Digital Commons Network^™

The Flexibility Of Detached Wooden Houses By Local Builders In Japan, Toru Eguchi, Rise Tanaka, Hideaki Sumikura, Shiro Watanabe

CIB Conferences

This study examines the flexibility of detached wooden houses supplied by local builders, which constitute a significant portion of Japan's housing production. Historically, prior to World War II, wooden houses dominated the housing supply in Japan, with standardized modules prevalent nationwide. Moreover, century-old wooden houses, considered local historic assets, continue to be utilized through component replacements, additions, and refurbishments, highlighting the inherent flexibility of Japan's wooden housing system. Despite the postwar rise of reinforced concrete and steel-frame houses, numerous local builders emerged across Japan and retain a substantial presence in the current housing market with wooden houses.

Most of the …

Ecosphere: A Decision-Support Tool For Automated Carbon Emission And Cost Optimization In Sustainable Urban Development, Siavash Ghorbany, Ming Hu, Siyuan Yao, Matthew L. Sisk, Chaoli Wang

CIB Conferences

The construction industry is a major contributor to global greenhouse gas emissions, with embodied carbon being a key component. This study develops EcoSphere, an innovative software designed to evaluate, and balance embodied and operational carbon emissions with construction and environmental costs in urban planning. Using high-resolution data from the National Structure Inventory, combined with computer vision and natural language processing applied to Google Street View and satellite imagery, EcoSphere categorizes buildings by structural and material characteristics with a bottom-up approach, creating a baseline emissions dataset. By simulating policy scenarios and mitigation strategies, EcoSphere provides policymakers and non-experts with actionable insights …

Scientometric Review Of Barriers To Carbon Trading Adoption In The Construction Industry, Augustine Senanu Komla Kukah, Xiaohua Jin, Robert Osei-Kyei, Srinath Perera

CIB Conferences

The construction industry is a significant contributor to global carbon emissions. To reduce the impact of climate change, carbon trading has become an emerging domain. The urgent requirement for construction projects to comply with relevant environmental regulations shows that carbon trading application to the construction industry is expected to aid the industry mitigate its carbon emissions. The purpose of this study is to undertake a scientometric literature review of the barriers construction industry faces in adoption of carbon trading. Scopus and Web of Science were the databases adopted. Relevant keywords aided by Boolean search operators were used. Of 342 articles …

A Conceptual Framework For Measuring Productivity And Performance In Industry 5.0: A Built Environment Perspective, Godfaurd A. John, Kasun Gomis, Kelechi Bukola Babatunde

CIB Conferences

The construction industry in most countries is an early indicator of the nation’s economic health. When things are buoyant and the construction market is booming, it indicates the state of the viability of the country’s economic position. The model used in measuring productivity since WWII (e.g., labour productivity, GDP per capita, multifactor productivity) does not seem suitable for the emerging industry 5.0 (I5.0), considering the prevailing factors within the Built Environment (BE). These metrics are optimised over the years to provide detailed and comprehensive insights into productivity trends and drivers, which lacks necessary attributes to measure productivity and performance in …

Integrated Project Delivery And Its Use In Construction, Steven P. Iwankovitsch, Raed Jarrah

CIB Conferences

Integrated project delivery (IPD) is a unique delivery method that involves a collaborative approach among the primary stakeholders. Unlike traditional methods, where parties tend to prioritize their individual interests, IPD aligns everyone's goals for the collective benefit of the project. This approach encourages open communication, shared risk and a collective commitment to success. This study will provide a comprehensive review of the literature, an overview of the IPD delivery structure and a review of case studies comparing and contrasting IPD with traditional methods. Key findings indicate that IPD is still a relatively niche project delivery method but has had great …

Development Of The Change Readiness Diagnostic Tool Through Industry 4.0 Transformation; Uk Infrastructure Sector Case Study, Haddy Jallow Dr, Suresh Renukappa Dr, Subashini Suresh Professor, Lingaraja Gandhi Professor, Jayakara Shetty Professor, Chandrashekara Kalenahally Gangegowda Dr

CIB Conferences

Industry 4.0 implementation still proves to be a challenge within the UK infrastructure sector and the decision-makers within organisations in the sector despite its clear importance as it introduces several changes to the organisation's structure, processes, and business practices. Due to the challenges and lack of understanding in the sector, it is vital for change management to be highly considered in the decision-making process of implementation of Industry 4.0 initiatives to ensure successful implementation. It has been highlighted that organisational culture and resistance to change is a key barrier to successful implementation which should be addressed before organisations implement Industry …

Dynamics And Synergistic Mechanism Of Green Building Transition: Helix Model And Helix Culture, Jingqing Hong, Isabelle Chan

CIB Conferences

The Green Building Transition (GBT) represents a critical long-term socio-technical shift towards sustainable modes of production and consumption in urban areas. However, a research gap exists in comprehending the intrinsic motivations and synergies among stakeholders involved in promoting and implementing green building practices. This study aims to address this gap by investigating the dynamics of GBT by introducing a novel theoretical framework based on Leydesdorff and Etzkowitz's Helix model. The results indicate a deficiency in the existing GBT frameworks regarding the comprehensive comprehension of interactions among multi-level key stakeholders involved, as well as the absence of a quantitative assessment of …

The Adoption Of The Circular Economy By Small And Medium Sized Enterprises In The Pakistan Construction Sector, Khurram Iqbal Ahmad Khan, Roger Flanagan

CIB Conferences

Circular economy (CE) provides an alternative paradigm to the take, make, and dispose approach focusing on the use of resources for an unlimited period. The CE is being propounded by all nations, but it has been devised by the developed economies with a lack of focus on the developing economies. For CE to be successfully implemented on a global scale, there is a need to understand and incorporate the dynamics of the developing economies for CE implementation. Pakistan is among developing economies where there is a need to adopt circular economy practices. The Pakistan construction sector is important, but there …

Circular Economy And Leed V4: Benchmarking Materials And Resources Credit Achievement, Radwa Eissa, Islam H. El-Adaway

CIB Conferences

Previous studies consistently highlight a gap in the achievement of Materials and Resources (MR) credits across different versions of the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) rating system, despite its critical role in the transition to a Circular Economy (CE). Furthermore, there is a lack of studies benchmarking the level of the MR credit achievement in the latest version of LEED, v4. This paper examines the integration of CE principles in LEED v4 BD+C (Building Design and Construction): NC (New Construction and Major Renovations), focusing on the 971 certified projects in the US. The study benchmarks the achievement degrees …

Towards A Healthier Workforce In The Construction Industry, Thalente L. Nkosi, Fidelis A. Emuze, Abimbola Windapo

CIB Conferences

Abstract: A sustainable built environment aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 3 (Good Health and Well-Being) by enhancing workforce health and welfare in the construction industry. This study employs a systematic literature review methodology to identify best practices, technologies, and policies contributing to achieving SDG 3. The findings reveal that integrating technologies such as Building Information Modelling (BIM), wearable sensors, and prefabrication techniques improves worker safety and mental health while reducing physical hazards. Furthermore, comprehensive well-being programs, ethical planning, and stakeholder collaboration can significantly enhance worker welfare and productivity. The study highlights the challenges in implementing health and …

Ethical Risks Of Human–Robot Interaction In The Construction Industry: A Systematic Review, Liying Wang, Wenqi Li, Botao Gu, Nan Li, Dongping Fang

CIB Conferences

Robotics is increasingly deployed on construction sites, enhancing efficiency, safety, and quality. However, the form of human–robot interaction (HRI) poses various ethical challenges, and insufficient attention has been paid to the ethical aspects of HRI in the construction industry within the academic community. To bridge this gap, this study aims to identify, analyze, and evaluate ethical risks across various HRI patterns in the construction industry through an agent-relationship-scenario three-tier ethical lens. This lens includes three types of agents: managers, workers, and robots, as well as five interaction patterns: remote monitoring, proximity manipulation, non-collaborative coexistence, non-wearable collaboration, and wearable collaboration. This …

Transition From A Linear Information Model To A Circular Information Model - A Deep Dive Into The "State Of The Art" For Circular Data Models In Public Parts Of The Construction Industry In Norway, Håkon K. Gissinger Mr, Nora Johanne Klungseth

CIB Conferences

Transforming from linear society to circular society is fundamental to solve the climat chrisis. To make construction sector circulare, we first need to develop circular data models for built asset. Circular asset data will need to be updated through the life cycle to become a digital twin. Replacement of physical components serves as “triggers” for updating digital twins. But who are the actors in the updating process, and how do they cooperate? The paper present two Norwegian cases of “level 3 digital twin” (Elyasi et al, 2023), and the roles and actors that contribute to update the twinned data. Research …

Nexus Between Carbon And Waste In A Circular Built Environment: A Bibliometric Analysis, Navodana Rodrigo Dr, A.M.D.S. Atapattu

CIB Conferences

The construction industry, being one of the key contributors to greenhouse gas emissions, generates approximately 39% of global carbon emissions. In line with the ambitions of the Paris Agreement and to accelerate the built environment sector towards a 1.5⁰C pathway, most countries have agreed to nationally determined contributions to achieve net zero targets by 2050. On the other hand, the traditional linear economic model focuses on take-make-dispose while circular economy emphasises the better use of resources by using closed loops of resource flows by recovering and preventing waste as much as possible. Therefore, decarbonising the overall construction industry …

Public Space Is More Than Architecture: A Critique To An Urban Renewal Project In Shenzhen, China, Cheng Li, Zhidi Cheng, Jilin Li

CIB Conferences

Urban regeneration is a multifaceted process that encompasses both the physical change of locations and the social and cultural reimagining of communities. This study analyzes an industrial heritage renewal project in Shenzhen, China, utilizing urban planning theories including Jacobs' Great Streets and Lydon’s Tactical Urbanism. The study emphasizes the disparity between architecture design implementation and the problems and the way of improvement in urban regeneration initiatives. It underscores the significance of public space design and management for sustained success, providing insights into how urban design may enhance community engagement and elevate quality of life. This study seeks to offer pragmatic …

Life Cycle Assessment Of The Decarbonisation Opportunities Of A Brick Manufacturing Facility In Australia, Benjamin Gazeau, Liliane Klemann, Atiq U. Zaman Dr, Alessandro Sanches Pereira

CIB Conferences

This research tackles the urgent challenge of reducing carbon emissions within the construction industry, where building materials—especially bricks—play a significant role in global greenhouse gas emissions. Brick manufacturing, in particular, significantly contributes to the industry’s carbon footprint, underscoring the need for decarbonisation strategies. This study examines potential pathways to achieve this by exploring alternative fuel options and assessing their environmental impact using life cycle assessment (LCA). Focusing on a brick manufacturing plant in Australia, identified as Plant A, the study uses a cradle-to-gate LCA approach to establish baseline emissions and evaluate the benefits of various fuel-switch scenarios. Key results show …

Towards A Participatory Assessment Of Community Flood Resilience, Ezekiel Olatunji, David Proverbs, Chaminda Pathirage, Subashini Suresh Dr, Olutayo Ekundayo

CIB Conferences

Existing Community Flood Resilience (CFR) frameworks often integrate a range of dimensions to measure flood resilience, but social indicators are often overlooked or neglected due to the challenges involved in gathering information and quantifying these aspects. This research presents a novel methodology towards the development of a more comprehensive CFR framework. The methodology presented combines quantitative and qualitative insights through a participatory mixed-methods approach. Initially, the Delphi process is used to co-develop resilience indicators with professional experts drawn from key stakeholders including the Environment Agency, Local Authorities and National Flood Forum, as well as a range of community representatives. This …

Applications, Challenges, And Benefits Of Integrated Project Delivery (Ipd) Method In The Construction Industry, Abu Sadat Mohammad Tayab, Moatassem Abdallah, Caroline Clevenger

CIB Conferences

The Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry plays an important role in the global economy. To achieve efficiency in project objectives such as time, cost, and quality the industry increasingly adopts a variety of techniques and technologies, emphasizing the continuous evolution of project delivery methods (PDMs). Currently, the Construction industry is witnessing significant global growth, and the selection of appropriate and widely accepted PDMs is essential to project success. Although, Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) method is not widely used in the construction industry yet, it is emerging as a viable alternative PDM in large-scale construction projects. This research explores the …

Uav-Dl-Based Computer Vision Framework For Construction Worker Pose Estimation, Roy Lan, Ibukun Awolusi

CIB Conferences

Traditional ergonomic assessments in construction are limited by subjectivity, intermittent monitoring, and scalability challenges. To address these issues, this study presents a framework integrating unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and deep learning-based computer vision for automated ergonomic risk assessment of construction workers. The framework utilizes UAVs to capture aerial footage of workers, enabling continuous monitoring across large and complex sites. Leveraging MediaPipe for pose estimation, the framework detects key body landmarks and calculates joint angles, providing an objective representation of worker postures. These joint angles are then mapped to the Rapid Entire Body Assessment (REBA) scoring system through custom algorithms, which …

Suicide Causal Factors And Mitigation Strategies In The Construction Industry: A Structured Review, Mehdi Torbat Esfahani, Hannah Plesant, Ibukun Awolusi

CIB Conferences

Due to the extreme nature of construction worksite settings, workers are exposed to mental health issues, which results in more injuries and accidents, including unreported mental illnesses, reduced productivity, the stigmas placed on workers by their peers and society itself, and suicide. Although numerous studies have delved into the suicide causal factors, there remains a notable absence of comprehensive research consolidating these findings and offering a holistic understanding of these determinants alongside potential preventive strategies. This study presents a review conducted to synthesize and categorize the factors contributing to suicide and mitigation strategies in the construction industry. To achieve the …

A Case-Study-Based Investigation On The Planning And Development Of Tiny Home Communities In North Carolina, Lin Whipkey, Jianxin Hu

CIB Conferences

Tiny homes have gained popularity over the past two decades. However, tiny homes have encountered obstacles to being considered as primary dwellings because most local zoning ordinances do not fully adopt them as a permanent dwelling type. Only a few counties (5%) and municipalities (6%) in North Carolina adopted tiny homes in their ordinance. A multiple-case study is employed to investigate eight communities in North Carolina. The developers, property owners, municipality officials, and county planners are interviewed. Other methods include studying the communities' general layout and amenities and reviewing zoning ordinances, property records, and site plans. The data are analyzed …

Exploring The Performance Trends In Leed-Certified Schools In Massachusetts: Analyzing Scorecards For Sustainability Insights, Jung Hyun Lee, Bilge Gokhan Celik, Shaghayegh Kurzinski, Amine Ghanem

CIB Conferences

Schools are essential environments for student development, with the quality of these buildings playing a significant role in shaping students’ learning experiences. Several factors, including indoor air quality, thermal comfort, acoustics, and daylight access, can impact both student well-being and academic performance. Therefore, evolving government regulations and updates to sustainable building standards, such as Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certifications, have prioritized enhancing the quality of school buildings. This study aims to identify the trends within LEED for school certifications between 2019 and 2024 by examining each rating system category to determine whether these trends vary across categories …

Exploring Insurance Options And Innovations For Contractor Risk Management In Ghana's Construction Industry, Samuel Oppong Sarpong, Modupe Cecilia M.C Mewomo Dr, Francis Kwesi Bondinuba, Anthony Nansie, Anthony Bangdome Dery

CIB Conferences

Abstract: Purpose: This study examines various insurance options and innovations for managing contractor risk in Ghana's construction industry.

Design: A comprehensive literature review was conducted to identify the existing insurance options and innovations used in other countries for contractor risk management. Additionally, interviews were conducted with construction industry experts and insurance professionals to gather insights and perspectives on the applicability of these options in the Ghanaian context.

Value of the Study: This study contributes to the existing literature by providing an in-depth analysis of insurance options and innovations for contractor risk management, particularly within Ghana's construction industry. It highlights significant …

Challenges In Developing Digital Twin Systems: Insights From A Case Study, Orgil Borjigin, Timothy Bernard, Carrie Sturts Dossick, Amos Darko, Bart Treece, Travis Thonstad, Michael Motley

CIB Conferences

The United States faces significant challenges with its aging infrastructure, which is both deteriorating and expensive to maintain and rehabilitate. Bridges, being core components of connecting communities and facilitating trade, receive considerable attention from the public and government agencies. However, the traditional ways of monitoring bridge health conditions, often reliant on visual inspections, are inadequate for ensuring their sustained performance. In recent years, the concept of digital twins offers innovative solutions that have the potential to transform the ways the industry can monitor the structural performance of bridges. This approach pairs physical assets with their digital counterparts, leveraging real-time data …

Ai Tools In Project Practice (Design Process, Platforms, Open Building), Sergey Rybakov, Aleksandra Shibaeva

CIB Conferences

The article provides an overview the application of AI-practices in the architectural and design practice (narrow AI/ANI’s). Various directions of introducing these tools into the process (from generative design to reinforced collaborative systems & AI-actors) are considered. The main emphasis is on two aspects: application of AI to ensure the Open Building Implementation concept (within the framework of open construction). How to open buildings ideas react on these practices. How open systems can be complemented with these tools. How the OB-principles (modularity, “openness” itself, users-inhabitants design decisions making & designing process with multiple participants ets.) may change when applying AI-ideas. …

From Energy To Health: Role Of The Ventilation Systems In Energy-Retrofitted Buildings, Elham Maghsoudi Nia, Atze Boerstra Prof

CIB Conferences

The transition towards zero-energy buildings by 2050 has driven retrofitting initiatives across Europe, focusing on renovating existing buildings through improving insulation, solar panel installations, window replacements, and implementation of heat pump systems. While these retrofitting strategies contribute to energy efficiency, they also introduce new challenges related to indoor air quality and occupant health, particularly in highly insulated, and airtight buildings. This paper aims to investigate the intersection of energy retrofitting of buildings and occupants' health, with a specific focus on mechanical ventilation systems. By reviewing relevant literature on health issues and energy retrofitting in buildings, building-related illness is explored. The …

A Review Of Research On Enhancing The Post-Disaster Recovery Of Interdependent Critical Infrastructure Systems, Jiaxu Huang, Nan Li

CIB Conferences

Due to the increasing frequency of disasters, the ability to quickly recover from disaster-induced damage is crucial for critical infrastructure systems (CISs). The interdependencies among CISs pose a challenge that must be effectively addressed to ensure more efficient recovery measures. To enhance the resilience of interdependent CISs, an increasing number of studies have utilized simulations or real-world data to understand the mechanisms of these interdependencies and proposed possible solutions in the post-disaster phase. This paper examines this area of research and categorizes existing studies into simulation-based and data-driven approaches, summarizing existing strategies for improving interdependent CIS resilience through expedited recovery …

Dwelling Overheating In Cool Climates: Evidence From Monitoring, Mark Mulville, Seamus Harrington, Ciara Ahern, Omprakash Ramalingam Rethnam

CIB Conferences

To date, much of the research on overheating risk in dwellings has been focused on warmer climates, there is however increasing ­concern regarding overheating risk in dwellings including in cool climates, exacerbated by both large scales retrofit and the potential impacts of climate change. Dwelling overheating has been linked to impacts on sleep, health and wellbeing, including increased rates of mortality and morbidity. This paper explores overheating risk in dwellings in cool climates using Ireland as use case. Ten representative vernacular Irish dwellings were identified and monitored over the summer months of 2024 (June-August inclusive). To understand the role and …

Critical Review Of Biodiversity Criteria In Sustainable Real Estate Finance, Maria Holopainen, Inari Virkkala, Antti Kinnunen, Seppo Junnila Professor

CIB Conferences

The speed of global biodiversity loss has highlighted the urgency of directing more capital into nature-positive investments. Subsequently, green real estate finance has an important role to play in filling this finance gap. Against this backdrop, the paper employs a case study methodology to critically review the harmonies and disparities between two alternative approaches to incorporate biodiversity in the building sector: the EU Taxonomy, representing a regulatory “top-down” push for minimum standards, and the “Biodiversity Building” concept which portrays an industry-driven “bottom-up” approach aimed at ecological regenerativity. The analysis reveals some fundamental differences between the scope, content, and applicability of …

Digital Twin Insights From A Green Star-Rated Learning Environment, Ashvin Manga Mr., Theo C. Haupt, Chris James Allen Mr.

CIB Conferences

This study investigates the application of digital twin technology to enhance energy efficiency and indoor environmental quality (IEQ) in a Green Star-rated learning environment. Focusing on Nelson Mandela University’s Business School, the research employed a mono-method quantitative approach, gathering real-time data through IoT sensors. The sensors were integrated into a digital twin platform using AWS IoT TwinMaker, enabling multi-sensor collaborative visualisation of building performance data. Findings reveal that CO₂ levels frequently exceeded recommended limits, even at moderate occupancy, indicating ventilation inadequacies. Additionally, the performance gap between design expectations and operational outcomes was highlighted, especially regarding energy efficiency and IEQ, suggesting …

Examining The Prevalence Of Job Stressors Among The South African Construction Workforce, Mohlomi T. Raliile

CIB Conferences

This study examined the prevalence of job stressors among the construction workforce in South Africa. The objectives were to determine the prevalence of organisational, extra-organisational, and personal stressors among the workforce. This exploratory study was conducted on a conveniently sampled population of construction personnel under three categories: construction professionals, construction artisans/tradesmen and construction labourers. A questionnaire survey was distributed to collect quantitative data via Google Forms and email, and some were distributed manually on construction sites to capture the labourers. In this cross-sectional study, and the respondents were individuals employed by civil and building construction companies. Face validity was used, …