Conflict or consensus : an investigation of stakeholder concerns during the participation process of major infrastructure and construction projects in Hong Kong

Public participate in the planning and design of major public infrastructure and construction (PIC) projects is crucial to their success, as the interests of different stakeholders can be systematically captured and built into the finalised scheme. However, public participation may not always yield a mutually acceptable solution, especially when the interests of stakeholders are diverse and conflicting. Confrontations and disputes can arise unless the concerns or needs of the community are carefully analysed and addressed. The aim of the paper is to propose a systematic method of analysing stakeholder concerns relating to PIC projects by examining the degree of consensus and/or conflict involved. The results of a questionnaire survey and a series of interviews with different entities are provided, which indicate the existence of a significant divergence of views among stakeholder groups and that conflicts arise when there is a mismatch between peoples’ perception concerning money and happiness on the one hand and development and damages on the other. Policy and decision-makers should strive to resolve at least the majority of conflicts that arise throughout the lifecycle of major PIC projects so as to maximise their chance of success.

Leveraging innovation for sustainable construction, proceedings of the CIB Task Group 58: Clients and Construction Innovation Workshop

This publication consists of a volume of papers presented at the workshop of the CIB Task Group 58: Clients and Construction Innovation, held on May 18- 19, 2009 at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Canada. The workshop theme, “Leveraging Innovation for Sustainable Construction���, reflects a growing concern among clients for perspectives, approaches, and tools that will secure the practice of construction economically, socially, and environmentally. This collection encompasses some of the most incisive assessments of the challenges facing the construction industry today from a range of researchers and industry practitioners who are leading the way for tomorrow’s innovations. It provides a useful documentation of the ongoing conversation regarding innovation and sustainability issues and a foundation of knowledge for future research and development. The papers contained in this volume explore the workshop’s overarching theme of how to leverage innovation to increase the sustainability of the construction process and product. Participants sought to generate discussion on the topics of innovation and sustainability within the construction field, to share international examples of innovation from the research community and from industry, and to establish a point of reference for ongoing enquiry. In particular, our contributors have noted the value of learning through practice in order to orient research based on real-world industry experience. Chapters two and three present complementary models of sustainable research programs through the three parts collaboration of government, industry, and academia. Chapters four and five explore new tools and forms of technological innovation as they are deployed to improve construction project management and set the direction for advances in research. Chapters six, seven, and eight closely study practical examples of innovation in large-scale construction projects, showing with concrete results the impact of applying creative methods and best practices to the field. Innovation and sustainability in construction are truly global efforts; these papers illustrate how we can draw on international examples and cooperative organizations to address these important issues for long-term benefit of the industry.

Building and construction industries supply chain project (domestic) : report for Commonwealth Department of Industry, Science and Resources

The Commonwealth Department of Industry, Science and Resources is identifying best practice case study examples of supply chain management within the building and construction industry to illustrate the concepts, innovations and initiatives that are at work. The projects provide individual enterprises with examples of how to improve their performance, and the competitiveness of the industry as a whole.

Using BIM for smarter and safer scaffolding and formwork construction: a preliminary methodology

The goal of this research project is to develop specific BIM objects for temporary construction activities which are fully integrated with object design, construction efficiency and safety parameters. Specifically, the project will deliver modularised electronic scaffolding and formwork objects that will allow designers to easily incorporate them into BIM models to facilitate smarter and safer infrastructure and building construction. This research first identified there is currently a distinct lack of BIM objects for temporary construction works resulting in productivity loss during design and construction, and opportunities for improved consideration of safety standards and practices with the design of scaffolding and formwork. This is particularly relevant in Australia, given the “harmonisation” of OHS legislation across all states and territories from 1 January 2012, meaning that enhancements to Queensland practices will have direct application across Australia. Thus, in conjunction with government and industry partners in Queensland, Australia, the research team developed a strategic three-phase research methodology: (1) the preliminary review phase on industrial scaffolding and formwork practices and BIM implementation; (2) the BIM object development phase with specific safety and productivity functions; and (3) the Queensland-wide workshop phase for product dissemination and training. This paper discusses background review findings, details of the developed methodology, and expected research outcomes and their contributions to the Australian construction industry.

Evaluating stakeholder satisfaction during public participation in major infrastructure and construction projects : a fuzzy approach

Numerous different and sometimes discrepant interests can be affected, both positively and negatively, throughout the course of a major infrastructure and construction (MIC) project. Failing to address and meet the concerns and expectations of the stakeholders involved has resulted in many project failures. One way to address this issue is through a participatory approach to project decision making. Whether the participation mechanism is effective or not depends largely on the client/owner. This paper provides a means of systematically evaluating the effectiveness of the public participation exercise, or even the whole project, through the measurement of stakeholder satisfaction. Since the process of satisfaction measurement is complicated and uncertain, requiring approximate reasoning involving human intuition, a fuzzy approach is adopted. From this, a multi-factor hierarchical fuzzy comprehensive evaluation model is established to facilitate the evaluation of satisfaction in both single stakeholder group and overall MIC project stakeholders.

Bouncing back : the role of design and making in understanding and dealing with adversity

The Bouncing Back Project, which began after the Queensland flood event in January 2011, has organically grown through a number of reiterations as per the diagram above. In the August 2011 it resulted in the physical construction of an Emergency Shelter [designed by GreenLeaf Engineers] in Sydney at the Customs House in Circular Quay and a conference paper publication at the AASA conference. To date this research has progressed without any research grant funding and has resulted in significant media interest. During the construction of the Emergency Shelter we collected a wide range of multimedia data which is being compilled into a documentary focusing on the architecture students’ experience throughout the iterations of Bouncing Back.

Daylighting design and simulation : ease of use analysis of digital tools for architects

Good daylighting design in buildings not only provides a comfortable luminous environment, but also delivers energy savings and comfortable and healthy environments for building occupants. Yet, there is still no consensus on how to assess what constitutes good daylighting design. Currently amongst building performance guidelines, Daylighting factors (DF) or minimum illuminance values are the standard; however, previous research has shown the shortcomings of these metrics. New computer software for daylighting analysis contains new more advanced metrics for daylighting (Climate Base Daylight Metrics-CBDM). Yet, these tools (new metrics or simulation tools) are not currently understood by architects and are not used within architectural firms in Australia. A survey of architectural firms in Brisbane showed the most relevant tools used by industry. The purpose of this paper is to assess and compare these computer simulation tools and new tools available architects and designers for daylighting. The tools are assessed in terms of their ease of use (e.g. previous knowledge required, complexity of geometry input, etc.), efficiency (e.g. speed, render capabilities, etc.) and outcomes (e.g. presentation of results, etc. The study shows tools that are most accessible for architects, are those that import a wide variety of files, or can be integrated into the current 3d modelling software or package. These software’s need to be able to calculate for point in times simulations, and annual analysis. There is a current need in these software solutions for an open source program able to read raw data (in the form of spreadsheets) and show that graphically within a 3D medium. Currently, development into plug-in based software’s are trying to solve this need through third party analysis, however some of these packages are heavily reliant and their host program. These programs however which allow dynamic daylighting simulation, which will make it easier to calculate accurate daylighting no matter which modelling platform the designer uses, while producing more tangible analysis today, without the need to process raw data.

Research roadmap summary - Integrated Design and Delivery Solutions (IDDS)

Changes in the construction sector are creating opportunities in research to maximise the benefits of those changes and to continue the exciting developments in improved people skills, new processes and developing technologies. Many research centres around the world are investigating aspects of the current changes to drive their particular expertise forward. However, the CIB Integrated Design and Delivery Solutions (IDDS) priority research theme takes a higher-level view of the changes and then focuses down on a prioritised set of research targets. These targets have been investigated, re-focussed and validated over a period of four years through many workshops, conferences and meetings by a wide ranging group of representatives from approximately 90 industry and research organisations. The outcomes of such research, once put into practice should be significantly shortened timespans from conception of need to occupation of new or revised structures. As time is money, the owners will get their investments into productive use sooner, which means a shorter payback time. In addition, there will inevitably be a reduction in construction costs as productivity increases. The improvements in reliable delivery and improved quality currently being seen in relatively simplistic use of Building information Modelling (BIM) (compared to full IDDS) will inevitably continue its on-going trajectory of improvement. We should also consider the wider economic contribution to society that will stem from such improvements and, finally, and by no means unimportantly, the reliable modelling and delivery of sustainability at both the building and estate/ area scale will significantly improve carbon footprints and other sustainable outcomes. Whilst there are huge opportunities for early adopters, the primary risk will be the expansion of the gap between those working in this way and those who are not so advanced or who even refuse to progress . The opportunities to address the significant and widely varying wastes within the structure of the construction sector and within and across projects are huge and timely and industry is encouraged to become involved.

Integrated design and delivery solutions

Integrated design and delivery solutions (IDDS) is a priority theme of the International Council for Research and Innovation in Building and Construction (CIB), which will be used to drive the global research agenda forward. IDDS will use collaborative work processes and enhanced skills together with integrated data, information and knowledge management to minimize structural and process inefficiencies and to enhance the value delivered during design, build, operation, and across projects. IDDS build on building information modelling (BIM), incorporating advances in the training and employment of people, together with supporting new technologies. The successful use of IDDS involves changes in each of the project phases from conceptual planning and business case formulation to all stages of the supply chain: design, construction, commissioning, operation, retrofit and decommissioning. For each of these phases, key changes in the structure and culture of the project team across the different collaborating firms create a favourable context for IDDS. Special for IDDS thinking is the idea of adding project and whole-life value in all phases, for all stakeholders...

Challenges for integrated design and delivery solutions

A new approach of integrated design and delivery solutions (IDDS) aims to radically improve the performance of the construction industries. IDDS builds upon recent trends in the construction industries that have seen the widespread adoption of technologies such as building information modelling (BIM) and innovative processes such as integrated project delivery. However, these innovations are seen to develop in isolation, with little consideration of the overarching interactions between people, process and technology. The IDDS approach is holistic in that it recognizes that it is only through a combination of initiatives such as skill development, process re-engineering, responsive information technology, enhanced interoperability and integrating knowledge management, among others, that radical change can be achieved. To implement IDDS requires step changes in many project aspects, and this gap between current performance and that required for IDDS is highlighted. The research required to bridge the gaps is identified in four major aspects of collaborative processes, workforce skills, integrated information and knowledge management.

Research roadmap report : Integrated Design and Delivery Solutions (IDDS)

Changes in the construction sector are creating opportunities in research to maximise the benefits of those changes and to continue the exciting developments in improved people skills, new processes and developing technologies. There are many research centres around the world investigating aspects of the current changes to drive their particular expertise forward. However, the CIB Integrated Design and Delivery Solutions (IDDS) priority research theme takes a higher-level view of the changes and then focuses down on a prioritised set of research targets. These targets have been investigated, re-focussed and validated over a period of four years through many workshops, conferences and meetings by a wide ranging group of representatives from approximately 90 industry and research organisations. This roadmap prioritises and details the research to be performed, why and by whom. In particular, some 25 CIB Working Commissions and Task Groups are explained as having potential roles in the delivery of this research theme. We are extremely privileged to have been urged on by such distinguished construction professionals in their forewords and the case for research. The outcomes of such research, once put into practice should be significantly shortened timespans from conception of need to occupation of new or revised structures. As time is money, the owners will get their investments into productive use sooner, which means a shorter payback time. In addition, there will inevitably be a reduction in construction costs as productivity increases. The improvements in reliable delivery and improved quality currently being seen in relatively simplistic use of Building information Modelling (BIM) (compared to full IDDS) will inevitably continue its on-going trajectory of improvement. We should also consider the wider economic contribution to society that will stem from such improvements and, finally, and by no means unimportantly, the reliable modelling and delivery of sustainability at both the building and estate/ area scale will significantly improve carbon footprints and other sustainable outcomes. Whilst there are huge opportunities for early adopters, the primary risk will be the expansion of the gap between those working in this way and those who are not so advanced or who even refuse to progress1. However, a similar issue arises between industry, clients, educators and trainers; the latter have particular challenges, having existed for many years in a sector that has had relatively few technological changes. However, the opportunities to address the significant and widely varying wastes within the structure of the construction sector and within and across projects are huge and timely. Whilst this Roadmap is specifically targeted at the Standing Commissions and Task Groups of the CIB, it is hoped that there are elements for research and applied research across academia and industry.