Effectiveness of standalone simulation-based optimization software in optimizing the life cycle cost of residential buildings

Designers aim to build nearly zero energy buildings and positive energy buildings to comply with regulations. However, due to many variables affecting the energy performance of buildings, energy-efficient building design is a challenging task. Among the proposed methods, simulation-based systems are promising. The proposed simulation-based systems are not suitable for the construction sector because of the long optimization periods. The primary goal of this study is to emphasize the necessity of standalone software packages in solving usability problems and to provide a tool for designers and architects to incorporate into their daily works. To demonstrate the advantages of standalone software a test study was conducted to find a cost-optimal configuration for a typical residential building. In addition, the obtained cost-optimal design was compared to the energy-optimal design obtained in previous studies and it was seen that the outcomes are in parallel with the results of previous studies. It was observed that the optimum insulation thickness obtained from the case study is significantly higher than the limiting values in the national regulation. The results of the parametric analysis demonstrated that wall type, window area, and window type have the highest influence on thermal performance. The results of the study have confirmed that stand-alone software performs optimizations faster overcomes the shortcomings of simulation-based optimization systems comprising integrated multiple software packages.Publisher's Versio

Social network analysis of construction companies operating in international markets: case of Turkish contractors

Investigation of market entry strategies is critical for the success of international contractors. Establishing partnerships is among the most effective vehicles of operating in international markets. The major objective of this paper is to analyze the partnership behavior of contractors in overseas projects. In this respect, social network analysis (SNA) was used to better understand the collaborative project networks in different markets and for projects of differing sizes. A database was developed based on the collaborative international construction projects where Turkish firms and their non-Turkish partners were involved. A total of 449 projects carried out in 46 countries were used for the analysis. The findings of the study suggest that contractors adopt different strategies depending on the market and project character­istics. The majority of the companies tend to remain in the same markets; they keep working with the same partners or choose local partners; and engage with multiple partners in more complex projects. This study is expected to help contractors reflect on their internationalization decisions and devise appropriate strategies to establish project networks. First published online: 27 Jun 201

Challenges and Enablers in BIM-Enabled Digital Transformation in Mega Projects: The Istanbul New Airport Project Case Study

The Architecture Engineering and Construction (AEC) sector has been working on an increasing number of mega projects having large scale investments worldwide. The majority of these mega projects are infrastructure projects that are comparatively more difficult to manage in terms of yielding an expected return of investments while increasing quality and productivity. Today’s construction technology landscape offers a wide variety of innovative digital solutions for optimizing the project constraints of scope, time, cost, quality, and resources. Despite being one of the least digitized sectors, the AEC sector is currently ripe for adopting innovative digital solutions. It is observed that Building Information Modeling (BIM) has been rapidly adopted to tackle the ever-evolving challenges of mega infrastructure projects. This study investigates the challenges and enablers of utilizing an end-to-end BIM strategy for digital transformation of mega project delivery processes through a mega airport project case study, in order to contribute a solid strategic understanding in BIM implementation for mega infrastructure projects. The case study is followed with two-phased semi-structured interviews. Based on the findings, major challenges are sustaining continuous monitoring and controlling in the project execution, engineering complexity and aligning stakeholders’ BIM learning curves whereas strategic control mechanisms, incentivizing the virtual collaborative environment, and continuous digital delivery are major enablers

Influence of project manager’s competencies on project management success

Upravljanje projektima je vrlo zahtjevno područje u građevinarstvu zbog svojih dinamičkih osobitosti koje proizlaze iz nesigurnosti u pogledu dostupnosti sredstava, tehnologije i razvojnih procesa, te se zbog toga pokazuje potreba za angažmanom vrlo sposobnih voditelja projekata. U ovom je radu razvijen opsežan model za uspješnost upravljanja projektima, a istražuje se utjecaj kompetentnosti voditelja projekta na uspješnost upravljanja projektima. Rezultirajući model pokazuje da kompetentnost voditelja projekta može u velikoj mjeri utjecati na uspješnost upravljanja građevinskim projektima. Sposobnost vođenja definirana je kao najznačajnija kompetencija voditelja projekta, a potom slijede odgovornosti i požrtvovnost. Očekuje se da će istraživači i rukovodeće osobe zaposlene u praksi, npr. voditelji ili članovi upravnih odbora, imati korist od razvijenog modela kroz jasnije prepoznavanje utjecaja voditelja projekta na uspješnost upravljanja projektima te kroz usvajanje preporuka iznesenih u ovom radu.Project management (PM) has been a demanding profession in construction industry due to its dynamic nature originating from the uncertainties in budget, technology, and development processes, which put emphasis on the necessity for highly capable project managers. This study develops an extensive PM success model and investigates the influence of project manager’s competencies on the PM success. The resulting model reveals that the project manager’s competencies can play a big role in determining the PM success in construction projects. Leadership is identified as the most influential project manager competency followed by responsibility and commitment. Researchers and senior industry practitioners such as managers or boards of directors are expected to benefit from the developed model by recognizing the influences of project managers on the PM success and taking notice of the recommendations provided

Case-based reasoning model for international market selection

To increase the quality of decision making in construction companies, organizational memory should be enhanced and utilized effectively. Experiences of other companies should constitute an important part of organizational memory so that a construction company may have the chance to learn from the experiences of others and modify its behavior in the light of acquired knowledge. Within this study, a case-based reasoning (CBR) decision support tool is constructed to demonstrate how experiences of competitors in international markets may be used by contractors, to support international market selection decisions. 215 cases from the Turkish construction industry have been used to build the model, namely CBR-INT. The reliability of CBR-INT in predicting potential profitability of international projects and the level of competitiveness of Turkish contractors is around 90%. Moreover, CBR-INT has proven to be an effective tool for practitioners due to its high explanation capability and ease of use. Using the conceptual framework of CBR-INT, different CBR models can also be constructed for other countries

Project appraisal and selection using the analytic network process

Where prioritization and selection process of large-scale construction projects is concerned, governments should consider various quantitative and qualitative criteria when choosing the best project alternative. The traditional benefit-cost (B/C) analysis has some drawbacks in terms of analyzing qualitative attributes that cannot be easily expressed in monetary terms. To eliminate this limitation, multicriteria decision-making techniques are proposed for the solution of project prioritization problems. In this paper, ail analytic network process (ANP) model is developed to demonstrate how the project selection process can be carried out by considering both quantitative and qualitative factors, as well as their interrelations. The decision network is grouped under four subnetworks, namely benefits. costs, opportunities, and risks. The selected alternatives are real highway projects that are in the investment agenda of the Turkish government. Using the proposed network model, four investment alternatives are assessed by a team of experts and achieved results demonstrate that the ranking of project alternatives may significantly change when the ANP model is used instead of the classical B/C approach

Using analytic network process to predict the performance of international construction joint ventures

Strategic collaborations such as joint ventures (JVs) have become an important way of exploiting business opportunities for construction companies. However, such entities are difficult to manage due to their composite structures, which entail diverse organizational cultures, styles, and objectives. Therefore, measurement of JV performance has been an interesting research topic although there is no consensus on the definition, measures, and variables of performance yet. Considering the inherent complexities of the construction projects, only an adequate combination of criteria allows assessing the international construction joint venture (ICJV) performance. Within this study, an analytic network process model is developed to examine the links between the determinants of performance and to observe the influences of these factors on the ICJV performance. As a result, interpartner relations, structural factors and interpartner fit are found to be the most important determinants of ICJV success. Effectiveness of conflict resolution and control mechanisms contribute significantly to ICJV performance. Cultural fit is the most important fit that should be attained between the partners. The performance of the model is tested on eight real construction projects and satisfactory results are obtained