Potential application of blockchain technology for embodied carbon estimating in construction supply chains

Carbon emissions are categorised as Embodied Carbon (EC) occurring in the production phase and Operational Carbon (OC) occurring in the operational phase of buildings. The current focus on producing zero-carbon buildings, emphasises reducing OC and ignores the importance of reducing EC emissions. This study focuses on EC. Methods available in EC estimating currently produce estimates that often do not complement each other. This makes it important to develop a robust and accurate methodology for estimating EC. Blockchain is an emerging technology that has significant potential for transaction processing in supply chains. The construction industry being the second least digitalised industry, the adoption of innovative technologies is predominantly important. This paper explores the potential application of blockchain for accurate estimation of EC in construction supply chains. A detailed literature review and expert interviews revealed that, compared to traditional information systems, blockchain systems could eliminate issues in EC estimating highlighting its potential credible application for EC estimating. Scalability was identified as a feature that was lacking in a blockchain system, however, for EC estimating, its impact was identified as minimal. It will be difficult to generalise the findings of the study due to interview based qualitative methodology adopted in this study along with the fact that blockchain is an emerging and fairly new technology. However, a similar process could be followed by other studies to compare blockchain with traditional information systems, to evaluate the suitability of blockchain technology to develop prototype systems

Mapping studies on sustainability in the performance measurement of public-private partnership projects : a systematic review

The integration of sustainable practices into infrastructure projects under the auspices of public-private partnerships (PPPs) is vital in the attainment of United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Since the inception of the SDGs in 2015, the attention of world has been shift-ing towards more sustainable practices and it is essential that the conventional performance measurement models on PPP projects also adapt to the trend of sustainable practices. Therefore, This study aims at reviewing and operationalising sustainable performance measures for the PPP infrastructure projects. A systematic literature review (SLR) methodology was utilised in this study. The research process began with the search, retrieval and selection of thirty-three (33) journal articles. Thoroughly, the selected articles were contently analysed to form key themes that form the basis of this research’s findings. The outcomes of this review demonstrate twenty-seven (27) most critical sustainable performance criteria of PPP projects such as the lowest project costs, green index, disa-bility-friendly inclusion rate and carbon emission per project among others. Although, the study is limited to few journal articles, it provides theoretical and practical understanding of integration of sustainability in PPPs. Further, it gives a list of relevant research gaps for further studies. This study contributes to the benchmarking and management of sustainable performance assessment of PPP projects

Current trends and future directions in knowledge management in construction research using social network analysis

The growing interest in Knowledge Management (KM) has led to increased attention to Social Network Analysis (SNA) as a tool to map the relationships in networks. SNA can be used to evaluate knowledge flows between project teams, contributing to collaborative working and improved performance. Similarly, it has the potential to be used for construction projects and organisations. This paper aims at identifying current trends and future research directions related to using SNA for KM in construction. A systematic review and thematic analysis were used to critically review the existing studies and identify potential research areas in construction specifically related to research approaches and explore the possibilities for extension of SNA in KM. The findings revealed that there are knowledge gaps in research approaches with case study-based research involving external stakeholders, collaborations, development of communication protocols, which are priority areas identified for future research. SNA in KM related to construction could be extended to develop models that capture both formal and informal relationships as well as the KM process in pre-construction, construction, and post-construction stages to improve the performance of projects. Similarly, SNA can be integrated with methodological concepts, such as Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), knowledge broker, and so forth, to improve KM processes in construction. This study identifies potential research areas that provide the basis for stakeholders and academia to resolve current issues in the use of SNA for KM in construction

Review of supply chain based embodied carbon estimating method : a case study based analysis

Carbon estimating plays a vital role in the construction industry. The current focus on introducing zero-carbon construction projects reduces operational carbon, at the expense of Embodied Carbon (EC). However, it is important to reduce overall net carbon emissions. There are various methods to estimate carbon, but the accuracy of these estimates is questionable. This paper reviews a novel methodology, the Supply Chain based Embodied carbon Estimating Method (SCEEM), which was introduced recently to accurately estimate EC in construction supply chains. SCEEM is compared against existing EC estimating methods (Blackbook and eToolLCD) using a case study approach. It is also supplemented with a comprehensive literature review of existing EC methods. The EC values calculated using Blackbook and eToolLCD were mostly higher than SCEEM. Since SCEEM uses actual site data and considers first principles-based value addition method to estimate EC, it is considered accurate. The cross-case analysis revealed that SCEEM provided consistent results. Hence, SCEEM is recommended to accurately estimate EC of any type of project

Factors affecting reputational damage to organisations due to cyberattacks

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought massive online activities and increased cybersecurity incidents and cybercrime. As a result of this, the cyber reputation of organisations has also received increased scrutiny and global attention. Due to increased cybercrime, reputation displaying a more important role within risk management frameworks both within public and private institutions is vital. This study identifies key factors in determining reputational damage to public and private sector institutions through cyberattacks. Researchers conducted an extensive review of the literature, which addresses factors relating to risk management of reputation post-cyber breach. The study identified 42 potential factors, which were then classified using the STAR model. This model is an organisational design framework and was suitable due to its alignment with organisations. A qualitative study using semi-structured and structured questions was conducted with purposively selected cybersecurity experts in both public and private sector institutions. Data obtained from the expert forum were analysed using thematic analysis, which revealed that a commonly accepted definition for cyber reputation was lacking despite the growing use of the term "online reputation". In addition, the structured questions data were analysed using relative importance index rankings. The analysis results revealed significant factors in determining reputational damage due to cyberattacks, as well as highlighting reputation factor discrepancies between private and public institutions. Theoretically, this study contributes to the body of knowledge relating to cybersecurity of organisations. Practically, this research is expected to aid organisations to properly position themselves to meet cyber incidents and become more competitive in the post-COVID-19 era

Measuring knowledge sharing processes through social network analysis within construction organisations

The construction industry is a knowledge intensive and information dependent industry. Organisations risk losing valuable knowledge, when the employees leave them. Therefore, construction organisations need to nurture opportunities to disseminate knowledge through strengthening knowledge-sharing networks. This study aimed at evaluating the formal and informal knowledge sharing methods in social networks within Australian construction organisations and identifying how knowledge sharing could be improved. Data were collected from two estimating teams in two case studies. The collected data through semi-structured interviews were analysed using UCINET, a Social Network Analysis (SNA) tool, and SNA measures. The findings revealed that one case study consisted of influencers, while the other demonstrated an optimal knowledge sharing structure in both formal and informal knowledge sharing methods. Social networks could vary based on the organisation as well as the individuals’ behaviour. Identifying networks with specific issues and taking steps to strengthen networks will enable to achieve optimum knowledge sharing processes. This research offers knowledge sharing good practices for construction organisations to optimise their knowledge sharing processes

Systematic review on stakeholder collaboration for a circular built environment : current research trends, gaps and future directions

Construction is one of the most impactful sectors in the use of resources, while having a complex network of stakeholders. To drive towards sustainable development, implementing circular economy (CE) principles in construction projects by connecting stakeholders has become a priority. This research explores the current trends in CE-research in construction and identifies gaps for future directions in connecting stakeholders for CE. Hence, a systematic literature review (quantitative and qualitative) was undertaken. The quantitative analysis identified a gradual increase of CE research in construction. The qualitative content analysis revealed that there is a tendency to adapt various models/frameworks, actions for CE adaption, strategies for stakeholder collaboration, and, digital technologies to connect stakeholders for CE. Lack of promoting CE is a key challenge that needs to be addressed for efficient stakeholder collaboration. Blockchain, could be an enabler for effective stakeholder collaboration for CE in construction and will be the way forward

Improving the Mental Health Status of Project Management Practitioners in the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction Sectors during COVID-19 Pandemic

The consequences of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic have given rise to unforeseen psychosocial risks in project management (PM) practices in the architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) project organizations, resulting in a decline in mental health among PM-practitioners. This decline in mental health among PM-practitioners is considered to be a significant problem with substantial economic and social effects. Given the negative effects of poor mental health in projects, identification of causes and possible interventions to tackle this problem becomes vital. Several studies have been conducted to explore these risks and organizational interventions for poor mental health. However, the existence of COVID-19 related psychosocial threats causing poor mental health limits the capacity of traditional interventions. The development of organizational interventions requires the capture of the sources of the risks that can trigger instances of poor mental health. There is scant research focused on improvement of the mental health status of PM-practitioners in the AEC project organizations during and after the pandemic. This study aims to identify the mental health status of PM-practitioners in the AEC project organization and define ways to improve it. This is achieved through examination of COVID-19 psychosocial risks, organizational interventions and development of a psychosocial risk management framework. This research adopted the job demand resources (JDR) theory to underpin the psychosocial risk management framework. Literature reviews and expert forums were conducted to examine COVID-19 psychosocial risks and potential organizational interventions. Moreover, hypothetical relationships between COVID-19 psychosocial risks, organizational interventions and mental health were tested to develop a psychosocial risk management framework. Nineteen relevant COVID-19 psychosocial risks for the mental health in AEC projects were identified. Among the psychosocial risks, “Lacks leadership knowledge and skills”, “Fears of losing job”, and “Difficulty in balancing personal and work needs” are ranked as the three most critical COVID-19 psychosocial risks in the AEC project organization. The least critical COVID-19 psychosocial risks include “Difficulty in managing project cost”, “Difficulty in managing project contracts” and “Disruption to supply chain”. This study has found twenty relevant organizational interventions that are suitable for mitigating COVID-19 conditions that may lead to poor mental health. Out of the twenty organizational interventions, “Hiring additional PM practitioners to distribute project workload”, “Providing training on how to balance work and family” and “Providing additional childcare supports” have been ranked as the three most effective interventions for promotion of mental health. In contrast, the least effective organizational interventions include “Enforcing the use of personal protective equipment”, “Providing support for working remotely”, and “Providing support for working remotely”. Perceptions of PM-practitioners about their AEC project environment revealed that the three strongest indicators to stress during COVID-19 are “Not feeling confident about one’s ability to handle problems”, “Not feeling that one was on top of things”, and “Unable to control irritations”. In comparison, “Feeling that one was unable to control the important things”, “Feeling difficulties in one’s PM-oriented work”, and “Feeling that one could not cope with all the things” are the least strong indicators to stresses for PM practitioners during the COVID-19 pandemic. The results of the data analysis in this research revealed that the changed working environment due to the COVID-19 pandemic negatively impacted PM-practitioners’ mental health. This study confirmed that organizational interventions positively supported PM practitioners and thereby further upheld the JDR theory. This study has also statistically ruled out the potential moderation effect of organizational interventions on the relationship between COVID-19 psychosocial risks and mental health

Risk allocation, transaction cost economics and PPP

In this chapter, we will take a close look at the current or traditional risk allocation in construction and, in particular, PPP projects. We will examine the risk allocation practice in three Australian PPP projects based on the principles of optimal risk allocation. The weaknesses of the traditional risk allocation practices, which are mainly (organizational) risk management (RM) capability-oriented, will thus be highlighted. We will later make the case for the necessity of tackling risk allocation decision making (RADM) from a perspective of transaction cost economics (TCE) augmented with organizational capability (in particular resource-based view (RBV)). It is because TCE integrates economics, organization theory, contract law and behavioural assumptions in an interdisciplinary framework of organizational phenomena and takes account of the role of transaction costs and informational issues that the self-interested economic agent faces, that we claim and adopt the TCE plus RBV approach as one suitable to the study of risk allocation. After a brief introduction to the TCE theories, we will discuss and analyse the risk allocation decision-making process from the perspective of TCE. From a TCE perspective, the RADM process could actually be viewed as the process of deciding the proportion of risk management responsibility between internal and external organizations (i.e. public and private partners in PPP projects) based on a series of characteristics of the risk management service transaction in question. Finally, this chapter is concluded with recommendations for further study on risk allocation in PPP projects using TCE

Allocating risks in public-private partnerships using a transaction cost economics approach : a case study

Public-private partnership (PPP) projects are often characterised by increased complexity and uncertainty due to their idiosyncrasy in the management and delivery processes such as long-term lifecycle, incomplete contracting, and the multitude of stakeholders. An appropriate risk allocation is particularly crucial to achieving project success. This paper focuses on the risk allocation in PPP projects and argues that the transaction cost economics (TCE) theory can integrate the economics part, which is currently missing, into the risk management research. A TCE-based approach is proposed as a logical framework for allocating risks between public and private sectors in PPP projects. A case study of the Southern Cross Station redevelopment project in Australia is presented to illustrate the approach. The allocation of important risks is put under scrutiny. Lessons learnt are discussed and alternative management approaches drawing on TCE theory are proposed