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In numerous developing nations, challenges such as insufficient investment in innovation and limited capabilities for conversion impede the growth of the construction sector, thus affecting the overall economic well-being of these regions. This paper focuses on construction industry innovation (CII) and its correlation with region economic development (RED), providing valuable insights to overcome these challenges and promote sustainable economic advancement. This study references existing literature to devise an evaluation indicator system dedicated for CII and RED. It then proceeds with an empirical analysis of the integration and synergy between CII and the economic development across 31 Chinese provinces from 2012 to 2021. Furthermore, this paper employs ArcGIS and Geoda software to meticulously dissect the spatial distribution characteristics underlying this coordination. The main conclusions are succinctly summarized as follows: CII in China is intricately connected to RED, exhibiting a strong connection that diminishes from south to north. Nonetheless, the coordination level between these factors remains relatively low, with notable regional disparities, particularly from southeast to northwest. The primary obstacles to effective coordination are related to innovation input, output, and economic scale. Additionally, spatial correlation analysis demonstrates pronounced regional clustering, showing stability despite slight fluctuations over the study period. This research underscores the concept of coupling coordination between CII and RED, underpinned by scientific analytical methods. The outcomes provide a definitive guide for advancing the transformation and enhancement of the construction industry while promoting RED., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2024 Xiang et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Prefabricated construction has attracted worldwide concern and promotion due to its environmental friendliness, high quality, and high efficiency. In China, the application of prefabricated construction still lags due to its high cost. To improve prefabricated construction development, the Chinese government and provinces have launched subsidy policies for different objects that offer subsidies to the assembler, the manufacturer, or consumers. Subsidy policies for different subsidy objects have different impacts on the manufacturer wholesale price and assembler retail price and assembly rate and make their decisions more complicated. Therefore, this study uses game theory and builds three models to analyze the effects of government subsidies on manufacturer pricing, assembler pricing, assembly rate decisions, and profit. We find that government subsidy policies can bring more profit to prefabricated construction enterprises, reduce their costs, and benefit the promotion of prefabricated construction. Through comparison and numerical analysis, we also find that when the government subsidizes enterprises more, it is better to subsidize the assembler, because it is good for all three parties. First, consumers can obtain a lower retail price. Second, enterprises can obtain more profits. Finally, for the government, this approach can increase the demand for prefabricated construction and increase the assembly rate, which is conducive to the promotion of prefabricated construction. When the government subsidizes customers more, it is better for the assembler and the manufacturer to subsidize customers, because they can obtain more profits. It is better for the government and customers to subsidize the assembler or the manufacture, because consumers can get the lower retail price. Although the assembly rate and enterprises' profits are not optimal, they have also been improved. In addition, when the government directly subsidizes enterprises, the enterprises will actively cooperate with the subsidy policy and are more willing to adopt prefabricated construction. This approach will benefit the promotion of prefabricated construction., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

This research measures the epidemiological and economic impact of COVID-19 spread in the US under different mitigation scenarios, comprising of non-pharmaceutical interventions. A detailed disease model of COVID-19 is combined with a model of the US economy to estimate the direct impact of labor supply shock to each sector arising from morbidity, mortality, and lockdown, as well as the indirect impact caused by the interdependencies between sectors. During a lockdown, estimates of jobs that are workable from home in each sector are used to modify the shock to labor supply. Results show trade-offs between economic losses, and lives saved and infections averted are non-linear in compliance to social distancing and the duration of the lockdown. Sectors that are worst hit are not the labor-intensive sectors such as the Agriculture sector and the Construction sector, but the ones with high valued jobs such as the Professional Services, even after the teleworkability of jobs is accounted for. Additionally, the findings show that a low compliance to interventions can be overcome by a longer shutdown period and vice versa to arrive at similar epidemiological impact but their net effect on economic loss depends on the interplay between the marginal gains from averting infections and deaths, versus the marginal loss from having healthy workers stay at home during the shutdown., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

Facing the pressure of environment, sustainable development is the demand of the current construction industry development. Prefabricated construction technologies has been actively promoted in China. Cost has always been one of the important factors in the development of prefabricated buildings. The hidden cost of prefabricated buildings has a great impact on the total cost of the project, and it exists in the whole process of building construction. In this paper innovatively studies the cost of prefabricated buildings from the perspective of hidden cost. In order to analysis the hidden cost of prefabricated buildings, the influencing factor index system in terms of design, management, technology, policy and environment has been established, which includes 13 factors in total. And the hidden cost analysis model has been proposed based on FISM-BN, this model combines fuzzy interpretive structure model(FISM) with Bayesian network(BN). This model can comprehensively analyze the hidden cost through the combination of qualitative and quantitative methods. And the analysis process is dynamic, not fixed at a certain point in time to analyze the cost. We can get the internal logical relationship among the influencing factors of the hidden cost, and present it in the form of intuitive chart by FISM-BN. Furthermore the model could not only predict the probability of the hidden cost of prefabricated buildings and realize in-time control through causal reasoning, but also predict the posterior probability of other influencing factors through diagnostic reasoning when the hidden cost occurs and find out the key factors that lead to the hidden cost. Then the final influencing factors are determined after one by one check. Finally, the model is demonstrated on the hidden cost analysis of prefabricated buildings the probability of recessive cost is 26%. In the analysis and control of the hidden cost of prefabricated buildings, scientific and effective decision-making and reference opinions are provided for managers., Competing Interests: The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest.

To solve information asymmetry, we adopted the principal-agent framework to design the incentive mechanisms between the remanufacturer and the collector in the construction and demolition (C&D) waste-recycling industry. By using the model of reciprocity, we analyzed how the entities' behavioral motives affect their decisions in terms of the incentive mechanisms. The findings showed that the collector responds to their perception of the remanufacturer's intentions. If the perception is positive, they will make more effort in the collection work. If not, less effort will be put forth. Most importantly, we found that reciprocity helps to save the remanufacturer cost in the incentive mechanisms and makes the collector choose a higher effort level in the collection work. This finding showed that reciprocity serves to solve information asymmetry. By conducting a numerical simulation, we found that although a high subsidy policy can achieve rapid improvement of recycling-supply-chain performance, it is inefficient in maintaining friendly cooperation between the remanufacturer and the collector.

The idea that households produce and consume their own energy, that is, energy self-sufficiency at a very local level, captures the popular imagination and commands political support across parts of Europe. This paper investigates the technical and economic feasibility of household energy self-sufficiency in Switzerland, which can be seen as representative for other regions with a temperate climate, by 2050. We compare sixteen cases that vary across four dimensions: household type, building type, electricity demand reduction, and passenger vehicle use patterns. We assume that photovoltaic (PV) electricity supplies all energy, which implies a complete shift away from fossil fuel based heating and internal combustion engine vehicles. Two energy storage technologies are considered: short-term storage in lithium-ion batteries and long-term storage with hydrogen, requiring an electrolyzer, storage tank, and a fuel cell for electricity conversion. We examine technological feasibility and total system costs for self-sufficient households compared to base cases that rely on fossil fuels and the existing power grid. PV efficiency and available rooftop/facade area are most critical with respect to the overall energy balance. Single-family dwellings with profound electricity demand reduction and urban mobility patterns achieve self-sufficiency most easily. Multi-family buildings with conventional electricity demand and rural mobility patterns can only be self-sufficient if PV efficiency increases, and all of the roof plus most of the facade can be covered with PV. All self-sufficient cases are technically feasible but more expensive than fully electrified grid-connected cases. Self-sufficiency may even become cost-competitive in some cases depending on storage and fossil fuel prices. Thus, if political measures improve their financial attractiveness or individuals decide to shoulder the necessary investments, self-sufficient buildings may start to become increasingly prevalent., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

The extensive waste produced in construction and demolition activities affects the ecological environment, impeding green development in countries worldwide, including China. China has paid increasing attention to managing construction and demolition waste (CDW). However, most of the existing research only qualitatively studies the factors affecting the recycling of CDW and does not reveal the critical factors. Therefore, based on stakeholder theory and the grey-DEMATEL method, this paper aims to identify and quantitatively analyze the critical factors in CDW recycling from the perspective of China. This paper drew the following conclusions: (1) Stakeholders in China's CDW recycling mainly include the government, CDW production units, and CDW recycling units. (2) Public policy, government subsidies, media promotion, human resources, cost, environmental awareness, technological innovation, and supply chain management are the eight dimensions with 13 factors that constitute CDW recycling in China. (3) For the total relations between factors affecting the recycling of CDW in China, the most influential factor is specific legislation and regulations. The factor with the highest degree of prominence is environmental awareness. The factor with the largest net cause value is the rationality of disposal and landfill charges. The factor with the largest net effect value is experienced construction workers. (4) The critical factors in China's CDW recycling include specific legislation and regulations, mandatory degree of normative standards, environmental awareness, the supply of raw materials for CDW recycling units, and the sale of remanufactured products. Finally, this paper identifies the following management implications: (1) the government should prioritize the task of improving specific legislation and regulations, with a focus on a mandatory degree of normative standards. (2) CDW production units should put the task of improving environmental awareness high on their agenda, with a focus on the supply of raw materials for recycling units. (3) CDW recycling units should prioritize the issue of the sale of remanufactured products. This paper also provides a theoretical basis for revealing the critical factors of CDW recycling in other countries or regions.

Since the real estate market reform in 1998, China's house prices have been rising. High housing prices have exerted negative impacts on labour mobility, the investment environment and resident consumption, all of which may affect the overall resource allocation efficiency and the improvement of the global value chain position of China's manufacturing industry. However, there is little research on the mechanism of the impact of housing prices on the status of manufacturing global value chain. Based on the matching data of China and the OECD-TiVA from 2005 to 2016, the parallel multiple mediator model is adopted to empirically test the transmission mechanism of housing price fluctuation on the global value chain position of China's manufacturing industry in this study using human capital level, resident consumption level, resident consumption structure, and R&D investment level as the mediating variables. This article finds that although housing price fluctuations do not have a direct impact on the global value chain position of the manufacturing industry, human capital level and resident consumption structure do have positive and negative mediating effects, respectively. Finally, we put forward some suggestions to promote the global value chain position of China's manufacturing industry, which provides useful reference for policy makers., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Prefabricated construction (PC) has attracted wide spread attention as a model of sustainable development for the construction industry of the future. Although the PC has many advantages, it is still at an initial stage in China. Based on the current conditions in China, this study focuses on the interrelationships of factors affecting PC promotion. Firstly, through a comprehensive review of relevant literatures and expert recommendations, 5 factors were identified: policy factor, technical factor, management factor, market factor and cost factor. Next, the data were collected through a questionnaire survey, and the questionnaire data were processed using SPSS 24.0 and AMOS 22.0. The overall relationships of each factor were quantitatively analyzed with Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). The results show that the policy factor plays a dominant role, while the management factor and market factors are also significant. This study also provides decision makers with relevant information about the factors involved, which will be helpful in devising appropriate strategies for the wider adoption of PC., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

With rapid economic and population growth, construction land expansion in Yangtze River economic belt in China becomes substantial, carrying significant social and economic implications. This research uses Expansion Speed Index and Expansion Intensity Index to examine spatiotemporal characteristics of construction land expansion in the Yangtze River economic belt from 2000 to 2017. Based on a STIRPAT model, driving forces of construction land expansion are measured by Principal Component Analysis and Ordinary Least Square regression. The results show that: (1) there is a clear expansion pattern regarding the time sequence in provinces/cities of the Yangtze River economic belt, with rapid expansion in the initial stage, moderate expansion in the middle stage and rapid expansion in the later stage. (2) Spatial analysis demonstrates first expansion in the lower reaches in the early stage, rapid expansion of the upper reaches in the middle and later stage, and steady expansion of the middle reaches throughout the research period. (3)There are statistical significant correlations between construction land expansion and GDP, social fixed asset investments, population at the end of the year, population urbanization rate, per capita road area, and number of scientific and technological professionals as well as secondary and tertiary industry values. Of these factors, GDP, social fixed asset investments, population urbanization rate and second industry value are important common driving forces of construction land expansion in this region. The research findings have significant policy implications particularly on coordinated development of urban agglomerations and sustainable industry upgrading when construction land expansion is concerned., Competing Interests: NO authors have competing interests.

Background: Occupational incidents and accidents are still commonplace in the contemporary workplace, despite increased understandings of safety., Objective: This article aims to yield new insights into safety-related thinking, decisions and behaviours through the application of an institutional logics perspective., Method: Semi-structured interviews with twenty-two managers in a railroad construction and maintenance organisation were conducted, in which a variety of topics related to occupational safety and management were discussed., Results: The results illustrate that an institutional logics perspective provides useful insights into the different logics of the market, profession, and corporation in the occupational safety context. Furthermore, the results demonstrate contradictory viewpoints, so-called complexity, between these three logics and subsequent management approaches., Conclusions: We demonstrate that viewing occupational safety through the lens of institutional logics leads to a better understanding of safety and reveals various rationales for safety attitudes and behaviours that otherwise may have been dismissed as irrational. Understanding and possessing the discourse of logics can help managers and safety professionals with analysis and prevention of accidents.

Fairness concern behavior is extremely common in social life, and many scholars are beginning to pay attention to this behavior. In this study, we investigate a two-echelon construction supply chain that consists of a general contractor and a subcontractor under cap-and-trade policy. We study the carbon emission reduction decisions and profit distribution mechanism in the construction supply chain with fairness concern and cap-and-trade. We use the Nash bargaining model to describe the fairness concerns of the construction supply chain members and use the co-opetition model to portray the profit distribution. We show that the fairness concern can impose an adverse influence on firms' profits and decrease the magnitude of their carbon emission reductions. The subcontractor's fairness concern causes greater losses to the construction supply chain's profit. We further demonstrate the impact of fairness concern on the optimal decisions of the general contractor and the subcontractor through numerical analysis., Competing Interests: The authors have read the journal’s policy and the authors of this paper have the following competing interests: SG was a paid employee of Southwest Oil & Gas Field Company and was involved in data curation. The other authors have no competing interests. There are no patents, products in development or marketed products to declare. This does not alter our adherence to PLOS ONE policies on sharing data and materials.

Sustainable development has by now become an element deeply integrated in the everyday design. It has many shades and may be found under many names. We speak about resiliency in design and procurement of passive, ecologic, plus energy, or nZEB buildings. Nevertheless, if we look closely, we may distinguish certain characteristic ideas. First, sustainable development of societies and urbanization processes should be consistent on a deeper level than presently, and be included within design processes, organization, and planning, as well as modernization and redevelopment procedures of existing urban tissue. Secondly, urbanization should be perceived holistically, as an interaction and harmonious development of both natural and manmade environments, with solutions based on the best technical and technological standards available. Lastly, described ideas are achievable only, if we include continuous cooperation between urban planners, architects, specialist consultants, as well as energy-efficient interdisciplinary solutions to achieve high standard energy measures. One of the thresholds is economic feasibility; the other is health and well-being of the users which should always be discussed as a priority. This paper-outside a brief theoretical approach to initial procedures in design management-will dwell on transformation and modernization of an existing building belonging to the Warsaw University of Technology, one of the oldest universities in Poland, its founding dating back to the beginning of the twentieth century. In 2015, a Nordic Finance Mechanism grant dedicated to the nZEB technology transfer from Norway to Poland was awarded to a group of researchers from Warsaw University of Technology and NTNU Trondheim. The main aim of the project is implementation of nZEB knowledge in Poland, as well as preparation of two integrated concept designs for public (University) buildings as exemplary case studies which could act as the benchmarks for other public buildings.

Objective: This study explores the relationship between fluctuation in economic and industrial development and work-related fatalities of Chinese construction workers., Methods: The data for work-related fatalities in housing and civil engineering in China from 1996 to 2016 were tested for fluctuation and trends of both general economic and industry-specific indicators using the Engle-Granger cointegration analysis and the augmented Granger Causality test the with modified Wald method., Results: Both the long-run equilibrium associations and short-run dynamic interactions between construction safety and macroeconomic development in China were determined. According to the estimates, fatalities in the construction industry appeared to be more significantly associated with changes in the gross output value of the industry, and the improvement in the workers' efficiency also contributed to the decline of fatalities. It initially revealed that the changes in growth rate, instead of growth itself, had a more significant influence on construction safety in China, while a marginal decreasing trend of positive effects exerted by the growth can be expected with the gradual maturity of the industry., Significance: The application of econometrical methods explored an untapped data source for gaining an insight into the underlying rules of occurrence of construction fatalities, thus strengthening the body of knowledge of construction safety by providing a new research perspective that some safety indicators can be treated as the macro-level socioeconomic index. Practical applications: The findings reminded policymakers and practitioners to be aware of potential challenges from the slowing or even declining trend facing the industry in the near future, and offered a reference to relevant authorities for establishing a more targeted and effective governance strategy., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd and National Safety Council. All rights reserved.)

Background: The Union Construction Workers' Compensation Program (UCWCP) was developed in 1996 as an alternative workers' compensation arrangement. The program includes use of a preapproved medical and rehabilitation network and alternative dispute resolution (ADR), and prioritizes a quick and safe return-to-work. The aim of this study is to determine if differences in recovery-related outcomes exist between UCWCP and the statutory workers' compensation system (SWCS)., Methods: Claims data from 2003 to 2016 were classified as processed through UCWCP or SWCS. Outcomes included: temporary total disability (TTD), vocational rehabilitation (VR), claim duration and costs, and permanent partial disability (PPD). The relative risk of incurring TTD, VR, and PPD in UCWCP vs SWCS was calculated using log-binomial regression. Linear regression examined the relationship between programs and continuous outcomes including costs and duration. Estimates were adjusted for age, sex, wage, and severity., Results: The UCWCP processed 15.8% of claims; higher percentages of UCWCP claimants were older and earned higher wages. Results point to positive findings of decreased TTD incidence and cost, lower risk of TTD extending over time, higher likelihood of VR participation, and less attorney involvement and stipulation agreements associated with UCWCP membership. Differences were more apparent in workers who suffered permanent physical impairment., Conclusion: Findings suggest that the defining programmatic elements of the UCWCP, including its medical provider and rehabilitation network and access to ADR, have been successful in their aims. Claims with increased severity exhibited more pronounced differences vs SWCS, potentially due, in part, to greater use of programmatic elements., (© 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Corruption in the construction industry is a serious problem in China. As such, fighting this corruption has become a priority target of the Chinese government, with the main effort being to discover and prosecute its perpetrators. This study profiles the demographic characteristics of major incidences of corruption in construction. It draws on the database of the 83 complete recorded cases of construction related corruption held by the Chinese National Bureau of Corruption Prevention. Categorical variables were drawn from the database, and 'association rule mining analysis' was used to identify associations between variables as a means of profiling perpetrators. Such profiling may be used as predictors of future incidences of corruption, and consequently to inform policy makers in their fight against corruption. The results signal corruption within the Chinese construction industry to be correlated with age, with incidences rising as managers' approach retirement age. Moreover, a majority of perpetrators operate within government agencies, are department deputies in direct contact with projects, and extort the greatest amounts per case from second tier cities. The relatively lengthy average 6.4-year period before cases come to public attention corroborates the view that current efforts at fighting corruption remain inadequate.

Construction and demolition waste (C&D waste) is a worldwide issue that concerns the sustainable development of the construction industry. In this paper, detailed formulas are listed for calculating the costs of four typical kinds of disposal routes of C&D waste. They are illegal dumping, controlled dumping (landfill), centralized recycling, and on-site recycling. Through the specific formulas, the costs of the new construction project in Guangzhou are also estimated. Then, a cost compensation model of construction waste disposal is constructed, which serves to calculate the amount of compensation that the government shall make to the contractor's disposal cost. The results of this study include the following: (1) steps taken to ensure the appropriate measures for C&D waste disposal sites and recycling centers; (2) the on-site recycling will become the future trend of C&D waste disposal due to its lowest cost; (3) the brick cement mortar and scattered concrete take a relatively larger proportion in the total C&D waste generated during the new construction project, and their disposal costs are higher; (4) we find that the cost of illegal dumping is the lowest among four varieties of waste treatment options if only the direct cost of waste treatment is taken account. However, the cost of on-site recycling becomes the lowest if the total cost is considered; (5) according to the case study, the full estimated cost of construction waste disposal is 9074.56 CNY and the total cost compensation is 15,084.21 CNY. The amount of compensation is greater than the disposal cost and contractors make a profit, thus stimulating them to recycle and reuse construction waste. Based on the empirical findings, we make several policy proposals. The research puts forward some operational advice as a reference for decision-makers of C&D waste management.

Climate change calls for worldwide public concern and effort to cut down carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) emissions and globally realize sustainable development. As one of the largest energy consumers, the construction industry plays a crucial role in achieving the national carbon emission reduction goal. This paper, by employing an improved Kaya model, explored the relationships and trends among carbon emission, energy consumption, and GDP growth rate and carbon emission intensity of the Chinese construction industry. Results showed that the carbon emission of the construction industry is mainly affected by GDP growth of construction scale. The energy consumption was the main driver to the increase of carbon emissions. The carbon emissions of unit area and carbon intensity showed a decreased trend with the development of economy and the increase of construction scale. The dependence of construction activities on the fossil fuel remained despite noticeable decrease. Energy intensity helps to reduce construction carbon emissions. Low carbon economy development of construction industry calls for technological innovation, alternative energy and new technical support for further breakthrough. These findings provide scientific evidence of carbon emissions in the Chinese construction industry and useful inputs for industry-specific emission regulations.

The production of concrete is one of the most significant contributors to global greenhouse gas emissions. This work focuses on bio-cementation-based products and their potential to reduce global warming potential (GWP). In particular, we address a proposed bio-cementation method employing bacterial metabolism in a two-step process of limestone dissolution and recrystallisation (BioZEment). A scenario-based techno-economic analysis (TEA) is combined with a life cycle assessment (LCA), a market model and a literature review of consumers' willingness to pay, to compute the expected reduction of global GWP. Based on the LCA, the GWP of 1 ton of BioZEment is found to be 70-83% lower than conventional concrete. In the TEA, three scenarios are investigated: brick, precast and onsite production. The results indicate that brick production may be the easiest way to implement the products, but that due to high cost, the impact on global GWP will be marginal. For precast production the expected 10% higher material cost of BioZEment only produces a marginal increase in total cost. Thus, precast production has the potential to reduce global GWP from concrete production by 0-20%. Significant technological hurdles remain before BioZEment-based products can be used in onsite construction scenarios, but in this scenario, the potential GWP reduction ranges from 1 to 26%. While the potential to reduce global GWP is substantial, significant efforts need to be made both in regard to public acceptance and production methods for this potential to be unlocked., Competing Interests: Røyne, Wentzel and Sikorski are inventors on the patent application PCT/EP2017/065509 BIO-CATALYTIC CALCIUM CARBONATE CEMENTATION. This does not alter our adherence to PLOS ONE policies on sharing data and materials.

We estimate economic benefits for seaside recreation and waterfront property when reducing nitrogen leaching to coastal water bodies. We apply impact pathway and benefit transfer methodology, linking total nitrogen concentration to water clarity (Secchi-depth). Ten catchments are analyzed comparing results for 2010 to a policy scenario that complies with the EU Water Framework Directive. The scenario reduces leaching with 5200 ton N, downstream discharges to estuaries by 35% and provide significant Secchi-depth improvements. Our integrated assessment predicts an annual economic benefit for local residents of €35 million, and co-benefits of up to €57 million. Benefits are catchment-specific and differ for downstream discharges from €1 to €32 per kg N, while for upstream discharge losses they range up to €10 per kg N. When expressed per unit of farmland the policy scenario displays economic benefits spanning €8-176/ha. The span reflects the different physical, biological and human circumstances of each catchment., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

To improve the use of ergonomics tools by construction workers, the effect of two guidance strategies - a face-to-face strategy (F2F) and an e-guidance strategy (EG) - of a participatory ergonomics intervention was studied. Twelve construction companies were randomly assigned to the F2F group or the EG group. The primary outcome measure, the percentage of workers using ergonomics tools, and secondary outcome measures - work ability, physical functioning and limitations due to physical problems - were assessed using surveys at baseline and after 6 months. Additionally, a cost-benefit analysis was performed on company level. No differences in primary and secondary outcomes were found with the exception of the use of ergonomics tools to adjust working height (F2F +1%; EG +10%; p = .001). Newly-implemented tools were used by 23% (F2F) and 42% (EG) of the workers (p = .271). Costs were mainly determined by guidance costs (F2F group) or purchase costs (EG group). Practitioner Summary: Participatory strategies aim to stimulate behavioural change of stakeholders to increase the use of ergonomics tools. Two guidance strategies - face-to-face or e-mail interventions - among construction companies were studied. Both guidance strategies led to an increase in the use of new ergonomics tools.

This study aimed to describe the epidemiological characteristics, the occupational context, and the cost of hospitalised work-related traumatic spinal injuries, across New South Wales, Australia. A record-linkage study of hospitalised cases of work-related spinal injury (ICD10-AM code U73.0 or workers compensation) was conducted. Study period 2013⁻2016. Eight hundred and twenty-four individuals sustained work-related spinal injuries; 86.2% of whom were males and had a mean age of 46.6 years. Falls led to 50% of the injuries; predominantly falls from building/structures, ladders or between levels. Falls occurred predominantly in the construction industry (78%). Transport crashes caused 31% of injuries and 24% in heavy vehicles. Half of all the transport injuries occurred 'off road'. The external cause was coded as 'non-specific work activity' in 44.5% of cases; missing in 11.5%. Acute care bed days numbered at 13,302; total cost $19,500,000. High numbers of work-related spinal injuries occurred in the construction industry; particularly falling from a height. Off-road transport-related injuries were significant and likely unaddressed by 'on-road' prevention policies. Medical record documentation was insufficient in injury mechanism and context specificity. Workers in the construction industry or those using vehicles off-road were at high risk of spinal injury, suggesting inefficient systems approaches or ineffective prevention policies. Reducing the use of non-specific external cause codes in patients' medical records would improve the measurement of policy effectiveness.

With the economic restructuring during the 1980s and 1990s in Hong Kong, most manufacturing plants were relocated to China and many industrial buildings were left neglected or vacant. At the same time, owing to limited land supply, a shortage of affordable housing has been a problem in Hong Kong for many years. Adaptive reuse of industrial buildings may be a way of solving this problem. However, adaptive reuse is not an easy decision because there are many factors affecting adaptive reuse. Therefore, this paper examines the current situation of adaptive reuse of industrial buildings in Hong Kong and identifies a list of factors affecting the adaptive reuse of industrial buildings. Six factors are considered Critical Success Factors (CSFs). Based on a Principal Component Analysis, 33 factors are grouped into eight principal components, namely, sustainability, economics and finance, the market, changeability, location and neighborhood, culture and public interests, legal and regulatory matters, and the physical condition of the building. The identified CSFs and principal factors provide a useful reference for various stakeholders to have a clear understanding of the adaptive reuse of industrial buildings in Hong Kong, especially for the government to review current policies of adaptive reuse.

This study proposes a new framework for the selection of optimal locations for green roofs to achieve a sustainable urban ecosystem. The proposed framework selects building sites that can maximize the benefits of green roofs, based not only on the socio-economic and environmental benefits to urban residents, but also on the provision of urban foraging sites for honeybees. The framework comprises three steps. First, building candidates for green roofs are selected considering the building type. Second, the selected building candidates are ranked in terms of their expected socio-economic and environmental effects. The benefits of green roofs are improved energy efficiency and air quality, reduction of urban flood risk and infrastructure improvement costs, reuse of storm water, and creation of space for education and leisure. Furthermore, the estimated cost of installing green roofs is also considered. We employ spatial data to determine the expected effects of green roofs on each building unit, because the benefits and costs may vary depending on the location of the building. This is due to the heterogeneous spatial conditions. In the third step, the final building sites are proposed by solving the maximal covering location problem (MCLP) to determine the optimal locations for green roofs as urban honeybee foraging sites. As an illustrative example, we apply the proposed framework in Seoul, Korea. This new framework is expected to contribute to sustainable urban ecosystems., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The present study used disability adjusted life years (DALY) to estimate the burden of external cause of injuries in construction workers insured in Iran in 2012. The Global Burden of Disease method (2010) was used to estimate the years of life lost due to death (YLL) and years of life lost due to disability (YLD). DALY was calculated as the sum of YLL and YLD. There were 5352 injured construction workers in Iran (11.25 individuals per 1000). Falling was the most common incidence and included 2490 individuals (46.53%). Totally, DALY was estimated 18,557 years for all age groups and both genders including 17,821 YLD (96%) and 736 YLL (4%). The DALY related to construction work is high in Iran and it has notably affected the young. Hence more preventive methods should be applied to reduce the overall burden of specific external cause of injuries especially in young and inexperienced workers.

This paper proposes an economic analysis of three different types of processing in CDW (construction and demolition waste) recycling platforms, according to the sophistication of the processing technologies (current advanced, advanced and advanced sorting). The methodology that is adopted is in the economic evaluation concept of projects and is classified with a scoping study phase. In these contexts, three levels of CDW processing capabilities for recycling platforms are analyzed (100, 300 and 600 thousand tons per year). This article considers databases obtained from similar projects that have been published in the specialized literature; the data sources are primarily from the European continent. The paper shows that current advanced process has better economic performance, in terms of IRR, related to the other two processes. The IRR associated with advanced and advanced sorting processes could be raised by, (i) higher price of secondary primary material, and/or (ii) higher capacity of platforms, and/or (iii) higher sharing of secondary primary material in the total production. The first two points depend on the market conditions (prices and total quantity of CDW available) and (potential) fiscal or incentive policies. The last one depends on technological progress., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

A poor quality affects project makespan and its total costs negatively, but it can be recovered by repair works during construction. We construct a new non-linear programming model based on the classic multi-mode resource constrained project scheduling problem considering repair works. In order to obtain satisfactory quality without a high increase of project cost, the objective is to minimize total quality cost which consists of the prevention cost and failure cost according to Quality-Cost Analysis. A binary dependent normal distribution function is adopted to describe the activity quality; Cumulative quality is defined to determine whether to initiate repair works, according to the different relationships among activity qualities, namely, the coordinative and precedence relationship. Furthermore, a shuffled frog-leaping algorithm is developed to solve this discrete trade-off problem based on an adaptive serial schedule generation scheme and adjusted activity list. In the program of the algorithm, the frog-leaping progress combines the crossover operator of genetic algorithm and a permutation-based local search. Finally, an example of a construction project for a framed railway overpass is provided to examine the algorithm performance, and it assist in decision making to search for the appropriate makespan and quality threshold with minimal cost., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

There exist some fuzziness and uncertainty in the process of ecological construction. The aim of this paper is to develop a direct and an effective simplified method for obtaining the cost-sharing scheme when some interested parties form a cooperative coalition to improve the ecological environment of Min River together. Firstly, we propose the solution concept of the least square prenucleolus of cooperative games with coalition values expressed by trapezoidal intuitionistic fuzzy numbers. Then, based on the square of the distance in the numerical value between two trapezoidal intuitionistic fuzzy numbers, we establish a corresponding quadratic programming model to obtain the least square prenucleolus, which can effectively avoid the information distortion and uncertainty enlargement brought about by the subtraction of trapezoidal intuitionistic fuzzy numbers. Finally, we give a numerical example about the cost-sharing of ecological construction in Fujian Province in China to show the validity, applicability, and advantages of the proposed model and method., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Failure to conduct periodic fixed-time-to (or scheduled) maintenance on off-highway plant and equipment represents a significant health and safety hazard and major litigation risk for utility contractors completing service excavation and reinstatement works on public highways. Mini-excavators are a ubiquitous mobile plant item used for such tasks and have recently been responsible for several major injuries and fatalities involving workers and members of the public in the United Kingdom (UK). The research utilises the method of triangulation to examine the maintenance practices of utility contractors in the UK. Findings from the research reveal that a combination of prevailing market forces and internal 'company' pressures have inadvertently removed knowledgeable and trained operators, site foremen and managerial supervisors from hands-on maintenance inspections. Rather, 'virtual' maintenance protocols and procedures are adopted by head office but rarely fully implemented on-site. The research concludes with pragmatic recommendations and direction for future research., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Estimating health and safety costs in the construction industry presents various difficulties, including the complexity of cost allocation, the inadequacy of data available to managers and the absence of an accounting model designed specifically for safety cost management. Very often, the costs arising from accidents in the workplace are not fully identifiable due to the hidden costs involved., Objective: This paper reviews some studies of occupational health and safety cost management and proposes a means of classifying these costs., Methods: We conducted an empirical study in which the health and safety costs of 40 construction worksites are estimated., Results: A new classification of the health and safety cost and its categories is proposed: Safety and non-safety costs., Conclusions: The costs of the company's health and safety policy should be included in the information provided by the accounting system, as a starting point for analysis and control. From this perspective, a classification of health and safety costs and its categories is put forward.

Socio-economic analysis (SEA) plays an important role in decision-making on risk management actions for certain chemicals under Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs) in developing countries. This paper showed the first holistic and quantitative SEA case study on that by developing a country-specific SEA framwork and methodologies and applying the case of HBCD phase-out in China under the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs). The study indicates that, under the possible scenarios of 10 years and 5 years , the economic costs of HBCD phase-out in China would be between 9.032 and 19.021 billion RMB. Although the total economic costs seems to be significant, it would only have a marginal impact on the house building industry with a likely cost increase by about 0.07‰-0.14‰. Meanwhile, the HBCD phase-out may render significant environmental and health benefits, including about 23-29 tons of HBCD release prevented to the environment, 1.142-1.469 million tons of potentially HBCD contained hazardous wastes avoided, along with significant reduction from 58% up to almost 100% in local environmental concentrations of HBCD, and about 0.0996-0.128 million workers at risk avoided and at least 3.067-4.033 billion RMB of the health care savings. While the scenario of phasing out HBCD over 10 years would be less costly than the scenario of that over 5 years, the later scenario suggested much greater environmental and health benefits for China., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Little research has been conducted into the cost and prevention of self-harm in the workplace., Aims: To quantify the economic cost of self-harm and suicide among New South Wales (NSW) construction industry (CI) workers and to examine the potential economic impact of implementing Mates in Construction (MIC)., Method: Direct and indirect costs were estimated. Effectiveness was measured using the relative risk ratio (RRR). In Queensland (QLD), relative suicide risks were estimated for 5-year periods before and after the commencement of MIC. For NSW, the difference between the expected (i.e., using NSW pre-MIC [2008-2012] suicide risk) and counterfactual suicide cases (i.e., applying QLD RRR) provided an estimate of potential suicide cases averted in the post-MIC period (2013-2017). Results were adjusted using the average uptake (i.e., 9.4%) of MIC activities in QLD. Economic savings from averted cases were compared with the cost of implementing MIC., Results: The cost of self-harm and suicide in the NSW CI was AU $527 million in 2010. MIC could potentially avert 0.4 suicides, 1.01 full incapacity cases, and 4.92 short absences, generating annual savings of AU $3.66 million. For every AU $1 invested, the economic return is approximately AU $4.6., Conclusion: MIC represents a positive economic investment in workplace safety.

A new scientific and engineering discipline, Construction Biotechnology, is developing exponentially during the last decade. The major directions of this discipline are selection of microorganisms and development of the microbially-mediated construction processes and biotechnologies for the production of construction biomaterials. The products of construction biotechnologies are low cost, sustainable, and environmentally friendly microbial biocements and biogrouts for the construction ground improvement. The microbial polysaccharides are used as admixtures for cement. Microbially produced biodegradable bioplastics can be used for the temporarily constructions. The bioagents that are used in construction biotechnologies are either pure or enrichment cultures of microorganisms or activated indigenous microorganisms of soil. The applications of microorganisms in the construction processes are bioaggregation, biocementation, bioclogging, and biodesaturation of soil. The biotechnologically produced construction materials and the microbially-mediated construction technologies have a lot of advantages in comparison with the conventional construction materials and processes. Proper practical implementations of construction biotechnologies could give significant economic and environmental benefits.

Background: Falls from heights remain a concern in construction, particularly for foreign-born Latino construction workers employed by small residential contractors. The social ecological model provides a framework to assess the individual and contextual factors influencing the risk for falls., Methods: Five focus groups and thirteen in-depth interviews with workers, small residential contractors, and key informants were conducted in 2012 in San Francisco and Philadelphia. Data were analyzed with qualitative methods., Results: Economic conditions in residential construction, coupled with a lack of enforcement and vulnerabilities of the foreign-born workforce, are principal contributors to risk for falls. Small contractors perceive strong economic disincentives for implementation of fall protection and foreign-born Latino workers experience a variety of social, cultural and occupational pressures impeding its use., Conclusions: Increased adoption of fall protection cannot be accomplished solely by targeting Latino construction workers. Research is needed on incentives to influence contractor behavior and facilitate adoption of fall protection measures., (© 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Foodborne bacteria are the leading cause of food spoilage and other related diseases. In the present study, the antibacterial activity of bio-oil (BO) manufactured by fast pyrolysis of pinewood sawdust (Pinus densiflora Siebold and Zucc.) against two disease-causing foodborne pathogens (Bacillus cereus and Listeria monocytogenes) was evaluated. BO at a concentration of 1000 μg/disc was highly active against both B. cereus (10.0-10.6 mm-inhibition zone) and L. monocytogenes (10.6-12.0-mm inhibition zone). The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration values of BO were 500 and 1000 μg/mL, respectively, for both pathogens. At the MIC concentration, BO exhibited an inhibitory effect on the viability of the bacterial pathogens. The mechanism of action of BO revealed its strong impairing effect on the membrane integrity of bacterial cells, which was confirmed by a marked release of 260-nm absorbing material, leakage of electrolytes and K(+) ions, and reduced capacity for osmoregulation under high salt concentration. Scanning electron microscopy clearly showed morphological alteration of the cell membrane due to the effect of BO. Overall, the results of this study suggest that BO exerts effective antibacterial potential against foodborne pathogens and can therefore potentially be used in food processing and preservation.

Objectives: The current study examines and compares the relationship between both macroeconomic and industry-specific business cycle indicators, and work-related injuries among construction workers in Denmark using emergency department (ED) injury data and also officially reported injuries to the Danish Working Environment Authority (WEA)., Methods: The correlations between ED and WEA injury data from the catchment area of Odense University Hospital during the period 1984-2010 were tested separately for variability and trend with two general macroeconomic indicators (gross domestic product and the Danish unemployment rate) and two construction industry-specific indicators (gross value added and the number of employees)., Results: The results show that injury rates increase during economic booms and decrease during recessions. However, the regression coefficients were generally weak for both the ED (range 0.14-0.20) and WEA injuries (range 0.13-0.36). Furthermore, although there is some variability in the strength of the relationship of the different business cycle indicators, the relationships are generally not stronger for the WEA injuries than for the ED injuries, except for general unemployment. Similarly, no substantial differences in strength of relation between industry-specific and macroeconomic indicators were identified., Conclusions: The study shows that there was no difference in the relationship between business cycle indicators, and WEA and ED injury data. This indicates that changes in reporting behaviour do not seem to play a major role in the relation between the business cycle and workplace injuries in a Danish context., (Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.)

Background: The construction sector has presented positive development regarding the decrease in occupational accident rates in recent years. Regardless, the construction sector stands out systematically from other industries due to its high number of fatalities., Objective: The aim of this paper is to deeply understand the causality of construction accidents from the early design phase through a model., Methods: This study reviewed several research papers presenting various analytical models that correlate the contributing factors to occupational accidents in this sector. This study also analysed different construction projects and conducted a survey of design and site supervision teams., Results: This paper proposes a model developed from the analysis of existing ones, which correlates the causal factors through all the construction phases., Conclusions: It was concluded that effective risk prevention can only be achieved by a global correlation of causal factors including not only production ones but also client requirements, financial climate, design team competence, project and risk management, financial capacity, health and safety policy and early planning. Accordingly, a model is proposed.

Insight into land developers' perspectives on alternative residential developments and the barriers they experience in trying to develop them can be crucial in efforts to change environmentally damaging low-density, large-lot, and automobile-dependent residential patterns. Using a semi-structured interview instrument followed by short surveys, I examined the views of 16 developers in Waukesha County, WI, USA, a county that has experienced significant development pressures and widespread implementation of conservation subdivision design. The land developer investigation focused on conservation subdivision design familiarity and implementation, and identified a number of barriers that developers experienced in implementing the design. While the majority of the developers appeared familiar with the design and had experience developing conservation subdivisions, their motivations for developing them varied, as did their on-site conservation practices. The barriers included the lack of land use regulations supporting the design, economic factors, community opposition, and a lack of knowledge about sustainable residential development practices. Strategies to promote more environmentally sustainable residential land development patterns include providing a more supportive institutional environment, enacting different regulations and guidelines for natural resources protection, and offering education on ecologically sound development and planning practices.

Background: More than seven out of 10 Dutch construction workers describe their work as physically demanding. Ergonomic measures can be used to reduce these physically demanding work tasks. To increase the use of ergonomic measures, employers and workers have to get used to other working methods and to maintaining them. To facilitate this behavioural change, participatory ergonomics (PE) interventions could be useful. For this study a protocol of a PE intervention is adapted in such a way that the intervention can be performed by an ergonomics consultant through face-to-face contacts or email contacts. The objective of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of the face-to-face guidance strategy and the e-guidance strategy on the primary outcome measure: use of ergonomic measures by individual construction workers, and on the secondary outcome measures: the work ability, physical functioning and limitations due to physical problems of individual workers., Methods/design: The present study is a randomised intervention trial of six months in 12 companies to establish the effects of a PE intervention guided by four face-to-face contacts (N = 6) or guided by 13 email contacts (N = 6) on the primary and secondary outcome measures at baseline and after six months. Construction companies are randomly assigned to one of the guidance strategies with the help of a computer generated randomisation table. In addition, a process evaluation for both strategies will be performed to determine reach, dose delivered, dose received, precision, competence, satisfaction and behavioural change to find possible barriers and facilitators for both strategies. A cost-benefit analysis will be performed to establish the financial consequences of both strategies. The present study is in accordance with the CONSORT statement., Discussion: The outcome of this study will help to 1) evaluate the effect of both guidance strategies, and 2) find barriers to and facilitators of both guidance strategies. When these strategies are effective, implementation within occupational health services can take place to guide construction companies (and others) with the implementation of ergonomic measures., Trial Registration: [corrected] Trailnumber: ISRCTN73075751, Date of registration: 30 July 2013.

This study uncovered inhibiting factors to cost performance in large construction projects of Malaysia. Questionnaire survey was conducted among clients and consultants involved in large construction projects. In the questionnaire, a total of 35 inhibiting factors grouped in 7 categories were presented to the respondents for rating significant level of each factor. A total of 300 questionnaire forms were distributed. Only 144 completed sets were received and analysed using advanced multivariate statistical software of Structural Equation Modelling (SmartPLS v2). The analysis involved three iteration processes where several of the factors were deleted in order to make the model acceptable. The result of the analysis found that R(2) value of the model is 0.422 which indicates that the developed model has a substantial impact on cost performance. Based on the final form of the model, contractor's site management category is the most prominent in exhibiting effect on cost performance of large construction projects. This finding is validated using advanced techniques of power analysis. This vigorous multivariate analysis has explicitly found the significant category which consists of several causative factors to poor cost performance in large construction projects. This will benefit all parties involved in construction projects for controlling cost overrun.

The construction industry attempts to produce buildings with as lower environmental impact as possible. However, construction activities still greatly affect environment; therefore, it is necessary to consider a sustainable project approach based on its performance. Sustainability is an important issue to consider in design, not only due to environmental concerns but also due to economic and social matters, promoting architectural quality and economic advantages. This paper aims to identify the phases through which a design project should be developed, emphasising the importance and ability of earlier stages to influence sustainability, performance, and life cycle cost. Then, a selection of sustainability key indicators, able to be used at the design conceptual phase and able to start predicting environmental sustainability performance of buildings is presented. The output of this paper aimed to enable designers to compare and evaluate the consequences of different design solutions, based on preliminary data, and facilitate the collaboration between stakeholders and clients and eventually yield a sustainable and high performance building throughout its life cycle.

Background: To prolong sustainable healthy working lives of construction workers, a prevention program was developed which aimed to improve the health and work ability of construction workers. The objective of this study was to analyze the cost-effectiveness and financial return from the employers' perspective of this program., Methods: A total of 293 workers in 15 departments were randomized to the intervention (n = 8 departments) or control group (n = 7). Data on work ability and health were collected using questionnaires. Sick leave data were obtained from the companies. Both the cost-effectiveness analyses and return on investment analyses were performed., Results: After 12 months, the absenteeism costs were significantly lower in the intervention group than in the control group. At 12-month follow-up, no significant differences were found with respect to the primary outcomes (work ability, mental and physical health status) and secondary outcomes (musculoskeletal symptoms), meaning that the intervention was not cost-effective in comparison with the control group. The net-benefit was €641 per worker, and the intervention generated a positive financial return to the employer., Conclusion: The intervention in the present study was cost-saving to the employer due to reduced sickness absenteeism costs in the intervention group compared with the control group. However, the intervention cannot be regarded as cost-effective as no significant effects were found for work ability and health., (© 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

The objective of this research is to quantitatively measure and compare the environmental load and construction cost of different structural frame types. Construction cost also accounts for the costs of CO₂ emissions of input materials. The choice of structural frame type is a major consideration in construction, as this element represents about 33% of total building construction costs. In this research, four constructed buildings were analyzed, with these having either reinforced concrete (RC) or steel (S) structures. An input-output framework analysis was used to measure energy consumption and CO₂ emissions of input materials for each structural frame type. In addition, the CO₂ emissions cost was measured using the trading price of CO₂ emissions on the International Commodity Exchange. This research revealed that both energy consumption and CO₂ emissions were, on average, 26% lower with the RC structure than with the S structure, and the construction costs (including the CO₂ emissions cost) of the RC structure were about 9.8% lower, compared to the S structure. This research provides insights through which the construction industry will be able to respond to the carbon market, which is expected to continue to grow in the future.

This study develops two useful procedures in performing an environmental-impact assessment. One is the advanced life-cycle assessment (LCA) method, which effectively tracks the flow of materials and considers the recycling and demolition of a civil structure. The other is an eco-friendly decision-making procedure, which may effectively apply when determining the prototype of a civil structure. The advanced LCA method differs from traditional LCA procedure, as it classifies the input material prior to the impact assessment. Classification work is performed to establish independent life-cycle stages for each material. The processes of recycling and demolition are appropriately added to the life-cycle stages. The impact assessment is performed separately for the materials, and results are aggregated at the end of the analysis. The eco-friendly decision-making procedure enables designers to choose an economical, and environmentally friendly, alternative during the planning phase of the construction project. This procedure rationally amalgamates economical value and environmental effects into a single indicator. The life cycle cost (LCC) of a structure can be analysed by using conventional LCC tools, whereas the environmental impact is estimated by LCA. The results from LCC and LCA are then integrated by using either a CO2 conversion method or an analytical hierarchy process (AHP). The CO2 conversion method presents the result as a monetary value, whereas the AHP presents the result as a non-dimensional value. A practical example using a steel box girder bridge and a pre-stressed concrete (PSC) box-girder bridge is also given in order to aid the understanding of the presented procedure., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: As physician compensation and reimbursement tightens throughout the United States, it is important for physicians to be aware of the influence that the economic environment has on the unique medical field of plastic and reconstructive surgery. This study will attempt to determine a relationship between the volume of different plastic surgical procedures and various economic indicators., Methods: Information from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons' annual reports on plastic surgery statistics available on the Internet (http://www.plasticsurgery.org/Media/Statistics.html) was collected from the years 2000 through 2011. Yearly economic indicators were collected from readily available Web sites., Results: In terms of the total number of plastic surgery procedures performed, there was a significant positive relationship with GDP, GDP per capita, personal income, consumer price index (CPI) (all), and CPI (medical), and a significant negative relationship with the issuance of new home permits. There was a significant positive relationship with total cosmetic procedures and GDP, GDP per capita, personal income, CPI (all), and CPI (medical), and a significant negative relationship with the issuance of new home permits. There was a significant positive relationship between cosmetic surgical procedures and the issuance of new home permits and the average prime rate charged by banks. There was a significant positive relationship with cosmetic minimally invasive procedures and GDP, GDP per capita, personal income, CPI (all), and CPI (medical), and a significant negative relationship with the issuance of new home permits. There was a significant negative relationship between reconstructive procedures and GDP, GDP per capita, personal income, CPI (all), and CPI (medical)., Conclusions: Cosmetic minimally invasive procedures involve less downtime, are generally less expensive than surgical options, and are widely available, making it easier for patients to decide on them quickly during good economic times. Furthermore, it is apparent that plastic surgeons must be proficient at performing minimally invasive cosmetic procedures to maintain a clientele and offer patients a more affordable option during tough economic times. This may lead to further business growth during more favorable economic times.

In 2010, China's cement industry accounted for more than half of the world's total cement production. The cement industry is one of the most energy-intensive and highest carbon dioxide (CO2)-emitting industries, and thus a key industrial contributor to air pollution in China. For example, it is the largest source of particulate matter (PM) emissions in China, accounting for 40% of industrial PM emissions and 27% of total national PM emissions. In this study, we quantify the co-benefits of PM10 and sulfur dioxide (SO2) emission reductions that result from energy-saving measures in the cement industry in Shandong Province, China. We use a modified form of the cost of conserved energy (CCE) equation to incorporate the value of these co-benefits. The results show that more than 40% of the PM and SO2 emission reduction potential of the electricity-saving measures is cost effective even without taking into account the co-benefits for the electricity-saving measures. The results also show that including health benefits from PM10 and/or SO2 emission reductions reduces the CCE of the fuel-saving measures. Two measures that entail changing products (production of blended cement and limestone Portland cement) result in the largest reduction in CCE when co-benefits were included, since these measures can reduce both PM10 and SO2 emissions, whereas the other fuel-saving measures do not reduce PM10., (Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Background: A better understanding of how workers' compensation (WC) costs are affected by an aging US workforce is needed, especially for physically demanding industries, such as construction., Methods: The relationship between age and injury type on claim costs was evaluated using a database of 107,064 Colorado WC claims filed between 1998 and 2008 among construction workers., Results: Mean WC costs increased with increasing age for total cost (P < 0.0001), medical costs (P < 0.0001), and indemnity costs (P < 0.0001). For each one-year increase in age, indemnity, and medical costs increased by 3.5% and 1.1%, respectively. For specific injury types, such as strains and contusions, the association between age and indemnity costs was higher among claimants aged ≥65 compared to claimants aged 18-24., Conclusions: Our findings suggest that specific injury types may be partially responsible for the higher indemnity costs among older construction workers, compared with their younger coworkers., (Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Selecting construction schemes of the building engineering project is a complex multiobjective optimization decision process, in which many indexes need to be selected to find the optimum scheme. Aiming at this problem, this paper selects cost, progress, quality, and safety as the four first-order evaluation indexes, uses the quantitative method for the cost index, uses integrated qualitative and quantitative methodologies for progress, quality, and safety indexes, and integrates engineering economics, reliability theories, and information entropy theory to present a new evaluation method for building construction project. Combined with a practical case, this paper also presents detailed computing processes and steps, including selecting all order indexes, establishing the index matrix, computing score values of all order indexes, computing the synthesis score, sorting all selected schemes, and making analysis and decision. Presented method can offer valuable references for risk computing of building construction projects.

This research was conducted to assess the positive effect of the ergonomics work station on the health impairment and electrical energy usage at the woodworking workshop in Bali, Indonesia. Woodworking workshops are dangerous, particularly when they are used improperly. Workers are exposed to health hazards that cause health impairment and inefficiencies in their work conditions. A preliminary study at a woodworking workshop at the Bali State Polytechnic showed that the work station was not suitable to body size of the participants and caused awkward postures. In addition, there was also an inappropriate physical work environment. Both inappropriate work station and physical work environment caused participants to be less active and motivated. This paper reports on an experimental study into the effects of an ergonomic intervention at this workshop. The participants were 2 groups of male students with 10 participants in each group. The first group performed the task with the original work station as a control group, while the second group performed the task with the new work station. The study found a significant difference between groups (p < 0.05) both for the health impairment and the electrical energy usage. The ergonomics intervention on the work station decreased the working heart rate (16.7%), the total score of musculoskeletal disorders (17.3%), and the total score of psychological fatigue (21.5%). Furthermore, it also decreased the electrical energy usage (38.7%). This shows that an ergonomics intervention on work station decreased the health impairment and saved electrical energy usage. It also protected the workers from woodworking hazards and allowed participants to perform their tasks in healthy, safe, convenient and efficient work conditions.