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09:00   General Paper Session W65 - Management for sustainable design and construction
Chair: Anita Liu
09:00
15 mins 		System-search INTRA-FIRM, INTERDISCIPLINARY NETWORKS IN MULTI-NATIONAL ENGINEERING ORGANIZATIONS
Amy Javernick-Will, Paul Chinowsky
Abstract: To gain a competitive advantage, project organizations are interested in sharing knowledge gained through their experiences across the organization. Despite the advantages, this can be particularly challenging for multi-national engineering organizations. These organizations not only encounter typical knowledge sharing constraints due to lack of resources, individual motivations, and a project-based focus; but also the additional challenges of geographical, cultural and disciplinary boundaries. However, gaining knowledge from the diverse environments in which multinational engineering organizations work is a large advantage for working globally. To better understand the networks that exist for sharing knowledge within these organizations, this research employed a case study of a sustainability network within a large multinational engineering organization. The organization selected individuals from 62 offices that were dispersed across 25 countries. These individuals responded to ego-centric social network surveys that contained questions about their background and the people with whom they share knowledge. The results found that geographic distance created large barriers in the knowledge-sharing network. There was a high prevalence for regional knowledge sharing, which resulted in regional and country level silos with weak ties to offices in other geographies. The research also found a significant focus on knowledge centered on the home office and sustainability business center. The network illustrates a transfer bias toward centralized communication with limited connections and knowledge exchange between “emerging” and “developed” countries. The results highlight the need for focused strategic efforts by the firm to encourage knowledge sharing ties between offices and countries separated by geography. In addition, to reap the advantages of working globally, firms must focus on creating low levels of centrality to encourage knowledge flow from offices in emerging countries.
09:15
15 mins 		System-search SOCIAL NETWORK ANALYSIS AS SUPPORT FOR STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT WITHIN CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS
Thomas Schonk, Timo Hartmann, Vedran Zerjav
Abstract: Engaging the right stakeholders at the right time is a key factor to successfully complete a construction project. However, the decision which stakeholders to engage within a project can often be a difficult one and little tools exist that can support project managers in doing so. This research looks into the applicability of Social Network Analysis to support project managers with their decisions of which stakeholders to engage and with the stakeholder engagement process itself. We conducted a case study on a public-private redevelopment project in the Netherlands that initially failed because project managers did not involve the right stakeholders at the right time. To understand the social network on the project we conducted interviews with various stakeholders. Based on the interview information, we then composed a social network of the stakeholders which we then discussed with the project’s project manager and the stakeholders in a second round of interviews. The findings from this second interview round show that representations of social networks give project managers a quick overview of the cliques, key players, and the general position of stakeholders in the social project network. This overview helped the project managers to identify which stakeholders to engage. At the same time, our findings show that representations of social networks give stakeholders clear insights in their own positions. These insights then, in turn, supported the stakeholders to better understand their position in relation to the other project stakeholders. In this way, the social network visualization was also a great tool to support project managers with their efforts to engage stakeholders. Overall, the study illustrate the utility of social network analysis to analyze and engage stakeholders on complex public-private construction and design projects. Keywords Social Network Analysis; stakeholder engagement; public-private construction
09:30
15 mins 		System-search INCLUSIVE BUILT FACILITIES: A CASE STUDY OF HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS
Wai Kin Lau, Daniel Chi Wing Ho, Yung Yau
Abstract: Building an inclusive society has been a goal with universal appeal. In respect of sustainable design and construction, due consideration in disability inclusion is necessary for it has social, economic, legal and environmental implications. It is not a new subject; however, there is still a long way for our built environment to be inclusive. In this paper, a practicable means to appraise the inclusiveness of built facilities quantitatively, the Building Inclusiveness Assessment Score (BIAS), is proposed. Literature, guides and standards of barrier-free access and universal design are reviewed so as to construct a hierarchy of relevant inclusion attributes. A multiple-criteria analysis technique, the Non-structural Fuzzy Decision Support System (NSFDSS), is then applied to analyse the weightings of attributes. On-site assessments are undertaken to collect data for grading individual inclusion attributes. The inclusiveness of built facilities in the University of Hong Kong is studied. In BIAS, a hierarchy of inclusion attributes is appraised. The outcomes are integrated in form of a score. Notwithstanding the research project is still ongoing, preliminary findings from on-site assessments are presented. A novel insight is provided to sustainable design and construction which should not only regard environmental and economic sustainability but also social sustainability. Compare with earlier attempts to quantify the accessibility of buildings, BIAS further reduced the subjective elements. The framework of BIAS can also be modified to assess built facilities of other uses.
09:45
15 mins 		System-search SUCCESS AND FAIL FACTORS IN SUSTAINABLE REAL ESTATE RENOVATION PROJECTS
Leentje Volker
Abstract: Sustainability remains an important issue for the construction industry. Yet, sustainable real estate developments are still considered as highly ambitious projects. To find out how and why sustainable renovation projects actually became sustainable we systematically evaluated 21 leading Dutch real estate renovation projects. In each project we interviewed the client, consultant, architect and contractor. Based on the results it was concluded that it is not necessary to have a pre-defined (sustainability) ambition in order to realize a project that can be considered sustainable in practice. Most of the respondents indicated that the ambition developed throughout the project, mainly because of the potential sustainable reputation or the parties involved in the project. Ambitions were not set as highly as expected: about half of the respondents consider preservation of the building and recycling as sustainable solutions already. The composition, management and collaboration of the construction team were found to be very important during the process. In this sense sustainable projects do not appear to be any different than regular projects, so then the only question is: Why not sustainable?
10:00
15 mins 		System-search SUSTAINABLE CONSTRUCTION WASTE MANAGEMENT IN MALAYSIA: A CONTRACTOR’S PERSPECTIVE
Effie Papargyropoulou, Christopher Nigel Preece, Rory Padfield, Anis Adila Abdullah
Abstract: The Malaysian construction industry continues to grow, benefiting the country’s economy and providing essential infrastructure. However, this thriving industry is responsible for one of the single largest waste streams in the country. This paper focuses on the current status of waste management in the Malaysian construction sector. It builds on existing research and assesses the level of sustainable practices on construction sites in terms of waste management. It is a reflective paper examining the attitudes and reaction of Malaysian contractors towards a more structured approach to on-site sustainable resource and waste management, the “Site Waste Management Plan”. The Site Waste Management Plan, is a framework that has been used in Europe and has successfully reduced on-site construction waste generation. The aim of this study is to gauge the industry’s appetite and commitment to sustainable waste management and ultimately guide the future development of a framework for the management of construction wastes in Malaysia. A number of semi-structured interviews were conducted with Malaysian contractors, with no previous experience of Site Waste Management Plans. This exercise allowed the researchers to explore the industry’s level of awareness and commitment to sustainable waste management, identify current barriers and suggest future recommendations for an implementation strategy. Keywords: sustainability, construction waste management, Malaysia
10:15
15 mins 		System-search MANAGING OF CONSTRUCTION-RELATED BUSINESSES IN ENVIRONMENTALLY SUSTAINABLE WAYS - A FOCUSED REVIEW OF 62 CONCEPTS
Pekka Huovinen
Abstract: The on-going literature review has revealed a platform of the 62 construction-related business management (BM) concepts, published mainly via the journals between the years 1990-2009. The aim of this paper is to enhance the managing of construction-related businesses in highly environmentally sustainable ways. A focused review resulted in the expected findings, i.e. environmental sustainability is so far being taken into account only by the 8 (13%) BM concepts within the 62-concept population. Academic and practicing concept designers can incorporate sustainability into BM concepts as a dimension, an element, an attribute of managing, and/or a criterion in business decision making. In turn, sustainability is herein enhanced by designing a 5-element, high-sustainability BM concept. The five pioneering firms are used to highlight sustainable elements such as offerings with no negative impacts, business processes with minimal carbon footprints, core competitiveness nurturing based on sustainability foresights, business framing with high-sustainability rules, and dealings with sustainable collaborators. CIB related researchers can both individually and jointly incorporate sustainability in their existing and new BM concepts. It is envisioned that this reviewer be able to report on higher sustainability in managing by the year 2015. Keywords: Business management, construction, design, literature review, sustainability
10:30
15 mins 		System-search CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK FOR POTENTIAL IMPLEMENTATIONS OF MULTI CRITERIA DECISION MAKING (MCDM) METHODS FOR DESIGN QUALITY ASSESSMENT
Timucin Harputlugil, Matthijs Prins, Tanju Gultekin, İlker Topcu
Abstract: Design is an ill-defined process since it creates its own problems and produces more while solving them. Architectural design can be considered as a process influenced by many stakeholders, each of which has different decision power. Each stakeholder might have his/her own criteria and weightings depending on his/her own perspective and role. Hence design can be seen as a multi-criteria decision making (MCDM) process. Considering architectural design, its evaluation and quality assessment within a context of MCDM is not regularly performed within building process. The aim of the paper is to find/adapt proper methodologies of MCDM, used in other domains for assessment of design quality, adapt them to the construction domain and test the applicability. Current tools (for instance DQI, DEEP, AEDET, HQI, LEED,BREEAM, BQA) for quality assessment will be reviewed and compared with several MCDM methods (ie. AHP, ANP, PROMETHEE, SMART). Advantages and disadvantages of gathered outcomes from comparisons for assessment and applicability within architectural design will be discussed. Finally reflections on the outcomes will be provided for further architectural design quality tool generation. Keywords: Architectural Design Quality, Multi Criteria Decision Making (MCDM), DQI, AHP
10:45
15 mins 		System-search SUSTAINABLE BUILDING PRACTICES: LEGISLATIVE AND ECONOMIC INCENTIVES
James Taylor
Abstract: Sustainable building has become the buzz word of commercial construction in the U.S. during the past decade. While sustainable building practices and energy efficiencies have been on the building industries radar screen for a number of years, the media intensity and owner interest seam to ebb and flow with the cost of energy. However since the LEED system has gained such popularity in the commercial construction arena in the U.S., more and more owners are demanding that their project be LEED certified; or owners are at least having serious talks with their architect and builders regarding sustainability and the LEED certification process. A natural outgrowth of public awareness of energy efficiencies in the building process is governmental pressure to achieve certain prescribed outcomes. Is government leading the charge, following a surge or acting as an impediment to the use of sustainable building practices? Building practices in various countries will be examined to determine if there is a trend towards either of the scenarios. While this research will primarily focus on building practices of developed countries, along with local laws that have an impact on the built environment; a cursory look at the efforts of other countries and their energy practices will be performed to provide some insight into the worldwide efforts towards sustainable building. As most of the information regarding laws that govern the building practices of countries is available on-line, this research will consist of a web-based analysis of governmental actions and influences such actions have on the design and construction of commercial buildings.