Through-Life Management of Built Facilities: Towards a Framework for Analysis

Although built facilities are required to cater to changing requirements over time, effective through life management is absent as an in-process activity from most large scale procurements. Through a review of key literature, several approaches which address aspects relevant to through-life management are discussed, and an attempt is made to create a unified view framework of understanding of what constitutes through-life management. Furthermore, an initial diagnostic style checklist is provided as a way of identifying the absence of through-life managemen

Position paper on theory in through life management

The objective of this position paper is to review, from a theoretical point of view, the practice of and research on through life management. It is argued that the rationale of TLM is elusive and its theoretical basis insufficient. Regarding information systems for through life management, an approach based on ethnomethodology is provided. Regarding learning from use, the embedded nature of effective learning is discussed. Regarding governance and management, the common denial to acknowledge production as a fundamental ingredient in TLM is considered. It is concluded that through life management is an under theorized domain, and further progress requires increased research efforts

SPICE 3: Facilitating organisational process improvement through good practice sharing

This paper describes the latest iteration of the SPICE research. SPICE 3 explains the process maturity framework to address the level III of the SPICE model. Building upon the developments of level II, SPICE 3 advocates establishment of a process improvement infrastructure to facilitate good practice sharing in construction organisations. To achieve SPICE level III process maturity, organisations should posses four key processes and five process enablers. The model developed helped the case study organisations to identify their process strengths and also areas requiring improvement

Promotion of Diffusion of Innovation: A Study of BIM Adoption in Construction Industries

With well-known benefits, Building Information Modelling (BIM) is yet to diffuse widely in global construction. Diverse knowledge of BIM adoption from different perspectives has made synthesizing a challenge when devising strategies to promote BIM diffusion. Subjectivity of BIM adoption decision also restricts the generalized strategies. Addressing these problems, the study aims to develop a framework that can be used to efficiently study a context of decision to adopt BIM and inform change agents to help devising appropriate strategies for its diffusion. A Systematic Literature Review is used to develop an affordance-based review framework for BIM adoption decision. The framework is validated by mapping findings from one of the most cited BIM adoption studies to the framework

Procurers, Providers and Users (PPU): towards a meta-role model for conceptualising product-service in the built environment

The product-service paradigm requires a shift in focus for many engineering disciplines, forcing them to change from providing products to providing products and associated services. Such a shift is likely to present several challenges to the built environment due to its inherent organisational fragmentations and through-life discontinuities. This paper presents a preliminary conceptualisation of the product-service paradigm as seen from a built environment perspective. The proposed PPU model represents the meta-roles and the information flows, considered as key to sustaining the product-service concept within the built environment

Addressing the construction labour market skills mismatch through lifelong learning in higher education institutions

The mismatch between graduate skills and labour market skills requirements has been identified as one of the main factors behind graduate unemployment and employer dissatisfaction, particularly in the Built Environment sector. Higher Education Institutes (HEIs), despite being a body for knowledge creation and sharing, do not seem to adequately address this mismatch. Built Environment Lifelong Learning Challenging University Responses to Vocational Education (BELLCURVE) collaborative research project aims to identify the ways to reform the HEIs in order to make them more responsive to the labour market skills requirements and in turn to reduce the mismatch. This conceptual paper discusses the changing nature of the construction labour market skills requirements. The conceptual framework governing the research project and the research methodology are presented. The role of BE professionals in addressing such requirements are also discussed giving particular focus on professionals attached to disaster management and quantity surveying sectors. Disaster management (context base sector) and quantity surveying (trade base sector) have been identified by the project as two specific sectors to be focused in promoting the lifelong learning due to the constantly changing knowledge and skill base of these sectors. The responsiveness of HEIs to minimise the mismatch and to support the lifelong learning through governance reform is explained

Reforming HEIs for through-life sustainability of construction professionals

BELLCURVE research project aims to promote the concept of ‘lifelong university’ in modernising Higher Education Institutes to be more responsive to labour market skills needs by continuously improving the skills and knowledge of the construction professionals. This paper briefly explains improving such responsiveness of HEIs through governance reform. Initial conceptual framework and the research methodology are illustrated. In responding to labour market skills requirements, the need for sector and context specific skills and knowledge to the construction professionals is emphasised. Lifelong learning on Disaster Management and Quantity Surveying sectors are considered as proposed case study areas

Reforming HEI to improve skills and knowledge on disaster resilience among construction professionals

The built environment is significantly affected by disasters. Firstly, built facilities are expected to withstand such situations. Secondly, the construction industry is expected to play a pivotal role in reconstruction of damaged property & infrastructure. Such responses also call for technological and managerial innovation. Therefore it is important that construction professionals receive continuous skill development to respond to disaster situations and to a disaster resilient built environment. BELLCURVE research project aims to promote the concept of ‘lifelong university’ in modernising Higher Education Institutes (HEI) to be more responsive to labour market skills needs. BELLCURVE focuses on the role HEIs play in continuous improvement of the skills and knowledge on disaster resilience among the construction professionals. In this paper an overview of the role of built environment professionals in the context of disaster is presented, and the related demand and supply side issues are discussed. The need to improve responsiveness of HEIs through modernisation of higher education to improve the quality and efficiency of education and training is further explained. Initial conceptual framework of the research is presented. Literature reviewed identified peculiarities of post-disaster reconstruction, justifying the need to provide sector and context specific skills and knowledge to the construction professional. The review also cover issues associated with education and training from HEIs to the construction professional, and also focus on integrating the construction labour market skills needs to the modernisation agenda of the HEIs. In this regard, modernisation of HEI through governance reform is highlighted. Disaster resilience is considered as a test case. The initial conceptual model with the methodology adopted to develop, refine and test the model is also briefed. This paper is expected to stimulate debate as well as be a supportive resource to towards improving skills and knowledge on disaster resilience among construction professionals