Life cycle carbon emissions and comparative evaluation of selected open source UK embodied carbon counting tools

Life cycle carbon emissions (LCO2), made up of operational and embodied carbon, have become a major metric of building environmental performance and energy efficiency. Whilst there are now standard methods for operational carbon assessment due to its significance in LCO2, there is still less emphasis on embodied carbon counting. However, the relative contribution of embodied carbon is on the rise as buildings become increasingly energy efficient. Following the rule that only something which is measurable is manageable, it is essential that we are able to accurately count embodied carbon. This study therefore reviews the concept of LCO2 in buildings and further investigates the open source UK tools for embodied carbon counting. A comparative evaluation case study, which validates an earlier review, showed that there is no logic and consistency in the carbon figures produced by embodied carbon counting tools. This is mainly due to different system boundaries, varying underlying assumptions and methodological differences in calculation. The findings suggest that an industry-agreed data structure and common methodology is needed for embodied carbon counting. Generally, the study provides insights into the use and capabilities of the identified open source UK embodied carbon counting tools, and is relevant to the on-going debate about carbon regulation

Sustainable development in a construction related curriculum- quantity surveying students’ perspective

Higher education institutions (HEIs) across the globe are increasingly aware of the need to integrate sustainability education within the curricula. This triggered a number of studies that were conducted by earlier researchers in embedding sustainability education within the curricula. Thus, studies have been carried out to evaluate how students perceived sustainable development in their curricula, particularly in engineering and other related courses. Few of these studies were conducted in built environment, most especially in quantity surveying. It is against this backdrop that necessitated this study. The purpose of this study is to establish the extent in which sustainable development is embedded in the construction related curriculum using the perception of quantity surveying students. The study adopted literature review, documentary reports among others as a secondary method of data collection. Primary data were collected through online questionnaire survey administered to 330 randomly selected quantity surveying students in a university in the UK. Out of which 87 completed questionnaires were retrieved and suitable for the analysis. The quantitative data obtained were analysed using mean score, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and regression analysis. The study identified 46 sustainability topics, which were grouped into 6 categories (i.e. A-F). Based on these categories, the study found that students’ knowledge level on sustainability was a little above ‘basic/limited knowledge with the overall mean score value of 2.38 on a 4- point Likert scale. The study further revealed that the students placed high importance on sustainability education, despite their knowledge level were found lower. The study findings would be used to establish the extent of sustainability within the curriculum in the quantity surveying programme. Also, this study would be of great value to academic staff and University management boards to develop a framework for incorporating sustainability education in the curriculum

An investigation into the sustainability practices in PPP infrastructure projects : a case of Nigeria

Purpose – In the global construction industry, the concept of sustainability is not new, particularly within building projects. Against this backdrop, several studies have been conducted, mostly in developed countries, on sustainability in construction projects. However, efforts at investigating sustainability practices in Public-Private Partnership (PPP) infrastructure projects in developing countries have received limited attention. Hence, the purpose of this study is to investigate the incorporation of sustainability practices within the context of Nigeria PPP infrastructure projects. Design/methodology/approach – A questionnaire survey, which targeted four different types of stakeholders, was conducted in this study. These stakeholders included public sector authorities, concessionaires, consultants, and banks undertaking PPP infrastructure projects in Lagos State, Nigeria. The data collected were analysed using frequency, percentage, mean score, standard deviation analyses, and the Kruskal-Wallis test. Findings – The findings of this study revealed that all the respondents are very much aware of sustainability principles, and majority of the respondents from the public sector authorities and the consultant organizations confirmed that they have incorporated sustainability requirements into their bidding documents for PPP infrastructure projects. The study revealed sustainability features in the three aspects of sustainability, namely economic, environmental and social factors. Furthermore, the study revealed the top three ranked economic factors of sustainability (considered to be the most important factors) were low maintenance costs, whole life costing, and supporting the local economy, respectively. Similarly, the study revealed the top three ranked environmental factors of sustainability were biodiversity, energy use during the operation stage, and energy use during the construction stage, respectively. Furthermore, the study further revealed that the top three ranked social factors of sustainability were the educational aspect, equity between stakeholders, and health and safety, respectively. Practical implications – The study will be of great value to PPP stakeholders involved in sustainability decision-making processes when delivering sustainable PPP projects, particularly in Nigeria. Also, the study findings are important as not many empirical studies have been conducted on the sustainability practices of current PPP projects in Nigeria. Originality/value –The study findings would further inform the need for both the public and private sectors to take a more strategic approach to enhancing sustainability in PPP projects

An analysis of the mediational effect of socio-cultural factors on student’s career choice outcomes in the built environment: applying the socio-cognitive career theory

Investigations into career development revealed the significant influence of social and cultural determinants, notably familial factors, on children’s professional aspirations. Such aspirations are moulded by their milieu, individual interests, academic environments, and socio-economic contexts. South Africa’s unique socio-political history introduces complexity into career development pathways. The intricate relationships between ethnicity, gender, and socio-economic backgrounds vis-a-vis career outcomes of South African youth remain underexplored. This research aimed to understand these influences within the construction domain, emphasising cognitive facets such as self-efficacy and societal endorsements. The Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT) served as the foundational framework, with structural equation modelling employed for causal analysis. A focus was given to early university students, predominantly from Construction Management. The study showcased pathways for informed career decisions in construction and underscored the relevance of the SCCT, especially for women in traditionally male-dominated sectors. The study culminated in unveiling pathways for informed career decisions in construction, reinforcing the pertinence of the SCCT framework, especially concerning women in traditionally male-dominated spheres like construction. Acknowledging the scarcity of empirical studies using SCCT within the construction sphere is pertinent

Analysis of the drivers and benefits of BIM incorporation into quantity surveying profession: academia and students' perspectives

Purpose – Building information modeling (BIM) inclusion in education pedagogy is crucial in preparing skilled graduates for employment in the construction industry. Against this backdrop, studies on BIM education abound in Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) programmes in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). However, there is limited empirical studies on BIM potentials in the quantity surveying (QS) profession in HEIs, particularly in developing countries. The purpose of this study is to identify and assess the BIM drivers and benefits as important to the QS profession using an empirical approach. Design/methodology/approach – A comprehensive literature review was conducted to identify the BIM drivers and benefits in relation to the QS profession, which was employed to design a questionnaire. In order to capture a broad perception, a questionnaire survey was carried out which targeted the academia and final year undergraduate students from two selected universities offering QS honour degree programmes in Nigeria. Data collected were analysed using mean score, standard deviation, and Mann-Whitney test. Findings – The study identified 12 BIM drivers in relation to the QS profession and the analysis of the ranking revealed that almost all the identified BIM drivers are considered by respondents as important. The study further identified 14 BIM benefits and the analysis of the ranking indicated that all the identified BIM benefits are considered as important. The results of the Mann-Whitney test indicated a very slight statistically significant difference, particularly in one of the selected universities on the ranking of the BIM drivers and benefits as important to the QS profession. Practical implication – The findings of the study provide empirical evidence on the current perceptions of the drivers and benefits of BIM to QS academia and students as they explore the concept for the advancement of QS profession. Originality/value – This study would provide practical insights to utilize BIM for QS practice. Also, this study would contribute to improving the QS graduates and professional quantity surveyors understanding of the BIM knowledge applicable to QS profession. Keywords: BIM, drivers, higher education institutions, quantity surveying, Nigeri

Haematological Indices of Broiler Chickens Administered Water Containing Medicinal Plant Leaf Methanol Extract

The discovery that the use of antibiotics in animal production is fueling the increasing problem of transmitting resistance bacteria from food animals to man has led to the search for an alternative to the use of antibiotics. Therefore, the response of broiler chickens fed various medicinal plants methanol extract as a replacement for antibiotics was investigated. The plant extracts encompass four available leaves; Gercinia kola (Bitter Kola), Alchornea cordifolia (Christmas bush), Pterocarpus santalinoides (Red scandal wood) and Chromolera Odorata (Hagony or Siam weed). A total of 180 unsexed Ross strain broiler chickens were randomly assigned to these dietary treatments which had 30 birds each. The treatments were replicated thrice with 10 birds per replicate in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD). Feed and water were provided ad libitum throughout the experiment which lasted for 56 days. Haematological indices of broiler chickens were evaluated. Significant differences (p<0.05) were observed in the mean values of all the hematological parameters measured across the treatment groups, except Packed cell volume and White blood cell. The result values obtained in this present study were within the standard range of PCV of normal birds with the reference range of 25.0 - 45.0%. However, the values obtained did not reveal any health problem. The findings of this study conclude that the medicinal plant methanol extracts have considerable potentials as component of broiler chicken diet. Alchornea cordifolia plant methanol extract can successfully be used to replace antibiotics at 1g/litre of drinking water for broiler production. Further research should be carried out on Alchornea cordifolia and other medicinal plants to examine their potentials and inhibitory characteristics

Stakeholder perceptions of drivers for, and barriers to, the incorporation of sustainability in PPP infrastructure projects in Nigeria

Purpose - Although several studies have been undertaken on sustainability within infrastructure projects, limited attention has paid to the drivers for, and the barriers to, the incorporation of sustainability in public-private partnership (PPP) infrastructure projects through empirical study, particularly in Nigeria. Therefore, this study identified and examined the drivers that promote sustainability in Nigerian PPP infrastructure projects, and assessed the barriers to the full integration of sustainability practices into current Nigerian PPP infrastructure projects. Design/methodology/approach – Primary data were collected using a questionnaire survey. The questionnaire survey was targeted on four different stakeholders’ organizations. They were public sector authorities, concessionaires, consultants, and banks already undertaking PPP infrastructure projects in Lagos State, Nigeria. The obtained data were analysed using frequency, percentage, mean score, standard deviation, and the Kruskal-Wallis test. Findings – The study identified 17 drivers that promote the incorporation of sustainability in PPP infrastructure projects. The analysis of the total ranking of the drivers in Nigeria revealed the top five ranked drivers to be: consideration of long-term performance; contractual arrangements; incentives for new market penetration; award criteria, and selection criteria, respectively. The study further identified 11 barriers to sustainability integration in PPP infrastructure projects and the top five ranked barriers in Nigeria are: comprehensive sustainability procurement guidelines; no enabling environment; education needs; uncertain economic environment, and a lack of clear government policy, respectively. The results of the Kruskal-Wallis test conducted on both the 17 identified drivers for, and the 11 barriers to, the incorporation of sustainability in Nigerian PPP infrastructure projects, revealed that there is no significant statistical difference in both rankings from the perceptions of the aforementioned four different respondents’ groups. Practical implications – The study provides empirical insights on the knowledge and awareness of drivers which could lead to a greater uptake in sustainability measures by the stakeholders in Nigerian PPP projects; it also identified barriers to overcome. Originality/value – The importance of the incorporation of sustainability in public procurement cannot be over-emphasized. It is anticipated that the study will be of great value to PPP stakeholders involved in sustainability decision-making processes when delivering sustainable PPP projects

Sustainable construction and the versatility of the quantity surveying profession in Singapore

Purpose The changing role of quantity surveyors in the new paradigm of sustainable construction requires studies into new competencies and skills for the profession. The impact of sustainable construction on quantity surveying services, engagement and how they manage challenges provided an indication of the success indicators of the quantity surveying profession in meeting the sustainable construction needs. Design/methodology/approach A five-point Likert scale was developed from the list of quantity surveying firms in Singapore. An 85% response rate from 60 quantity surveying firms contacted in this study provided 51 responses. Descriptive statistics and factor analysis were employed to evaluate the findings. Findings The factor analysis categorised the drivers derived from the literature into awareness of sustainable construction, adversarial role on green costing; carbon cost planning; valuing a sustainable property; common knowledge of sustainable construction; and lack of experience in sustainable construction. Social implications The research findings supported the idea of increased sustainable construction skills in quantity surveying education, research and training. Originality/value The dearth of quantity surveyors with sustainable construction experience must focus on quantity surveying professional bodies and higher education. The quantity surveying profession needs reskilling in green costing and carbon cost planning to meet the needs of sustainable construction

Using Administrative Databases to Calculate Framingham Scores within a Large Healthcare Organization

Background and Purpose—Framingham calculators are typically implemented in 1-on-1 settings to determine if a patient is at high risk for development of cardiovascular disease in the next 10 years. Because health care administrative datasets are including more clinical information, we explored how well administrative data-derived Framingham scores could identify persons who would have stroke develop in the next year. Methods—Using a nested case-control design, we compared all 313 persons who had a first-time stroke at 5 Veterans Administration Medical Centers with a random sample of 25 361 persons who did not have a first-time stroke in 2008. We compared Framingham scores and risk using administrative data available at the end of 2007. Results—Stroke patients had higher risk profile than controls: older age, higher systolic blood pressure and total cholesterol, more likely to have diabetes, cardiovascular disease, left ventricular hypertrophy, and more likely to use treatment for blood pressure (P<0.05). The mean Framingham generalized cardiovascular disease score (18.0 versus 14.5) as well as the mean Framingham stroke-specific score (13.2 versus 10.2) was higher for stroke cases than controls (both P<0.0001). The c-statistic for the generalized cardiovascular disease score was 0.68 (95% CI, 0.65–0.70) and for the stroke score was 0.64 (95% CI, 0.62–0.67). Conclusions—Persons who had a stroke develop in the next year had a worse Framingham risk profile, as determined by administrative data. Future studies should examine how to improve the stroke predictive tools and to identify the appropriate populations and uses for applying stroke risk predictive tools