Sustainable Building Projects Research Articles

Artificial Intelligence in Net-Zero Carbon Emissions for Sustainable Building Projects: A Systematic Literature and Science Mapping Review

Artificial intelligence (AI) has emerged as an effective solution to alleviate excessive carbon emissions in sustainable building projects. Although there are numerous applications of AI, there is no state-of-the-art review of how AI applications can reduce net-zero carbon emissions (NZCEs) for sustainable building projects. Therefore, this review study aims to conduct a systematic literature and science mapping review of AI applications in NZCEs for sustainable building projects, thereby expediting the realization of NZCEs in building projects. A mixed-method approach (i.e., systematic literature review and science mapping) consisting of four comprehensive stages was used to retrieve relevant published articles from the Scopus database. A total of 154 published articles were retrieved and used to conduct science mapping analyses and qualitative discussions, including mainstream research topics, gaps, and future research directions. Six mainstream research topics were identified and discussed. These include (1) life cycle assessment and carbon footprint, (2) practical applications of AI technology, (3) multi-objective optimization, (4) energy management and energy efficiency, (5) carbon emissions from buildings, and (6) decision support systems and sustainability. In addition, this review suggests six research gaps and develops a framework depicting future research directions. The findings contribute to advancing AI applications in reducing carbon emissions in sustainable building projects and can help researchers and practitioners to realize its economic and environmental benefits.

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.

An Integrated Building Information Modeling and Life-Cycle Assessment Approach to Facilitate Design Decisions on Sustainable Building Projects in Canada

In the context of the digital and sustainable transformation of building projects, the integrated approach of Building Information Modeling (BIM) and life-cycle assessment (LCA) has been widely studied. Recent advancements in such integrated modeling processes and techniques have not yet provided reliable and robust decision-making capabilities for designers to intuitively choose between material alternatives. This study develops a new design framework that integrates BIM, LCA, and multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) algorithms to facilitate sustainable design processes in building projects. A case study using a single-family housing project in the British Columbia province of Canada was implemented to test the designs to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed integrated framework, including a three-way comparison of design scenarios—conventional hot-roll steel, recycled steel, and timber. The results indicate a significant performance improvement with the adoption of recycled structural steel materials, surpassing conventional steel designs and demonstrating a similar performance to that of timber designs. The study underscores the importance of informed decision-making in material selection, driven by the quantitative analysis of digital designs and multi-criteria evaluation (e.g., social carbon cost). This integrated framework offers a valuable tool for designers, engineers, and builders to achieve sustainability when designing building projects through the systematic and rapid comparison of environmental performance.

Development of a New Method for Assessing Project Risks in Sustainable Building Construction Projects in Developing Countries: The Case of Jordan

Sustainable buildings contribute significantly to achieving sustainable development and provide many benefits. However, sustainable building construction projects are riskier than traditional construction projects. Thus, this research aimed to identify and assess the risks in sustainable construction projects in Jordan based on their probabilities of occurrence and impacts on time and cost. For this purpose, a literature review and structured interviews were performed to identify the risks. Additionally, questionnaire surveys were conducted, and the relative relevance index and analytic hierarchy process were utilized to assess the probabilities and impacts of these risks on time and cost. After that, a focus group discussion was conducted. According to the the risks’ probability and impacts on time and cost, the top-scoring risks include changes to the original design, budgeting inaccuracies owing to a lack of experience with sustainable building projects, additional costs incurred as a result of the use of sustainable building construction materials and equipment, inadequate or inaccurate sustainable design information, insufficient funds from clients, inadequate project planning for a sustainable building project, a tight project schedule for a sustainable building project, and insufficient identification of sustainable construction’s scope. This research contributes to the body of knowledge and practice by providing a novel integrated method for assessing risks in sustainable building construction projects in Jordan.

Analysis of Factors Affecting the Implementation of Sustainable Building Projects

Abstract: Sustainability concept can be defined as “meeting the needs of the present without compromising the needs of the future” [7]. Conventional buildings approximately consumes more than 30% of energy while utilising around 40% of resources while also simultaneously generating 40% of wastes and 35% of harmful green-house gases [8]. The sustainable building construction approach has the potential to make a significant contribution to sustainable development, especially considering the building industry’s considerable influence. Based on our literature assessment, we discovered that multiple research reveal a general lack of consistency across outcomes in different geographical locations regarding factors impacting the implementation of sustainable building projects. Therefore this study is based on the analysis of factors that impact the implementation of sustainable building projects and the effects of sustainable building projects on various critical factors. For the result of the research analysis, the Reliability analysis which was conducted based on Cronbach's Alpha Coefficient for the factors affecting the implementation of sustainable building projects were found to be 0.76658442 which can conclude that the reliability level of the questionnaires responses was good while based on Relative Importance Index (RII) analysis factors affecting the implementation of sustainable building projects were ranked, with material related factors being the most significant (RII 0.705) among other factors. Additionally, the impact of implementing sustainable building projects on different critical factors was determined, with RII analysis indicating that the most significant impact will occur in terms of economic benefits (RII 0.767). Overall, the study tried fulfilling all the objectives which were stated.

Hybrid approach for cost estimation of sustainable building projects using artificial neural networks

Abstract Inaccurate estimation in sustainable construction projects is a significant challenge for appraisers, particularly when data and knowledge about the projects are lacking. As a result, there is a need to use cutting-edge technology to solve the issue of estimation inaccuracy. Iraq’s productivity estimates are now made using outdated, ineffective methodologies and procedures. In addition, it is essential to implement cutting-edge, quick, precise, and adaptable technology for productivity estimation. This study’s major goal is to calculate the overall costs of sustainable buildings using the cutting-edge technique known as artificial neural networks (ANNs). For Iraq’s construction industry to handle projects successfully, ANNs must be used as a new technology, a methodology developed to estimate the overall costs of sustainable construction projects. In this study, the process of cost estimation was modeled using ANNs. Investigations of a number of examples involving the creation of ANNs have also been made, including network design and internal elements and how much they impact the effectiveness of models built using ANNs. Equations were developed to determine structural productivity. These networks were shown to have extremely strong predictive power for both accounting coefficients (R) (93.33%) and the overall costs of sustainable construction projects, with a prediction accuracy of 87.00 and 93.33%, respectively.

Sustainable products and audit fees: empirical evidence from western European countries

Purpose This study aims to examine whether firms that appear to exhibit high sustainable outputs are more likely to pay higher audit fees than firms without such outputs. Design/methodology/approach The sustainability outputs are measured using a sustainable product portfolio consisting of four products: clean energy products, eco-design products (EDP), environmental products (EP) and sustainable building projects (SBP). The audit fee variable is measured by the natural logarithm of the total amount of audit fees. The study tests two models of the association between these outputs and audit fees; Model 1 tests this association in the absence of the moderating variable (sustainability committee), and Model 2 tests the association in the presence of the moderating variable. Findings An analysis of data on 261 European firms from the Refinitiv Eikon database from 2010 to 2019 shows that high sustainability outputs are significantly and positively associated with audit fees. More importantly, this association is moderated by the presence of a board-level sustainability committee, suggesting that this type of committee reflects a factor considered by auditors in their audit risk assessment practices. The findings indicate that in Model 1, one (EP) out of four variables has a significant and positive association with audit fees, while in Model 2 and in the presence of sustainability committee, two variables (EP and EDP) have a significant and negative association with audit fees. However, the robust analysis shows that three variables (EP, EDP and SBP) have significant and negative associations with audit fees. Practical implications The study findings have important implications for policymakers, auditors and firms’ managers. For policymakers, the findings provide support for the argument that sustainable attitudes incentivise firms to manage sustainable product profiles more effectively. As such, policymakers should incentivise firms to establish a sustainability committee and regulate its role and responsibilities. Auditors should coordinate with the sustainability committee to facilitate audit efforts and reduce audit fees. Social implications Understanding the relationship between sustainable products and audit fees will allow firms to improve their portfolio of sustainable products. In addition, other social implications of this study relate to improving relationships with society by establishing a sustainability committee that is responsible to communicate with that society. Originality/value The results support the argument that firms should manage sustainable product portfolios more effectively. In addition, the results of the study highlight the importance of a new variable as a moderator, the sustainability committee, which has not been examined before.

Analysing multifaceted barriers to modular construction in sustainable building projects: a comprehensive evaluation using multi-criteria decision making

Modular construction (MC) is recognized as pivotal for sustainable development in developed countries. However, its implementation faces barriers in residential projects in developing nations. This study aims to address the knowledge gap resulting from the limited uptake of MC in residential projects, mainly attributed to existing barriers. To accomplish this goal, a questionnaire survey was conducted to assess the significance of thirty adoption barriers. Subsequently, an exploratory factor analysis method was applied to categorize these barriers, followed by their assessment and ranking using fuzzy synthetic evaluation. A novel aggregation and ranking method that integrates the WASPAS and TOPSIS techniques for order preference, by similarity to an ideal solution approach, was employed. The rankings derived from different decision-making methods were combined using an ensemble approach based on half-quadratic theory. Our findings reveal that the adoption barriers can be grouped into five main categories, with cost, coordination, and standards emerging as the most prominent barriers. They are followed by technical and practical barriers, inflexibility and supply chain barriers, abilities and awareness barriers, and societal and desire-related barriers. The study results offer significant insights into the barriers impeding MC adoption in developing countries' construction sectors, providing recommendations to improve its uptake.

A multi-criteria evaluation and stationary analysis of value management implementation barriers for sustainable residential building projects

Over the past 20 years, value management (VM) has become a well-established technique, while in underdeveloped countries; informal methods are used for VM-related activities. This study aims to examine the barriers to VM deployment. These barriers are categorized into environment and culture, workshop dynamics, knowledge and stakeholders and standardization. A review of prior research is conducted to identify these barriers, which are further categorized through a semi-structured interview. The significance of these barriers is determined through 335 structured surveys with building specialists. The four categories of barriers are then assessed using fuzzy synthetic evaluation and weighted aggregated sum product assessment—technique for order of preference by similarity to ideal solution methods. In addition, a stationary method is used to evaluate the incorporation of VM barriers into residential projects. According to the findings, the most significant category of barriers that hinder the widespread use of VM is knowledge and stakeholders. Among these categories, the most influential barriers that constrain the VM implementation are workshop decision-maker participation issues. This research provides a roadmap for effective VM adoption in developing countries by helping stakeholders in the residential building industry understand VM barriers and leverage them to enhance the value of their projects.

Examining the Influence of Sustainable Construction Supply Chain Drivers on Sustainable Building Projects Using Mathematical Structural Equation Modeling Approach

This study focuses on the results of examining the impact of Sustainable Construction Supply Chains (SCSC) on sustainable success (OSS) throughout the life of a project in developing countries. While previous research has explored the challenges of implementing SCSC in these regions, limited attention has been given to the overall impact on sustainable success. To address this gap, a conceptual model was developed based on an extensive literature review, and data were collected through a survey involving 70 building professionals in Egypt. The findings indicate that the adoption of SCSC drivers has a significant influence on OSS during the construction phase, ranging from moderate to high. These results provide valuable insights for policymaking in developing nations, as they highlight the importance of overcoming barriers to SCSC adoption and promoting these drivers to ensure successful project completion. Ultimately, implementing SCSC approaches will contribute to improved project outcomes in the construction industry.

Building Information Modelling Implementation Model for Sustainable Building Projects in Developing Countries: A PLS-SEM Approach

When building homes, sustainability principles should be followed throughout the process to achieve maximum advantages. Building information modeling (BIM) activities can aid in achieving sustainable goals. Third-world countries’ building industry implements informal approaches to information dissemination through email newsletters and websites. This research seeks to provide a model for the application of BIM and its relationship with overall sustainable success (OSS) in building projects. BIM activities were identified from the literature, and a survey form was distributed to 180 professionals in the Egyptian construction industry. Partial Least Squares-Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) was used to establish the structure of BIM activities and assess their correlation with project success, revealing BIM accounts for 30% of sustainability. The study’s findings inform decision-making to improve project sustainability and reduce costs by introducing BIM to developing countries’ construction industries.

Sustainable Building Project Delivery in the Era of 4th Industrial Revolution

Sustainable Building Project Delivery in the Era of 4th Industrial Revolution

Exploring the Adoption of Cyber (Digital) Technology for Sustainable Construction: A Structural Equation Modeling of Critical Success Factors

The concepts of sustainability should be incorporated at every level of the decision-making process during the construction of residential building projects. It will ensure maximum cost savings without compromising the residential buildings’ services. To understand these sustainability principles, this study was conducted to identify and investigate the critical success factors (CSFs) required for implementing cyber technology in residential building projects. These CSFs were obtained from existing studies that were contextually explored via a questionnaire survey involving construction experts in the Nigerian building industry. Based on the Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) results, cyber technology CSFs were grouped into five distinct constructs: Governmental, Customer satisfaction, Time, Social safety, and Marketability of the construction product. Partial Least Square Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) was adopted to develop the model for the CSFs. The study showed that the Governmental component possessed the highest effect on the model, further underlining this construct as a crucial CSF in implementing cyber/digital technology. The findings from this study will facilitate cyber/digital technology introduction in the Nigerian construction industry. It will aid decision-makers and construction professionals in seeking viable ways of reducing costs and improving sustainability. Thus, this study has developed a CSF model to showcase the adoption of cyber/digital technology, with other implications for facilitating the goal of achieving sustainable residential building projects.

Sustainable construction by using novel frameworks using BIM, LEED, and Lean methods

Sustainable building projects gained momentum in the last decade, and the trend continues. It is important to explore the factors affecting the sustainable building delivery process for concentrating on these factors and pace up the sustainability approach. Building information modelling (BIM) has developed as the definitive technology for managing construction projects. BIM technology has features like accuracy and precision that helps in improving the quality of construction. Green building construction methods and Lean construction are the methods that help to improve sustainability and reduce waste generated during construction. In this article, the author would like to propose a methodological framework that comprises BIM, Green building methods, and Lean methods. After implementation author is hoping to optimize resource utilization, monitor, and measure the construction progress and construction payment procedures. The author is believing that after the implementation of the framework, a virtual environment is prepared which brings more accountability in resource usage and tracking of project progress. Work also highlights the differentiating aspects of sustainable building projects regarding project phases and makes recommendations about the timing of services, such as value engineering, constructability analysis, technology integration, and construction management. The author considers one case study of a residential building and prepared a 3D model using BIM. Further, the author put lean tools and LEED-based methodology to produce the standard operating procedure for the case study considered. Then, a virtual environment is prepared using the 3D model in BIM, and the methodology is considered. This environment was tested from time to time with the actual execution of the project to claim the validity of the proposed model.

Modeling the Impact of Overcoming the Green Walls Implementation Barriers on Sustainable Building Projects: A Novel Mathematical Partial Least Squares—SEM Method

The sustainable building concept must be implemented throughout the project lifecycle to achieve the highest proceeds without lowering the standard. Although implementing green walls in emerging nations is partial, such studies have concentrated on drivers for implementing green walls. Conversely, there is less proof to comprehensively study the impact of implementing green walls’ overall sustainable success (OSS) concerning the lifecycle of projects. This research focuses on the green wall adoption barriers in construction projects in third-world nations. It assesses the effect of addressing green wall (GW) adoption obstacles on OSS throughout the project lifespan. Therefore, a broader review of the literature is needed for conceptual model development. Structural equation modelling and partial least square (SEM-PLS) have been developed employing a survey evaluation tool (i.e., questionnaire). Information was derived from one hundred and five building professionals in Nigeria. The model output revealed that eradicating GWs barriers had a slight to intermediate influence on OSS during the construction scheme’s lifespan. These results offer the foundation for policymaking in third-world nations regarding successful project completion through evading barriers to green wall adoption. Similarly, green walls implementation will enhance the building project’s success.

Impact of Overcoming BIM Implementation Barriers on Sustainable Building Project Success: A PLS-SEM Approach

To maximize the benefits without sacrificing the functionality of projects, sustainability concepts should be used across all stages of the decision-making process when creating residential buildings. The primary sustainable aims may be improved with BIM activities. However, in the building sector of underdeveloped nations, BIM activities use informal methods. By examining the connection between overcoming BIM implementation challenges and the overall sustainable success (OSS) in building projects, this research seeks to establish a model for BIM implementation. Following the BIM hurdles identified in earlier research, 86 building stakeholders in the Egyptian building sector were given questionnaires. The structure of the obstacles was established and confirmed using partial least-squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM), and the connections between the OSS and overcoming BIM deployment were investigated. The adoption of BIM contributed 40.7% to the project’s long-term sustainability, according to the data, which demonstrated a strong link. The findings of this research will serve as a roadmap for decision-makers who want to use BIM in developing nations’ building sectors to save costs and increase sustainability.

A Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling of Robotics Implementation for Sustainable Building Projects: A Case in Nigeria

Sustainability concepts should be adopted via new technologies to achieve the greatest possible gains without compromising the objectives of projects. In this research, we empirically investigated the influence of identified drivers on the implementation of robotics in the building sector of developing countries. To this end, with a view to sustainable building projects, the drivers of robotics were derived from the literature, which were subsequently contextually adjusted using a survey method through the exploratory factor analysis (EFA) method. The results of EFA revealed that the drivers of robotics can be classified into three primary constructs: technology, industry, and culture. However, the benefits of implementing robotics can be grouped into two primary constructs: resources and environment. Therefore, in this study, we employed partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) to evaluate the connections amongst drivers and applications of robotics in Nigeria’s building industry. The results indicated that the input to the implementation of robotics in Nigeria’s building industry via the drivers of robotics has a considerable influence at a small scale, with an impact of 14.5%. The findings of this study can serve as a guide for policymakers looking to improve their projects and increase sustainability by using robotics in the building sector.

Exploring the Critical Success Factors of Value Management Implementation for Sustainable Residential Building Project: A Stationary Analysis Approach

During the past two decades, value management (VM), has developed into a recognized construction practice. However, the methods and activities associated with VM adopt informal approaches in developing countries. This study aims to explore the critical success factors (CSFs) of VM implementation. Consequently, VM CSFs were investigated from the previous literature and further categorized over a semi-structured interview. The importance of these CSFs investigated by 335 structured questionnaires completed by residential building professionals. Subsequently, the exploratory study using the exploratory Pearson correlation of the VM CSFs was employed to validate the categorization resulting from a semi-structured interview and pilot study phases. Based on the validation results, the VM CSFs may be divided into four dimensions: culture and environment, workshop dynamics, stakeholder and knowledge, and standardization. Through important relative index (RII) analysis, the essential CSFs creates a VM team from a variety of disciplines, VM knowledge, experience of participants, and professional experience of the different participants’ diverse disciplines. In addition, this research used a stationary analytic strategy to evaluate the degree to which VM critical success factors (CSFs) have been incorporated into residential construction projects in Egypt. The results revealed that “establishing the roles and purposes of various professions” was the stationary success factor for adopting VM. This research establishes a road map for successful VM implementation via VM CSFs in Egypt and other underdeveloped nations. Stakeholders in the residential construction sector would benefit from this study by learning more about VM CSFs and how they may be used to increase the value of their projects.

Exploring the Cyber Technology Critical Success Factors for Sustainable Building Projects: A Stationary Analysis Approach

We sought to identify and examine the critical success factors (CSFs) necessary for incorporating cyber technology into residential building projects to augment operational performance and sustainability. An iterative two-stage approach was adopted to explore the phenomena under investigation. General CSFs for cyber technology were first identified from the extant literature, and subsequently explored using primary questionnaire survey data accrued from professionals within the Nigerian building industry. The survey results illustrated that the availability of sensors, good communication networks, mobile devices, and device layers and the creation of workable virtual modes are the main critical success factors for adopting cyber technology. Moreover, Gini’s mean difference measure of dispersion showed that the success factor in stationary cyber technology adoption is government support. The study’s findings guide building industry stakeholders to embrace cyber technology to improve cost and sustainability performance in the Nigerian building industry. Due to the originality of the findings of this study, a strong basis is provided for critically evaluating and analyzing the many vital aspects of cyber technology success.

Automatic System Design of Assembly Building Components for Sustainable Building Projects Based on BIM Technology

The sustainable design that can consume minimal energy is the need of the hour. It has become a mainstream architectural design aim in recent years as a result of global environmental concerns. In light of global climate change, sustainable development is imperative to consider during architectural designs of the buildings and mega infrastructural projects. All the nations are developing assembly building tools widely to speed up the construction, but the material and design impact a lot, while we calculate the environmental factors such as carbon emissions. Assembly building component automation system is often used to complete components processing and to deliver the best project, which considers environmental concerns. The construction processing involves many factors such as carbon emission, energy consumption, waste management, and solar-based energy generation to make the overall project sustainable for energy. Therefore, this paper proposes a BIM-based (Building Information Modeling) assembly building component automation system targeted at adopting sustainability principles in the construction sector, which can consider various factors for maintaining eco-friendly environment. The BIM model of the assembled building components is designed and tested in a simulated environment. The system test result shows that the error rate of component design in this system is lower than that of the other two automation systems taken up for the comparative study and the proposed process is more stable, faster, and eco-friendly. Therefore, the design result of the assembly building component automation system based on BIM technology is scientific and effective for sustainable development.