How can BIM support construction safety management? Development of SIM

BIM is continuously changing the way construction can be approached, from design, scheduling, costing to facilities management. However, even though construction safety is a worldwide issue, and though previous, yet limited, studies have proven its great potential, BIM has not been extended to include automated construction safety management functions, i.e., hazard identification, assessment and control for construction works. In fact, as many as 71% of safety incidents can be prevented by safety considerations at design stage. Automation via BIM is the key to enhance effectiveness and efficiency of safety management, but development of Safety Information Modelling (SIM) is the key pre-requisite. This paper aims to outline a research project for developing both information and technical requirements for SIM via questionnaire survey, focus group, and real case studies. The project results, to be validated by real projects, will act as solid platform for developing:- i) Practical guidance to construction and safety professionals on the types of safety management a SIM can conduct, and the ways of utilizing the safety information in a SIM model [based on the systematic SIM information requirements (e.g., object identification, geometry attributes, safety rules)]; and ii) Overall guidance to software developers to develop appropriate SIM tools for different scenarios [based on the systematic SIM technical requirements (e.g., model information exchange, visualization, conflict analysis process for risk assessment, reliability)].published_or_final_versio

Critical role of the learning transfer climate in fostering innovation in construction

Because learning is a key antecedent to innovative activities, more attention needs to be paid to the climate, within the organization or project settings, that supports learning. The objectives of this paper are (1) to empirically examine the influences of the learning transfer climate on innovation and (2) to investigate how the between-group variability in the learning transfer climates of clients, contractors, and consultants affects innovation. The learning transfer climates are assessed in terms of the task-support and motivational elements adopted from the well-tested questionnaire of the Learning Transfer System Inventory. Based on the 147 survey returns collected from construction participants, factor analysis, correlation analysis, and regression analysis are conducted (the latter two using the total sample and the subsamples of client developers, contractors, and consultants). It is found from the total sample that openness to change (task-support element), performance-outcome expectations, and performance self-efficacy (motivational elements) are significant predictors of innovation. Whereas a successful construction project requires the interaction of multiple waves of innovation, contributed by various construction participants throughout the project, it is important to acknowledge the heterogeneity of these participants in considering the innovation process. The results also indicate that, with regard to their innovations, the different groups are influenced by different learning transfer climate factors: clients are affected by openness to change and performance self-efficacy; contractors are affected by openness to change; and consultants are affected by performance-outcome expectations. Analysis of these findings leads to a conceptual model of learning transfer climate and interactions between the clients, contractors, and consultants. From the theoretical perspective, the findings of this study lay ground for an interorganizational framework for further innovation-learning transfer studies. From the managerial perspective, this study provides empirical confirmation of the importance of measuring the learning transfer climate in construction organizations and of developing strategies for facilitating an innovation-conducive climate that fits each particular organization

Green cost more? An empirical study on the costing of green building projects worldwide

Hosted by the Canadian Institute of Quantity Surveyors (CIQS)Subtheme 2: Delivering High Performance Buildings Cost-EffectivelySustainability is an inevitable trend. However, the number of green building developments is still limited. Previous studies have attributed this to the perception of “Green costs more” as presented by quantity surveyors to construction clients. It is argued that the commonly adopted figure of 5-15% as the extra cost for green has ‘seriously’ overestimated capital cost. In view of the above, the current study aims to investigate green buildings from the ‘cost’ perspectives. To achieve this aim, a questionnaire survey has been designed to investigate the cost and features of green building projects across the globe. The survey was sent via various professional institutes, green building consultants, architectural, engineering and construction firms, and so on, in countries across the globe, including Brunei, China, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Philippines, United Arab Emirates, Nigeria, and so on. The statistical data collected was then analyzed using SPSS. The study results indicate that, when comparing with conventional building projects, i) there is 37% increase in capital cost in green building projects, ii) amongst the various green building design and features, green planning & design and green construction are the most frequently adopted ones, which incurred 8.63% increase and 30.33% decrease in the spending of the items respectively, and iii) the values of green building projects are higher in terms of price, rental cost and premium in market valuation. The study results are essential in fostering the development of green buildings around the world

Occupational health management system: A study of expatriate construction professionals

Due to its direct impact on the safety and function of organizations, occupational health has been a concern of the construction industry for many years. The inherent complexity of occupational health management presents challenges that make a systems approach essential. From a systems perspective, health is conceptualized as an emergent property of a system in which processes operating at the individual and organizational level are inextricably connected. Based on the fundamental behavior-to-performance-to-outcome (B-P-O) theory of industrial/organizational psychology, this study presents the development of an I-CB-HP-O (Input-Coping Behaviors-Health Performance-Outcomes) health management systems model spanning individual and organizational boundaries. The model is based on a survey of Hong Kong expatriate construction professionals working in Mainland China. Such professionals tend to be under considerable stress due not only to an adverse work environment with dynamic tasks, but also the need to confront the cross-cultural issues arising from expatriation. A questionnaire was designed based on 6 focus groups involving 44 participants, and followed by a pilot study. Of the 500 questionnaires distributed in the main study, 137 valid returns were received, giving a response rate of 27.4%. The data were analyzed using statistical techniques such as factor analysis, reliability testing, Pearson correlation analysis, multiple regression modeling, and structural equation modeling. Theories of coping behaviors and health performance tend to focus on the isolated causal effects of single factors and/or posits the model at single, individual level; while industrial practices on health management tend to focus on organizational policy and training. By developing the I-CB-HP-O health management system, incorporating individual, interpersonal, and organizational perspectives, this study bridges the gap between theory and practice while providing empirical support for a systems view of health management

Enhancement of an innovative mobile app for registered safety officers in civil engineering and construction projects

Session 5G: Construction Safety I

Management strategies for 5D-BIM adoption in Hong Kong

5D-BIM, a well-acknowledged innovation in construction, has been recognized to have positive influence on project performance and organizational effectiveness by both academic scholars and industry practitioners. In spite of such awareness and recognition, its adoption is still in the early stage in Hong Kong quantity surveying due to various challenges. Therefore, this research aims at investigating how 5D-BIM can be fostered by providing an overview of innovation in Hong Kong quantity surveying firstly, then exploring the impacts of various management strategies on 5D-BIM adoption and followed by giving some implementation strategies finally. The results of the questionnaire survey study indicate that innovation (5D-BIM) adoption is positively predicted by innovation climate and learning transfer climate and that 5D-BIM adoption in heterogeneous construction parties are motivated by different factors of innovation and learning transfer climates (e.g., support for innovation, performance self-efficacy, openness to change are essential management strategy factors for innovation in client developers’ organizations; factors of support for innovation and openness to change are important to innovation in contractors’ organizations; and factors of resource supply and performance-outcome expectation are essential to innovation in consultants’ organizations). Then cases of 5D-BIM adoption in Hong Kong are offered to validate the survey findings and to serve as the basis for proposing 5D-BIM implementation strategies for major construction parties

Health of green building occupants: both indoor and neighborhood environments matter

Technical Session II: II-4: Sustainable Construction - no. AAE-3Commonly adopted green building standards, such as LEED and BEAM PLUS, tend to focus on the sustainable performance of buildings. There is a lack of comprehensive consideration on the associations between building environment and health of occupants, let alone the impact of neighborhood environment on the occupants. This study thus aims to investigate the impact and interplay of indoor and neighborhood environment on health of green building occupants. To achieve this aim, two green buildings, which locate in contrasting neighborhood environment in Hong Kong, are selected for case study. Based on the data collected by post-occupancy evaluation (occupant health), indoor environment assessment (thermal comfort, indoor air quality, ventilation, visual comfort, and acoustic comfort) and neighborhood environment assessment (neighborhood building density, neighborhood building height, neighborhood green area, and neighborhood cleanliness) through questionnaire survey, the results reveal that the relationship between indoor environment and occupant health is significantly moderated by neighborhood building height. The results lay foundation on how the green building standards can be further developed to enhance occupant health by taking neighborhood environment into account