ORCID Profile
0000-0002-3745-516X
Current Organisation
COMSATS University Islamabad - Wah Campus
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Publisher: Periodica Polytechnica Budapest University of Technology and Economics
Date: 12-05-2020
DOI: 10.3311/PPCI.15323
Abstract: A cursory review of the Building Management System (BMS) which optimizes building performance as a move towards smart cities has been presented in the present study. The extant study is an effort to distinguish and analyze the circumstances as if the underdeveloped economies are less likely to be benefitted by the contemporary trends of BMS as compare to the developed countries. Moreover, the current study identifies the factors which may cause to render the managerial acceptance for using BMS through the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). TAM was used to measure four behaviors (latent factors) namely subjective norms, organization support, compatibility, and technology complexity. The data were statistically evaluated via multiple regression analysis using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Results suggested that organization support and compatibility have a significant influence on managerial intentions to use BMS while subjective norms, technology complexity have no significant influence. The findings of this study may serve as guidelines for improvement in the acceptance process and using building management systems in commercial sectors of developing countries.
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 24-12-2021
Abstract: Manual inspection of infrastructure damages such as building cracks is difficult due to the objectivity and reliability of assessment and high demands of time and costs. This can be automated using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for aerial imagery of damages. Numerous computer vision-based approaches have been applied to address the limitations of crack detection but they have their limitations that can be overcome by using various hybrid approaches based on artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) techniques. The convolutional neural networks (CNNs), an application of the deep learning (DL) method, display remarkable potential for automatically detecting image features such as damages and are less sensitive to image noise. A modified deep hierarchical CNN architecture has been used in this study for crack detection and damage assessment in civil infrastructures. The proposed architecture is based on 16 convolution layers and a cycle generative adversarial network (CycleGAN). For this study, the crack images were collected using UAVs and open-source images of mid to high rise buildings (five stories and above) constructed during 2000 in Sydney, Australia. Conventionally, a CNN network only utilizes the last layer of convolution. However, our proposed network is based on the utility of multiple layers. Another important component of the proposed CNN architecture is the application of guided filtering (GF) and conditional random fields (CRFs) to refine the predicted outputs to get reliable results. Benchmarking data (600 images) of Sydney-based buildings damages was used to test the proposed architecture. The proposed deep hierarchical CNN architecture produced superior performance when evaluated using five methods: GF method, Baseline (BN) method, Deep-Crack BN, Deep-Crack GF, and SegNet. Overall, the GF method outperformed all other methods as indicated by the global accuracy (0.990), class average accuracy (0.939), mean intersection of the union overall classes (IoU) (0.879), precision (0.838), recall (0.879), and F-score (0.8581) values. Overall, the proposed CNN architecture provides the advantages of reduced noise, highly integrated supervision of features, adequate learning, and aggregation of both multi-scale and multilevel features during the training procedure along with the refinement of the overall output predictions.
Publisher: American Society of Civil Engineers
Date: 08-08-2018
Publisher: Emerald
Date: 15-04-2020
DOI: 10.1108/ECAM-05-2019-0244
Abstract: Despite the efforts of project managers and the widespread use of project management methodologies, most of the projects remain unfulfilling in terms of delivering targeted performance. This for most part can be attributed to the inability of an organization to implement control mechanisms and ineffective management of complexity risk. Keeping in view the aforementioned problem, the objective of this study is to investigate the association between control modes and project performance. Moreover, this study also examines the moderating role of complexity risk on the association among various control modes and project performance. The data were collected from 171 construction projects through a postal questionnaire survey. Partial least squares structural equation modeling was utilized for testing the hypothesized relationships of the research model. This study found significant positive relation between formal and informal control mechanisms and project performance. It is found that complexity risk significantly moderates the relationship between control modes and project performance. The results indicate that complexity risk positively moderates the relationship between outcome control and clan control with project performance. Furthermore, complexity risks negatively moderates the relationship between behavior control and project performance. However, the association between self-control and project performance is found insignificant in the presence of complexity risk. This study is the first attempt to study the relationship of control mechanisms, complexity risk and project performance in the construction industry.
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 06-05-2022
DOI: 10.3390/BUILDINGS12050605
Abstract: Disposal of municipal solid waste (MSW) is one of the significant global issues that is more evident in developing nations. One of the key methods for disposing of the MSW is locating, assessing, and planning for landfill sites. Faisalabad is one of the largest industrial cities in Pakistan. It has many sustainability challenges and planning problems, including MSW management. This study uses Faisalabad as a case study area and humbly attempts to provide a framework for identifying and ranking landfill sites and addressing MSW concerns in Faisalabad. This method can be extended and applied to similar industrial cities. The landfill sites were identified using remote sensing (RS) and geographic information system (GIS). Multiple datasets, including normalized difference vegetation, water, and built-up areas indices (NDVI, NDWI, and NDBI) and physical factors including water bodies, roads, and the population that influence the landfill site selection were used to identify, rank, and select the most suitable site. The target area was distributed into 9 Thiessen polygons and ranked based on their favorability for the development and expansion of landfill sites. 70% of the area was favorable for developing and expanding landfill sites, whereas 30% was deemed unsuitable. Polygon 6, having more vegetation, a smaller population, and built-up areas was declared the best region for developing landfill sites and expansion as per rank mean indices and standard deviation (SD) of RS and vector data. The current study provides a reliable integrated mechanism based on GIS and RS that can be implemented in similar study areas and expanded to other developing countries. Accordingly, urban planning and city management can be improved, and MSW can be managed with dexterity.
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 27-03-2023
DOI: 10.3390/BUILDINGS13040872
Abstract: Mixed Reality (MR) that combines elements of both augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) has great potential for use in the construction industry. However, its usage in construction projects in developing countries has not been widely researched. This study aims to examine the major drivers of, and barriers to, the adoption of MR technologies (MRTs) in the construction sector of developing countries. A mixed methodology that included both qualitative and quantitative data analysis was used. The literature review revealed 37 barriers to, and 41 drivers of, MR adoption. A questionnaire was then distributed to 220 randomly selected respondents from the pertinent construction industry, representing all major stakeholders. The relative importance index (RII) was used to rank the barriers and drivers in terms of significance. The results showed that the primary barriers to MR adoption are the high cost of initial investment, public perception of the technology being immature, limited demand, and difficulty accessing relevant experts’ knowledge. The key drivers of MR adoption include improved project knowledge, reduced overall project costs, low-cost and realistic training scenarios, reduced damage and development costs, and enhanced user experience. These findings provide insights into the major barriers and drivers of MR in the construction sector of developing countries and will help pertinent companies to focus their research and development (R& D) efforts on overcoming these barriers and promote their adoption to move towards the much sought-after construction automation and digitalization.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 02-2020
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 10-09-2021
DOI: 10.3390/SU131810164
Abstract: Concrete is an important construction material. Its characteristics depend on the environmental conditions, construction methods, and mix factors. Working with concrete is particularly tricky in a hot climate. This study predicts the properties of concrete in hot conditions using the case study of Rawalpindi, Pakistan. In this research, variable casting temperatures, design factors, and curing conditions are investigated for their effects on concrete characteristics. For this purpose, water–cement ratio (w/c), in-situ concrete temperature (T), and curing methods of the concrete are varied, and their effects on pulse velocity (PV), compressive strength (fc), depth of water penetration (WP), and split tensile strength (ft) were studied for up to 180 days. Quadratic regression and artificial neural network (ANN) models have been formulated to forecast the properties of concrete in the current study. The results show that T, curing period, and moist curing strongly influence fc, ft, and PV, while WP is adversely affected by T and moist curing. The ANN model shows better results compared to the quadratic regression model. Furthermore, a combined ANN model of fc, ft, and PV was also developed that displayed higher accuracy than the in idual ANN models. These models can help construction site engineers select the appropriate concrete parameters when concreting under hot climates to produce durable and long-lasting concrete.
Publisher: Springer Singapore
Date: 2020
Publisher: American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)
Date: 2020
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 19-12-2022
DOI: 10.3390/SU142417022
Abstract: Drawing on the JD-R model, this study examines the influence of error management climate (EMC) on the job stress of frontline aeronautical employees. It also analyzes the moderating role of psychological capital (PsyCap) dimensions (i.e., hope, optimism, self-efficacy, and resilience) for the relationship between error management climate and job stress. The data was collected from 208 in iduals through a questionnaire survey and was analyzed using a partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) approach. The results revealed that employees’ perceptions of error management climate have a significant negative impact on job stress. PsyCap optimism and PsyCap self-efficacy were found to have a negative moderating influence on the relationship between EMC and job stress. The other two dimensions of hope and resilience were found to have a moderating influence in the same direction as expected, but not at statistically significant levels. The findings of this study provide a unique perspective in realizing the part national and organizational cultures could play in either enhancing or attenuating the influence of an in idual’s psychological resources such as psychological capital.
Publisher: Frontiers Media SA
Date: 16-04-2021
DOI: 10.3389/FPSYG.2021.663199
Abstract: The study is based on validating and exploring the effects of a mega project plan (CPEC) on infrastructure development and Sustainable Project Management. The CPEC has great importance to infrastructure development and economy-boosting. The current study's primary aim is to deal with environmental protection, economic boost up, international relations influencing to the Project's success. The paper also addressed project management as a moderator between environmental protection, economic boost up, international relations, and the CPEC project's success. The primary data has been gathered by using questionnaires, and PLS-SEM has been employed for the analysis. The results revealed that environmental protection, economy boost up, and international relations have a positive association with the success of CPEC. The outcomes also exposed that project management moderating among the nexus of economy boosts up the international relations and success of CPEC. The present study results guided how Pakistan and China make the CPEC project stronger with the efficient implementation of practices required for protecting the environment, with the economic growth and boost up, and good strong relations with foreign countries. This study was an attempt to validate the different factors to check their association with each other in a new environment, resulting in a leading edge for the success of mega projects that influence project management.
Publisher: American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)
Date: 06-2021
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 03-2021
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 03-11-2016
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 14-06-2023
DOI: 10.3390/BUILDINGS13061528
Abstract: Job stress (JS) is a significant issue in the construction industry of developing countries. This study aims to examine the impact of error-management climate (EMC), safety climate (SC), and psychological capital (PC) (as a mediator) on employee JS in the construction industry, and establish relationships between these constructs. A questionnaire survey was conducted to gather data from 144 respondents. The study’s hypothesized relationships were tested using partial-least-squares structural-equation modeling (PLS-SEM). The analysis indicated a positive association between EMC and PC. Conversely, EMC did not have a negative impact on JS. The study also established a constructive relationship between SC and PC, and a significant negative association between SC and JS. Regarding mediation, PC was found to partially mediate the effect of EMC on JS, accounting for 55% of the variance accounted for (VAF). The study’s innovative contribution lies in exploring the limited research on PC within the construction industry, and investigating the interactions among SC, EMC, PC, and JS.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 21-02-2021
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 08-2018
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 10-10-2022
DOI: 10.3390/SU141912905
Abstract: Safety is a well-researched yet underperforming management aspect of the construction industry. Building information modeling (BIM) can help, and some frameworks have addressed safety management in limited phases of the project lifecycle. This study positions BIM centrally in the safety management process and develops a safety management framework that covers the entire lifecycle of a construction project in the context of developing countries. A systematic literature review is conducted to identify the safety factors and BIM features that are synthesized to devise BIM-based safety improvement strategies. The strategies are presented to construction management professionals from developed and developing countries through an online questionnaire survey, and their level of agreement is identified. Afterward, construction safety experts are engaged to integrate these strategies into appropriate lifecycle phases. Additionally, these experts are also engaged to develop an automated hazard recognition process to leverage BIM potential in safety management. The integration of strategies into project lifecycle phases resulted in a comprehensive safety implementation framework leveraging the BIM platform. This framework takes a lead from the experience of developed countries and considers the limitations of developing countries in terms of resources and technology. Furthermore, a BIM-based process map for hazard identification is developed. The process map takes the BIM model as input and provides a detailed safety report. The process map can be automated to enhance effective safety management. This study expands the body of knowledge through a BIM-driven lifecycle safety management framework for developing countries where BIM adoption is still in its early stages. It is a fresh take on safety automation to make the construction industry safer and more reliable. However, it is limited due to inadequate safety reporting and documentation in developing countries. Future research can improve upon this limitation by positioning in a safety-compliant culture.
Publisher: Springer Singapore
Date: 19-12-2017
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 11-08-2021
DOI: 10.3390/IJGI10080539
Abstract: Global climate has been radically affected by the urbanization process in recent years. Karachi, Pakistan’s economic hub, is also showing signs of swift urbanization. Owing to the construction of infrastructure projects under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and associated urbanization, Karachi’s climate has been significantly affected. The associated replacement of natural surfaces by anthropogenic materials results in urban overheating and increased local temperatures leading to serious health issues and higher air pollution. Thus, these temperature changes and urban overheating effects must be addressed to minimize their impact on the city’s population. For analyzing the urban overheating of Karachi city, LST (land surface temperature) is assessed in the current study, where data of the past 20 years (2000–2020) is used. For this purpose, remote sensing data from the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer Global Digital Elevation Model (ASTER GDEM) and Moderate-Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) sensors were utilized. The long short-term memory (LSTM) model was utilized where the road density (RD), elevation, and enhanced vegetation index (EVI) are used as input parameters. Upon comparing estimated and measured LST, the values of mean absolute error (MAE), mean square error (MSE), and mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) are 0.27 K, 0.237, and 0.15% for January, and 0.29 K, 0.261, and 0.13% for May, respectively. The low MAE, MSE, and MAPE values show a higher correlation between the predicted and observed LST values. Moreover, results show that more than 90% of the pixel data falls in the least possible error range of −1 K to +1 K. The MAE, MSE and MAPE values for Support Vector Regression (SVR) are 0.52 K, 0.453 and 0.18% and 0.76 K, 0.873, and 0.26%. The current model outperforms previous studies, shows a higher accuracy, and depicts greater reliability to predict the actual scenario. In the future, based on the accurate LST results from this model, city planners can propose mitigation strategies to reduce the harmful effects of urban overheating and associated Urban Heat Island effects (UHI).
Publisher: Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile
Date: 2019
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 23-08-2023
DOI: 10.3390/BUILDINGS13092143
Abstract: The healthcare industry significantly impacts the environment due to its high usage of energy and natural resources and the associated waste generation. This study applied a cradle-to-grave Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment (LCSA) approach to assess the environmental and social life cycles of public hospitals. One hundred twenty-four public hospitals were selected for the current study their sustainability performance was compared with those certified by Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED). The comparison revealed several factors contributing to the poor sustainability performance of public hospitals. These include inadequate management, substandard planning, political interference, insufficient staffing and funding, high energy consumption, high expenses, inconsistent healthcare policies, and conventional building designs. System thinking was leveraged, and a causal loop diagram (CLD) was developed to visualize the interdependency of the identified indicators of LCSA. Based on the findings of the study, a policy framework is proposed to guide the development of sustainable healthcare buildings. The framework includes using eco-friendly materials and techniques in construction, harnessing solar energy, improving hospital management practices, promoting public awareness about sustainability, conserving energy and water, and adopting sustainable waste management and transportation. Additionally, it emphasizes addressing social issues such as improving indoor air quality, thermal comfort, lighting, acoustics, patient safety, and security and ensuring that healthcare services are accessible and affordable. This study contributes to the literature on sustainable healthcare buildings by providing a practical policy framework for achieving sustainability in the healthcare sector.
Publisher: Emerald
Date: 09-12-2019
Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to investigate critical barriers hindering the adoption of green supply chain management (GSCM) and the opportunities that can be exploited with such an implementation in the construction industry of developing countries. It also devises strategies to avoid critical barriers in implementation and exploit opportunities for a better overall environmental performance of the construction industry. This research relies upon an extensive literature review data are collected from 163 professionals and 15 interviews of field professionals from 11 developing countries are conducted. The barriers and opportunities are synthesized through literature review and then data are collected over their significance from the construction professionals through an online survey. To highlight the interconnectedness of the critical barriers and opportunities, a causal loop framework is developed. Furthermore, expert opinion is sought to develop the strategies. This research integrates information from different sources and provides a holistic view of the current situation of GSCM in developing countries. In total, 34 barriers and 23 opportunities are extracted from literature. The top 4 barriers fall under the “involvement and support” category, whereas the top four opportunities fall under the “environmental” category. Furthermore, the strategies to implement GSCM include suitable policies by top management to incorporate practices such as innovative green design, green procurement, green packaging, green distribution and even end-of-life management, which play a vital role in emission reduction. This research is a first attempt at evaluating the barriers and opportunities facing GSCM in the construction sector of the developing countries. The findings encourage the stakeholders in adopting GSCM practices by presenting a clear picture of the potential benefits that can be exploited by implementing the proposed strategies to eliminate critical barriers in the construction industry.
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 13-06-2022
DOI: 10.3390/SU14127211
Abstract: Effective leadership and creative performance are the predominant factors for the success of modern projects in the global construction industry. However, rigorous research has not explored the nexus between such factors and the leader–member exchange (LMX). To address this gap, this study explores the relationship between dimensions of paternalistic leadership and employee creativity achieved through LMX in the context of the construction industry. Based on social exchange theory (SET), six relevant hypotheses were proposed in this study. The data were collected through a structured questionnaire. An online survey form was used for data collection, through which 288 responses were collected from the construction industry employees working in Pakistan. The collected data were analyzed using Smart PLS in two stages, i.e., measurement model evaluation (reliability analysis, convergent and discriminant validity) and structural model evaluation (R2, F2, and path coefficient). The findings of the current study reveal a positive association of authoritarian, benevolent, and moral leadership with employee creativity. In addition, LMX significantly mediates the relationship between the two dimensions of paternalistic leadership (benevolent and moral leadership) and creativity, except for authoritarian leadership. Based on the results, this study contributes to the body of knowledge related to the appropriate leadership style in the local construction industry that can be extended to other developing countries with similar dynamics. It also helps the managers target and develops relevant skills to acquire positive outcomes from their team members.
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 06-06-2022
DOI: 10.3390/W14111824
Abstract: Owing to the extensive global dependency on groundwater and associated increasing water demand, the global groundwater level is declining rapidly. In the case of Islamabad, Pakistan, the groundwater level has lowered five times over the past five years due to extensive pumping by various departments and residents to meet the local water requirements. To address this, water reservoirs and sources need to be delineated, and potential recharge zones are highlighted to assess the recharge potential. Therefore, the current study utilizes an integrated approach based on remote sensing (RS) and GIS using the influence factor (IF) technique to delineate potential groundwater recharge zones in Islamabad, Pakistan. Soil map of Pakistan, Landsat 8TM satellite data, digital elevation model (ASTER DEM), and local geological map were used in the study for the preparation of thematic maps of 15 key contributing factors considered in this study. To generate a combined groundwater recharge map, rate and weightage values were assigned to each factor representing their mutual influence and recharge capabilities. To analyze the final combined recharge map, five different assessment analogies were used in the study: poor, low, medium, high, and best. The final recharge potential map for Islamabad classifies 15% (136.8 km2) of the region as the “best” zone for extracting groundwater. Furthermore, high, medium, low, and poor ranks were assigned to 21%, 24%, 27%, and 13% of the region with respective areas of 191.52 km2, 218.88 km2, 246.24 km2, and 118.56 km2. Overall, this research outlines the best to least favorable zones in Islamabad regarding groundwater recharge potentials. This can help the authorities devise mitigation strategies and preserve the natural terrain in the regions with the best groundwater recharge potential. This is aligned with the aims of the interior ministry of Pakistan for constructing small reservoirs and ponds in the existing natural streams and installing recharging wells to maintain the groundwater level in cities. Other countries can expand upon and adapt this study to delineate local groundwater recharge potentials.
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 29-08-2022
DOI: 10.3390/BUILDINGS12091322
Abstract: Due to the increased globalization and the disruptions caused by pandemics, supply chains (SCs) are becoming more complex in all industries. Such increased complexities of the SCs bring in more risks. The construction industry is no exception its SC has been disrupted in line with its industrial counterparts. Therefore, it is important to manage the complexities in integrating SC risks and resilient capabilities (RCs) to enable a resilient SC in construction. This study investigated the complexity involved in the dynamics of effects between organizations’ SC risks and RCs to overcome disruptive events. Past researchers investigated how to improve the performance of construction projects, regardless of the complexities and interdependencies associated with the risks across the entire SC. However, the system dynamics (SD) approach to describe the ersity of construction SCs under risks has received limited attention indicating a research gap pursued by this study. This work aimed to analyze and establish interconnectivity and functionality amongst the construction SC risks and RCs using systems thinking (ST) and SD modeling approach. The SD technique is used to assess the complexity and integrated effect of SC risks on construction projects to enhance their resilience. The risks and RCs were identified by critically scrutinizing the literature and were then ranked through content analysis. Questionnaire surveys and expert opinions (involving 10 experts) helped develop causal loop diagrams (CLDs) and SD models with simulations to assess complexity qualitatively and quantitatively within the system. Research reveals that construction organizations are more vulnerable to health pandemics, budget overruns, poor information coordination, insufficient management oversight, and error visibility to stakeholders. Further, the most effective RCs include assets visibility, collaborative information exchange, business intelligence gatherings, alternative suppliers, and inventory management systems. This research helps industry practitioners identify and plan for various risks and RCs within their organizations and SCs. Furthermore, it helps understand trade-offs between suitable RCs to abate essential risks and develop preparedness against disruptions to improve organizational policymaking, project efficiency, and performance.
Publisher: Emerald
Date: 25-03-2021
DOI: 10.1108/ECAM-11-2020-0989
Abstract: Earned Value Management (EVM) is widely used as a project performance measurement and forecasting technique. Nonetheless, it has not been fully explored in Pakistani construction industry where conventional progress reporting methodology (CPRM) is being followed having certain confines. It reports only the financial progress of a project, expresses feeble association between the duration and cost of activities, and forecasts flawed schedule and completion cost. This research implements EVM on under-construction building projects in Pakistan, and compares its upshots with the projects' actual records and with the outcomes of CPRM. To assess the implementation of EVM on building projects, a set of specific criteria was established. Work Breakdown Structure, Organization Breakdown Structure and Control Points were established. The study has compared the EVM metrics with CPRM outcomes on three under-study building projects, and has deliberated on their mutual differences as well as their relationship with actual cost and schedule performance. Monthly figures of actual spending and completed activities were periodically recorded and compared with planned values for status indication. The graphs were generated to observe the correlation between the results of EVM and CPRM. The data was then extrapolated to forecast the schedule and cost values at completion. The study discovered that trends of EVM in quantifying the project's cost and schedule performance were strongly correlated and were closer to the actual progress. It has also verified the EVM's soundness in forecasting the cost and schedule, required for project's completion. Contrarily, CPRM metrics could not precisely visualize the current and future, cost and schedule performance. The case study concludes that EVM's incorporation in progress reporting regime can revolutionize the assessment procedures in Pakistan by rightly indicating the project's current status as well as visualizing the future performance. The study's methodology can also be extrapolated in other countries having similar work environment and economic conditions.
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 19-05-2023
DOI: 10.3390/SU15108281
Abstract: Prefabricated construction is being pursued globally as a critically important sustainable construction technology. Prefabricated construction technology (PCT) provides opportunities to effectively manage construction waste and offers venues to address the poor productivity and lackluster performance of construction projects, which are often expected to miss their budget and schedule constraints. Despite the significant benefits inherent in the adoption of PCT, research has shown an unimpressive exploitation of this technology in the building sector. A modified version of the popular technology acceptance model (TAM) was used to understand Pakistan’s building construction industry stakeholder’s acceptance of PCT and the factors that influence its usage. Data were collected from 250 building construction experts in the industry to test the hypotheses derived from the proposed model. Data analysis using covariance-based structural equation modeling revealed that construction industry stakeholders’ perceptions of perceived ease-of-use, perceived usefulness, trust, and satisfaction all strongly influenced PCT acceptance behavior. Moreover, results also confirmed the total direct and indirect effects of the perceived usefulness and perceived ease-of-use of behavioral intention toward using PCT, with trust and user satisfaction as mediators. The results of this research are expected to serve as a guide for the construction industry stakeholders to effectively plan, strategize, encourage, and increase the adoption of PCT to achieve sustainable construction outcomes in the building construction sector.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 02-02-2022
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 14-04-2023
DOI: 10.3390/BUILDINGS13041036
Abstract: Non-renewable resources have been becoming scarcer on a global scale by the day, while energy demand has been rising exponentially. To tackle this problem, organizations worldwide have been striving to learn and adopt green practices to sustain themselves and benefit society. In this context, the current study aims to identify and understand the critical factors that encourage in iduals working in construction organizations to adopt green behavior. The current study surveyed 121 top managers working in 150 construction firms deployed across Pakistan. It was found that knowledge and awareness significantly contributed to green behavioral adoption. Additionally, behavioral intention, motivation, and environmental consciousness have been found to positively mediate the impact of knowledge and awareness on green behavior adoption. The findings of this study highlight the important factors to consider when developing future policies. Moreover, the research provides a stepping stone for future researchers to evaluate other sectors and regions in similar contexts to draw comparisons and identify areas for improvement.
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 26-10-2021
DOI: 10.3390/APP112110034
Abstract: Groundwater is one of the primary sources for the daily water requirements of the masses, but it is subjected to contamination due to the pollutants, such as nitrate, percolating through the soil with water. Especially in built-up areas, groundwater vulnerability and contamination are of major concern, and require appropriate consideration. The present study develops a novel framework for assessing groundwater nitrate contamination risk for the area along the Karakoram Highway, which is a part of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) route in northern Pakistan. A groundwater vulnerability map was prepared using the DRASTIC model. The nitrate concentration data from a previous study were used to formulate the nitrate contamination map. Three machine learning (ML) models, i.e., Support Vector Machine (SVM), Multivariate Discriminant Analysis (MDA), and Boosted Regression Trees (BRT), were used to analyze the probability of groundwater contamination incidence. Furthermore, groundwater contamination probability maps were obtained utilizing the ensemble modeling approach. The models were calibrated and validated through calibration trials, using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve method (AUC), where a minimum AUC threshold value of 80% was achieved. Results indicated the accuracy of the models to be in the range of 0.82–0.87. The final groundwater contamination risk map highlights that 34% of the area is moderately vulnerable to groundwater contamination, and 13% of the area is exposed to high groundwater contamination risk. The findings of this study can facilitate decision-making regarding the location of future built-up areas properly in order to mitigate the nitrate contamination that can further reduce the associated health risks.
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 15-11-2021
DOI: 10.3390/SU132212583
Abstract: Water scarcity has become a major problem for many countries, resulting in declining water supply and creating a need to find alternative solutions. One potential solution is rainwater harvesting (RwH), which allows rainwater to be stored for human needs. This study develops an RwH assessment system through building information modeling (BIM). For this purpose, a hydrological study of Cfa-type climate cities is conducted with the ex le of Islamabad, Pakistan. The monthly rainfall data of three sites were assessed to determine the volume of the accumulated rainwater and its potential to meet human needs. The average number of people living in a house is taken as the household number. Household number or of the number of employees working at a small enterprise, roofing material, and rooftop area are used as the key parameters for pertinent assessment in the BIM. The data simulated by BIM highlight the RwH potential using five people per house as the occupancy and a 90 m2 rooftop area for residential buildings or small enterprises as parameters. The results show that the selected sites can collect as much as 8,190 L/yr of rainwater (48 L erson/day) to 103,300 L/yr of rainwater (56 L erson/day). This much water is enough to fulfill the daily demands of up to five people. Therefore, it is established that the study area has an RwH potential that is able to meet the expected demands. This study presents a baseline approach for RwH to address water scarcity issues for residential buildings and factories of the future.
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 21-03-2022
DOI: 10.3390/ARCHITECTURE2010010
Abstract: The identification of significant areas impacting safety performance has always been a key concern for construction management researchers. This paper aims to examine the ersified influence of sensitive sub-categories of demographic variables on construction safety climate (SC). The data relating to fourteen demographic variables and twenty-four formerly validated SC statements were collected from forty-one under-construction high-rise buildings in Pakistan. The variances in respondents’ distribution among various sub-categories of demographic variables, and influence of each sub-category of demographic variables on SC statements were analyzed using cross-tabulation, Spearman’s rho correlation coefficients, independent s le Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U tests. The study comprehends that the employees in the age group of 20 years or below and between 41 and 50 years, engaged for over 48 h per week, having 4 dependent family members, primary education, and/or lesser working experience, attained a comparatively lower SC level. Likewise, frontline workers and foremen are observed to be employed for extended working hours, causing them fatigue. It also discovers that safety alertness level steadily declines once employees get acquainted with their tasks, thus necessitating to arrange periodic refresher safety training sessions. The study recommends concentrating on frontline workers and foremen who are less educated and fall in the age group of 41–50 years by resolving their safety concerns and providing them adequate safety training, promptly replacing their defective equipment, improving worksite conditions, and counselling them about the significance of wearing PPE and adhering to all the safety rules regardless of the difficulty in their enactment. A joint focus on the heightened personal attributes of employees and risky SC statements is expected to enhance safety performance on under-construction building projects. Moreover, the study’s results can be cautiously generalized and applied to other countries having similar work environment.
Publisher: American Society of Civil Engineers
Date: 29-08-2019
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 31-05-2019
Abstract: Healthcare buildings are energy and water intensive, which remarkably impacts their sustainability. They also share a larger portion of hazardous and non-hazardous wastes. Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) has been rating healthcare buildings under a separate category of Building Design and Construction (BD + C): Healthcare to acknowledge their role and importance. This research investigates the credit points achieved by these buildings using all versions and rating systems of LEED BD + C: Healthcare. The results report a very small number of Platinum-certified buildings as compared to other certification levels. Further, Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution is applied on credit points and certification levels according to their rating system, climate and location to reveal that buildings require a lot more effort to raise their certification level from Gold to Platinum as compared to the effort required between Gold, Silver and Certified. Based on this, a new certification level is proposed. Furthermore, buildings located in dry weather and South region of the USA have been shown to achieve better credit points. The findings can help designers in scoring better LEED points, which could help promote the culture of rating systems.
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 03-06-2022
DOI: 10.3390/BUILDINGS12060760
Abstract: The China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project was signed between China and Pakistan in the year 2013. This mega project connects the two countries to enhance their economic ties and give them access to international markets. The initial investment for the project was $46 billion with a tentative duration of fifteen years. Being an extensive project in terms of cost and duration, many factors and risks affect its performance. This study aims to investigate the effects of political (PR), social safety (SR), and legal risks (LR) on the project performance (PP) of the CPEC. It further investigates the significance of the host country’s attitude towards foreigners (HCA). A research framework consisting of PR, SR, and LR as independent variables, PP as the dependent variable, and HCA as moderator is formulated and tested in the current study. In this quantitative study, the Likert scale is used to measure the impact of the assessed risks. A questionnaire survey is used as a data collection tool to collect data and test the research framework and associated hypotheses. The partial least square structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) is used to perform the empirical test for validation of the study, with a dataset of 99 responses. The empirical investigation finds a negative relationship between PR, SR, LR, and PP. It is concluded that PR, SR, and LR negatively influence the PP of CPEC. Furthermore, HCA negatively moderates the PR, LR, and PP of CPEC. In contrast, the value of SR and PP is positive in the presence of the positive HCA.
Publisher: Hindawi Limited
Date: 12-10-2020
DOI: 10.1155/2020/8820021
Abstract: This paper examines how the latest mega plan and the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) will impact the geopolitics of energy and infrastructural development. With a massive change in the supply and demand of global energy and its infrastructure, the transition of international energy order is in the making. While the US is going towards a more isolationist path from its traditional superpower role, there are rising economies such as China, India, Japan, and Russia which are undoubtedly playing a vital role in the geopolitical stage and the other development endeavors. Several regions such as Central Asia, the Arctic, Eastern Mediterranean, and the South China Sea are offering substantial natural gas and oil reserves and drawing global attention to develop energy cooperation. This situation is profoundly influencing the transition of energy order. In this transition, BRI is supposed to play an important role. As a mega development strategy with a robust geostrategic dimension, it purposes to advocate interconnectivity collaboration in framework, exchange, and advancement among the partaking nations. This super arrangement offers a lot of ventures, foundation developments, and modern reconciliation in the energy sector. The country is trying to establish a multilateral platform for endorsing and shielding energy cooperation under BRI. This paper, therefore, attempts to observe how this mega plan will contribute to reshaping the existing energy order as well as the geopolitics of energy with motivation on multifaceted energy collaboration.
Publisher: IntechOpen
Date: 16-11-2022
DOI: 10.5772/INTECHOPEN.105050
Abstract: With time, construction waste is increasing massively and its dumping is a serious issue globally. Utilizing the waste in various products and construction projects is boosting, but still, the amount of waste is much higher. Transitions to more sustainable construction can assist in attaining the specific goal of slowing down natural resources depletion, reducing environmental damage by extracting and recycling new materials, and minimizing pollution from the processing, use, and disposal of materials once they complete their useful life period. An important way to do this is to improve efficiency and bring productivity in the utilization of resources. The circular economy is more productive and healthier, where raw materials are stored longer in the production cycle and can be recycled, thus producing less waste. Due to potential benefits through enhanced quality and productivity in the processes, the concept of circular economy is grabbing the attention of construction industry stakeholders to attain sustainable construction waste management. This chapter focuses on the significance of a circular economy for the attainment of sustainable waste management in the construction sector. Moreover, the impact of construction waste and its utilization through recent sustainable solutions which also impact the economy has also been highlighted.
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 11-10-2023
DOI: 10.3390/SOC13100219
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 22-10-2021
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 07-2021
Publisher: Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)
Date: 2022
No related grants have been discovered for Ahsen Maqsoom.