Application of Generalized Choquet Fuzzy Integral Method in the Sustainability Rating of Green Buildings based on the BSAM scheme

The need to reduce the impact of building projects on the sustainability of the built environment and improve the use of resources necessitated several interventions such as the development of methods to assess building impacts and improve the sustainability performance of buildings. Using the BSAM scheme – a green building rating system developed specifically for the sub-Saharan region of Africa, the generalized Choquet fuzzy integral method was employed to determine the importance weights of the sustainability assessment criteria. Data collected from industry experts form the base inputs for the impact of the various sustainability criteria based on the local variations. Consequently, the building sustainability evaluation index and grading scheme were developed to measure and evaluate the sustainability performance of buildings. The developed sustainability rating model was validated in four real-world case studies to demonstrate its usefulness and robustness in practice. The findings revealed that the conventional approach of aggregation of points used by the existing green rating tools is less effective in dealing with criteria that have interactive characteristics. Also, assessment criteria such as sustainable construction practices, transportation, and energy have a significant impact on the sustainability of buildings. The study provides substantial contributions to the existing body of knowledge about green building assessment systems for built environment stakeholders, both from the theoretical and practical perspectives

Development of a Benchmarking Model for BIM Implementation in Developing Countries

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore building information modeling (BIM) implementation and practices in developed economies by developing a benchmarking model that will enhance BIM adoption and implementation in developing countries.Design/methodology/approachThe research design adopted a qualitative approach which includes the desktop review of the extant literature as well as case study reviews of ten BIM projects using an explanatory case study technique to form the foundation upon which the study proposed the model. The moving basis heuristics technique was adopted to develop the scoring system.FindingsThe BIM benchmarking model and assessment template were developed which consisted of three-level concepts modeled to aid project organizations and project team in developing countries to assess and score the level of improvement and implementation of BIM in a project. A desktop review of BIM projects in developed countries demonstrated the significant improvements and benefits possible through the implementation of the established BIM benchmarking model.Practical implicationsThe assessment template in conjunction with the benchmarking model is useful for a comparative evaluation of similar BIM projects and benchmarking purposes. The study also discussed how current findings extends and contradicts previous findings.Originality/valueThe findings have provided policymakers, construction stakeholders and professional bodies in the construction industry in developing countries with valuable insights and counter-intuitive perspective that could facilitate the uptake of BIM in construction projects

Building Information Modelling and Project Information Management Framework for Construction Projects

The study aims to develop an effective BIM-project information management framework (BIM-PIMF) and associated assessment model for construction projects with a view to enhancing the functional management of project information. An explanatory case study technique and case study evidence from four BIM construction projects form the study’s research design. The study identified and established the three sub-criteria of the BIM-PIMF model which are the BIM process level factors, BIM product level factors, and the key indicators for a successful BIM deployment on construction project sites. These criterias were semantically linked to the development of the BIM-PIMF framework on a fivepoint metric scale. The deliverables of this study include the development of the BIM-PIMF framework, together with its analytical scoring system. The findings of the study will improve the information channels of and ease the integration of technological innovations in construction processes while improving the technical competencies of project staff. The study highlighted a basket of effective recommendations and strategies to enhance the deployment of BIM throughout a project lifecycle. Policymakers and government departments can utilize the model in assessing the level of usage of BIM in a construction project as one of the useful measures in gauging which construction firms to be provided subsidies

An empirical survey of the perceived benefits of executing BIM and sustainability practices in the built environment

PurposeThe increasing urbanization of the built environment has bolstered the need to promote green Building Information Modeling (BIM) initiative in new construction projects and the rehabilitation of old premises. This study aims to explore and examine the key benefits of the implementation of BIM and sustainability practices in the built environment.Design/methodology/approachThe study gathered the worldwide perceptions of 220 survey participants from 21 countries which were analyzed using descriptive and inferential analytical methods. The identified individual benefits of green BIM were further categorized into their underlying clusters using factor analysis.FindingsThe key benefits are related to enhancing project efficiency and productivity, ensuring real-time sustainable design and multi-design alternatives, facilitating the selection of sustainable materials and components, together with reducing material wastage and project’s environmental impact, among others. The study analyzed and compared the perceptions of the diverse groups of the respondents as well.Practical implicationsEffective blueprints and insightful recommendations for enhancing the various stakeholders’ capacities to implement green BIM in their construction projects were put forward to achieve the aim of sustainable smart urbanization.Originality/valueThe study identified salient benefits of the adoption of BIM and sustainability practices. The proper integration of these concepts and the execution of the recommended useful strategies by construction stakeholders, policymakers and local authorities will enable the built environment to reap the gains of its implementation

Concomitant Impediments to the implementation of Smart Sustainable Practices in the Built Environment

The paper examines the major barriers to the application of smart tools to enhance the implementation of sustainability practices in the built environment. The study collated 38 types of impediments from a comprehensive desktop review of the literature, and the data collected were further subjected to expert review via the use of empirical questionnaire surveys. The perceptions of 220 professional respondents from 21 countries were collated via the surveys for statistical analysis and classification purposes. The study findings revealed the significant impediments as related to inadequate knowledge and skills, the current market structure and inherent resistance to change in the built environment, and organizational challenges, among others. A comparative analysis of the perceptions of the diverse groups of survey participants was conducted and discussed. The adoption of the survey findings is envisaged to help the built environment in minimizing the impact of these barriers and can serve as a policy instrument and useful guidelines for government agencies, stakeholders, and others towards ensuring BIM can be used to deliver the full potential of sustainability practices in the construction industry. The study has provided effective practical strategies and recommendations for enhancing the implementation of smart sustainability practices in the built environment

Evolution in the Intellectual Structure of BIM Research: A Bibliometric Analysis

Building Information Modelling (BIM) processes have continued to gain relevance in the Architectural, En- gineering, and Construction (AEC) industry with more resources directed toward it. This study conducts a bibliometric analysis of 445 BIM articles to investigate and understand the pattern of BIM research which include defining BIM research categories, evaluating the project sectors that are influenced by BIM, and tracking the funding structure of BIM research. A network map that displays a visualization of the structure of BIM literature by research origin, funding structure and geographical scope was designed. None of the previous reviews of literature analyzed the BIM articles’ corpus to such level and depth. The findings revealed research categories such as construction and project management and BIM learning, adoption & practice as the core research areas in BIM and highlighted trending research themes in BIM research. Authors based in Asia and Europe received more research grants than their counterparts in other regions; likewise, two-third of the articles was authored by academics in the United States, Korea, and the United Kingdom. The study provides its readers with relevant research areas that require considerations, and the discussion of selected research areas provides an extensive understanding of salient BIM fields

Perceived benefits of and barriers to Building Information Modelling (BIM) implementation in construction: The case of Hong Kong

BIM has experienced an increasing appeal in its adoption and implementation in the built environment worldwide in recent years. The current research study aims to identify and assess the perceived benefits of and barriers to BIM implementation in the Hong Kong construction industry. The study adopted a quantitative research design using a structured empirical questionnaire survey. Also, a comparative analysis of the perceptions of the respondents’ groupings was conducted. The major barriers to BIM adoption are related to the inherent resistance to change by construction stakeholders, inadequate organizational support and structure to execute BIM, and lack of BIM industry standards in Hong Kong. Meanwhile, the key benefits include better cost estimation and control, efficient construction planning and management, and improvement in design and project quality. Practical and insightful recommendations were suggested for policymakers, local authorities, construction firms, and other key stakeholders to increase the uptake of BIM in construction projects as well as to aid them in the quest for full adoption of BIM in the built environment. The practical implications of the research findings were also presented and discussed

Measuring the Gaps in the Projected Image and Perceived Image of Rural Tourism Destinations in China’s Yangtze River Delta

Destination Marketing Organizations (DMOs) at all levels have an ultimate goal of building strong and positive images for their destinations. However, the projected image from the supply side is not necessarily the mirror of the perceived image from the demand side. This study adopted the content analysis method to evaluate the projected image and perceived image of rural destinations in China to see whether there is any discrepancy between and within the two categories. Comparative analysis of different information sources including web contents and on-site visitor interviews were processed. The evaluation of image congruency demonstrates that official websites focus more on cognitive image elements (knowledge and beliefs of the place). Besides promoting attractions, it provides information on geography background and promotes local culture. Business web content promotes attractions, package tour, and activities which can generate revenue. The perceived image includes more sentiment contents: on-site visitors expressed more negative attitude, but social media comments are relatively positive. Keywords: destination image; projected image; perceived image; content analysis; rural touris

Does anticholinergics drug burden relate to global neuro-disability outcome measures and length of hospital stay?

Primary objective: To assess the relationship between disability, length of stay (LOS) and anticholinergic burden (ACB) with people following acquired brain or spinal cord injury. Research design: A retrospective case note review assessed total rehabilitation unit admission. Methods and procedures: Assessment of 52 consecutive patients with acquired brain/spinal injury and neuropathy in an in-patient neuro-rehabilitation unit of a UK university hospital. Data analysed included: Northwick Park Dependency Score (NPDS), Rehabilitation complexity Scale (RCS), Functional Independence Measure and Functional Assessment Measure FIM-FAM (UK version 2.2), LOS and ACB. Outcome was different in RCS, NPDS and FIM-FAM between admission and discharge. Main outcomes and results: A positive change was reported in ACB results in a positive change in NPDS, with no significant effect on FIM-FAM, either Motor or Cognitive, or on the RCS. Change in ACB correlated to the length of hospital stay (regression correlation = −6.64; SE = 3.89). There was a significant harmful impact of increase in ACB score during hospital stay, from low to high ACB on NPDS (OR = 9.65; 95% CI = 1.36–68.64) and FIM-FAM Total scores (OR = 0.03; 95% CI = 0.002–0.35). Conclusions: There was a statistically significant correlation of ACB and neuro-disability measures and LOS amongst this patient cohort

Association of interatrial septal abnormalities with cardiac impulse conduction disorders in adult patients: experience from a tertiary center in Kosovo

Interatrial septal disorders, which include: atrial septal defect, patent foramen ovale and atrial septal aneurysm, are frequent congenital anomalies found in adult patients. Early detection of these anomalies is important to prevent their hemodynamic and/or thromboembolic consequences. The aims of this study were: to assess the association between impulse conduction disorders and anomalies of interatrial septum; to determine the prevalence of different types of interatrial septum abnormalities; to assess anatomic, hemodynamic, and clinical consequences of interatrial septal pathologies. Fifty-three adult patients with impulse conduction disorders and patients without ECG changes but with signs of interatrial septal abnormalities, who were referred to our center for echocardiography, were included in a prospective transesophageal echocardiography study. Interatrial septal anomalies were detected in around 85% of the examined patients. Patent foramen ovale was encountered in 32% of the patients, and in combination with atrial septal aneurysm in an additional 11.3% of cases. Atrial septal aneurysm and atrial septal defect were diagnosed with equal frequency in 20.7% of our study population. Impulse conduction disorders were significantly more suggestive of interatrial septal anomalies than clinical signs and symptoms observed in our patients (84.91% vs 30.19%, P=0.002). Right bundle branch block was the most frequent impulse conduction disorder, found in 41 (77.36%) cases. We conclude that interatrial septal anomalies are highly associated with impulse conduction disorders, particularly with right bundle branch block. Impulse conduction disorders are more indicative of interatrial septal abnormalities in earlier stages than can be understood from the patient’s clinical condition