Emerald | Construction Innovation: Information, Process, Management

ENGINEERING MIXES WITH POLITICS

AMARJIT SINGH — 2012-04-13 00:00:00.0

Abstract

Not available.

Construction Waste Management in India: An Exploratory Study

Mohamed Arif, Deepthi Bendi, Tahsin Toma Sabbagh, Monty Sutrisna — 2012-04-13 00:00:00.0

Abstract

Purpose - The growth of Indian economy has brought with it significant increase in construction activities. These increased construction activities have further highlighted the problem of waste generation on construction sites. This paper highlights some of the existing practices on construction waste management in India and analyses way forward.Design/methodology/approach - This paper presents two cases and results from semi-structured interviews which shed light on some of the major issues, challenges and drivers associated with the implementation of waste management in construction in India.Findings - One of the key findings was that client preference and enforcement of existing laws could actually facilitate the implementation of waste minimization effectively. Some of the practices being followed and are gaining more popularity are waste quantification, waste segregation, and the implementation of 3Rs (reduce, recycle, and reuse). Congested construction sites, sites in heavily built-up areas with no ability to have an alternate storage or staging location for materials, lack of ownership of waste due to the presence of multiple contractors on the construction site and lack of awareness and education among the construction workforce were regarded as major challenges associated with the implementation of waste minimization practices in India.Research limitations/implications - Taking into account the drivers and challenges, Indian construction industry can effectively move forward and address the sustainability agenda faced all across the world.Originality/value - This paper presents an exploratory study which assesses the implementation of waste management practices in the Indian construction industry. It also highlights activities within different stages of construction project that can lead to a more effective waste management in the construction sector.

Evolution of large-scale Industrialization and Service - Innovation in Japanese Prefabrication Industry.

Thomas Linner, Thomas Bock — 2012-04-13 00:00:00.0

Abstract

Purpose - The Japanese prefabrication industry not only has automated its processes to a high extent, but it also innovates due to the fact that it delivers buildings of outstanding quality accompanied by a multitude of services. In order to explore and specify the concepts and parameters that have driven this industry, Japan's prefabrication industry, its cultural, economic and technological surrounding, as well as the applied processes, technologies and economic strategies, have to be illustrated and analyzed. The proposed research aim was to identify, describe and analyse these concepts and their related parameters, as well as to recognize the most influential drivers for the future, that provide an indication into which direction the industry could evolve.Design/methodology/approach - Being aware that literature does not provide relevant information and data, which would allow the authors to explore concepts and parameters explaining the success of the Japanese prefabrication industry, the authors performed field surveys, visited factories, R&D centres and sales points of all major Japanese prefabrication companies. In some cases authors also interviewed general managers, researchers and developers, and academicians at Japanese universities. Based on an extensive literature review in the area of product development, production technology, modularisation, mass customisation, and innovation, the authors qualitatively and quantitatively analysed all major prefabrication companies according to a fixed scheme.Findings - The concepts and parameters identified and analyzed in this paper, demonstrate that the Japanese prefabrication industry, which is leading in large-scale industrialization, nowadays focuses towards services that are related to the building’s utilization phase, rather than delivering products. By involving customers it enhances the companies’ customer relations, creating thus competitive advantages.Originality/value - Overall the paper shows that Japanese prefabrication industry rather acts like a "production industry" than a "construction industry". Similar to many other high-tech industries, Japan’s prefabrication industry incorporates latest product and process technologies and combines automation, products and services into complex value-capturing systems.

Cultural consciousness and the effective implementation of Information and Communication Technology

Thayaparan Gajendran, Graham Brewer — 2012-04-13 00:00:00.0

Abstract

Purpose - A ‘cultural lens’ is used to understand the level of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) engagement in project organisations. This paper discusses how culture, influenced by the project setup and contextual issues, impacts on ICT engagement through a multiple perspective approach to cultural assessment. Design/methodology/approach - ‘Cultural Analysis’ (CA) is employed as the overarching research methodology. The CA investigates the conflicts between the ‘espoused values’ and ‘actual bellies’ of members to understand culture. A pre-existing CA framework with established ‘espoused values’ for ICT implementation is used in this study. Ethnographic interview in a case study setup is employed to extract actual cultural beliefs. These beliefs are then analysed through the cultural analysis framework to explain cultural environment and its impact on ICT implementation. Findings - The ICT related behaviour of the project team members is contextual to a project environment. This implies that effective ICT adoption requires careful consideration of the cultural traits in the design and implementation phases. It is suggested that neither a simple linear prescription nor overlooking specific contextual aspects is beneficial for effective ICT implementation.Originality/value - This paper provides a perspective that is both a structured and multiple approaches to ‘Cultural Analysis’ as a methodology to assess. It contributes in developing an understanding (a) of how cultural analysis framework through deciphering ‘espoused values’ and ‘actual beliefs’ can assist in studying organisational issues and (b) how the contextual issues shape the culture in a project organisation leading to ‘integrated’ or ‘fragmented’ ICT implementation.

Attitudes, behaviours and the transmission of cultural traits: impacts on ICT/BIM use in a project team

Graham Brewer, Thayaparan Gajendran — 2012-04-13 00:00:00.0

Abstract

Purpose - Development of an appropriate investigative mechanism is described and deployed to uncover the link between individual attitude, consequent decision-making, and development of group culture, and their impact on the use of ICT/BIM across a Temporary Project Organisation (TPO).Design/methodology/approach - Develops a protocol and conducts a case study of a specialist subcontractor associated with the design and construction of an engineered facade operating in a specific TPO. It adopts a phenomenological perspective, utilising ethnographic data collection techniques and constructivist analysis/abstraction.Findings - Differentiation resulted in impaired e-business activity however there was a positive impact on the overall project outcome. This was attributed to the positive cultural traits demonstrated by the specialist subcontractor. Individuals’ attitudinal traits develop over time through personal experiences and interaction with others. These traits are transportable and potentially infectious, as in this case, where the result was beneficial to the stakeholders. Originality/value - Describes the successful implementation of an appropriate investigative protocol to chart the links between the beliefs and actions of individuals in relation to ICT/BIM, and the consequences for TPO culture and the project as a whole.

A Scheme Design Buildability Assessment Model for Building Projects

2012-04-13 00:00:00.0

Abstract

Purpose - This paper depicts the developmental process of a Buildability Assessment Model for use at the Scheme Design stage of building projects which have a priority requirement for functional performance rather than aesthetic performance. Design/methodology/approach - Firstly, major decisions made at the Scheme Design stage of building projects were identified through pilot interviews and a questionnaire survey on designers. Secondly, these decisions were rated for their relative importance towards buildability through another questionnaire survey on contractors, analysed using the Reliability Interval Method. Based on these results, a list of buildable and non-buildable features and their impacts is compiled by interviewing major contractors. These findings were incorporated into a modified framework of buildability assessment for complete design, substituting information available at the Scheme Design stage. Validation was carried out using 4 sample projects and feedback from practitioners.Findings - The results obtained from the Scheme Design Buildability Assessment Model (SDBAM) have been demonstrated as reflective of actual buildability level. Buildable and non-buildable features as exemplified by typical building projects in Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) have been identified.Research limitations/implications - The data is applicable to multi-storey construction in city centres such as Hong Kong SAR and refinements need to be made for other locations using similar methodology, which is repeatable.Practical implications - A spreadsheet template has been designed to allow systematic input of Scheme Design decisions using simple algorithms, so that a resultant buildability grade can be obtained within 2 hours.Originality/value - This is the first model which provides a tool (the SDBAM) for use by the design team to evaluate the buildability of their designs at an early stage so that necessary improvements can be made without affecting the development programme.

RFID Deployment Protocols for Indoor Construction

Saiedeh N. Razavi, Ali Montaser, Osama Moselhi — 2012-04-13 00:00:00.0

Abstract

Purpose - Location awareness is essential to decisions pertinent to tracking and progress reporting as well as to safety in construction projects. However, these applications have been mostly limited to outdoor environment, where satellites for positioning information are in view. Recent studies on indoor location sensing systems are now overcoming this limitation and offering significant potential on construction practices, and RFID is the most widely utilized technology for such application. This paper addresses a wide range of protocols that are vital for RFID deployment for indoor construction. It identifies deployment settings to provide data acquisition with higher accuracy for indoor location sensing in construction.Design/methodology/approach - A computational platform was designed to assess and evaluate the most suitable condition related to deployment of reference tags in construction. In this platform, a number of protocols and parameters are presented and their performance is evaluated. The evaluation scenarios were performed on a construction facility in Montreal as well as in a controlled lab environment. The computational platform used for the study comprises the use of passive reference RFID tags and K Nearest Neighbor algorithm (K-NN) for course-grained detection of target’s location and its classification into pre-defined zone areas. Findings - The studies resulted in a number of observations, findings, and lessons learned for RFID deployment in construction. The results indicate that (1) the speed of the reader is in direct relationship with the detection error rate, (2) zone configuration effectiveness is in direct relationship with the deployed RFID read-range, (3) error rate on the controlled environment is significantly lower than rates in construction site, (4) stationary reader performs better than moving reader.Originality/value - The findings of the study are expected to be of considerable value to researchers and practitioners involved in the utilization of RFID technology in construction. The study provides a set of helpful protocols for the deployment of passive RFIDs for automated onsite management of construction operations.