (1) trading data to facilitate decision-making, (2) trading data for construction reports, benchmarks, and indices, and (3) selling visualized data on real-time platforms. The t-test indicated that data sellers are more inclined towards the three strategies for effective monetization. Furthermore, Spearman’s correlation coefficient revealed the 3 determinants also positively influence another 3 determinants of (1) data wrapping to reflect better service from data provider, (2) buying raw data with its inherit information and (3) monetizing internal data to optimize organization’s work process. The insights enable stakeholders to implement mechanisms that foster data monetization within project cultures accelerating BDA undertakings. Future recommendations include using larger sample sizes to enhance generalizability and to explore more areas such as construction contracts, cost, health, and safety.

Revolutionizing construction: A cutting-edge decision-making model for artificial intelligence implementation in sustainable building projects

This study examines how certain artificial intelligence (AI) drivers affect the industry's adoption of this technology in the construction industry. The research methods comprised a comprehensive analysis of previous studies to pinpoint the primary factors influencing AI adoption in the construction industry. Data collection was carried out through a well-structured survey involving relevant stakeholders in the building construction sector. The three main constructs of technological devices, advancement, and knowledge were found from the set of drivers with the technique of exploratory factor analysis. The deployment of AI in construction has the potential to improve health and safety and expedite project completion, as this research has evaluated. To figure out how these factors relate to the adoption of AI in the construction industry, partial least squares structural equation modeling was used. The study's conclusions showed that the influence of AI installation in the construction industry is reasonably significant thanks to the technology, advancement, and knowledge, contributing around 15 % of the effects that have been directly witnessed. The practical implications of AI for policy makers, engineers, and construction stakeholders are extensive and provide valuable insights for customized strategies aimed at using AI's potential to improve projects, promote sustainability, and elevate health and safety standards.

Key influence factors of carbon emissions in Malaysian construction operations

The urgency to mitigate carbon emissions has gained significant societal attention as the consequences of climate change continue to unfold. There is a notable scarcity of studies conducted on carbon emissions for construction operations. Hence, the aim is to identify the key influence factor of carbon emissions to develop a carbon reduction framework for construction operations. A survey was conducted with 297 Malaysian construction stakeholders to analyze 18 factors. Descriptive and Rasch analysis were used. Results revealed the reliability and validity of the model, which could help to explore ways to reduce carbon emissions during the construction phase. The findings indicate that a gradual transformation process is necessary to expedite the transition towards a low-carbon construction. The research enhances the existing literature by emphasising the key factors for stakeholders who aim to efficiently manage carbon emissions during a construction project. There are different ideas on how to estimate and manage carbon emissions in construction projects, but there are no standardized ways. This study looks into the main factors that contribute to the generation of carbon emissions in construction, to identify ways to reduce them evaluating these factors from the perspective of different stakeholders.

Green procurement in the construction industry: unfolding new underlying barriers for a developing country context

Despite the construction industry’s detrimental effects on environmental sustainability, the concept of green procurement (GP) is still relatively new in the developing world. The barriers hindering GP adoption need detailed investigation as studies in the context of developing countries are still limited and the underlying dimensions remain a known-unknown. This study appraised the critical barriers to GP adoption in the Malaysian construction industry. Twenty (20) barriers were identified from the detailed literature review and a field survey was conducted with 150 professionals. The ranking analysis results indicated the top five barriers are: high initial cost; lack of expertise and regulations; lack of government regulations; lack of top management commitment and lack of awareness among construction stakeholders. A factor analysis further identified five major underlying dimensions. The study showed that both government and organisational commitments are crucial in promoting GP adoption. This study adds to incremental knowledge in GP literature by analysing the critical barriers and the associated underlying dimensions to GP adoption in a developing country, which could help practitioners and policymakers in evaluating the organisation’s or industry’s readiness to adopt GP practices along with devising apt measures to mitigate the barriers to shift to sustainable and environmentally friendly construction.

Factors affecting implementation of computer vision-based technologies adopted for monitoring buildings construction projects

Construction monitoring in dynamic construction site environments poses significant challenges for construction management. To overcome these challenges, the implementation of computer vision (CV) technologies for construction project monitoring has gained traction. This study focuses on investigating the factors influence the successful implementation of CV technologies in monitoring construction activities within building projects. A comprehensive methodology was employed, including a systematic review of CV technologies implemented in construction and qualitative surveys conducted with construction experts. Additionally, a quantitative questionnaire was developed, and the collected data was analysed using structural equation modelling. The findings reveal the presence of 10 factors categorized into four constructs. Notably, all 10 factors demonstrate high value factor loadings and statistical significance, and among the four constructs (device, jobsite, environment, human), device (0.82) has the highest impact on the implementation of CV-based technologies on the construction site, followed by jobsite condition (0.62), human (0.61), and environment (0.51) came in the last place. By addressing these influential factors and mitigating their effects, construction stakeholders can enhance the implementation of CV technologies for monitoring construction sites. This study contributes valuable insights that inform the implementation and optimization of CV technologies in construction projects, ultimately advancing the field of construction management.

Advancing Circular Buildings: A Review of Building Strategies for AEC Stakeholders

The uptake of a circular economy (CE) in the building sector is challenging, primarily due to the complexity associated with the design process and the dynamic interaction among architects, engineers, and construction (AEC) stakeholders. The standard and typical design process and construction methods raise concerns about building life cycles. Buildings should not only fulfill current needs, but one also needs to consider how they will function in the future and throughout their lifetime. To address these complexities, early planning is required to guide designers in holistically applying systems thinking to deliver CE outcomes. This paper outlines a critical review of CE implementation in buildings, with a proposed trifecta of approaches that significantly contribute to the development of circular buildings (CBs). The findings outline a proposed visualized framework with a conceptual formula that integrates CE design strategies to simplify and enhance AEC stakeholders’ perception of the circularity sequence in buildings. By strategically integrating loop-based strategies with the value retention process (VRP) and design for X (DFX) strategies, along with efficient assessment tools and technologies, it becomes feasible to embrace a CE during the design phase. The outcome of this review informs AEC stakeholders to systematically and strategically integrate the critical dimensions of a CE throughout the building life cycle, striking a balance between environmental concern, economic value, and future needs.

Impact of time-based delay on public-private partnership (PPP) construction project delivery: construction stakeholders’ perspective

Impact of time-based delay on public-private partnership (PPP) construction project delivery: construction stakeholders’ perspective

Design for excellence (DfX) for high-rise modular buildings: from DfX considerations to module design guidelines using the case of Hong Kong

ABSTRACT Design for excellence (DfX) presents a significant opportunity for early design to ensure the efficiency and buildability of high-rise modular buildings and realize their multidimensional benefits. Previous DfX contributions have primarily concentrated on its conception, offering various considerations from downstream construction stakeholders. Little research has integrated and transformed them into more practical, ready-to-use guidelines for upstream design professionals. This research, therefore, aims to incorporate prevailing piecemeal DfX considerations and establish module design guidelines. The guidelines were initially developed based on prior literature and case study, and their alignment with existing practices was subsequently tested. They recommend 1) a simplified rectangular module shape, 2) suggested module size, 3) standardized space across projects, and 4) dimensional coordination among modules and spaces. By utilizing them to analyze 39 high-rise module designs in Hong Kong, the results reveal some similarities between the proposed guidelines and real-world practices, affirming their concurrent validity and creating warrant assertions. This research bridges the knowledge gap between upstream and downstream practitioners, offers transformed DfX knowledge to systematically guide future implementations, and finally explains changes in architectural design. Future studies are advised to fine-tune the guidelines and incorporate findings with computational technologies to enhance generative DfX.

Evaluating the effective factors of BIM for enhancing the construction interface management

Maintaining the proper interface management among the construction stakeholders is becoming more crucial due to the interconnected nature of construction work. Adopting and implementing building information modelling (BIM) technology can aid in the proper execution of construction projects. Therefore, the main goal of this study is to evaluate the effective factors of BIM using DeLone and McLean’s (DM) model. The DM model's factors evaluate the system or technology in terms of system quality, information quality, service quality, and most importantly, the system's net benefits and user satisfaction. The questionnaire was developed with the expert's opinion and the survey was conducted. As megaprojects have more complicated and various levels of information sharing, this study targeted collecting responses from industrial project practitioners in India. From the survey, a total of 166 responses were obtained. Using these data, the frequency test, reliability test, and the relative importance index (RII) were performed. These effective factors of BIM contribute significantly to project performance improvement through proper interface management and communication among stakeholders. The findings of the study emphasized the importance of user satisfaction and the net benefits of BIM. Thus, this study provides further insights to increase the adoption and implementation of BIM technology.

Prioritization of the barriers to integrated modular buildings (IMBs) in developing countries: Nigerian construction professionals’ perspectives

Integrated modular building (IMBs) enhance construction performance, quality, and productivity. However, in developing economies, adoption is impeded by challenges that hinder efficiency and sustainability. The study investigated and prioritized the barriers associated with IMBs through purposive sampling of experienced construction professionals in IMBs. Of the various statistical analyses, the fuzzy synthetic evaluation (FSE) indicated that perception-related barriers are the most significant barrier to IMBs, among other barriers, namely skill-related, cost-related, technical-related, and regulation-related. The study holds significant implications for construction stakeholders to intensify efforts in addressing the identified barriers and raising awareness to facilitate more IMBs adoption. The study underscores the importance of tailored strategies aligned with these priorities to effectively address these barriers. Furthermore, enhancing awareness and implementing targeted interventions are crucial steps towards promoting IMBs and advancing sustainability in the construction sector. Additionally, the prioritization of the barriers gives a logical order of required actions for construction stakeholders.

GREEN SITE MANAGEMENT PRACTICES IN THE MALAYSIAN CONSTRUCTION SITES

This study intends to explore the available green site management practices for construction stakeholders. Green site management practices have been introduced to the construction industry to mitigate the negative impacts of construction activities if construction stakeholders start to implement them. Therefore, green site management practices such as land control, construction site waste management, dust, noise, and vibration control, and a green and conducive environment shall be explored to promote green development in the construction industry. A qualitative method was employed since this study focused on the views of construction stakeholders on green site management practices. Five contractors were randomly selected from the construction sites in Malaysia based on the convenience sampling method. All respondents were qualified to give opinions as they hold management posts. The process collecting of opinions from the respondents stopped when no new issues were found in their feedback. The results reveal that land control, construction site waste management, dust, noise, and vibration control, and a green and conducive environment were considered green development in the construction industry. However, these practices were not systematically practised as there were no clear guidelines to lead the practitioners. The results also showed that the government has the power to enforce green practices on construction sites. Green site management practices will bring another new era to the construction industry, which is intended to protect the environment while ensuring that the practitioners can be financially sustainable. The results will shed light on green construction development, whereby these green practices can be promoted to construction sites.

Mechanical performance of coal ash based interlocking bricks wall panel: A sustainable and viable solution

The use of interlocking brick incorporating waste coal ash (CA) in masonry construction is an innovative, sustainable and viable solution to address the consequences associated with burnt clay bricks. In this research, the main focus was to study the double interlocking brick incorporating CA for its potential use in masonry construction. The studied dosages of CA were 30 %, 35 %, 40 %, 45 %, 50 % and 55 %. Cement was varied between 5 % and 30 % in order to make the total binder (cement and CA) contents equal to 60 %. Moreover, wall panels using developed interlocking bricks were casted and tested for out-of-plane loading. It was observed that the incorporation of higher dosage of CA decreased the compressive strength owing to porous nature of used CA. However, interlocking bricks having 30 % of CA exhibited compressive strength higher than 8 MPa, satisfying the local building code requirement. Higher water absorption was observed for interlocking bricks having higher dosage of CA compared to identical bricks with lower CA. Interlocking bricks exhibited higher shear strength due to mechanical anchorage provided by the keys and notches in comparison with the conventional bricks. Maximum double key shear strength of 2.34 MPa was observed for developed interlock bricks incorporating 30 % of CA. Interlocking brick wall panel exhibited flexural strength of 1.05 MPa compared to 0.81 MPa for wall panel constructed using conventional burnt clay brick. Higher flexural strength of interlock CA based brick wall panel was due to the higher mechanical anchorage provided by the projected keys and grooves in between various courses of the wall panel. The cracking patterns of interlocking brick wall panel exhibited diagonal failure rather than the horizontal slide shear failure observed for conventional burnt clay brick wall panel. The experimental cracking load values were comparable with the theoretically predicted cracking loads for the tested wall panels. This study highlights the use of water cured interlocking brick incorporating waste CA for eco-friendly and economical construction leading to avoid the devasting effects of manufacturing process of conventional burnt clay bricks and deposition issues of CA. Moreover, this study motivates the construction stakeholders to employ double interlocking bricks of similar conventional size bricks to be used in a similar manner for masonry construction.

The Adoption of Electronic Procurement and Readiness Assessment in Central Ethiopia Regional State

Electronic procurement is a digitalized means of procurement processes. This study aims to assess its applicability in the central Ethiopia regional state by studying the hindrance factors and the opportunity that can come for the construction sector of the region. A descriptive and explorative study approach has been performed. Qualitative data from public procurement administrators, IT professionals, and construction stakeholders were collected through interviews. -P nor eGP has not been introduced to the region yet. Also to use it factors such as the knowledge gap, lack of infrastructure provisions, and collaboration works with fear of losing competitiveness were probable hindrances. On the other hand, resource-saving, increasing transparency, and accuracy of bid evaluation were found as main probable opportunities. Incorporating practitioners, and combining system development with an adaptability test can provide useful input for further. Timely support from the federal government, capacity-building programs, facility and infrastructure development, and government enforcing mechanisms were found as necessary matters to implement the e-P system for the construction sector. This research is the first study in the area with this topic and also it is a very new topic as a country in general. Hence, in a way, it introduced the system for the pubic construction procurement of the region and stakeholders. The findings contribute as a source to the public body for the launch of the eGP Ethiopia in the region, and a lead for private developers. Additionally, it implements the very nature of the research which is multidisciplinary by incorporating IT professionals.

Impediments to building information modelling-enabled construction waste management in Nigeria

PurposeBuilding Information modelling (BIM) has the potential to significantly minimise the quantity of construction waste (CW), but its adoption is low in construction waste management (CWM). This study examined the factors impeding the adoption of BIM in CWM efforts at the design and precontract stages from the perspective of construction stakeholders in Nigeria.Design/methodology/approachThe study was informed by a post-positivism philosophical stance, which involved using the structured questionnaire as a quantitative research design tool for data collection via snowball sampling technique. The data garnered from construction experts were analysed using Cronbach’s alpha test, normalities test, Frequency, Percentage, Kendall’s coefficient of concordance and Chi-square tests, Analysis of variance (ANOVA), and exploratory factors analysis (EFA).FindingsThe study concluded that the awareness of BIM potential for CWM is high, but the adoption in waste management (WM) is low. The factor analysis reduced the twenty assessed factors into four key clusters of impediments to BIM adoption in CWM: (1) knowledge and resistance barriers, (2) support and interest barriers, (3) interoperability and experts' factors, and (4) economic barriers. These factors are critical impediments to BIM-enabled CWM at the design and precontract stage, and there was no significant statistical difference in their rating by the construction stakeholders in Nigeria.Originality/valueStudies on the impediments to BIM adoption in CWM efforts, primarily at the design and pre-contract stages in emerging countries are scarce. This sought to fill this literature gap by establishing the critical impediments that should be overcome to improve BIM use in CWM.

Authenticate Beneficial Effect on Green Building Performance in Malaysia from Construction Stakeholders' Perspective

Authenticate Beneficial Effect on Green Building Performance in Malaysia from Construction Stakeholders' Perspective

The Uncertainty of Reusable Building Components/Materials A Subsidiary of Circular Economy in the Africa Construction Sector: The Issue of Affordable Housing in Kenya

There is growing interest in the adaptation of circular economy approaches in the construction sector, for developing African countries like Kenya with an increase in construction activities leading to more generation of construction wastes. The approach of circularity presents an alternative to reuse these construction or demolition wastes thereby lowering environmental risks and providing for a lower price for building components/materials required for affordable building projects. However, there is little, or no information on these reusable building components/materials, which lowers the confidence by construction stakeholders in using them. No information on its possible new life longevity (durability), its possible maintenance budget, and no means of enabling a design team to plan for its acquisition (accessibility) in a design project. This paper adopted a review of previous literature on these topics to search for possible solutions to the research questions, of which some literature provided only a list of requirements needed to give a level of information to reusable building elements. The paper went further to provide proposals for an information catalogue that would enable the insertion of reusable building elements’ Indicators of service (availability, reliability, and maintainability) obtainable from experience with the elements. Also, a format for a maintenance budget plan would be required during the new service life of the reused element. And a means of simulation using the Monte Carlo simulation tool to obtain reliable viability of access to reusable building elements in a transitional building in its design stage. These proposals would have to be put into practice to ascertain their effectiveness, meanwhile, other areas of further studies are provided in the paper.