The efficacy of using data mining techniques in predicting academic performance of architecture students.

In recent years, there has been a tremendous increase in the number of applicants seeking placement in the undergraduate architecture programme. It is important to identify new intakes who possess the capability to succeed during the selection phase of admission at universities. Admission variable (i.e. prior academic achievement) is one of the most important criteria considered during selection process. The present study investigates the efficacy of using data mining techniques to predict academic performance of architecture student based on information contained in prior academic achievement. The input variables, i.e. prior academic achievement, were extracted from students' academic records. Logistic regression and support vector machine (SVM) are the data mining techniques adopted in this study. The collected data was divided into two parts. The first part was used for training the model, while the other part was used to evaluate the predictive accuracy of the developed models. The results revealed that SVM model outperformed the logistic regression model in terms of accuracy. Taken together, it is evident that prior academic achievement are good predictors of academic performance of architecture students. Although the factors affecting academic performance of students are numerous, the present study focuses on the effect of prior academic achievement on academic performance of architecture students. The developed SVM model can be used a decision-making tool for selecting new intakes into the architecture program at Nigerian universities

Educational building conditions and the health of users

In order to maintain a healthy learning environment, diagnosis and management of defects in the educational facility are paramount. The preliminary results of the ongoing research reported here seek to identify defects associated with educational buildings and their effects on the health of polytechnic students and staff in Nigeria. A questionnaire survey, including 34 defects based on a post-occupancy evaluation (POE) was used to establish relationships with the health of polytechnic students and staff. Two hundred (200) respondents were randomly selected based on their schools (faculty) within Lagos State Polytechnic. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used for analysis of the collected data. The results of the study indicate that defects such as plumbing and dampness problems, cobwebs and dust, are prominent in the institution. Also the relationship between building conditions (defects) and health problems was established, with the predictors of the health problems. Based on the findings, it is important for designers and managers of facilities within tertiary institutions to develop and implement design and maintenance policies targeted at minimizing the likelihood of plumbing, dampness, electrical, cobweb and dust problems in educational buildings due to the health risks induced by the defects. It is evident that effective maintenance schedules and policies should be put in place to ensure that facilities are not left to decay before replacement

Lean-Offsite-Simulation nexus for housing construction: A state-of-the-art review of the existing knowledge

This is an accepted manuscript of an article published by Emerald in Construction Innovation on 17/06/2022, available online: https://doi.org/10.1108/CI-03-2022-0051 The accepted version of the publication may differ from the final published version.Purpose The purpose of this current study is to present an overview of the existing knowledge on the combined application of lean, off-site and simulation (LOS) in housing delivery. Design/methodology/approach: A systematic literature review approach was adopted. Based on a comprehensive search using SCOPUS, Web of Science (WoS) and the International Group for Lean Construction (IGLC) databases, 66 relevant journal articles were identified and analysed. Findings: The study found that the most significant impact of the combined application lean, off-site and simulation in housing delivery are; the capacity to visualise the production processes as a whole in real-time, exposure and removal of non-value adding activities from the production and faster delivery. However, the combined application of LOS is low compared to a single application of each technique in housing delivery. Practical Implication: The results provide relevant stakeholders and actors in the housing sector (private and public housing developers, off-site housing manufacturers and constructors, housing associations, and government housing agencies, among others) with the information needed to improve the outcomes of housing delivery through the application of LOS. Originality/Value: This study contributes to the ongoing debate on addressing the global housing shortage by presenting an integrated overview of the existing knowledge on the impact of the nexus of LOS and providing compelling evidence for it usage in housing delivery. It also demonstrates how the combined application of LOS supports the achievement of the flow and value view in the TFV model, which was not previously reported

Property Rental Value Classification Model: A Case of Osogbo, Osun State, Nigeria

Residential property rental value forecasting has an impact on property investment decision. This necessitates the need for a study to forecast residential property rental value considering all associated variables including presence of cultural sites in the study area. Data for the study were gathered from the record of recent lettings in the study area. For the purpose of precision, this study adopted three artificial intelligence models. These are artificial neural network, logistic regression and support vector machine as models of classifying the rental value of residential property in Osogbo. The study considered relevant input variables among which are distance to cultural site, age of building, state of exterior/interior of building. Findings from the study revealed that the three adopted forecasting models had over 80% of the forecasted properties correctly classified thus making the residential property rental forecasting very reliable. Also, it was established that, in the study area, distance from cultural site is the property attribute with the highest negative impact on rental value

Apprenticeship for craftspeople in the construction industry: a state-of-the-art review

Purpose: Apprenticeship programmes are designed to provide young trainees with essential broad-based skills. Through apprenticeships, different sectors that are underpopulated can fill up their skills gaps. Apprenticeships are particularly useful to the construction sector which has a high ageing workforce and associated lower labour productivity. However, the completion rates of apprenticeship training programmes in the construction sector remain low in several countries across the globe. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to review the published research on apprenticeship training that is specifically focused on the construction sector, to determine the current status quo and suggest a direction for future research. Design/methodology/approach: A systematic review approach was adopted. Based on a comprehensive search using SCOPUS databases, 33 relevant journal articles were identified and analysed. Findings: It was found that monitoring and control is the most mentioned factor responsible for improvements in the completion rates of apprenticeship training. In contrast, the length of time required for going through the full training is the most common factor responsible for low completion rates. Three research gaps were identified, among which is the dearth of studies that has focused on apprentices training in developing countries. Research limitations/implications: The gaps identified in the current knowledge on apprenticeship training would serve as a justification for future investigations. However, the scope of the review is limited to papers published in academic journals and citable through SCOPUS. Practical implications: The outcomes of the study provide researchers and other relevant stakeholders with a concise report on the findings of previous studies. It also provides insight into strategies for improving the completion rates of apprenticeship training in the construction sector. Originality/value: A systematic evaluation of the extant literature draws on theoretical evidence and highlights the factors that are more likely to influence the outcomes of apprentice training for craftspeople in the construction sector

Comparing univariate techniques for tender price index forecasting: Box-Jenkins and neural network model

The poor performance of projects is a recurring event in the construction sector. Information gleaned from literature shows that uncertainty in project cost is one of the significant causes of this problem. Reliable forecast of construction cost is useful in mitigating the adverse effect of its fluctuation, however the availability of data for the development of multivariate models for construction cost forecasting remains a challenge. The study seeks to investigate the reliability of using univariate models for tender price index forecasting. Box-Jenkins and neural network are the modelling techniques applied in this study. The results show that the neural network model outperforms the Box- Jenkins model, in terms of accuracy. In addition, the neural network model provides a reliable forecast of tender price index over a period of 12 quarters ahead. The limitations of using the univariate models are elaborated. The developed neural network model can be used by stakeholders as a tool for predicting the movements in tender price index. In addition, the univariate models developed in the present study are particularly useful in countries where limited data reduces the possibility of applying multivariate models.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Do job advertisements promote gender inequality in the construction sector?

Paper presented at International Conference for Sustainable Ecological Engineering Design for Society (SEEDS)International Conference for Sustainable Ecological Engineering Design for Society (SEEDS), Bristol UWE University, 31 August - 1 Sept 2022.The poor performance of construction projects remains a topical issue in the academic field of construction management. Across the globe, statistical data indicates that the construction sector is male dominated. The observed inequality is linked to conflicts, which is one of the main reasons for the poor performance of construction projects. The current study aims to explore the differences between job adverts for male [construction manager] and female [social worker] dominated sectors of the economy by comparing word usage. Text mining was used to unearth the differences in the content of the job advertisements for these two roles. The findings indicate that masculine words [such as leader] are the most commonly used words in the job adverts for construction manager roles. The findings suggest that the content of job adverts seem to promote gender stereotypes associated with employment in the construction sector. Such gender cues may contribute to the gender differences in the construction workforce. Taken together, these findings suggest that there is a need to embed gender-neutral words in job adverts placed by construction sector

Exploring offsite construction for the construction sector: a literature review

This is an accepted manuscript of an article published by IGLC in the Proceedings of the 31st Annual Conference of the International Group for Lean Construction, Lille, France, 26th June -2nd Jul 2023, available online: https://doi.org/10.24928/2023/0132 The accepted version of the publication may differ from the final published version.The construction sector is one of the largest producers of Gross Domestic Product globally and yet has shown little innovation in the last 20 years. Offsite has been touted as cheaper, faster, higher in quality and more environmentally friendly than onsite construction. The purpose of this paper is to review the current research into offsite construction and determine the barriers to adoption and benefits facing offsite construction. A systematic literature review was undertaken to gather relevant knowledge surrounding the subject matter using a database search of Scopus. It was found that knowledge was the largest barrier to adoption and that transcended multiple stakeholders, from the selection of the appropriate delivery methodology, how to design for optimized fabrication and finally how to interface with the onsite requirements. The benefits are a higher build quality, shorter project duration as both site work and fabrication occur at the same time, improved safety, and less material wastage. The Barriers come from design freezes earlier in the process and inflexible design for customization later in the build

Towards closing the housing gap in the UK : exploration of the influencing factors and the way forward

Purpose. Housing provides constructed space for human activities. Literature indicates that housing impacts wealth, education attainment and health outcomes, among others. Because of its contributions to society, it is essential to develop and implement strategies that address the housing shortage experienced in most cities across the globe. This study aims to unpack the factors affecting housing production in the UK and chart the way forward. Design/methodology/approach. In addressing this study's aim, an interprivitst approach was adopted and semi-structured interviews were conducted with 18 experienced professionals. Data were collected across the four nations of the UK (England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland). Findings. The results indicated that the opportunistic behaviour of stakeholders is one of the main factors affecting housing production in the study area. Also, modern construction methods, collaborative practices, government intervention and affordable housing schemes were identified as key strategies for addressing housing production factors. Practical implications. This study identified strategies for mitigating housing production issues that provide a focal point to all stakeholders keen on filling the housing shortage gap and improving productivity to channel their resources and effort accordingly. Originality/value. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is one of the first to empirically analyse the influencing factors on the housing gap in the UK from the perspective of the supply side to provide information that could lead towards closing the said gap