1,544 research outputs found

    A BIM - GIS Integrated Information Model Using Semantic Web and RDF Graph Databases

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    In recent years, 3D virtual indoor and outdoor urban modelling has become an essential geospatial information framework for civil and engineering applications such as emergency response, evacuation planning, and facility management. Building multi-sourced and multi-scale 3D urban models are in high demand among architects, engineers, and construction professionals to achieve these tasks and provide relevant information to decision support systems. Spatial modelling technologies such as Building Information Modelling (BIM) and Geographical Information Systems (GIS) are frequently used to meet such high demands. However, sharing data and information between these two domains is still challenging. At the same time, the semantic or syntactic strategies for inter-communication between BIM and GIS do not fully provide rich semantic and geometric information exchange of BIM into GIS or vice-versa. This research study proposes a novel approach for integrating BIM and GIS using semantic web technologies and Resources Description Framework (RDF) graph databases. The suggested solution's originality and novelty come from combining the advantages of integrating BIM and GIS models into a semantically unified data model using a semantic framework and ontology engineering approaches. The new model will be named Integrated Geospatial Information Model (IGIM). It is constructed through three stages. The first stage requires BIMRDF and GISRDF graphs generation from BIM and GIS datasets. Then graph integration from BIM and GIS semantic models creates IGIMRDF. Lastly, the information from IGIMRDF unified graph is filtered using a graph query language and graph data analytics tools. The linkage between BIMRDF and GISRDF is completed through SPARQL endpoints defined by queries using elements and entity classes with similar or complementary information from properties, relationships, and geometries from an ontology-matching process during model construction. The resulting model (or sub-model) can be managed in a graph database system and used in the backend as a data-tier serving web services feeding a front-tier domain-oriented application. A case study was designed, developed, and tested using the semantic integrated information model for validating the newly proposed solution, architecture, and performance

    Tradition and Innovation in Construction Project Management

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    This book is a reprint of the Special Issue 'Tradition and Innovation in Construction Project Management' that was published in the journal Buildings

    Summer/Fall 2023

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    Learning, future cost and role of offshore renewable energy technologies in the North Sea energy system

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    The pace of cost decline of offshore renewable energy technologies significantly impacts their role in the North Sea energy transition. However, a good understanding of their remains a critical knowledge gap in the literature. Therefore, this thesis aims to quantify the future role of offshore renewables in the North Sea energy transition and assess the impact of cost development on their optimal deployments. The following findings were observed in this thesis, 1) Fixed-bottom offshore wind is well established in the North Sea region and is already competitive with onshore renewables 2) Floating wind is emerging and their current costs are high, but it can reach about 40 EUR/MWh by early 2040 and would require 44 billion EUR of learning investment.3) Grid connection costs will become a major factor as wind farm moves further away. Policy actions and innovation is needed in this space to avoid increasing integration costs. 4) Offshore wind (fixed-bottom and floating) can play a significant role in the North Sea energy system, comprising 498 GW of deployments in 2050 (222 GW of fixed-bottom and 276 GW of floating wind) and contributing up to a maximum of 51% of total power generation in the North Sea power system. 5) The role of the investigated low-TRL offshore renewables, including the tidal stream, wave technology, and bioethanol, was limited in all scenarios considered, as they remain expensive compared to other mature technologies in the system

    Attracting Commercial Artificial Intelligence Firms to Support National Security through Collaborative Contracts

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    The United States Department of Defense (‘DoD’) has determined it is not ready to compete in the Artificial Intelligence (‘AI’) era without significant changes to how it acquires AI. Unlike other military technologies driven by national security needs and developed with federal funding, this ubiquitous technology enabler is predominantly funded and advanced by commercial industry for civilian applications. However, there is a lack of understanding of the reasons commercial AI firms decide to work with the DoD or choose to abstain from the defence market. Although there are several challenges to attracting commercial AI firms to support national security, this thesis argues that the DoD’s contract law and procurement framework are among the most significant obstacles. This research indicates that the commercial AI industry actually views the DoD as an attractive customer. However, this attraction is despite the obstacles presented by traditional contract law and procurement practices used to solicit and award contracts. Drawing on social exchange theory, this thesis introduces a theoretical framework – ‘optimal buyer theory’ – to understand the factors that influence a commercial AI firm’s decision to engage with the DoD. It develops evidence-based best practices in contract law that reveal how the DoD can become a more attractive customer to commercial AI firms. This research builds upon research at the nexus of national security and defence contracts as it studies business decision-makers from AI firms through an explanatory sequential mixed methods design. In the study’s first phase, participants are surveyed to discover the perceptions, opinions, and preferences at AI firms of all sizes, maturity, location, and experience within the DoD marketplace. In the second phase of the study, interviews from a sample of the participants explain why the AI industry holds such perceptions, opinions, and preferences about contracts generally and the DoD, specifically, in its role as a customer. This thesis concludes that commercial AI firms are attracted to contracts that are consistent with their business and technology considerations. These considerations align with contractual relationships that are collaborative, flexible, negotiated, iterative, and awarded promptly as opposed to those with fixed requirements and driven by regulations foreign to the commercial market. Additionally, it develops best practices for leveraging existing contract law, primarily other transaction authority, to align the DoD’s contracting practices with commercial preferences and the machine learning development and deployment lifecycle. Armed with this understanding, the DoD can better attract commercial AI firms to support its national security objectives.Thesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Adelaide, Law School, 202

    A strategic turnaround model for distressed properties

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    The importance of commercial real estate is clearly shown by the role it plays, worldwide, in the sustainability of economic activities, with a substantial global impact when measured in monetary terms. This study responds to an important gap in the built environment and turnaround literature relating to the likelihood of a successful distressed commercial property financial recovery. The present research effort addressed the absence of empirical evidence by identifying a number of important factors that influence the likelihood of a successful distressed, commercial property financial recovery. Once the important factors that increase the likelihood of recovery have been determined, the results can be used as a basis for turnaround strategies concerning property investors who invest in distressed opportunities. A theoretical turnaround model concerning properties in distress, would be of interest to ‘opportunistic investing’ yield-hungry investors targeting real estate transactions involving ‘turnaround’ potential. Against this background, the main research problem investigated in the present research effort was as follows: Determine the important factors that would increase the likelihood of a successful distressed commercial property financial recovery. A proposed theoretical model was constructed and empirically tested through a questionnaire distributed physically and electronically to a sample of real estate practitioners from across the globe, and who had all been involved, directly or indirectly, with reviving distressed properties. An explanation was provided to respondents of how the questionnaire was developed and how it would be administered. The demographic information pertaining to the 391 respondents was analysed and summarised. The statistical analysis performed to ensure the validity and reliability of the results, was explained to respondents, together with a detailed description of the covariance structural equation modelling method used to verify the proposed theoretical conceptual model. vi The independent variables of the present research effort comprised; Obsolescence Identification, Capital Improvements Feasibility, Tenant Mix, Triple Net Leases, Concessions, Property Management, Contracts, Business Analysis, Debt Renegotiation, Cost-Cutting, Market Analysis, Strategic Planning and Demography, while the dependent variable was The Perceived Likelihood of a Distressed Commercial Property Financial Recovery. After analysis of the findings, a revised model was then proposed and assessed. Both validity and reliability were assessed and resulted in the following factors that potentially influence the dependent variables; Strategy, Concessions, Tenant Mix, Debt Restructuring, Demography, Analyse Alternatives, Capital Improvements Feasibility, Property Management and Net Leases while, after analysis, the dependent variable was replaced by two dependent variables; The Likelihood of a Distressed Property Turnaround and The Likelihood of a Distressed Property Financial Recovery. The results showed that Strategy (comprising of items from Strategic Planning, Business Analysis, Obsolescence Identification and Property Management) and Concessions (comprising of items from Concessions and Triple Net Leases) had a positive influence on both the dependent variables. Property Management (comprising of items from Business Analysis, Property Management, Capital Improvements Feasibility and Tenant Mix) had a positive influence on Financial Turnaround variable while Capital Improvements Feasibility (comprising of items from Capital Improvements Feasibility, Obsolescence Identification and Property Management) had a negative influence on both. Demography (comprising of items only from Demography) had a negative influence on the Financial Recovery variable. The balance of the relationships were depicted as non-significant. The present research effort presents important actions that can be used to influence the turnaround and recovery of distressed real estate. The literature had indicated reasons to recover distressed properties as having wide-ranging economic consequences for the broader communities and the countries in which they reside. The turnaround of distressed properties will not only present financial rewards for opportunistic investors but will have positive effects on the greater community and economy and, thus, social and economic stability. Vii With the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic crisis, issues with climate change and sustainability, global demographic shifts, changing user requirements, shifts in technology, the threat of obsolescence, urbanisation, globalisation, geo-political tensions, shifting global order, new trends and different generational expectations, it is becoming more apparent that the threat of distressed, abandoned and derelict properties is here to stay, and which will present future opportunities for turnaround, distressed property owners, as well as future worries for urban authorities and municipalities dealing with urban decay. The study concluded with an examination of the perceived limitations of the study as well as presenting a comprehensive range of suggestions for further research.Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Engineering, Built Environment and Information Technology, School of the built Environment, 202

    Treatment, comparison and new processes proposals related to the finance of projects for the most representative project management standards.

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    The search and selection of the financing line for a project is one of the first decisions to be made in order to be able to carry out the desired project and thus meet the profit objectives set. This decision is not always taken by the project manager, but without a correct study of the project economics needs it is impossible to make the right decision on which financing to choose. Therefore, the existing project management standards include the knowledge, processes, techniques, and tools for a project manager to successfully manage any type of project throughout its entire life cycle, in which financing is present from the planning stages through initiation, execution and control to closure. The decision-making phase is the planning phase, where the investment project and the business plan, key documents for a good choice, are presented. This research aims to collect the information available today in some of the most representative standards, as well as to make a comparison between them afterwards. Finally, new methodologies will be proposed as well as best practices, tools and techniques complementing the existing ones. The process followed is as follows: First a study of the standards PMBOK Guide Seventh Edition, IPMA ICB 4.0, PM2 guide, ISO 21500:2012 y PRINCE 2 training manual is made. Information related to project finance is collected for each of them. Subsequently, the standards are compared with each other. After this comparison, the methodology followed in the standard for construction Construction Extension to the PMBOK Guide is described, and a review of the state of the art is also made by searching scientific articles as well as information from specialized journals. Finally, a new methodology is proposed with some steps to follow as well as good practices.La búsqueda y selección de la línea de financiación de un proyecto es una de las primeras decisiones que se han de tomar para poder llevar adelante el proyecto deseado y cumplir así con los objetivos de beneficio marcados. Esta decisión no siempre es tomada por el gestor del proyecto, si bien sin un correcto estudio de las necesidades económicas del proyecto es imposible poder tomar la decisión correcta de qué financiación elegir. Así pues, los estándares de gestión de proyectos existentes recogen el conocimiento, los procesos, las técnicas y las herramientas para que un gestor de proyecto pueda llevar a cabo la gestión de cualquier tipo de proyecto con éxito a lo largo de todo su ciclo de vida. Durante ese ciclo la financiación está presente desde las fases de planificación hasta el cierre, pasando por la iniciación, ejecución y control. La fase en la que se toma la decisión es la de planificación, que es donde se presentan el proyecto de inversión y el plan de negocio; documentos claves para una buena elección. Este trabajo pretende recoger la información disponible hoy en día en algunos de los más representativos estándares y hacer una comparación entre ellos posteriormente. Finalmente, se propondrán nuevas metodologías a seguir, así como buenas prácticas, herramientas y técnicas complementando las ya existentes. El proceso seguido para ello es el siguiente: Primero se hace un estudio de los estándares PMBOK Guide Seventh Edition, IPMA ICB 4.0, PM2 guide, ISO 21500:2012 y PRINCE 2 training manual. La información relacionada con la financiación de proyectos es recopilada para cada uno de ellos. Posteriormente, los estándares son comparados entre ellos. Tras esta comparación, se describe la metodología seguida en el estándar para construcción Construction Extension to the PMBOK y también se hace una revisión del estado del arte mediante la búsqueda de artículos científicos, así como de información de revistas especializadas. Finalmente, se propone una nueva metodología con unos pasos a seguir, y también buenas prácticas.Proiektu baten finantzaketa lerroaren bilaketa eta aukera nahi den proiektua aurrera eramateko eta honen irabazien helburuak betetzeko hartu behar den lehenengo erabakietakoa da. Erabaki hori ez du beti proiektuaren zuzendariak hartuko, nahiz eta finantzaketa aukera egokia hartzea guztiz ezinezkoa den ez badira behar bezala ezagutzen proiektuaren beharrizan ekonomikoak. Hala, proiektuen kudeaketaren estandarrek proiektu-zuzendariak bere bizitzan zehar edozein motatako proiekturen kudeaketa arrakastaz aurrera eramateko ezagutzak, prozesuak, teknikak eta erramintak jasotzen dituzte. Proiektuaren bizitza ziklo osoan zehar proiektuaren finantzaketa dago, plangintza fasetik itxierara arte; hasiera, gauzatze eta egiaztapen faseetatik igarotzen da. Aukera plangintza fasean egiten da; bertan inbertsio proiektua eta negozio plana aurkezten dira eta dokumentu horiek aukera egokia hartzeko gakoak dira. Ikerketa hau gaur egungo estandar garrantzitsuenetan eskura dagoen informazioa biltzen saiatzen da, eta euren artean konparaketa bat egiten ere. Amaitzeko, metodologia berriak proposatuko dira baita jardunbide egokiak, erramintak eta teknika berriak ere, horrela gaur egungoak osatuko dira. Jarraitutako prozesua honako hau da: lehenik eta behin, PMBOK Guide Seventh Edition, IPMA ICB 4.0, PM2 guide, ISO 21500:2012 eta PRINCE 2 training manual estandarrak aztertzen dira. Bakoitzean proiektu finantzaketari buruz aurkitutako informazioa biltzen da. Ondoren, estandarren arteko konparaketa egiten da. Konparaketa horren ostean Construction Extension to the PMBOK Guide proiektu finantzaketarako jarraitutako metodologia deskribatzen da, baita gaur egungo egoeraren berrikuspena eginez ere artikulu zientifikoak eta aldizkari espezializatuak aztertuko dira. Amaitzeko, metodologia berria proposatzen da jarraitu beharreko pausuekin eta jardunbide egokiekin

    Habitat suitability, space use, and human-wildlife coexistence for wild river otters (Lontra canadensis)

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    Land use change and urban sprawl increase the likelihood of encounters between humans and wildlife. River otters (Lontra canadensis) are a species that coexists, but also conflicts, with humans over the use of space on Protection Island, British Columbia. River otters are sensitive to human-induced disturbances yet also inhabit environments with relatively high densities of humans and anthropogenic structures. I investigated the effect of human activity and disturbance on river otter use of space and behaviour to elucidate implications for habitat suitability and wildlife management in anthropogenic landscapes. I drew on 23 semi-structured core interviews and 18 surveys to discuss the human-otter dynamics on the island and perceptions of river otter behavior among residents. I then investigated the relative importance of anthropogenic (e.g., distance to buildings and roads, level of human use of docks), environmental (e.g., land cover type), biological (distance to dens), and topographic (elevation) variables for habitat suitability in wild river otters sharing their environment with humans. I used maximum entropy (MaxEnt) species distribution models to identify the most important factors for river otter habitat suitability and space use in anthropogenic landscapes. Two scenarios were modeled with MaxEnt using 660 and 207 occurrence points respectively. I found that the most suitable habitats for North American river otters in this study were areas of low elevation, with exposed land as the dominant land cover type, near water or wetlands, and that river otters and humans are able to coexist quite well, at least in some urban contexts. Finally, I performed Pearson’s Chi-squared tests on 594 observations from 178 behavioural samples to evaluate three hypotheses focusing on behavioural differences among river otters associated with the use of an anthropogenic habitat feature (i.e docks), and land. The results indicated that river otters used docks more than would be expected by chance and, disproportionately for individual and social activities and they used docks more than expected during the overnight period. Overall, this suggests docks may act as an anthropogenic habitat attractant for river otters. This study helps clarify relationships between river otter behaviour and space use in landscapes they share with humans and in environments where anthropogenic structures are present, which can inform the development of targeted conservation initiatives and enhance human-wildlife coexistence

    Development of an Interpersonally Grounded Construction Management Curriculum Foundation Model

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    Purpose: Education is the driving force of higher education institution(s) (HEIs) globally and is critical for student employability and practitioner recruitment. Yet, against this backdrop, research in the field is limited and hitherto, investigations into construction management curriculum development are scant. This research presents a foundational design specification for construction management programme curriculum development and aims to engender wider polemic debate as well as stimulate new insight into current higher education employability preparation practice. Methodology: The overarching epistemology adopts interpretivist, pragmatic and post-positivist philosophical stances to critically analyse extant literature, secondary data and primary data on the foundational skills/competencies of construction management education. Abductive reasoning forms the overarching basis of a new emergent curriculum model that maps interpersonal skills and highlights the critical foundational skills and competencies necessary. Findings: Research findings illustrate that construction management curriculum development lacks a cohesive community of practice and curriculum agenda. Importantly, it appears that although the modern construction manager needs an appreciation of digital technologies under the umbrella of Industry 4.0, their interpersonal skills and competencies were observed to far outweigh and exceed these. Premised upon these findings, the curriculum foundation model developed delineates the four key interpersonal skills and competencies construction management programmes should utilise for developing their curriculum. Originality: This novel research unearths the lack of a cohesive curriculum agenda within construction management education, highlights the importance of interpersonal skills and competencies within the role of construction manager and based upon this, presents a curriculum foundation model
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