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Issuance of green bonds (GBs) is valuable for developing countries because it provides a market deepening mechanism, which enables greater liquidity for investments in Renewable Energy (RE) sector. This paper is premised on the outlook for the first GB in Ghana. The study investigates the features of GBs, which investors prioritise as preferential for RE financing (REF). Employing the literature, twelve beneficial features of GBs were identified and formed the based for a questionnaire, which was handed to experts in financial institutions to complete. Data were analysed and ranked with the relative importance index and other statistical tests. The findings illustrated that low-interest rates, similar payback period, economic convenience and transparency issuance are among the top preferential features for feasible green bond rollouts in Ghana. Findings implied that akin to other worldwide cases for renewable energy financing, GBs represent a degree of flexibility, which stems from the homogeneity in their respective features. The study illustrates the specific priorities, which must be considered by potential investors. Resultantly, enabling GBs issuers to develop GB packages that suit the needs of the investment community and ultimately contribute to RE targets' achievement.

The growing global demand for sustainable and environmentally friendly energy has stimulated the rapid adoption of renewable offshore energy. However, infrastructure needed for green energy production ironically impacts upon marine species and biodiversity. Consequently, this positional review paper seeks to comprehensively synthesise the prevailing body of knowledge on the impact of offshore energy development on a broad range of marine species. An interpretivist philosophical stance and inductive reasoning was adopted using scientometric analysis to conduct a rich synthesis of extant literature. From an operational perspective, the Scopus database was utilised to search for key terms on the phenomena under investigation and using the VoS Viewer software for the identification of trends using scientometric maps. The analysis reveals that research in this area of science has increased significantly over the last decade but private sector involvement is conspicuous by its absence. Primary concerns among the research community include the impact of energy development on the abundance of species, pollution and biodiversity behaviour and migration. At present, researchers have extensively focused on the impact of offshore wind farms on fish and marine mammals. However, the literature reveals no significant long-term impact upon energy development on most marine species albeit, short-term interference has raised concerns (from sound, disruption of navigation and foraging patterns, and damage of habitat). To minimise short term disruption, researchers have recommended the use of acoustic deterrence during construction, enforcement of protected areas and continued research.

Purpose Construction companies require meticulous and thorough financial planning to ensure business survival in an increasingly competitive global market. Past studies assert that cash flow management is also crucial to meeting project and organisational performance expectations. However, the link between an advance payment system (APS), cash flow and project performance has hitherto received scant academic attention. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the attributes and impact of APS on cash flow, project and organisational performance. This study surveyed all registered contractors listed in Grades 1–9 on the Construction Industry Development Board Register of Contractors in South Africa. Design/methodology/approach This study adopted an empirical epistemological design and deductive reasoning to analyse primary data collated via a questionnaire data collection instrument. Summary statistical and regression analysis were used to explore data garnered. Findings This study found that key significant attributes of APS in South Africa were payment of balance to the contractor upon project delivery; advance payment to contractors before the commencement of the work; and payment to contractors as agreed. This study proffers that project performance in terms of cost, time and quality performance is highly and positively supported by APS. Moreover, APS positively supports the efficiency, competitiveness and profitability of construction organisations. Cumulatively, these findings confirm that APS attributes in South Africa conforms to the global attributes of APS. The research concludes that client use of APS on projects improves the likelihood of attaining improved quality and time performance. This paper concludes with a recommendation that both public and private clients consider the option of an APS as the ideal payment system to support project and organisational performance. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this work constitutes the first attempt to explore the linkages between an APS, cash flow and project performance in South Africa and seeks to engender wider polemic debate and further discussion among industry stakeholders.

The construction industry accounts for 9% of global GDP. Efforts at addressing construction’s inherent inefficiencies have over the last decade increasingly involved the deployment of web-based collaborative tools. Consequently, much research has been devoted to assessing these platforms; including interoperability, workflow management and technological limits. What has not been considered to date are the views of web-based tool users themselves as to the functionality, potency and usability of the various platforms available on the market. Currently, there are 5,300,000 documented users of web-based collaborative tools. If web-based collaboration is to be further enhanced, the views of users must be known. This study explores this dimension. Financeonline’s top six tools were considered: CoCostruct, PlanGrid, Autodesk BIM 360, Procore, e-builder and Aconex. Around 200 reviews for each tool were collected from ‘Business Software Reviews from Software Advice,’ resulting in a total dataset of 1,152 complete reviews. Text-mining analysis was applied to this dataset, using RapidMiner Studio 7.5. Thirty key terms with a frequency of over 100 occurrences were retrieved; terms such as software, manage, inform, support, easy use, function, track and friendly. These constitute the subject of the reviews. These terms were then analyzed for sentiment qualifiers; either positive or negative. A total of 804 sentiments were positive, 322 negative and 26 neutral. This study thus highlights that while 70% of user reviews of web-based collaborative tools are positive, there remains much room for improvement. Areas for improvement are also indicated by this study.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to introduce the use of critical success factors (CSFs) of stakeholder management as a possible solution to reduce disputes experienced because of legal and regulatory issues in public–private partnership (PPP) projects. Design/methodology/approach This paper’s epistemological positioning adopted positivism and deductive reasoning to investigate the dispute phenomena on PPP projects. A survey strategy was adopted using a structured questionnaire and closed-ended Likert scales to collate primary data. Questionnaires were distributed to South African construction professionals using both purposive and snowballing non-probability sampling techniques. Data was analysed using summary statistical analysis of the CSFs identified from literature. Findings This study revealed that among the 19 CSFs identified, five factors were highlighted that could contribute to the alleviation of disputes between stakeholders in PPP projects, namely, adequate project planning and control; effective leadership; appropriate strategies for the management of stakeholders; confirmation of clear goals and objectives of the project; and effective communication. Originality/value The strength of this study lies in the evaluation and use of CSFs of stakeholder management as a possible solution to minimise or even avoid disputes as a result of legal and regulatory issues in PPP projects. By integrating the CSFs, the legal and contractual misconceptions of the PPP initiative are clarified. Such work represents a novel contribution to procurement practice in South Africa and maybe to other countries internationally who are grappling with similar issues.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the awareness level of smart building technologies (SBTs) among construction professionals in developing countries such as Ghana, and identify the key factors that have the significant capability of influencing the awareness level significantly. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected through questionnaire survey from 227 construction design team and project managers in the Ghanaian construction industry. Descriptive analysis and multivariate analysis using multiple regression were used to analyze the data. Findings Averagely low level of SBTs awareness was observed to exist among professionals in the construction industry of Ghana. The study further revealed “training programs” by organizations and “individual knowledge” as the key factors capable of significantly influencing the level of SBTs awareness in the construction industry of developing countries, particularly Ghana. Practical implications This paper identified training programs by organizations and individual knowledge as the two key factors having significant capability of influencing the SBTs awareness in the construction industry of developing countries such Ghana. The two factors can be incorporated in policymaking process via considerations to help create SBTs awareness, such as encouragement of continuous professional development toward smart building concept in relation to construction sustainability. Originality/value This study conceptualizes from a systematic professional perspective and provides empirical evidence on the key significant factors capable of influencing the awareness of SBTs in the developing countries such as Ghana.

Thousands of airplanes traverse the national airspace every day. Each flight has a unique trajectory in space and time that is typically pre-determined by a flight plan and can be inflexible. With ...

This research first contextualises curriculum development in higher education institutions (HEIs) before focusing specifically on construction management programmes in order to engender wider polemic discourse and new insights into current provisions. The overarching epistemology adopts both interpretivist and pragmatist philosophical stances, couched within inductive reasoning, to critically analyse extant literature as a secondary data source, with each publication representing a unit of analysis. Thematic groupings of research activity are then clustered and interconnections between researchers and research themes are identified using bibliometrics. The findings illustrate that while curriculum development in HEIs has received increasing scrutiny and attention, there is a notable lack of connectivity among the studies conducted. This lack of a cohesive body of knowledge is exacerbated by the prevailing academic notion of ‘individualism and self’ vis-a-vis the ‘collective team’. This leads to an emergent working hypothesis, namely, that bespoke curriculum development occurs within an ‘every person for themselves’ mentality. Cumulatively, these issues reported upon serve to illustrate a fundamental absence of a clear agenda for curriculum development in construction management programmes. In turn, this finding underscores the urgent need for a more prominent collaborative and global community of practice to optimise future educational provisions.

PurposeThe accuracy and reliability of subjectively assessing a construction project's complexity at the pre-construction stage is questionable and relies upon the project manager's tacit experiences, knowledge and background. The purpose of this paper is to develop a scientifically robust analytical approach by presenting a novel classification mechanism for defining the level of project complexity in terms of work contents (WCs), scope, building structures (BSs) and site conditions.Design/methodology/approachEmpiricism is adopted to deductively analyze variables obtained from secondary data within extant literature and primary project data to develop project type classifications. Specifically, and from an operational perspective, a two-stage “waterfall process” was adopted. In stage one, the research identified 56 variables affecting project complexity from literature and utilized a structured questionnaire survey of 100 project managers to measure the relevance of these. A total of 27 variables were revealed to be significant and exploratory factor analysis (EFA) is adopted to cluster these variables into six-factor thematic groups. In stage two, data from 62 real-life projects (including the layout and structural plans) were utilized for computing the factor score using the six-factor groups. Finally, hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) is adopted to classify the projects into collected distinctive groups and each of a similar nature and characteristics.FindingsThe developed theoretical framework (that includes a novel complex index) provides a robust “blueprint platform” for main contractors to compile their project complexity database. The research outputs enable project managers to generate a more accurate picture of complexity at the pre-construction stage.Originality/valueWhile numerous research articles have provided a comprehensive framework to define project complexity, scant empirical works have assessed it at the pre-construction stage or utilized real-life project samples to classify it. This research addresses this knowledge gap within the prevailing body of knowledge.

The decision-making towards the adoption of Smart Building Technologies (SBTs) is not sufficiently informed by pertinent expertise in developing countries such as Ghana, in terms of energy-efficien...

PurposeThis paper aims to examine the current technology acceptance model (TAM) in the field of mixed reality and digital twin (MRDT) and identify key factors affecting users' intentions to use MRDT. The factors are used as a set of key metrics for proposing a predictive model for virtual, augmented and mixed reality (MR) acceptance by users. This model is called the extended TAM for MRDT adoption in the architecture, engineering, construction and operations (AECO) industry.Design/methodology/approachAn interpretivist philosophical lens was adopted to conduct an inductive systematic and bibliographical analysis of secondary data contained within published journal articles that focused upon MRDT acceptance modelling. The preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) approach to meta-analysis were adopted to ensure all key investigations were included in the final database set. Quantity indicators such as path coefficients, factor ranking, Cronbach’s alpha (a) and chi-square (b) test, coupled with content analysis, were used for examining the database constructed. The database included journal papers from 2010 to 2020.FindingsThe extant literature revealed that the most commonly used constructs of the MRDT–TAM included: subjective norm; social influence; perceived ease of use (PEOU); perceived security; perceived enjoyment; satisfaction; perceived usefulness (PU); attitude; and behavioural intention (BI). Using these identified constructs, the general extended TAM for MRDT in the AECO industry is developed. Other important factors such as “perceived immersion” could be added to the obtained model.Research limitations/implicationsThe decision to utilise a new technology is difficult and high risk in the construction project context, due to the complexity of MRDT technologies and dynamic construction environment. The outcome of the decision may affect employee performance, project productivity and on-site safety. The extended acceptance model offers a set of factors that assist managers or practitioners in making effective decisions for utilising any type of MRDT technology.Practical implicationsSeveral constraints are apparent due to the limited investigation of MRDT evaluation matrices and empirical studies. For example, the research only covers technologies which have been reported in the literature, relating to virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), MR, DT and sensors, so newer technologies may not be included. Moreover, the review process could span a longer time period and thus embrace a fuller spectrum of technology development in these different areas.Originality/valueThe research provides a theoretical model for measuring and evaluating MRDT acceptance at the individual level in the AECO context and signposts future research related to MRDT adoption in the AECO industry, as well as providing managerial guidance for progressive AECO professionals who seek to expand their use of MRDT in the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR). A set of key factors affecting MRDT acceptance is identified which will help innovators to improve their technology to achieve a wider acceptance.

Purpose While smart building technologies (SBTs) implementation ensures sustainability, their adoption is hampered by latent barriers, especially in project management processes. These latent barriers must be addressed to facilitate the successful and widespread adoption of SBTs. Therefore, this study aims to explore the significant latent barriers inhibiting the project management processes in adopting SBTs in developing countries. Design/methodology/approach A positivist research philosophy couched within a deductive approach was adopted to undertake a quantitative questionnaire survey of 227 project management and design team participants. Descriptive and inferential analytical tools (including a one sample T-test and exploratory factor analysis) were then adopted to interpret data collected. Findings The results reveal that the “high cost of smart sustainable materials and equipment” is the major significant barrier hindering the adoption of SBTs in developing countries. Latent barriers were: “structure and time-related barriers,” “construction-related barriers” and “human, policy and cost-related barriers”. Originality/value The study contributes novel insights into the prevailing nascent discourse on SBTs from the perspectives of construction project managers and design teams in developing countries, particularly. Furthermore, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study that ascertains the significant barriers inhibiting project management processes in adopting SBTs in developing countries.

PurposeWith the growth of entrepreneurship education adoption in higher education institutions (HEIs), the importance of assessments as a tool to gauge and enhance learning is of utmost importance. The purpose of this paper is to examine the influence and appropriateness of current assessment methods for engineering and technology students in Nigerian and British HEIs.Design/methodology/approachThe study employs a qualitative research method with a case study approach to investigate the impact and suitability of assessment methods currently used within entrepreneurship education in Nigeria and England.FindingsThe results reveal that lecturers across both countries believed that assessment methods currently in use were appropriate, but were not uniform in its influence on learning. However, students were unanimous in that most assessment methods currently used were not effective at enhancing their learning, not very appropriate, and were not a good judge of their work and effort. The results were used in building a framework to understand the importance of assessment methods in entrepreneurship education.Originality/valueIn light of the inadequate literature, this paper covers an acute gap in the field. This will allow policymakers and different interested parties to reassess the development of suitable assessment methods to involve students as key stakeholders.

PurposeThe barriers to integrating sustainable practices into construction project management require extensive resource allocations to resolve. Within developing countries such as Iran (where resources are scarce), remedial strategies adopted must prioritise tackling those barriers that can be expected to yield maximum return on investment. The candidate barriers are many, and this paper aims to identify a hierarchy of barriers, providing a priority list of remedial targets.Design/methodology/approachA mixed philosophical stance of interpretivism and post-positivism is adopted within a deductive approach and survey strategy. A list of 30 known barriers are identified from extant literature and used to formulate a questionnaire data collection instrument administered within the Iranian construction industry. Data collected from 176 practitioners are analysed using the relative importance index and Mann–Whitney U test to compare groups based on the participants' demographic variables.FindingsThe findings challenge the common assumption that items related to market and workforce experience are major inhibitors of change. That is, economics and regulatory dependent barriers have a higher impact on the failure of a shift to sustainable practices in Iran. The most influential barriers to incorporating sustainability in construction projects are: (1) lack of understanding of the potential benefits; (2) insufficient cooperation among practitioners, research institutions and environmental organisations; and (3) a lack of a systematic approach to pursuing sustainability goals. No significant associations are detected between the affiliation of the respondents and their attitude towards the issue. Thus, a generalised approach can be applied to a broader range of organisations and construction projects in Iran.Originality/valueWhile studies on sustainability impediments at the firm or project level are ubiquitous within literature, this research identifies that the most significant barriers to sustainable project management in Iran, as an underexplored context, are those experienced at the economic and institutional level. Moreover, this novel research presents important insights into the potential effects of participants' demographic profiles on their view of the importance of identified barriers.

Purpose Ghana has set an objective of achieving 10% of its energy requirements through renewable sources, by 2020. However, to date, the renewable energy (RE) sector has attracted only marginal investor interest. This paper aims to identify the challenges faced in financing RE in Ghana. Design/methodology/approach A comprehensive review of literature in renewable energy finance was conducted and 12 financing challenges were identified. From this list, a questionnaire was developed asking to rank barriers. This was distributed to experts within financial institutions and 32 were returned. A factor analysis and severity index analysis were performed to identify a ranking of challenges impeding RE project financing in Ghana. Findings The challenges to RE financing fall into the three broad categories, namely, “economic, commercial and regulatory” challenges. Within these broad constraints, “long payback periods,” “limited track record” and “high upfront cost” are the most severe impediments to obtaining financing for RE. Practical implications Identifying the specific conditions that make an investment in RE unattractive, give policymakers set on achieving the 10% RE goal, a way forward in developing a targeted policy that would mitigate identified investor disincentives. Originality/value The broad range of potential barriers to investment are known. However, this study combines a specific governmental ambition – encouraging the financing of RE – with a specific set of identified barriers inhibiting that ambition. In this regard, this study identifies exactly where the government needs to act if it is to facilitate investment in RE, as is required for Ghana to reach its 10% RE target.

The research in hand attempts to investigate the different factors influencing SMEs' decision to internationalise in developing countries (such as Malaysia) including the impacts of ethical issues on the internationalisation decision process. The study also attempts to investigate the impact of internationalisation adoption on SMEs' business performance since the relationship remains vague. The study will deepen the understanding of the complex interrelationship between internationalisation determinants (that influence top management's decision to internationalise), and how such factors (internal and external) might affect SMEs' business performance. Based on the outcomes of such investigation and extensive exploratory study, an acceptable and comprehensive conceptual framework will be presented to investigate and understand the different factors influencing internationalisation adoption by Malaysian SMEs and its impact on companies' performance.

PurposeLeadership encapsulates a process of influencing others to understand what needs to be done and how it can be done. The related area of mindset behaviour which moderates leadership styles adopted in various industries has hitherto received scant academic attention in a construction context. This paper thus explores the linkages between project manager's mindset behaviour and project leadership style in the construction industry.Design/methodology/approachLiterature reviewed provides the basis for a questionnaire data collection instrument developed to gather primary data from construction professionals in the Ghanaian construction industry (GCI). A quantitative research strategy was then adopted using the Relative Importance Index (RII) to determine the level of significance of the leadership and mindset archetypes. A Pearson's correlation test was run to ascertain whether the mindset behaviour of project managers has a significant impact upon the type of leadership style.FindingsThe study's results indicate that democratic, transformational and situational leadership styles were prevalent leadership styles in the GCI. The analysis also revealed that project managers favoured the “growth mindset”. Furthermore this style had a moderate positive relationship with democratic and transformational leadership styles. Conversely, a fixed mindset had a low positive relationship with autocratic and situational leadership styles but a low negative relationship with transformational leadership style.Research limitations/implicationsThis research provides sufficient data for project managers to identify the type of mindset to nurture (the growth mindset is recommended) and the effective leadership style to be employed. This study engenders wider discussion on mindset behaviour and project leadership style in developing countries. Moreover, the findings present policymakers and practitioners with the leadership styles to promote and develop (democratic, transformational and situational) and mindset behaviour (growth mindset) to ensure project success in Ghana and other developing countries.Originality/valueThis research represents the first comprehensive study appraising the linkages between project managers’ mindset behaviour and project leadership style in the construction industry. Empirical data presented bridge the identified knowledge gap that exists on the lack of theoretical understanding of the influence that project managers' mindset has on leadership styles in the GCI.

Purpose: The introduction of the Smart Buildings Technology (SBT) concept (which incorporates elements of the Zero Energy Buildings (NZEB) concept) could be a measure in ensuring efficient energy consumption and high performance in buildings. Smart buildings provide solutions to improve building efficiency, and reduce energy consumption, carbon emissions and concomitant energy costs. In order to adopt SBT in the construction industry, it is important to identify the indicators of smartness of buildings, even though such may differ from region to region or even country to country. However, there have been inefficient studies identifying the indicators of smartness of buildings, especially in developing countries such as Ghana. This study investigates the underlying indicators for measuring the smartness of buildings in the construction industry. Methodology: An overarching post-positivist and empirical epistemological design was adopted for this research to analyse primary quantitative data. Data was collected via a structured questionnaire survey with 227 respondents including project managers and construction design teams in Ghana. The mean ranking analysis and one sample t-test were employed to analyse the data. Findings: Research findings revealed that the level of knowledge of smart building indicators is averagely high in the Ghanaian construction industry. With regards to the indicators of smart building, ‘sensors implementation to manage light level, air quality, temperature, fire alarm and smoke detector’ is regards as the most significant measure of smart buildings in the Ghanaian construction industry. Also, ‘remote implementation monitors building conditions and occupancy’, ‘implementation of any software that can talk to legacy equipment from many different manufactures’ and ‘data analytic’ are statistically insignificant in measuring smartness of buildings. Practical Implication: Practically, policy makers and practitioners can use the study’s results as blueprint guidance to appreciate and utilise the idea of smartness of buildings because it can improve building performance therefore, promoting the adoption of SBTs. To the body of knowledge, this study has identified the significant indicators for measuring the smartness of buildings, which can further influence SBTs adoption. Originality: Using the results, a model consisting of significant indicators for measuring building smartness was developed to help improve building performance. Recommendation: The study recommends future research to evaluate the awareness level of Smart Building Technologies (SBTs) by construction professionals and identify barriers to its adoption.

PurposeThe Internet of Things (IoT) provides exciting opportunities for the construction industry to solve its time and resource constraints and frequent defaults. This study seeks to identify and rank the perceived importance level of principal research areas associated with the IoT and the construction industry by utilising a scientific mapping tool (i.e. VOSviewer). Such knowledge would enable key drivers for successful adoption of the IoT and digitisation technologies to be outlined. An analysis of key drivers and research trends that facilitates the development of a roadmap for applying the IoT and digital technologies in the construction sector is therefore much needed.Design/methodology/approachAn interpretivist philosophical lens was adopted to analyse published work as secondary data, where each publication represented a unit of analysis. A total of 417 peer-reviewed journal review articles covering the IoT within the construction domain were systematically reviewed using a mixed-methods approach, utilising qualitative-scientometric analyses techniques.FindingsThe results revealed a field of study in a fledgling stage, with a limited number of experts operating somewhat in isolation and offering single-point solutions instead of taking an integrated “holistic” approach. Key publication outlets were identified and the main focus of research undertaken being in the technical areas of smart buildings, smart construction objects and environmental sustainability. The major effects of adopting the IoT within the construction industry were identified as high-speed reporting, complete process control, data explosion leading to deep data analytics, strict ethical and legal expectations. Key drivers of the IoT adoption were outlined: interoperability; data privacy and security; flexible governance structures; proper business planning and models.Practical implicationsThe study benefits researchers and industry practitioners alike. For researchers, the identified gaps reveal areas of high priority in future research. For construction companies, particularly small to medium-sized businesses, the study raises awareness of the latest developments and potential applicability of the IoT in the industry. For government agencies and policymakers, this study offers a point of reference in directing the adoption of the IoT smoothly in the construction sector and provides guidelines and standards for maximising the potential benefits.Originality/valueThe study is the first scientometric review of the existing body of knowledge in the context of application of the IoT in the construction industry. Findings expose knowledge gaps in contemporary research, specifically, a broader consideration of organisational adjustments needed to accommodate the IoT usage, economic analyses and impediments to wider acceptance.

PurposeThis paper presents a conceptual model of effective subcontractor development practices to guide general contractors' development of a network of high-performing subcontractors (SCs) for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) projects.Design/methodology/approachDrawing from supplier development theories and practices in the manufacturing sector, a mixed interpretivist and empirical methodology is adopted to examine the body of knowledge within literature for conceptual model development. A self-reporting survey questionnaire with a five-point Likert scale is used to assess 30 construction professionals' perceptions of the effectiveness of 37 SC development practices classified into five categories. Descriptive statistics, weighted means, and t-tests are used for data analysis.FindingsSC prequalification, commitment, incentives, evaluation and feedback practices can be effective in generating high-performing SCs. Practices that require more direct involvement and linkages between GC and SC are perceived to be less effective.Research limitations/implicationsTheoretical contributions include a framework to foster future research to advance knowledge and understanding to enhance the adoption of SC development practices in the construction sector.Practical implicationsImplementation of ranked SC development practices can equip GCs with a network of high-performing SCs for improved competitive advantage and revenues.Originality/valueThe proposed conceptual model expands discussions on the modification of supplier development theories and practices currently utilized in the manufacturing sector toward their application in the construction sector. This research differs from previous research, which primarily focused on the manufacturing sector.

Globally, Green Bonds have experienced a fair share of handicaps within the countries of issuance. In lieu of Ghana announcing the possibility of its first green bonds, it is crucial that lessons are taken from past developments to reinforce the prospects of a salutary roll out. This paper explores factors recommended as success-dependent in the Ghanaian markets. A quantitative approach is employed. Twelve factors are extracted from a review of available literature and converted into a questionnaire targeted at professionals in financial institutions. This included, managers, financial analysts, as well as top management personnel. In total 54 questionnaires were distributed. A total of 32 responses are received, proportional to a response rate of 60.37% and was analyzed with relative importance index and one-sample t-test. The results indicate that “Ensuring Good Credit Ratings, Provision of Local Guideline, and Proper Green Qualifications Criteria and Prioritizing Viable Projects” are highest ranked factors. It is important these are incorporated in the framework to be designed for the roll out of green bonds in the Ghana. Considerations should also be made with respect to the culture and state of the financial markets in the country while bringing out the appropriate structure to facilitate the issuances.

Purpose Housing completions in the UK have fallen to 125,000 annually, while government targets have risen to 300,000. This dramatic shortfall raises concerns as to whether current traditional construction approaches remain appropriate. This study aims to compare the traditional approach with modular construction, with a view to assessing whether a shift in construction systems offers the potential to alleviate the UK's domestic housing crisis. Design/methodology/approach A comprehensive interpretivist review of the available relevant literature is undertaken on construction methods within the UK; advantages and disadvantages. A bibliometric analysis is conducted to extract trends and findings relevant to the comparison at hand. The database is Web of Science; the analysis software is the VOS viewer. Findings The research illustrates that the UK housing market is in a state of crisis. A toxic combination of a rising UK population combined falling rates of housing delivery has resulted in an ever-widening housing supply gap. The construction industry’s capacity to meet this observed dearth in supply is further exacerbated by a number of chronic factors such as: falling participation in the construction sector workforce; lowering skill levels; reducing profitability; time to delivery pressures; and cost blow-outs. Originality/value While much information on the various construction methods are available, including comparative material, this study is the first to assemble the various comparative parameters regarding traditional and modular UK residential construction in one place. Thus, this study provides a definitive assessment of the relative advantages and disadvantages of these forms of construction.

Purpose The construction industry faces three emergent developments that in all likelihood will transform the industry into the future. First, engineering project networks (EPNs), in which teams collaborate on projects remotely in time and space, are transforming global construction practices. Second, as a major consumer of resources and significant producer of green-house gases, construction is under pressure to reduce its carbon footprint. Third, the construction industry presents as one of the least socially sustainable work environments, with high job dissatisfaction, skewed work–life balance and over representation of depressive and mental disorders. It is incumbent on the industry to reconcile these issues. Specifically, what scope is there to shape the evolution of EPNs towards a configuration that both promotes sustainability generally, and enhances quality of work-life issues, while at the same time continuing to apprehend the economic dividends for which it is adopted? As salient as this question is, it has not been broached in the literature. Therefore, this study aims to survey the extent to which EPNs align with the sustainability agenda, more broadly, and that of employee work-place satisfaction, more specifically. Design/methodology/approach A literature review of current knowledge of these concerns is explored and a summative assessment presented. Findings To the best of the authors’ knowledge, as the first in its kind, the study brings to light that EPNs go a long way towards facilitating economic objectives, part way towards realising ecological and sociological objectives but make hardly any impact on improving employee work satisfaction. Originality/value This paper examines an entirely novel area that has not been studied yet. Future research should take up this finding to determine how EPNs may be further adapted to accommodate these wider necessary objectives.

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to investigate the insurable risks that impacted the operations on complex construction projects in developing countries using Ghana as a case study.Design/methodology/approachIn this study, structured questionnaires were used to collect relevant information from the top management of construction and insurance firms in Ghana, comprising 50 industry professionals. The study adopted theχ2and independent samples’ttest to interpret the responses from participants.FindingsThe study revealed the major risks that severely impacted the operations on complex construction projects, including strikes and labour disputes, long waiting time for approval of test samples, damages to property during construction, delay in payment to contractor for work done, poor construction method, pressure to deliver project on an accelerated schedule, labour shortage, permits delayed or take longer than expected, inaccurate materials estimating, change in weather pattern, low productivity of subcontractors and inadequate contractor experience.Practical implicationsThe study is expected to contribute to increase in the awareness of the insurable risks and policies that project participants are exposed to, which will serve as a decision-making tool for contract formation.Originality/valueThis study assists in managing construction and insurance firms to note the major risk in managing a complex construction project. In addition to knowing the major risks identified, the study investigates the insurable risk by managing both construction and insurance firms.

Purpose This study aims to investigate the behaviour of building users and how this impacts upon building energy performance. Specifically, the work examines the behavioural traits of able-bodied users of a large higher education building who erroneously access and egress the building using doorways intended for disabled users. Design/methodology/approach An inductive methodological approach is adopted that uses grounded theory to devise new insights into building users’ access and egress habits. Structured interviews are conducted to collect primary data from 68 building users of a large educational building over a four-week period. Responses to questions posed provide the basis for a tabularisation of behavioural traits. Findings Reasons for able-bodied building users’ preferences to using disabled access are identified and discussed; these are thematically grouped under the headings of apathy, convenience, emergency, ergonomics, ignorance and phobia. Building upon these findings, the research then offers insights into the approaches that could be adopted to change the erroneous behaviours. These approaches include education of building users on the impact their behaviour has upon building performance and environmental pollution, more stringent regulation to penalise repeat offenders and changes to building entrance design using obtrusive (i.e. radio frequency identification tags) and unobstrusive control measures (i.e. a second entrance doorway or slower opening mechanism). Originality/value To the best of the author’s knowledge, this study is the first of its kind to investigate the rationale for able-bodied building users erroneously using disabled persons’ access and egress doorways within a building, which as a consequence, inadvertently reduces the building’s environmental performance.

Purpose This paper aims to present a novel proof-of-concept framework for implementing building information modeling (BIM) Digital Objects (BDO) to automate construction product manufacturers’ processes and augment lean manufacturing. Design/methodology/approach A mixed interpretivist and post-positivist epistemological lens is adopted to pursue the proof-of-concept’s development. From an operational perspective, a synthesis of literature using interpretivism provides the foundation for deductive research inquiry implemented within a case study approach. Within the case study, participatory action research (PAR) is implemented to test the proof of concept via three “waterfall” research phases, namely, literature diagnosis and BIM package selection, BDO development and validation and evaluation. Findings The findings illustrate that a BDO (which represents the digital twin of manufacturing products) can augment and drive automation processes and workflows for construction product manufacturers within a contractor’s supply chain. The developed framework illustrates the benefits of a BDO, by reducing the number of manufacturing processes to effectively eliminate early errors in the model, generates financial savings and reduces material wastage. Originality/value This research provides a seminal case study that implements BDO to automate construction product manufacturing processes and demonstrates the utilisation of BDO at an operational (vis-à-vis theoretical) level. Future research is proposed to implement a longitudinal approach to measure and report upon the success (or otherwise) of the proof of concept when implemented on fabrications and shop floor procedures.

Objective The aim of this study was to evaluate the differences between the vaginal microbiome of reproductive-aged women with overweight and obesity (Ow/Ob) compared with healthy weight (HW). Methods In this case-control study, a cohort of 367 nonpregnant women (18 to 40 years) with Ow/Ob (BMI ≥25 kg/m2 ) was case-matched with 367 women with HW (BMI 18.0 to 24.9 kg/m2 ). The study was a secondary analysis of 16S rRNA vaginal microbiome surveys through the Vaginal Human Microbiome Study (VaHMP). Groups were matched on age, race/ethnicity, income, and nulliparity status. Results Mean age and BMI of Ow/Ob and HW groups were 26.8 versus 26.7 years and 37.0 versus 22.1 kg/m2 , respectively. The overall vaginal microbiome composition differed between groups (PERMANOVA, p = 0.035). Women with Ow/Ob had higher alpha diversity compared with women with HW (Wilcoxon test, Shannon index p = 0.025; inverse Simpson index p = 0.026). Lactobacillus dominance (≥30% proportional abundance) was observed in a greater proportion of women with HW (48.7%) compared with Ow/Ob (40.1%; p = 0.026). Conclusions The vaginal microbiome differs in reproductive-aged women with Ow/Ob compared with women with HW, with increased alpha diversity and decreased predominance of Lactobacillus. Observed differences in the vaginal microbiome may partially explain differences in preterm birth and bacterial vaginosis risk between these populations.

Purpose—There is no consensus on the indicators that assess a construction company’s financial performance projects undertaken. There is also a dearth of concepts on the financial performance indicators for construction companies in South Africa and indeed, the wider continent of Africa. This paper proposes novel financial performance indicators for assessing construction organizations and tests these on selected construction companies in the South African construction industry. Design/methodology/approach—This research employed a pragmatic approach. Contractors with financial credibility and capacity of ≥R 40 million, annual turnover of ≥R 20 million, and available capital of ≥R 40 million were purposively selected for this study. Parameters such as total revenue, direct cost of work, total indirect cost and total income were elicited from the sample contractors to assess their financial performance. The assessment was undertaken using formulas that were formulated based on the descriptions provided under the research methodology. Further analysis was conducted using post hoc Tukey’s honest significant difference (HSD). Findings—The study finds that construction companies with a strong structure, multiple areas of specialization, creative and efficient staff members, and access to funding, have a greater chance of experiencing higher: income, positive leverage, positive liquidity, and positive cash flow. Moreover, companies with specialization in civil engineering construction and project management skills experienced higher positive liquidity and profitability. Originality/value—This research is unique through its investigation and formulation of indicators for assessing the financial performance of construction companies. This research is consequently representing the first attempt to analyze financial data using the approaches prescribed and adopted.

A scientometric analysis of extant literature is conducted to elucidate upon the practicalit yof teleworking throughout industry as a prelude to prescribing a bespoke conceptual adoption model that embeds innovative digital technologies to facilitate teleworking for construction professionals.The model is premised upon the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) work stages and illustrates how technologies are being used at each incremental stage. An interpretivist philosophy and inductive reasoning were adopted using a sample of longitudinal secondary data contained within pertinent extant literature, where each publication constitutes a unit of analysis. The qualitative scientometric software VOS viewer and Voyant Tools were utilised to examine emergent research trends, with further manual review of prominent papers contained within the sample dataset. Four distinct historical advances are delineated in a timeline that describes the evolution of homeworking from the 1970s through to the present day (and during the global COVID-19 pandemic).Key milestones delineated indicate how technological advances have created new opportunities for teleworking. The research indicates that an acceleration of digital advances has engendered modernity in contemporary work location patterns and that these offer potentials to reduce the environmental impact of anthropogenic activities. This unique study highlights how COVID-19 and available digital technologies have shaped the future of teleworking from home and the potential environmental impact of such. This concludes by signposting directions for future research into the adoption of teleworking at the organisational level and establishing the cost and environmental savings to businesses from abandoning the traditional model of employer-based working. Refereed/Peer-reviewed

Small tourist firms occupy an important place within the Indian tourism industry and make a significant contribution towards gross domestic production. This study investigates access to and finance preferences of SME tourism firms in the Punjab area, India. The study employed a post-positivist research approach depending on semi-structured questionnaires and interviews. The findings confirmed that tourism firms relied on pecking order trajectory, drawing capital from own savings, family and informal lenders, which is consistent with the literature. The study provides a unique insight into issues related to tourism firms and benchmarks findings with SME literature to identify the salient points.

Australia is receiving an average of 58 million PJ of solar radiation per year, which is about 1000 times larger than its total energy generation. Roof-top solar photovoltaic (PV) systems alone can supply a phenomenal fraction of the nation’s total energy. The architectural design and orientation of roofs have considerable impacts on the energy efficiency of roof-top solar PV systems. These aspects, however, have received scant academic attention within the literature. To address this knowledge gap, this research seeks to increase the energy production of roof-top solar PV systems through roof design. The energy generation of roof-top solar PV systems is modelled using Helioscope software, and then validated using real-time monitored data. Based on the verified model, the impact of different tilt angles and shading from surrounding obstructions upon energy generation are analyzed in detail. To ground the research in practical terms, the aesthetic design of five typical roof design patterns (including flat, shed, gable, hip, and butterfly roof) are explored to compare the energy generated from solar PV systems fitted to each design. Findings indicate that: (1) the simulated energy generation from the solar PV system is close to the monitored data, with equal annual generation; (2) the shading of surrounding obstructions can reduce the energy generation of roof-top solar PV systems considerably, where up to 24% energy loss is reported; (3) the optimal tilt angle is about 35°, which is close to the latitude angle of the studied location; and (4) the shed roof design provides the maximum potential for solar energy generation when compared to that of other roof design patterns. The energy generation variation of other aesthetic roof patterns is also presented, providing support for informed decision making on the roof design. This study contributes to the field through improving the energy production of roof-top solar PV systems based on roof design along with considering aesthetic concerns. Novel insights generated will be beneficial for researchers and government policy makers alike; the work also introduces simulation-based methodological approaches for practitioners who seek to improve the energy generation of roof-top solar PV systems.

Purpose This paper aims to assess the impact of infrastructure development on Ghana’s economic growth. Design/methodology/approach Using data obtained from the World Bank’s World Development Indicators, the United States’ (US) International Energy Statistics and the Central Intelligence Agency’s (CIA) Factbooks from 1980 to 2016, an autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) framework is used to determine the long- and short-run impact of the selected infrastructure stock and quality indices on Ghana’s economic growth. Findings Findings indicate a statistically significant relationship between infrastructure development and economic growth. Additionally, electricity-generating capacity is identified as the infrastructure stock index that has the greatest positive impact on Ghana’s economic growth. The study reveals that electricity-distribution loss has a significant negative effect over both long- and short-run periods. Research limitations/implications Commercial petroleum export from Ghana since 2010 has been a key contributor to economic growth. Although its aggregate effect is included in the annual GDP figures adopted for the study, the authors would have wished to assess its impact on GDP as an independent standard growth determinant. However, because of a lack of available data over this study period, petroleum exports could not be adopted as an independent standard growth determinant. Additionally, an aggregated index of infrastructure stock and quality could not be derived because of the small size of data available. Hence, this study did not assess its impact on Ghana’s economic growth. Practical implications The research provides pragmatic guidance to policymakers to focus their efforts on expanding electricity-generating capacity while simultaneously taking steps to curb electricity transmission and distribution losses. These two related actions offer the greatest positive impact on infrastructure development and, as a consequence, Ghana’s economic growth. Originality/value This paper represents the first attempt to empirically study the relationship between infrastructure development and Ghana’s economic growth. A key contribution to the existing body of knowledge includes strong evidence of a positive effect of infrastructure development upon Ghana’s economic growth. Results also reveal that the greatest positive impact on economic growth is derived from electricity-generation capacity. However, the study also uncovers a negative, but statistically significant, relationship between road and economic growth.

Purpose Framed as a pilot study, the purpose of this paper is to study the perceived appropriateness of an existing collaborative procurement procedure (CPP) framework from the housebuilder’s perspective, seeking to improve its utility and stimulate further exploration. Design/methodology/approach Informed by an existing CPP framework and conducted by a UK-based development professional, four in-depth semi-structured interviews were undertaken with senior housebuilding practitioners from London and surrounding counties. A qualitative analysis was then conducted for this sociological study. Findings Perceived appropriateness of the framework was high; however, a number of procedural improvements were identified, along with limitations. Future studies are recommended including the influence upon project performance of groundworker integration at the design stage. Research limitations/implications Limited to four interviews from one regional area, the study provides an initial insight into the appropriateness of an existing CPP framework. Insights into why CP uptake is marginal within housebuilding were also gained. The research purpose was achieved but by offering a self-reflection upon practice (vis-à-vis wider generalisations), the findings provide a springboard for further studies. Practical implications The research identifies with current practice, industry perceptions and paths towards improving the utility of the CPP framework. Social implications This study offers insights into the perceptions of private housebuilding practitioners of their own practices and the factors they find challenging within the social constructs of their industry. Originality/value This research constitutes one of the first studies in the UK to examine the CPP framework from the perspective of the private housebuilder and is undertaken with the express purpose of furthering that framework’s utility.

Purpose Remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) systems have emerged as an established tool within the construction industry. Concurrent with this trend has been the rise in research on RPA, establishing this as a new field of study within the construction management domain. What is needed now is an assessment of the current state of research in this emerging discipline – its strengths and weaknesses – by which future research on RPA in construction may be guided. The purpose of this paper is to address this need. Design/methodology/approach A total of 59 peer-reviewed journal articles covering RPAs within the construction domain were systematically reviewed using a mixed-methods approach, utilizing qualitative-scientometric analyses techniques. Findings The results reveal a field of study in its fledgling stage, with a limited number of experts operating somewhat in isolation, from a limited number of institutions. Key publication outlets are identified, with the main focus of research being in the technical areas of remote sensing, photogrammetry and image processing. Practical implications The study benefits researchers and industry practitioners alike. For researchers, the identified gaps reveal areas of high priority in future research. For construction companies, particularly small to medium-sized businesses, the study raises awareness of the latest developments and potential applicability of RPAs in the industry. Originality/value The study exposes what is missing from current research: a broader consideration of organizational adjustments needed to accommodate RPA usage, economic analyses and impediments to wider acceptance.

PurposeThis paper aims to evaluate Nigerian contractors’ perceptions regarding the effects of positive and negative cash flow during construction projects, with a view to establishing effective strategies for cash flow management.Design/methodology/approachA desktop-based literature review is used to develop a cross-sectional questionnaire survey which uses Likert items to elicit responses from construction professionals on: the reasons for cash flow problems; the impacts of negative and positive cash flow; and the potential solutions for improving cash flow on construction projects.FindingsThe study finds that delay in payments, difficulty in obtaining financial aid and inadequate budgetary control are the causes of cash flow problems during construction projects. Cumulatively, these issues result in project delays, reduced profit margins and in the worst scenarios, abandoned projects.Originality/valueThere has been limited research into the effects of positive and negative cash flows on construction projects in Nigeria and indeed, the wider geographical location of West Africa. This study addresses this observed dearth and consequently advances methods and solutions to deal with the problem of poor cash flow management in the Nigerian construction industry.

Weak housing creditor protection, accentuated by weak landed property rights and underdeveloped credit information systems constitute major constraints to housing finance development in many developing countries. Improving housing creditor protection require further institutional development and financial innovation. As a trigger of financial innovation, regulation has spawned pension reforms leading to the global shift from defined benefit to defined contribution pension schemes, which has created new opportunities to improve housing creditor protection and thus engender housing finance innovations. This paper considers how pension assets—accumulated benefits and associated personal, employment and contribution information—has provided a basis for collateralized lending and an additional avenue for credit information system development. The paper proposes a pension asset-backed creditor protection model that utilizes defined contribution pension assets to improve housing credit allocation, and thus, housing finance development. Pension assets represent alternative or complementary collateral assets for securing a housing credit (mortgage). And as depositories of information, the information content of pension assets and institutions could also be used alternatively and complementarily to assess the capacity, character and contribution (equity) of potential borrowers in the credit underwriting process. Future applied research may consider how the proposed model could be integrated in existing credit underwriting systems and the operational challenges that could emerge.

Building information modelling (BIM) teams, hereafter referred to as BIM-based construction networks, are teams whose possibly geographically dispersed members from various organisations and disciplines, perform project tasks on BIM-enabled projects. In recent years, BIM-based construction networks have progressively become the norm in executing BIM activities on projects. However, even though achieving BIM's full capabilities relies on effective collaboration among the team members in BIM-based construction networks, it is still a struggle for these members to collaborate. Nonetheless, only a few studies have been conducted to identify the barriers to strengthening team collaboration in BIM-based construction networks. To address this gap, the current study, by examining 73 journal articles on collaboration in BIM-based construction networks, builds upon a theoretical review of the literature. A conceptual model is presented to capture the main barriers to collaboration in BIM-based construction networks. The study benefits researchers as well as project managers. For researchers, the conceptual model provides an intermediate theory, namely, a theoretical basis to direct further knowledge creation attempts on the topic. In addition, the conceptual model supports project managers on BIM-enabled projects. That is, it simplifies the knowledge now available for practical applications enabling it to be translated into guidelines and practical instructions on real-life projects.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyse extant literature on POE of a building’s operations and performance as a means of holistically mapping the existing body of knowledge (BOK); identify impediments preventing its wide-scale adoption throughout practice; and develop new theory that seeks to integrate digital technologies (such as building information modelling (BIM)) within facilities management (FM) via a POE feedback mechanism. Design/methodology/approach An inductive and interpretivist methodological approach is adopted that utilises a mixed methods systematic review to map bibliometric data on the POE, associated underpinning processes and benchmarking facilities. Publication and citation metrics are produced via the software VOSviewer to determine the extent to which POE interrelates with other fields of study (namely, digital technologies and FM). Findings The BOK accrued illustrates that whilst POE has received comparatively scant academic attention in comparison to other fields of study, interest in the area is growing. The work also identifies that a stronger community of practice (CoP) is needed (that comprises of academics and practitioners) to ensure that a consistent approach to POE implementation is developed and that the barriers to POE implementation are addressed. Originality/value Findings presented accentuate the need for design practitioners to reverse engineer POE implementation to inform future design vis-à-vis simply reporting upon an existing building’s performance post construction. Other new theories are also introduced as a means of engendering wider academic discourse in this field of science.

The incidence of preterm birth exceeds 10% worldwide. There are significant disparities in the frequency of preterm birth among populations within countries, and women of African ancestry disproportionately bear the burden of risk in the United States. In the present study, we report a community resource that includes 'omics' data from approximately 12,000 samples as part of the integrative Human Microbiome Project. Longitudinal analyses of 16S ribosomal RNA, metagenomic, metatranscriptomic and cytokine profiles from 45 preterm and 90 term birth controls identified harbingers of preterm birth in this cohort of women predominantly of African ancestry. Women who delivered preterm exhibited significantly lower vaginal levels of Lactobacillus crispatus and higher levels of BVAB1, Sneathia amnii, TM7-H1, a group of Prevotella species and nine additional taxa. The first representative genomes of BVAB1 and TM7-H1 are described. Preterm-birth-associated taxa were correlated with proinflammatory cytokines in vaginal fluid. These findings highlight new opportunities for assessment of the risk of preterm birth.

Purpose - Extant literature extensively articulates the advantages of using remotely piloted aircrafts (RPAs) in a myriad of construction activities. Yet, the barriers that hinder their wider adoption on construction projects have received scant academic attention. This study aims at addressing this gap in the literature.Design/methodology/approach - This study reviews 59 papers published on the use of RPAs for construction activities and offers an evaluation of barriers to widespread adoption throughout the sector.Findings - Barriers are identified, collated and categorized into five thematic groups, namely, technical difficulties, restrictive regulatory environment, site-related problems, weather and organizational barriers.Practical implications - The paper contributes to knowledge by: signposting a need for reordering priorities when defining future research on RPAs, suggesting measures to address the barriers identified and providing pragmatic guidance for construction companies intending to use RPAs on their projects.Originality/value - Using the task–technology fit theory, the study uncovers that current RPA technology is an under-fit match for construction activities and represents a prominent barrier to adoption. This is a dissenting finding, given that past studies on RPAs have primarily focused upon addressing public acceptance, concerns and societal consequences. Enablers of the identified barriers are also collated from extant literature and contemporary practice and encapsulated in a conceptual model.

PurposeThis paper aims to report upon the further development of a hybrid application programming interface (API) plug-in to building information modelling (BIM) entitled confined spaces safety monitoring system “CoSMoS”. Originally designed to engineer-out environmental hazards associated with working in a building’s confined spaces (during the construction phase of a building’s life-cycle), this second generation version is expanded upon to use archival records to proactively learn from data generated within a sensor network during the building’s operations and maintenance (O&M) phase of asset management (AM).Design/methodology/approachAn applied research methodological approach adopted used a two-phase process. In phase one, a conceptual model was created to provide a “blueprint map” to integrate BIM, sensor-based networks and data analytics (DA) into one integral system. A literature review provided the basis for the conceptual model’s further development. In phase two, the conceptual model was transposed into the prototype’s development environment as a proof of concept using primary data accrued from a large educational building.FindingsAn amalgamation of BIM, historical sensor data accrued and the application of DA demonstrate that CoSMoS provides an opportunity for the facilities management (FM) team to monitor pertinent environmental conditions and human behaviour within buildings that may impact upon occupant/worker safety. Although working in confined spaces is used to demonstrate the inherent potential of CoSMoS, the system could readily be expanded to analyse sensor-based network’s historical data of other areas of building performance, maintenance and safety.Originality/valueThis novel prototype has automated safety applications for FM during the asset lifecycle and maintenance phase of a building’s O&M phase of AM. Future work is proposed in several key areas, namely, develop instantaneous indicators of current safety performance within a building; and develop lead indicators of future safety performance of buildings.

Purpose Smart cities provide fully integrated and networked connectivity between virtual/digital assets and physical building/infrastructure assets to form digital economies. However, industrial espionage, cyber-crime and deplorable politically driven cyber-interventions threaten to disrupt and/or physically damage the critical infrastructure that supports national wealth generation and preserves the health, safety and welfare of the populous. The purpose of this paper is to present a comprehensive review of cyber-threats confronting critical infrastructure asset management reliant upon a common data environment to augment building information modelling (BIM) implementation. Design/methodology/approach An interpretivist, methodological approach to reviewing pertinent literature (that contained elements of positivism) was adopted. The ensuing mixed methods analysis: reports upon case studies of cyber-physical attacks; reveals distinct categories of hackers; identifies and reports upon the various motivations for the perpetrators/actors; and explains the varied reconnaissance techniques adopted. Findings The paper concludes with direction for future research work and a recommendation to utilize innovative block chain technology as a potential risk mitigation measure for digital built environment vulnerabilities. Originality/value While cyber security and digitization of the built environment have been widely covered within the extant literature in isolation, scant research has hitherto conducted an holistic review of the perceived threats, deterrence applications and future developments in a digitized Architecture, Engineering, Construction and Operations (AECO) sector. This review presents concise and lucid reference guidance that will intellectually challenge, and better inform, both practitioners and researchers in the AECO field of enquiry.

Purpose Road passenger transportation faces a global challenge of reducing environmental pollution and greenhouse gas emissions because of the vehicle weight increases needed to enhance passenger safety and comfort. This paper aims to present a preliminary mechanical design evaluation of the Wikispeed Car (with a focus on body bending, body torsion and body crash) to assess light-weighting implications and improve the vehicle’s environmental performance without compromising safety. Design/methodology/approach For this research, finite element analysis (FEA) was performed to examine the Wikispeed chassis for light-weighting opportunities in three key aspects of the vehicle’s design, namely, for body bending the rockers (or longitudinal tubes), for body torsion (again on the rockers but also the chassis as a whole) and for crash safety – on the frontal crash structure. A two-phase approach was adopted, namely, in phase one, a 3D CAD geometry was generated and in phase, two FEA was generated. The combination of analysis results was used to develop the virtual model using FEA tools, and the model was updated based on the correlation process. Findings The research revealed that changing the specified material Aluminium Alloy 6061-T651 to Magnesium EN-MB10020 allows vehicle mass to be reduced by an estimated 110 kg, thus producing a concomitant 10 per cent improvement in fuel economy. The initial results imply that the current beam design made from magnesium would perform worst during a crash as the force required to buckle the beam is the lowest (between 95.2 kN and 134 kN). Steel has the largest bandwidth of force required for buckling and also requires the largest force for buckling (between 317 kN and 540 kN). Originality/value This is the first study of its kind to compare and contrast between material substitution and its impact upon Wikispeed car safety and performance.

Research concedes that the building industry in Australia has fallen short of satisfying sustainability requirements. Currently, the responsibility for transitioning the building industry into one that is sustainable is laid largely at the feet of low-carbon governance instruments such as mandatory codes and sustainability rating tools. The behavior of groups, interactions of individual actors, relationship between actors' and group level behaviors that affect implementation of these instruments have, however, received only cursory attention. This study therefore seeks to move beyond the instruments debate and identify a broader range of factors inhibiting the transition to sustainability within the Australian building industry. It draws on focus group discussions held with 26 leading sustainability experts and practitioners from around the country. Whereas, earlier work on impediments to sustainability pre-identify potential causal factors, this study, with Sustainability Transition as the theoretical lens, allowing for new and as yet unidentified impediments to emerge. Indeed, while findings confirm a range of technical shortcomings hindering sustainability transition, the deeper barrier is shown to be the prevalence of a dysfunctional sustainability ecosystem where siloed vested interest groups exploit Australia's ineffective transition regimes for their own gain. The practical implication is that current efforts to refine rating tools and modify building practices – remedies identified in earlier research – will not be enough to effect meaningful transition, as long as end-users remain disenfranchised, confused and unpersuaded of the benefits of sustainable buildings.

Today’s work environment, regardless of career, is experiencing an unprecedented number of generations working together. Specific to the construction management industry, in order to effectively manage a team in such a generationally diverse workforce, a construction manager needs to increase their awareness and empathy of the varying modes of communication. Working in teams, 29 undergraduate construction management students completed a quantity take-off estimating project where a series of communication constraints were implemented (simulation) within each team that mirrored the ‘preferred available mode of communication’ of different workplace generations. Likert scale questionnaires were administered throughout the course to collect data to determine if a student’s awareness and empathy of generational communication changed through the simulation experience. The results from the simulation indicate promotion in workplace generational communication awareness and the role of empathy within the construction industry. However, these promotions do not appear to have a statistically significant correlation with each simulation. Furthermore, while students generally favour their own generational ‘preferred available mode of communication,’ they overwhelmingly rate face-to-face communication as the most effective communication style in the construction management industry.

Using a systematic review of literature, this study identifies the potential impact of blockchain solutions for augmenting supply chain resilience (SCR) to cybercrime. This rich literature synthesis forms the basis of a novel theoretical framework that provides guidance and insight for blockchain adopters and vendors as well as delineate palpable benefits of this novel technology. An interpretivist philosophical design and inductive reasoning are adopted to conduct the systematic review of literature. A total of 867 papers were retrieved from Scopus database between the years of 2016 and 2020 and subsequently analysed via abductive reasoning, grounded theory and a thematic meta-analysis; where the latter was achieved using a scientometric approach and software tools such as VOS viewer and NVivo. Scientometric analysis revealed the most prolific countries, sources, publications and authors who reside at the vanguard of blockchain developments and adoption. Subsequent grounded theory analysis identified six main clusters of research endeavour viz: “case study”, “challenges and opportunity”, “traceability”, “smart contract” “blockchain and IoT” and “data security”. From 28 SCR metrics identified within literature, five were found to have been positively impacted by blockchain technology solutions, namely: “visibility”, “collaboration”, “integration”, “risk management” and “information sharing.” Prominent applications of blockchain technology in practice were “traceability systems” and “smart contracts” which are often implemented separately or in combination and primarily in food supply chains. This research constitutes the first study to critically synthesise extant literature for evaluation of blockchain solutions’ implication on SCR metrics. New perspectives obtained provided a basis for the novel theoretical framework for implementation that will be valued by software developers and adopting organizations, whilst creating new direction for researchers interested in blockchain technology.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to present a modified model for collaboration in BIM-based construction networks (BbCNs). Though BIM is increasingly adopted and implemented across the construction industry, the problems associated with the lack of collaboration among teams in BbCNs remain a major hindrance to reaping the full potential of BIM. Previous studies have been conceptual in nature. This paper, therefore, attempts to modify and validate existing conceptual models that describe collaboration in BbCNs. Design/methodology/approach To modify the conceptual model for collaboration in BbCNs, qualitative data through semi-structured interviews with BIM experts in the industry were collected and analysed using qualitative methods including the use of NVivo software. Findings The proposed model includes influential factors and their sub-factors to collaboration in BbCNs, as well as considering their indicators. Findings reveal that several overlooked concepts, particularly unfavourable BIM contractual arrangements, act as the root causes of the unwillingness of team members in BbCNs to engage in collaborative efforts. Research limitations/implications The study's findings must be viewed in light of several limitations. First, the interviewees in this study were based in Australia hence their perceptions of BIM collaboration are reflective of the sociotechnical setting of BIM-enabled projects in this country. Also, the findings are based on the perception of experts in the field, rather than analysis of performance measures or quantitative assessment of associations among collaboration outcomes and various factors. This, however, provides the field with fertile grounds for future research. Practical implications The study benefits researchers by shifting the collaboration discourse in BIM-enabled projects from technology-related issues to the people and contractual-related domains. Moreover, the developed qualitative model provides industry professionals with a point of reference to improve collaboration on BIM-enabled projects. Social implications The study benefits researchers by shifting the collaboration discourse in BIM-enabled projects from technology-related issues to the people and contractual-related domains. Moreover, the developed qualitative model provides industry professionals with a point of reference to improve collaboration on BIM-enabled projects. Originality/value Arguments provided in this study highlight the necessity of considering the contractual arrangement of BIM-related projects and foster the willingness of team members to collaborate. This can be addressed using clear and comprehensive BIM execution plans and clearly explaining the role of BIM managers in the process.

ObjectiveEvaluate differences between the vaginal microbiome of reproductive-aged women with overweight and obesity (Ow/Ob) compared with healthy weight (HW).MethodsA cohort of 367 non-pregnant women (18-40 years) with Ow/Ob (body mass index [BMI] ≥25 kg/m2) was case-matched with 367 women with HW (BMI 18.0-24.9 kg/m2). The study was a secondary analysis of 16S rRNA vaginal microbiome surveys through the Vaginal Human Microbiome Study (VaHMP). Groups were matched on age, race/ethnicity, income, and nulliparity status.ResultsMean age and BMI of Ow/Ob and HW groups were 26.8 versus 26.7 years and 37.0 versus 22.1 kg/m2, respectively. The overall vaginal microbiome composition differed between groups (PERMANOVA, p=0.035). Women with Ow/Ob had higher alpha-diversity compared with women with HW (Wilcoxon test, Shannon index p=0.025; Inverse Simpson index p=0.026). Lactobacillus dominance (≥30% proportional abundance) was observed in a greater proportion of women with HW (48.7%) compared with Ow/Ob (40.1%; p=0.026).ConclusionsThe vaginal microbiome differs in reproductive-aged women with Ow/Ob compared with women with HW, with increased alpha-diversity and decreased predominance of Lactobacillus. Observed differences in vaginal microbiome may partially explain differences in preterm birth and bacterial vaginosis risk between these populations.

Background: Prehospital emergency care is a vital component of healthcare access, and emergency medical services (EMS) plays an essential role in healthcare delivery. Understanding the distribution of medical and trauma EMS calls at the neighborhood level would be beneficial to identify at-risk communities and facilitate targeted interventions. Objectives: The primary objective was to evaluate and characterize 9-1-1 ambulance contacts for medical and trauma-related events in Denver. The secondary objective was to evaluate the co-existence of medical and trauma-related EMS calls to determine if these emergencies occur in the same neighborhoods. Methods: We conducted a secondary analysis of prospectively collected EMS calls in Denver between January 1, 2011, through August 8, 2017. The primary outcome was the incidence of trauma and medical EMS calls in each census tract. EMS events were aggregated to tracts and incidence rates were calculated based on the adult daytime and nighttime population. Three different spatial analysis methods (SaTScan's spatial scan statistic, Gini coefficient, and Local Moran's I) were utilized to identify clusters of medical and trauma EMS events at the tract level. Results: A total of 425,527 EMS calls in 142 census tracts occurred during the study period. The median age of study participants was 48 (IQR 33, 62), 56% were male, and the majority (74%) of EMS calls were for medical events. An emergent EMS return to the hospital occurred in 5% of all calls. We identified several high-risk census tracts with a coexistence of medical and trauma EMS events. When compared to the Denver County population, the tracts with high EMS call rates were diverse, with many tracts exhibiting a higher proportion of black, unemployment, below poverty, and lower median income while other tracts demonstrated a smaller proportion of black, unemployment, below poverty, and a higher median income. Conclusions: Disparities exist in the distribution of medical and trauma EMS calls in varied census tracts in Denver. Identifying neighborhoods in which there is an incidence of higher medical and trauma emergencies is important to guide EMS care delivery and may help facilitate targeted public health interventions for at-risk populations to improve health outcomes.

While the performance of sports facilities such as swimming pools is crucial to the health, safety and enjoyment of pool users, little research has been conducted to explore how to analytically evaluate the holistic performance of such facilities from the users' perspective. Even an evaluation framework portraying the key performance attributes of swimming pools is yet to be available. Recognising this research gap, this study aims to adopt a user-centric approach to evaluate the performance of swimming pools and a multi-stage study was initiated. After a thorough literature review, a performance attribute hierarchy for swimming pools was established through a focus group study and then two surveys, covering four swimming pools and 103 pool users interviewed, were conducted in Hong Kong. Analysing the responses using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) method illustrates that the building services (i.e. utilitarian) aspect of swimming pools is more important than the architectural counterpart, and survey participants cared more about the performance attributes inside water than those outside. This study's novelty lies in that it adopted the user-centric approach, which can differentiate between the relative importance of different swimming pool components and prioritize resources for their maintenance and management. The evaluation framework as well as the findings of the study provides facilities managers with important benchmark criteria for optimising the performance of these sports facilities. In the long run, this study contributes to enabling the project stakeholders to conduct evidence-based decision making over the life cycle of sport facilities development and management. Refereed/Peer-reviewed