Exploring the challenges to industrialized residential building in China

Industrialised building (IB) is considered by many to have an important role to play in China's residential construction industry due to its potential for improved quality, productivity, efficiency, safety and sustainability. It is surprising, therefore, that although a large number of construction programmes have been completed in the country in recent years, very few have been built in this manner. Quite why this situation exists is unknown. The well-known problems with IB, such as the constraints placed on designer freedom, may be the cause. It is equally possible that, as is typical with developing countries such as China, cost or government issues dominate. On the other hand, in comparison with other countries, the construction industry in China has been widely criticised for its lack of modernity. Either way, there is an urgent need to assess and understand the hindrances to the adoption of IB in residential construction in order to identify what corrective measures, if any, need to be taken. Towards this end, we first identify a set of critical factors (CFs) for assessing the hindrances to IB adoption in China. This involves the analysis of research data collected by a questionnaire survey of experienced housing developers and professionals working in China's construction industry sector. Fuzzy set theory is used in the selection of the CFs. These CFs comprise, in rank order: higher initial cost; lack of skilled labour in IB; manufacturing capability and involvement issues and product quality problems; lack of supply chain; lack of codes and standards; and lack of government incentives, directives and promotion. The establishment of the CFs provides a basis for local construction sectors to better equip themselves for future implementation of IB. The findings also indicate a current need for formulating improved policies and strategies to encourage the further development of IB in China at present.

Does project culture matter? A comparative study of two major hospital projects

Purpose - Cultural issues in the construction industry have attracted growing attention from both practitioners and academia. However, there are few studies on culture issues at the project level. The influence of project culture has not traditionally been on the research radar. This research aims to investigate the impacts of project culture on the performance of construction projects. Design/methodology/approach - A case study approach, utilising questionnaire surveys, in-depth interviews and review of project documents, was employed to investigate project culture and its associated impacts in two major hospital projects. Findings - The results indicated that project culture played an important role in achieving harmonious relationships between project participants and better project outcomes in terms of schedule, functionality, satisfaction with the process, satisfaction with the relationships, environmental issues addressed commercial success, further business opportunities and overall performance. Case 1 outperformed Case 2 in these performance indicators. Similarly, it became clear that the project’s culture should be developed from the outset and sustained during the project period. Furthermore, it was also highlighted that the project culture should be translated to all levels of the supply chain i.e. sub-contractors and suppliers. Practical implications – The findings enabled the client to understand the role of project culture and actively commit towards the development and maintenance of the project culture from very early on. It also helps project teams to understand how to deal with cultural issues at the project level. Originality/value- This study is one of limited empirical studies that offer in-depth insights of how project culture affects the performance of construction projects. It is also the first study of hospital projects on the research topic.

BIM : enabling sustainability and asset management through knowledge management

Building Information Modeling (BIM) is the use of virtual building information models to develop building design solutions and design documentation and to analyse construction processes. Recent advances in IT have enabled advanced knowledge management, which in turn facilitates sustainability and improves asset management in the civil construction industry. There are several important qualifiers and some disadvantages of the current suite of technologies. This paper outlines the benefits, enablers, and barriers associated with BIM and makes suggestions about how these issues may be addressed. The paper highlights the advantages of BIM, particularly the increased utility and speed, enhanced fault finding in all construction phases, and enhanced collaborations and visualisation of data. The paper additionally identifies a range of issues concerning the implementation of BIM as follows: IP, liability, risks, and contracts and the authenticity of users. Implementing BIM requires investment in new technology, skills training, and development of new ways of collaboration and Trade Practices concerns. However, when these challenges are overcome, BIM as a new information technology promises a new level of collaborative engineering knowledge management, designed to facilitate sustainability and asset management issues in design, construction, asset management practices, and eventually decommissioning for the civil engineering industry.

The modulus of elasticity of steel - is it 200 GPa?

In cold-formed steel construction, the use of a range of thin, high strength steels (0.35 mm thickness and 550 MPa yield stress) has increased significantly in recent times. A good knowledge of the basic mechanical properties of these steels is needed for a satisfactory use of them. In relation to the modulus of elasticity, the current practice is to assume it to be about 200 GPa for all steel grades. However, tensile tests of these steels have consistently shown that the modulus of elasticity varies with grade of steel and thickness. It was found that it increases to values as high as 240 GPa for smaller thicknesses and higher grades of steel. This paper discusses this topic, presents the tensile test results for a number of steel grades and thicknesses, and attempts to develop a relationship between modulus of elasticity, yield stress and thickness for the steel grades considered in this investigation.

Diffusion of extreme weather-proofing technology in the built environment

This study addresses the research question: ‘What are the diffusion determinants for extreme weather-proofing technology in the Australian built environment?’ In order to effectively identify diffusion determinants, a synthesis of literature in both technical and management fields was conducted from a system-wide perspective. Review results where then interpreted through an innovation system framework, drawn from innovation systems literature, in order to map the current state of extreme weather-proofing technology diffusion in the Australian built environment industry. Drivers and obstacles to optimal diffusion are presented. Results show the important role to be played by Australian governments in facilitating improved weather proofing technology diffusion. This applies to governments in their various roles, but particularly as regulators, clients/owners and investors in research & development and education. In the role as regulators, findings suggest Australian governments should be encouraging the application of innovative finance options and positive end-user incentives to promote the uptake of weather proofing technology. Additionally, in their role as clients/owners, diffusion can be improved by adjusting building and infrastructure specifications to encourage designers and constructors to incorporate extreme weather proofing technology in new and redeveloped built assets. Finally, results suggest greater investment is required in research and development and improved knowledge sharing across the construction supply chain to further mitigate risks associated with greater incidences of extreme weather events.

Achieving world leadership in sustainable buildings - a Brisbane case study

In Australia, the building and construction industry is taking significant steps towards the enhancement of environmental performance of the built environment. A large number of world class sustainable buildings have been constructed in recent years, offering researchers and practitioners alike a good opportunity to identify the best practices and real life experiences in delivering high performance buildings. A case study of ONE ONE ONE Eagle Street, a 6 Star Green Star office building in Brisbane, was conducted to investigate the best practice in achieving this “world leader” green office building. The study identified a number of key factors relating to project delivery system, contractor selection method, client’s early commitment, design integration, communication as major contributors to the successful delivery of this project. Additionally, key environmentally sustainable features and their cost implications were explored through in-depth interviews with the main contractor. The findings of this study will shed lights on the successful delivery of sustainable buildings and provide practical implications for different stakeholders.

Critical success factors for the implementation of a knowledge management system in a knowledge-based engineering firm

This research identifies factors that are crucial to the success of a knowledge management system (KMS) implementation in a prominent Australian engineering consultancy firm. The study employs the Delphi method to solicit the opinions of experienced market leaders in the Australian construction industry, and then benchmarks the organisational profile of the consultancy firm against the Delphi findings. From this comparative case study, recommendations are made pertaining to the organisational and cultural changes required within the consultancy firm in order to improve its readiness to successfully implement a KMS.

Public sector project delay : the Malaysian perspective and the way forward

Construction delay has been a protracted problem for the Malaysian construction industry. Recent report showed that 80% of public sector projects are behind schedule. This underachieving time performance has led to many problems including public complaints, loss of reputation and revenue for the government and a slump in the industry’s GDP contribution. Research in the area of project delay has mushroomed worldwide with attempts to place mitigation plans, but delay remains a global phenomenon. There is now an urgent need for revolutionizing construction practices and past research, backed up with few successful cases suggests that Supply Chain Management (SCM) could prove beneficial to reduce or eliminate delays in construction. SCM which originated from the automotive manufacturing industry promotes a more collaborative approach to construction management and has recently gained attention of the construction industry. However every country, including Malaysia, would certainly have disparities of their own compared to others being it from the cultural point of view, nature of problems, locality or improvements needed. Therefore, this paper will present part of a Ph.D. research which aims at illustrating the Malaysian construction industry experts’ perception of the Malaysian public sector project delay, provide insight into these dilemmas, highlights the problems with current practices, its effects and the improvements needed. Subsequently, this paper would propose ratification to the problems using SCM. A semi-structured interview has been conducted to practitioners with at least 20 years’ experience in the industry. The findings showed that Malaysia may be unique compared to other countries and that by considering a number of additional factors, SCM could prove beneficial to increase efficiency of the Malaysian public sector projects.

An analysis for the causes of accidents of repair, maintenance, alteration and addition works in Hong Kong

This study unveils causes of accidents in repair, maintenance, alteration and addition (RMAA) work. RMAA work is playing an increasingly important role in developed societies, including Hong Kong. Safety problems associated with RMAA work in Hong Kong has reached an alarming level. In view of rapid expansion of the RMAA sector and rising proportion of accidents in the construction industry, there is a pressing need to investigate causes of RMAA accidents. Structured interviews were conducted with RMAA contractors to explore causes of accidents in the RMAA sector. A two-round Delphi method with 13 safety experts was subsequently employed to verify the interview findings and rank the relative degree of importance for various causes of accidents. Accidents happen in RMAA work due to intersection of reasons. One of the root causes of accidents in RMAA works is low safety awareness of RMAA workers; however, wider organizational and industrial factors are not negligible. This study sheds light on why accidents happen in the RMAA sector. Only when the factors leading to accidents are identified can effective measures be made.

Empirical study to investigate the difficulties of implementing safety practices in the repair and maintenance sector in Hong Kong

Repair, maintenance, minor alteration, and addition work (RMAA) has become more and more important in developed societies, but its safety performance is alarming. For example, RMAA projects accounted for 53.2% of the total construction market and the percentage of RMAA accidents to all construction accidents in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) increased considerably in 2007. The RMAA sector has a huge potential for safety improvement. This study aims to explore and evaluate the difficulties of implementing safety practices in RMAA work. The mixed methods approach was adopted, and semistructured interviews and a two-round Delphi survey were conducted for the data collection. Major difficulties were identified, including limited safety resources for small and medium enterprises (SMEs), difficulty in changing the mindset of RMAA workers, and difficulty in performing safety supervision. These obstacles for implementing safety practices in the RMAA sector, if successfully removed, could significantly improve the safety performance of the RMAA sector and the construction industry as a whole.

Determining safety climate factors in the repair, maintenance, minor alteration, and addition sector of Hong Kong

The accident record of the repair, maintenance, minor alteration, and addition (RMAA) sector has been alarmingly high; however, research in the RMAA sector remains limited. Unsafe behavior is considered one of the key causes of accidents. Thus, the organizational factors that influence individual safety behavior at work continue to be the focus of many studies. The safety climate, which reflects the true priority of safety in an organization, has drawn much attention. Safety climate measurement helps to identify areas for safety improvement. The current study aims to identify safety climate factors in the RMAA sector. A questionnaire survey was conducted in the RMAA sector in Hong Kong. Data were randomly split into the calibration and the validation samples. The RMAA safety climate factors were determined by exploratory factor analysis on the calibration sample. Three safety climate factors of the RMAA works were identified: (1) management commitment to occupational health and safety (OHS) and employee involvement, (2) application of safety rules and work practices, and; (3) responsibility for health and safety. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was then conducted on the validation sample. The CFA model showed satisfactory goodness of fit, reliability, and validity. The suggested RMAA safety climate factors can be utilized by construction industry practitioners in developed economies to measure the safety climate of their RMAA projects, thereby enhancing the safety of RMAA works.

Strategies for improving safety performance of repair, maintenance, minor alteration and addition (RMAA) works

Purpose Managing and maintaining infrastructure assets are one of the indispensible tasks for many government agencies to preserve the nations' economic viability and social welfare. To reduce the expenditures over the life-cycle of an infrastructure asset and extend the period for which the asset performs effectively, proper repair and maintenance are essential. While repair, maintenance, minor alteration and addition (RMAA) sector is expanding in many developed cities, occurrences of fatalities and injuries in this sector are also soaring. The purposes of this paper are to identify and then evaluate the various strategies for improving the safety performance of RMAA works. Design/methodology/approach Semi-structured interviews and two rounds of Delphi survey were conducted for data collection. Findings Raising safety awareness of RMAA workers and selecting contractors with a good record of safety performance are the two most important strategies to improve the safety performance in this sector. Technology innovations and a pay-for-safety scheme are regarded as the two least important strategies. Originality/value The paper highlights possible ways to enhance safety of the rather under-explored RMAA sector in the construction industry.

Assessment of recycled concrete aggregates as a pavement material

Population increase and economic developments can lead to construction as well as demolition of infrastructures such as buildings, bridges, roads, etc resulting in used concrete as a primary waste product. Recycling of waste concrete to obtain the recycled concrete aggregates (RCA) for base and/or sub-base materials in road construction is a foremost application to be promoted to gain economical and sustainability benefits. As the mortar, bricks, glass and reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) present as constituents in RCA, it exhibits inconsistent properties and performance. In this study, six different types of RCA samples were subjected classification tests such as particle size distribution, plasticity, compaction test, unconfined compressive strength (UCS) and California bearing ratio (CBR) tests. Results were compared with those of the standard road materials used in Queensland, Australia. It was found that material type ‘RM1-100/RM3-0’ and ‘RM1-80/RM3-20’ samples are in the margin of the minimum required specifications of base materials used for high volume unbound granular roads while others are lower than that the minimum requirement.

Managing cost implications for highway infrastructure sustainability

Highway construction works have significant bearings on all aspects of sustainability. With the increasing level of public awareness and government regulatory measures, the construction industry is experiencing a cultural shift to recognise, embrace and pursue sustainability. Stakeholders are now keen to identify sustainable alternatives and the financial implications of including them on a lifecycle basis. They need tools that can aid the evaluation of investment options. To date, however, there have not been many financial assessments on the sustainability aspects of highway projects. This is because the existing life-cycle costing analysis (LCCA) models tend to focus on economic issues alone and are not able to deal with sustainability factors. This paper provides insights into the current practice of life-cycle cost analysis, and the identification and quantification of sustainability-related cost components in highway projects through literature review, questionnaire surveys and semi-structured interviews. The results can serve as a platform for highway project stakeholders to develop practical tools to evaluate highway investment decisions and reach an optimum balance between financial viability and sustainability deliverables.

How public owners communicate the sustainability requirements of green design-build projects

The design-build (DB) system is regarded as an effective means of delivering sustainable buildings. Specifying clear sustainability requirements to potential contractors is of great importance to project success. This research investigates the current state-of-the-practice for the definition of sustainability requirements within the public sectors of the U.S. construction market using a robust content analysis of 49 DB requests for proposals (RFPs). The results reveal that owners predominantly communicate their desired level of sustainability through the LEED certification system. The sustainability requirement has become an important dimension for the best-value evaluation of DB contractors with specific importance weightings of up to 25%. Additionally, owners of larger projects and who provide less design information in their RFPs generally allocate significantly higher importance weightings to sustainability requirements. The primary knowledge contribution of this study to the construction industry is the reveal of current trend in DB procurement for green projects. The findings also provide owners, architects, engineers, and constructors with an effective means of communicating sustainability objectives in solicitation documents.