Search

This paper aims to develop a framework to achieve sustainability by overcoming the challenges of the construction supply chain (CCSC) during the design process. To achieve this, two approaches, namely theoretical and practical, were used to accomplish four objectives. For the theoretical approach, based on literature review and case studies, the objective used was to identify, classify and validate the challenges that the construction supply chain (CSC) encounter. For the practical approach, a survey questionnaire was employed to quantify the CCSC and investigate the perception of architectural design firms (ADFs) in Egypt towards achieving sustainability by overcoming the CCSC during the design process. Based on the results, the research developed a framework to overcome the CCSC as an approach towards achieving sustainability in construction projects during the design process. The research identified and validated 20 challenges that the CSC encounter towards achieving sustainability during the design process. These challenges were classified under four categories, namely (1) design and technical process; (2) coordination, information flow and accuracy; (3) material specification, technology, supplier rework and whole life cycle cost; and (4) skills gap of the qualified architects and design managers and non-compliance to building codes, regulations, laws and standards. In addition, a survey questionnaire was employed to rank these challenges according to their importance on 1–5 Likert scale using the measure of central tendency and dispersion and relative importance index (RII).

Rural and urban networks have been rapidly expanding over time, so there is a rising demand for more optimum maintenance policies (MPs). The low traffic weights on the urban network of a residential city makes the appearance and density of load-associated distresses rare. This encourages the city's transportation agency to depend on limited treatment choices and the subjective judgement of the agency's engineers in managing maintenance and rehabilitation (M&R) activities. The engineers' judgement reflects their extensive field experience and is usually used in this type of city rather than generating optimal computerized solutions. The present study proposes two alternative MPs that are more objective than the policy that depends on engineers' judgement. One of the proposed alternative policies allows one M&R action along the planning horizon and the other allows multiple M&R actions. The optimum analysis showed that the preventive treatment is the optimal action for more than 50% of the network segments, which means that it plays a vital and nonnegligible role in improving the effectiveness of the M&R activities. Moreover, the sensitivity of the generated M&R plans to the initial performance of the pavement, traffic volume, and the objectives weights is investigated to determine the optimal time, suitable action, maintenance need, and optimal objective weights. The sensitivity analysis showed that varying objective weights leads to different optimal and rational solutions and the most cost-effective solution is not achieved at equal weights for objectives. Key words: urban network, optimization, preventive maintenance, genetic algorithm, pavement performance, maintenance policy. Les reseaux routiers ruraux et urbains ont connu une expansion rapide au fil du temps, de sorte qu'il y a une demande croissante pour des politiques de maintenance plus optimales. Le faible poids de la circulation sur le reseau urbain d'une ville residentielle rend rare l'apparence et la densite des degradations associees aux charges. Cela encourage l'agence de transport de la ville a se fier a des choix de traitement limites et au jugement subjectif des ingenieurs de l'agence pour ce qui est de la gestion des activites de maintenance et de refection (M&R). Le jugement des ingenieurs reflete leur vaste experience de terrain qui est generalement mise a contribution dans ce type de villes plutot que de generer des solutions informatiques optimales. La presente etude propose deux politiques de maintenance de rechange plus objectives que la politique qui repose sur le jugement des ingenieurs. L'une des politiques de rechange proposees permet une action de M&R sur l'horizon de planification et l'autre permet plusieurs actions de M&R. L'analyse optimale a montre que le traitement preventif est l'action optimale pour plus de 50 % des segments du reseau, ce qui signifie que celui-ci joue un role vital et non negligeable au niveau de l'amelioration de l'efficacite des activites de M&R. En outre, la sensibilite des plans de M&R a la tenue initiale de la chaussee, au debit de circulation, et les ponderations des objectifs sont etudies pour determiner le temps optimal, une action appropriee, les besoins de maintenance, et des ponderations d'objectifs optimaux. L'analyse de sensibilite a montre que des ponderations d'objectifs variables menent a des solutions optimales et rationnelles differentes et que la solution la plus rentable n'est pas atteinte a des ponderations egales pour les objectifs. [Traduit par la Redaction] Mots-cles : reseau urbain, optimisation, maintenance preventive, algorithme genetique, tenue de la chaussee, politique de maintenance., 1. Introduction 1.1. Background The increasing consumption of material, energy, and money, as well as the harmful gasses emitted into the environment during road network construction and maintenance, have spurred [...]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to develop a framework to facilitate early supplier involvement (ESI) as an approach for reducing construction waste (CW) generated during the design process. Design/methodology/approach: A research methodology consists of literature review, case studies and survey questionnaire was designed to achieve the abovementioned aim. First, the literature review was used to investigate CW, CW generated during the design process, the design process and ESI. Second, two construction projects were analysed to investigate the role of ESI towards reducing CW generated during the design waste. Third, a survey questionnaire was carried out with a representative sample of architectural design firms (ADFs) in Egypt to examine their perception and application of ESI towards reducing CW generated during the design process. Based on the results of the above, the research developed a framework to facilitate ESI during the design process to reduce CW. Findings: Through literature review, the research highlighted the causes of CW generated during the design process and identified the benefits and challenges that encounter ESI in ADFs. Results of data analysis showed that "last-minute changes due to client requirements" was ranked the highest challenges of ESI in ADFs in Egypt followed by "lack of design experience". Moreover, "providing technical information about materials and equipment and their capabilities" was ranked by respondents as the highest contributions of suppliers during the design process which leads to waste reduction followed by "better estimation of materials and costs". Finally, respondents stated that "resistance of ADFs to include suppliers in the design phase" was ranked the highest challenge of ESI in the design process followed by "no clear guidelines or policies that organise ESI". Research limitations/implications: Because of the conceptual nature of the proposed framework, it has to be tested and validated to ensure its capability to overcome the challenges of ESI as an approach for reducing CW generated during the design process. Practical implications: This research presents a practical solution to the problem of CW generated during the design process through ESI. Originality/value: The research discussed the causes of CW originated from the design process and the benefits and challenges of ESI in ADFs. It investigated the perception and application of ESI in ADFs in Egypt. The proposed framework which was designed to facilitate the integration of suppliers in the early stages of the project life cycle represents a synthesis that is novel and creative in thought and adds value to the knowledge in a manner that has not previously occurred. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this research is to investigate the role of the good-to-great concept as an approach for enhancing the performance of architectural design firms (ADFs) through addressing the gap of workforce skills in developing countries. To achieve this aim, a research methodology was designed to accomplish four objectives: (1) building a comprehensive background about the topic through covering the nature of the construction industry, gap of workforce skills, previous approaches used to address this issue and the good-to-great concept; (2) presenting and analyzing two case studies to investigate the role of the good-to-great concept as an approach to fill the gap of workforce skills in organizations; (3) investigating the perception and application of the good-to-great concept for addressing the gap of workforce skills to enhance the performance of ADFs and (4) developing a framework to enhance the performance of ADFs through bridging the gap of workforce skills in ADFs using the good-to-great concept. Findings of this research showed that the issue of gap of workforce skills threatens all types of industries including construction industry. The demand of ADFs became greater than the supply of skilled employees which indicates a critical issue encountered by these firms. Thus, the good-to-great concept that has never been adopted in ADFs before is proposed as a novel approach to tackle this issue.

Sustainable development has become a goal for all countries seeking a balance between social, environmen­tal and economic needs. The principal vision of a sustain­able built future is about developing creative designs that utilize energy and materials effectively. However, this vision should consider historic buildings that were built centuries ago. Although many of these buildings are standing in a stable state, they are obsolete and their values are not fully utilized. Towards revitalizing and generating sustainable values of these buildings, adaptive reuse is adopted as a process of modifying, adapting and reusing obsolete build­ings with their existing structures to extend their life cycle whilst performing a new function. This is currently practiced worldwide, specifically when a building has a unique archi­tectural character and is in a stable condition. The adaptive reuse of a historic building should have minimal impact on the heritage significance of the building and its setting. This paper aims to investigate the effectiveness of adaptive reuse as an innovative approach for generating sustainable values of historic buildings in developing countries. To achieve this aim, a research strategy is designed to accomplish four objectives: first, literature related to sustainable develop­ment, sustainable values, adaptive reuse and developing countries is reviewed; second, two case studies are pre­sented and analysed to investigate the role of adaptive reuse towards increasing the sustainable value of heritage build­ings; third, a strategy with its action plan is developed for facilitating adaptive reuse of historic buildings in develop­ing countries and finally, research conclusions are outlined and recommendations useful to professionals concerned with adaptive reuse of historic buildings are proposed.

The 2030 strategy of sustainable development in Egypt is based on integrated goals, including Human Resource Development. Egypt has ~9,540 disabled architects, who can play an important role in achieving competitive advantage through their integration in Architectural Design Firms (ADFs). By neglecting the benefits of integrating disabled architects, ADFs encounter the risk of losing unique skills and competent personnel. This article investigates the integration of disabled architects in ADFs as an approach for achieving competitive advantage. To achieve this aim, a research methodology consisting of literature review, case studies, and survey questionnaire has been adopted, and it is designed to achieve five objectives. First, literature review is used to investigate the concepts of disabilities and competitive advantage, as well as the relation between integrating disabled architects and the achievement of competitiveness in ADFs. Second, six case studies are presented and analyzed to investigate the role and process of achieving competitive advantage in ADFs through employing disabled architects. Third, the results of a survey questionnaire are analyzed to examine the perception regarding and application of employing disabled architects as an approach for achieving competitive advantage in ADFs in Egypt. Fourth, a framework is developed to facilitate the integration of disabled architects in ADFs with the goal of achieving competitive advantage. Finally, the research findings are summarized and recommendations are put forth. The value of this research stems from the need to address the issue of lack of employment of disabled architects in ADFs and the benefits of making better use of their unique capabilities and skills toward achieving competitiveness. In addition, this research covers a controversial topic that receives scant attention in construction literature, especially in Egypt.