Introducing studio oriented learning environment (SOLE) in UPM, Serdang: accessing student-centered learning (SCL) in the architectural studio

This article reports the initial results of the exploratory research related to student-centered learning (SCL) in final year Architecture studio education in Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM). SCL is defined as an approach to empower students in their own learning. Although studies on the adaptability of this concept in education has increased, there are few studies conducted for the benefits of architectural education from studio design perspective. In this article, we define SCL as an approach to increase student autonomy in learning curve especially in making decisions related to design subjects using a summative and formative approach. The objective of this article is to experiment the SOLE model and how it can move forward. The SOLE (Studio Oriented Learning Environment) model encompasses lecturing, sharing and peer review that is inspired by self-regulated theory. However, several problems and difficulties were identified namely, a lack of tutor input and problems in discussion dynamic in addition to resistance to peer assessment. This article suggests a number of improvements for future recommendations. The study will benefit educators in the architectural field in contributing to helping students to build on unique background knowledge and at the same time let the students generate learning opportunities and reconstruct knowledge dynamically in an open-ended learning environment to implement SCL in the studio module

flexZhouse:

Central to this PhD research was the problem of the lack of affordable housing for young starters in Malaysia. The solutions for affordable housing that are available in the market do not truly solve the problem from the customer’s point of view. Hence, it was important to analyse the contributing factors associated with the term ‘affordability’. The term touches upon interconnected elements that cover many issues ranging from demand (housing needs, demographics, household income, quality housing) to supply (the authorities’ requirements, design, cost, sustainability and procurement). In this thesis, we discuss some of the problems related to the supply and demand issues and examine a possible intervention to solve the problem. This research contributed to the body of knowledge by employing a prescriptive strategy and designing an innovative flexZhouse business model (BM), and by applying an in-depth strategy that revealed why the problem exists and why there is still no appropriate solution. The result provides a description of the situation that young starters find themselves in, the reactions of the industry’s key players and the policies that hamper innovation in the housing market. Methodology We applied the model of ‘design sciences’ as described by Van Aken (2004). The strategy first helped us to understand the problem (the issues related to the term ‘affordable housing’); the next step was to prescribe solutions for the practice by formulating the draft flexZhouse business model (BM). The mission of this research was to further develop knowledge for the design and understanding the problems that is, to provide alternative solutions to the affordable housing demands in the housing industry in Malaysia. We used the term ‘design research’ from Van Aken (2004) because the ultimate objective of studies in this category is to acquire a knowledge of how to develop solutions to problems in the real world (i.e. the new business model (BM) for affordable housing in Malaysia). The research was guided by the main research question ‘How can the flexZhouse BM provide a solution to the inflexibility, high prices and poor quality of newly built housing in Malaysia?’ The three main deductive codes were established as a priori codes derived from literature and constructed as the primary coding of design, finance and production. The three main problems were identified, namely inflexibility in design choices, high housing prices and poor housing quality. The focus of the research was established as the need for customization through design flexibility, the financial affordability and the housing quality in the production. Towards the end, several emerging codes were derived, those are; technical & technology, housing as an investment, housing ownership, accessibility, authority related matters and cultural and market acceptance. Findings The draft flexZhouse BM, which was established by a conceptual framework derived from a literature review, proved to be useful for both theoretical understanding and the practical application of the preliminary idea of the flexZhouse. The draft flexZhouse BM makes use of an innovative leasing approach inspired by the concept of the circular economy to make the flexZhouse affordable for young starters. A series of focus groups and other data sources showed that the need for housing customization is high and widely acknowledged by the target group. However, we found that private developers are not ready for innovation and are likely to resist such change, also because they need a more concrete proof of concept before accepting it. Their reaction is partly caused by their resistance to change from the conventional method to a new system, and is partly a result of their caution in the face of a high degree of uncertainty. It also shows that the concept, which is still at the early stage, needs to be tested in the market before they will accept the new idea. Nevertheless, a positive reaction was received from the government sectors dealing with housing, which appear to be more open to new ideas to help the market to provide more affordable housing for the middle-income group. Conclusions The formulation of the final draft of flexZhouse led to the following conclusions: The flexZhouse BM provides a better understanding of the needs of and problems faced by young starters looking for their first home in Malaysia. The rejection by private developers of the flexZhouse concept shows their resistance to change, and is also due to the early stage of the flexZhouse BM proposal. The flexZhouse BM creates an alternative solution to affordable housing programmes for the mass housing industry in Malaysia. The flexZhouse BM revisits the issue of sustainability in the mass housing industry in particular and in the construction industry in general. The flexZhouse BM extends the idea of ‘open building’ and the concept of ‘infill’ for housing. The flexZhouse BM is an innovative BM for the housing industry in Malaysia. Young starters in Malaysia are grappling with the issue of affordable housing and have low literacy in financial investment and management. Ownership is still a popular choice among young people in Malaysia, partly because of the ‘status quo’ among young Malays. The theoretical insights show that housing ownership is especially important for the security of future generations. The study also found that young starters need to be educated about the financial implications and about financial management to better understand the financial complications and to reduce the bankruptcy rate among young Malaysians. Methodological reflections The empirical study was supported by the triangulation of data collected through a design workshop with architects, focus groups and examples from the industry. The qualitative approach combined both deductive and inductive codes that helped to shape the research and achieve the objectives of the research, namely to develop a new flexZhouse BM that would solve the problems associated with, for example, housing flexibility, housing affordability and housing quality in order to provide alternatives to the current affordable housing in Malaysia. The primary goal was achieved by deriving problems from the literature and formulating the answers to the research questions through BM components. The secondary objective was to use realism epistemology as a conceptual lens to help interpret the real meaning of why the problems exist and why a solution is needed. A member’s verification procedure for the focus groups data was made easy by applying ARC (ask, record, confirm) technique to validate the data from the focus groups in real time. In this research, the transcription process was facilitated by the Post-it note intervention. The Post-it note intervention helped summarize the transcription text and answered questions related to the study. Furthermore, this step also takes into account several emerging codes derived from focus group sessions. In the appendices, an audit trail is provided. It describes in detail the basic procedures that were used, such as the data collection strategy and the data analysis approach. An audit trail helps to enhance the methodological trustworthiness of research. Generalization was not the objective of this research. In the conclusions, a new theoretical insight was presented in the findings chapter. Its purpose is to indicate a new direction for the country’s affordable housing projects and to provide potential solutions to the current problems. The new ideas need to be tested in future studies. The flexZhouse BM combines innovative leasing with elements of the circular economy as part of the strategy to provide affordable housing to the customer. The research contributes to the scientific community by combining the idea of industrialized housing production with innovative leasing inspired by circular economy principles. This thesis is the first study to suggest integrating flexible housing with the circular economy. It therefore fills a gap in the knowledge about industrialized housing and industrialized building (IB) industry. The research, which pursued the identified problems by developing a new BM, will benefit the government of Malaysia, as it formulated a solution for affordable housing schemes and created an alternative BM for the housing industry

flexZhouse: New business model for affordable housing in Malaysia

Central to this PhD research was the problem of the lack of affordable housing for young starters in Malaysia. The solutions for affordable housing that are available in the market do not truly solve the problem from the customer’s point of view. Hence, it was important to analyse the contributing factors associated with the term ‘affordability’. The term touches upon interconnected elements that cover many issues ranging from demand (housing needs, demographics, household income, quality housing) to supply (the authorities’ requirements, design, cost, sustainability and procurement). In this thesis, we discuss some of the problems related to the supply and demand issues and examine a possible intervention to solve the problem. This research contributed to the body of knowledge by employing a prescriptive strategy and designing an innovative flexZhouse business model (BM), and by applying an in-depth strategy that revealed why the problem exists and why there is still no appropriate solution. The result provides a description of the situation that young starters find themselves in, the reactions of the industry’s key players and the policies that hamper innovation in the housing market. Methodology We applied the model of ‘design sciences’ as described by Van Aken (2004). The strategy first helped us to understand the problem (the issues related to the term ‘affordable housing’); the next step was to prescribe solutions for the practice by formulating the draft flexZhouse business model (BM). The mission of this research was to further develop knowledge for the design and understanding the problems that is, to provide alternative solutions to the affordable housing demands in the housing industry in Malaysia. We used the term ‘design research’ from Van Aken (2004) because the ultimate objective of studies in this category is to acquire a knowledge of how to develop solutions to problems in the real world (i.e. the new business model (BM) for affordable housing in Malaysia). The research was guided by the main research question ‘How can the flexZhouse BM provide a solution to the inflexibility, high prices and poor quality of newly built housing in Malaysia?’ The three main deductive codes were established as a priori codes derived from literature and constructed as the primary coding of design, finance and production. The three main problems were identified, namely inflexibility in design choices, high housing prices and poor housing quality. The focus of the research was established as the need for customization through design flexibility, the financial affordability and the housing quality in the production. Towards the end, several emerging codes were derived, those are; technical & technology, housing as an investment, housing ownership, accessibility, authority related matters and cultural and market acceptance. Findings The draft flexZhouse BM, which was established by a conceptual framework derived from a literature review, proved to be useful for both theoretical understanding and the practical application of the preliminary idea of the flexZhouse. The draft flexZhouse BM makes use of an innovative leasing approach inspired by the concept of the circular economy to make the flexZhouse affordable for young starters. A series of focus groups and other data sources showed that the need for housing customization is high and widely acknowledged by the target group. However, we found that private developers are not ready for innovation and are likely to resist such change, also because they need a more concrete proof of concept before accepting it. Their reaction is partly caused by their resistance to change from the conventional method to a new system, and is partly a result of their caution in the face of a high degree of uncertainty. It also shows that the concept, which is still at the early stage, needs to be tested in the market before they will accept the new idea. Nevertheless, a positive reaction was received from the government sectors dealing with housing, which appear to be more open to new ideas to help the market to provide more affordable housing for the middle-income group. Conclusions The formulation of the final draft of flexZhouse led to the following conclusions: The flexZhouse BM provides a better understanding of the needs of and problems faced by young starters looking for their first home in Malaysia. The rejection by private developers of the flexZhouse concept shows their resistance to change, and is also due to the early stage of the flexZhouse BM proposal. The flexZhouse BM creates an alternative solution to affordable housing programmes for the mass housing industry in Malaysia. The flexZhouse BM revisits the issue of sustainability in the mass housing industry in particular and in the construction industry in general. The flexZhouse BM extends the idea of ‘open building’ and the concept of ‘infill’ for housing. The flexZhouse BM is an innovative BM for the housing industry in Malaysia. Young starters in Malaysia are grappling with the issue of affordable housing and have low literacy in financial investment and management. Ownership is still a popular choice among young people in Malaysia, partly because of the ‘status quo’ among young Malays. The theoretical insights show that housing ownership is especially important for the security of future generations. The study also found that young starters need to be educated about the financial implications and about financial management to better understand the financial complications and to reduce the bankruptcy rate among young Malaysians. Methodological reflections The empirical study was supported by the triangulation of data collected through a design workshop with architects, focus groups and examples from the industry. The qualitative approach combined both deductive and inductive codes that helped to shape the research and achieve the objectives of the research, namely to develop a new flexZhouse BM that would solve the problems associated with, for example, housing flexibility, housing affordability and housing quality in order to provide alternatives to the current affordable housing in Malaysia. The primary goal was achieved by deriving problems from the literature and formulating the answers to the research questions through BM components. The secondary objective was to use realism epistemology as a conceptual lens to help interpret the real meaning of why the problems exist and why a solution is needed. A member’s verification procedure for the focus groups data was made easy by applying ARC (ask, record, confirm) technique to validate the data from the focus groups in real time. In this research, the transcription process was facilitated by the Post-it note intervention. The Post-it note intervention helped summarize the transcription text and answered questions related to the study. Furthermore, this step also takes into account several emerging codes derived from focus group sessions. In the appendices, an audit trail is provided. It describes in detail the basic procedures that were used, such as the data collection strategy and the data analysis approach. An audit trail helps to enhance the methodological trustworthiness of research. Generalization was not the objective of this research. In the conclusions, a new theoretical insight was presented in the findings chapter. Its purpose is to indicate a new direction for the country’s affordable housing projects and to provide potential solutions to the current problems. The new ideas need to be tested in future studies. The flexZhouse BM combines innovative leasing with elements of the circular economy as part of the strategy to provide affordable housing to the customer. The research contributes to the scientific community by combining the idea of industrialized housing production with innovative leasing inspired by circular economy principles. This thesis is the first study to suggest integrating flexible housing with the circular economy. It therefore fills a gap in the knowledge about industrialized housing and industrialized building (IB) industry. The research, which pursued the identified problems by developing a new BM, will benefit the government of Malaysia, as it formulated a solution for affordable housing schemes and created an alternative BM for the housing industry

Introducing the ARC technique (ask, record and confirm) for focus groups to validate qualitative data on a new business model for affordable housing in Malaysia

The ARC technique (ask, record and confirm) is introduced to perform validation and member verification procedures for focus-group data in real-time. During the focus-group sessions, response keywords were initially recorded on Post-it notes and were then pasted as a category onto an A1-sized sheet of paper. To illustrate the nature of the ARC technique, several steps were taken during the focus group and post-focus groups using this method to gauge feedback on the proposed business model (BM) of affordable housing. Next, the retrieved information was transferred into ATLAS.ti 7 for coding analysis and to generate meaning from the transcription. This paper is concluded with a discussion concerning the advantages and disadvantages of using the ARC technique for future studies

The recent trends on prefabricated buildings with circular economy CE approach

In some countries, prefabricated or industrialized building systems (IBS) have often been described as potential solutions in the sustainable construction process, moreover with the integration with a circular economy. Despite the increasing number of publications on prefabricated buildings and the circular economy in the construction industry, there is an absence of research that discusses prefabricated buildings with the integration of circular economy (CE) and the future direction of this strategy. Therefore, this article will review the current literature on prefabricated building with a CE approach, and map the future trends of prefabricated building with circular economy (CE). A list of keywords (circular and prefabricated economy) related to the scope of this research was identified. In the second step, the keyword for studies in Scopus, WoS and Mendeley were searched, and a total of 36 papers were reviewed. A themed review was carried out, where five final themes were identified: assessment; building materials; technology; framework, and business model. The results suggest a new framework of research trends in the prefabricated buildings with a CE approach in the industry. This study will benefit future re- searchers that focus on prefabricated buildings with a CE approach

BIM requirements across a construction project lifecycle: a PRISMA-compliant systematic review and meta-analysis

Building information modelling (BIM) has been progressively adopted within the architecture, engineering, construction, and operation (AECO) industries across the globe. The main goals behind the BIM adoption are to save procurement costs, reduce greenhouse emissions, and improve the productivity of the AECO industry. However, these goals are still difficult to be achieved due to the ambiguity of BIM requirements across a construction project lifecycle. Therefore, in such a situation, there is a need to increase understanding among the AECO industry players on the requirements of BIM implementation in order for them to fully grasp the benefits of BIM. This article sets out to redefine the required components of BIM requirements for a successful implementation of BIM across a construction project lifecycle. A systematic review was guided by the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses) method in evaluating relevant published studies. The study systematically derived 39 papers covering the various aspects of BIM requirements across a construction project lifecycle. The initial findings highlighted that the required components of BIM requirements predominantly reside within policy, process, technology, environment, and people interlocking themes. These five themes further produced a total of 41 subthemes. The findings then led to the development of a BIM requirements’ process map across a construction project lifecycle. This study contributes to the body of knowledge by extending the required components of BIM requirements across a construction project lifecycle. This study also provides some valuable insights for AECO industry players across the globe on the full benefits of BIM

Identifying economical and sustainable elements in enhancing the BTS (build then sell) concept for Malaysia housing development

The awaited anticipation of home ownership by the middle-income group in Malaysia has been marred by the stigma of abandoned housing developments. Abandoned projects are known to cause environmental degradation since most project sites are stripped of their green covers that cause speedier surface water runoffs into drains and streams. Those projects are becoming significant and are further negating the image of the construction industry in the country. The latest solution that was proposed to overcome this problem is the implementation of the Built then Sell (BTS) concept, which was launched by the Prime Minister in 2004. However, the proposal seems not well received by many developers, including the Real Estate and Housing Developers’ Association (REHDA). The purpose of this paper is to develop a theoretical model on how we could address the problem of abandoned housing projects. Through literature survey, we intend to identify key elements in understanding the phenomenon and develop some theoretical point of departures for alleviating this problem through creative financial modeling. We are proposing the inclusion of sustainable elements into the financial model that we believe could provide incentives to housing developers and other stakeholders involved. The paper will compare and analyze existing BTS concepts from the Australia and other country. It will extract the key components and reasoning behind their inclusions so that we can make informed recommendations for BTS implementation in the Malaysian context. The analysis will then guide us in recommending key construct for further integration with the Malaysian Agenda 21 policy. This paper contributes towards the development of a financial model for developing affordable quality housing in Malaysia

Identifying economical and sustainable elements in enhancing the BTS (build then sell) concept for Malaysia housing development

The awaited anticipation of home ownership by the middle-income group in Malaysia has been marred by the stigma of abandoned housing developments. Abandoned projects are known to cause environmental degradation since most project sites are stripped of their green covers that cause speedier surface water runoffs into drains and streams. Those projects are becoming significant and are further negating the image of the construction industry in the country. The latest solution that was proposed to overcome this problem is the implementation of the Built then Sell (BTS) concept, which was launched by the Prime Minister in 2004. However, the proposal seems not well received by many developers, including the Real Estate and Housing Developers’ Association (REHDA). The purpose of this paper is to develop a theoretical model on how we could address the problem of abandoned housing projects. Through literature survey, we intend to identify key elements in understanding the phenomenon and develop some theoretical point of departures for alleviating this problem through creative financial modeling. We are proposing the inclusion of sustainable elements into the financial model that we believe could provide incentives to housing developers and other stakeholders involved. The paper will compare and analyze existing BTS concepts from the Australia and other country. It will extract the key components and reasoning behind their inclusions so that we can make informed recommendations for BTS implementation in the Malaysian context. The analysis will then guide us in recommending key construct for further integration with the Malaysian Agenda 21 policy. This paper contributes towards the development of a financial model for developing affordable quality housing in Malaysia

Risk Management Challenges in Malaysia’s Landscape Architecture Project

This study aims to review current risk management challenges in Malaysia landscape architecture projects. This subject found to be lacking and yet essential to strategies for effective application. The data collection conducted through a semi-structured interview with twenty-four landscape architect professional based in the Klang Valley region. Then analysed using content and thematic analysis method. The research found that multiple challenges factor permits effective risk management application in the project. The study suggests for an extensive strategy to risk management application into the project to be formulated in enabling effective management of risk to improve project performances. Keywords: managing risk; risk management; risk challenges; landscape architecture project. eISSN: 2398-4287© 2020. The Authors. Published for AMER ABRA cE-Bs by e-International Publishing House, Ltd., UK. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). Peer-review under responsibility of AMER (Association of Malaysian Environment-Behaviour Researchers), ABRA (Association of Behavioural Researchers on Asians) and cE-Bs (Centre for Environment-Behaviour Studies), Faculty of Architecture, Planning & Surveying, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia. DOI: https://doi.org/10.21834/ebpj.v5i14.216

Constructs influencing disputes in building information modelling construction projects: a thematic literature review

Building Information Modelling (BIM) is a process commonly practiced among engineering, architecture, and construction professionals in the operation of construction projects. While previous researches revealed that disputes often arise due to difficulties in implementing BIM, mainly due to critical BIM readiness issues, there is negligible literature or research readily available that discusses constructs that influence disputes in BIM construction projects. The scarce number of publications in this area of study has encouraged many researchers to explore more on handling and preventing disputes during the initial phase of building works. Accordingly, this study focuses on specific rules and regulations that typically influence disputes in BIM construction projects between 2011 and 2020 using Atlas.ti 8. To achieve this purpose, a number of research studies and papers were then reviewed by undertaking a thematic literature review. The researchers filtered the information obtained examining SCOPUS, Web of Science, and Mendeley databases, in which 92 scholarly journal articles were identified. The final process involving inclusion and exclusion criteria were then carried out and finally selected 20 articles for study review. The researchers have identified five initial codes that are commonly used in characterizing the constructs that resulted to disputes in construction projects involving the BIM process. These constructs were then grouped into four clusters: legal, organization, process, and technology. As a result, the pattern obtained from the thematic review highlighted several influencing factors that led to disputes. This finding represents a significant contribution to the development of new guidelines to reduce disputes in construction works