• Home
• Conference Photographs
• Workshop Minutes
• Keynote Lectures
• Preliminary Program
• Speakers Information
• Important Dates
• Registration Information
• Social Meeting and Conference Activities
• Conference Venue
• Accommodation in Amsterdam
• Amsterdam
• Sponsors and Exhibitors
• General Information
• Organization Committees
• Contact Details

Mobile Program

11:00   General Paper Session W65 - Management for sustainable design and construction Chair: Steve Rowlinson 11:00 15 mins DIVERSITY MANAGEMENT: MANAGING MIGRANT CONSTRUCTION WORKERS ON CONSTRUCTION SITES IN SINGAPORE Florence Ling, Mui Hia Chua, Yongjian Ke Abstract: It is not sustainable for construction projects in Singapore to rely merely on a Singaporean workforce due to the low participation rate of indigenous workers. A typical construction site in Singapore thus comprises migrant workers from several countries. This gives rise to the need for diversity management on construction sites to ensure social sustainability. The aim of this research is to examine styles that project managers adopt when managing multi-cultural migrant workers in construction projects. The specific objectives are to: investigate the socially sustainable managerial practices adopted by project managers when dealing with migrant construction workers from China, India and Thailand; and identify if there are any differences in management practices when dealing with migrant construction workers from different countries. The research method is questionnaire survey, and data were collected from project managers who had managed migrant workers in Singapore. In-depth interviews were also conducted to confirm the statistical results. The research found that project managers tend to use task-oriented more than relation-oriented management style to achieve social sustainability. The management practices that are significantly implemented include requiring workers to be punctual, giving assertive instructions, providing close supervision and enforcing rules so that social sustainability can be maintained on construction sites. 11:15 15 mins INTELLECTUAL CAPITAL MODEL DEVELOPMENT TOWARDS ADAPTIVE RE-USE SUCCESS: AN ANALYSIS ON HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF CASE STUDIES Kartina Alauddin, Kerry London Abstract: Adaptive re-use can be a significant strategy for achieving sustainability as it ensures a continuous building life-cycle and prevents it from destruction. Adaptive re-use projects have their own unique environment and specific challenges to ensure success. There are complex designs and construction problems unique to adaptive re-use projects thus specific skills and expertise are required. As Australia’s building stock ages, more and more attention are being turned to adaptive re-use projects and the critical factors towards its success. The literature review identified and regarded project management as a critical success factor for these projects. Given the extremely complex and conflicting construction challenges we contend that construction management is a critical success factor. The aim of this paper is to identify the unique problems in the adaptive re-use process of historical buildings. It is a highly specialized field with significant learning accumulated and significant levels of intellectual capital created within the project teams. Two case study projects with similar project teams are examined to explore the relevance of the concept of reflexivity. We propose an intellectual capital model for project success to understand how to capture, transform and accumulate intellectual capital within project stakeholder’s communities who are dedicated to adaptive re-use projects. The model is a step towards the development of a practical construction management methodology grounded in theory and empirical observations. 11:30 15 mins DEVELOPING AND MARKETING SUSTAINABLE CONSTRUCTION SERVICES Christopher Nigel Preece, Sui Pheng Low, Rory Padfield, Effie Papargyropoulou Abstract: Increasing calls for action on addressing the negative impact of human activities on the natural environment have lead to the growth of new markets for sustainable solutions. At a more macro level, the role of construction and marketing in economic development has been well established. In striving towards economic growth, a balance between marketing and construction should be considered to achieve sustainability. Engineering consultancies and other businesses have been developing the provision of ‘sustainability services’ to a diverse range of sectors including construction, energy and transportation, corporate and others. This has also been stimulated by policies enshrined in governmental legislation. Market growth in developed countries such as the UK and Singapore has been fast due to the implementation of more stringent regulations. This paper considers how the principles and practice of marketing may be applied to the promotion of sustainability services offered by engineering and construction consultancies and contractors. It will also consider the constraints and barriers, together with the opportunities for sustainability service markets in developed and developing countries. Key words: sustainability, services, marketing, construction, economic development 11:45 15 mins EDUCATION & EMPLOYMENT: A PRELIMINARY STUDY OF FEMALE BUILT ENVIRONMENT UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS IN SOUTH WALES Mike Murphy, Andrew Dainty, Zhaomin Ren Abstract: Recently available figures for South Wales' university’s and college’s intake indicate a ratio of 83 male to 17 female students on undergraduate built environment courses. It could be contended that any increase in the numbers of females attending such courses should reflect more females at the ‘coal face’ but what of the experiences, perceptions and expectations while on those courses? The female respondents were questioned utilising semi-structured, digitally recorded discussions in relation to education, employment and how and why they arrived at their careers determining the influences in choosing that career path. Issues arose including poor careers advice, inappropriate work experience, lack of peer support, a general lack of knowledge of the industry and the perception of outmoded male attitudes. The aim is to ultimately gain a longitudinal view of female experiences over the ‘life’ of their courses and concurrent employment, to ascertain over time if the respondent’s views have changed and original expectations met. It is suggested a better understanding of women’s experiences through a longitudinal study may support the sector to improve the number of successful female built environment technicians 12:00 15 mins PARADIGM SHIFT OR CHOKE? THE FUTURE OF WESTERN EUROPEAN HOUSING STOCKS Andre Thomsen Abstract: The 20th century saw an enormous worldwide growth of the housing stock. In particular the building boom after WW-II, during which the housing stock in most countries was multifolded, focussed the attention of the housing sector primarily to the planning and realisation of new construction; the consciousness of the enormous maintenance and management task to come was still a far cry. The begin of the 21st century shows a completely different situation that urges for a paradigm shift. New construction in most western countries has faded down below an annual production of 1% of the existing stock, and often well below. Parallel to this, the ageing existing stock draws growing attention. The necessary investments in major repairs, renovation, adaptation and redevelopment count at present for a total turn-over well beyond that of new construction. Improving the energy efficiency to the required standards of tomorrow will give these investments a strong extra boost. Though the change from new addition to the adaptation and transformation of the existing stock is well under way, large parts of the construction and real estate practice seems hardly aware and to stick to business as usual: new constriction, if not in greenfields then in brownfields. The knowledge about how and when to successfully maintain, manage, adapt, transform and redesign has still a way to go. At the same time, the awareness grows that housing problems are only partly related to the physical supply side and solving them requires more than bricks and mortar. The paper illustrates the paradigm shift in Western Europe and explores the consequences for the management of the housing stock. 12:15 15 mins EMBEDDING ENERGY SAVIING POLICIES IN THE DUTHC NON-PROFIT HOUSING SECTOR Nico Nieboer, Robert Kroese, Ad Straub Abstract: Many Dutch social landlords have formulated energy saving ambitions for their housing stock. On the national level, the Dutch government and several umbrella organizations have agreed that CO2 emissions will be reduced with 30% in 2018 compared to 2008. In the same year, 20% of the energy use in the housing sector should come from renewable energy sources and all newly built houses should be climate neutral. The existing housing stock should be climate neutral in 2050. Many studies on policy implementation have emphasized the difficulties of putting policies into practice. The paper presents several ways in which Dutch social landlords incorporate their energy saving policies in their ‘regular’ housing management, such as planned preventive maintenance, renovations and other physical improvements. The research questions are as follows: - What are the current energy saving policies of Dutch social housing organisations? Which objectives are formulated? - In which way do Dutch social housing organisations materialize their energy saving policies in their physical investments in new building and in the existing stock? What are the main stimuli and barriers for this materialization? - In which way do the current energy saving policies of Dutch social housing organisations coincide or conflict with their policies in other fields (e.g. rent setting, maintenance strategies)? - To which extent are the energy saving ambitions of Dutch social housing organisations realized? What are the main factors of success or failure for this? Several landlords were selected that have formulated an energy saving policy and that have at least some experience in implementing these policies. Interviews were held with managers of asset and maintenance management and with policy staff of social landlords. It is investigated to which extent the policy ambitions, both at the portfolio level and at the project level, are carried out, and in which way these ambitions are embedded in the organisations’ regular working processes. In addition, the main stimuli and barriers for the implementation of the energy saving policies are identified. Special attention has been paid to the feasibility of combinations of energy saving measures with other physical improvements in the housing stock. Results show that the implementation of energy saving policies in annual improvement and maintenance plans is in most cases not problematic, and that the most significant problems arise during the preparation of individual investment projects. Keywords: energy saving, implementation, social housing, the Netherlands 12:30 15 mins TOWARDS AGILE PROJECTMANAGEMENT AND SOCIAL INNOVATION IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY Frens Pries, Paul Everts, Steven Nijhuis Abstract: Towards agile projectmanagement? Meredith distinguishes a major development in the field of general management that traditional, hierarchical management is increasingly replaced by so called "Consensual management”. Such a development also occurs in the field of projectmanagement. Agile projectmanagement (originated in the world of IT and software development) has many characteristics of lean thinking. In the Manifesto of the Agile Alliance is stated: "We are Uncovering better ways of Developing software by doing it and helping others do it. Through this work we have come to value: Individuals and interactions over processes and tools, working software over comprehensive documentation, customer collaboration over contract negotiation, responding to change over following a plan. That is, while there is value in the items on the right, we value the items on the left more”. Agile stands for the individual and interaction, rather than procedures and tools, results over paper security and respond to change over the finishing a tight plan once it’s drawn up. In that sense, agile fits more into the current complex and turbulent era than the traditional project management. Agility and flexibility are important, because projects have to adapt to inevitable changes. This environmental turbulency leaves no room for bureaucratic organisations and unwavering procedures. Important are: self-managed or self-organizing teams, a lot of customer interaction, "even when there isn’t a problem to be solved!”, motivated individuals, and the leader is more a coach and facilitator who clears obstacles. A controversy between agile and traditional project management? We will discuss the various ways to choose the appropriate project management model for a specific project. If there is a large amount of complexity and many different stakeholders and interests (and potential controversies) in an absolutely unique project, then don’t choose a hierarchical and bureaucratic project management model. Research In early 2008 we conducted a study into current and desired projectmanagmentcompetences in the construction industry. This was a survey in which the self-image of a representative group of 130 project managers from both clients, builders and consultants was examined. This study gave a clear picture of developments in the industry, the advent of integrated contracts made competences such as cooperation and communication more important while the hard technical skills were decreasingly necessary. This raised the question whether the project leader of the future still needs to be an engineer. The results from this research strongly support the trends as described before. Finally, concluding Both our survey and the literature describe a trend towards what we call agile projectmanagement. Some conclusions in advance: • The ICT sector is far ahead on the construction industry in the field of research on project management. The construction industry is relatively invisible in the scientific debate. The good news is that we can learn a lot from this sector. • The most current ongoing research and consultancy has excessive attention to Taylorist projectmanagement. Since there is a break towards agile project management, new theory and research is required (including a research agenda!). Besides structure, more attention to the "soft side" of the profession is imperative.