ORCID Profile
0000-0001-8598-9492
Current Organisation
University Of Strathclyde
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Publisher: Emerald
Date: 12-07-2011
Publisher: Thomas Telford Ltd.
Date: 11-2021
Abstract: Component production in off-site manufacturing is an indispensable part of off-site construction. Lack of management of this new process results in deviations from project objectives by causing time and cost overruns, safety issues, quality deficiencies, technical problems and a lack of client satisfaction. To solve this problem, this study seeks to identify the risks associated with off-site construction manufacturing in China. Interviews were conducted to elicit the views of 25 construction professionals in China, including owners, consultants, manufacturers and contractors. A total of 13 factors were identified from three nodes or variables. The paper also indicates that the most dominant risk pertains to ‘design error’. The findings identify the risks of off-site manufacturing through the whole life cycle, providing a valuable reference for manufacturers to understand the risks in off-site construction and to help them make better decisions to avoid such risks.
Publisher: Routledge
Date: 07-05-2007
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 11-2002
Publisher: Emerald
Date: 06-2002
Publisher: Thomas Telford Ltd.
Date: 06-2018
Abstract: Mediation provides a more cost-effective, faster and generally more beneficial form of dispute resolution than litigation for certain types of disputes. It is for these reasons that mediation may be considered a potentially useful form of dispute resolution in the field of planning and environmental disputes in the UK. Mediation for such disputes promises to facilitate participation in planning disputes on a much broader level, thereby promoting inclusiveness and allowing for a broader and thus more accurate range of interests to be taken into account. The flexible nature of mediation also enables the process to be tailored according to the particular features of the in idual case. It is within this context that the potential benefits of mediation for environmental and planning disputes should be approached and considered within this briefing, in order to determine whether such benefits are applicable to this type of dispute.
Publisher: Frontiers Media SA
Date: 23-04-2020
Publisher: Thomas Telford Ltd.
Date: 08-2021
Abstract: Increasingly, construction companies are using drone technology for a variety of purposes, including conducting aerial surveys and monitoring the activities of staff and subcontractors on the construction worksite. As the technology develops, newly adopted drone laws and the application of current laws to drone use are areas of concern as governments grapple to regulate the operators, manufacturers and systems. While the commercial benefits of using drones on the construction site are not fully understood or realised, companies need to keep abreast of changes to the legislation and regulations that govern drone usage. This paper reviews the regulatory and legal schemes for drone operation within the construction industry in the USA, the UK, Japan, Australia and Hong Kong. Drone technology, infrastructure, regulations and standards are continually evolving, with collaborative research and development across all these areas. While this offers exciting opportunities to private and public sectors worldwide, such rapid change and growth is a challenge for regulators, to ensure that regulations and infrastructures are in place in time to manage and meet these changes. The proposed research agenda offers a guide for future research on the legal aspects of drone operation for the construction sphere.
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 06-04-2021
DOI: 10.3390/SU13074054
Abstract: Offsite construction is increasingly being presented as a way to increase housing delivery and reduce the housing crisis. Large developers play a pivotal role in the delivery of affordable homes and therefore offsite construction could be beneficial in alleviating the crisis. Previous Offsite Construction (OC) studies conducted into the drivers, barriers and decision factors provide qualitative analysis from manufacturers and larger developers appear to be taking advantage of the UK government’s renewed interest in offsite manufacturing and have begun investing in these methods. However, the role of smaller housebuilding developers in the use of offsite construction systems is rather more uncertain. This research addresses this gap in the literature through an exploration of small housebuilding developers’ best value perceptions of offsite construction methods within the UK housebuilding sector. A questionnaire survey was used to ascertain perceptions of the 134 small developers towards the drivers, barriers and decision factors identified in the extant OC literature. Although survey respondents had not widely used offsite manufactured systems previously, the results indicate a high level of agreement with the drivers identified within the offsite construction literature. The respondents identified the buyers’ perception of traditional methods as superior to OC systems and creating higher sales figures. Many any of the respondents also believe that best value, and hence maximised profit, higher sales value, and greater returns on investment, is achieved through traditional methods of construction. These two factors combined are more desirable for small developers, rather than the perceived increase in sustainability and efficiency offered by OC systems, due to their positive effect on profit.
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 15-03-2023
DOI: 10.3390/BUILDINGS13030773
Abstract: Public procurement in the construction sector has been an historic problem in Northern Ireland (NI), to the extent that a public inquiry was held on the matter, including investigating why legal challenge are prevalent, and its findings reported in 2010 a 2019 NI Audit Office report into several major construction projects in NI highlighted legal challenges contributing to project delay, suggesting that perhaps there have not been improvements in relation to legal challenges since the public inquiry. This paper aims to ascertain the frequency of public procurement legal challenges in the construction sector in NI, not just the frequency of court cases, but any challenge to public procurement that delays projects. A multi-phase, mixed methods approach was adopted including a literature review, interviews and questionnaire surveys of procuring and contracting organisations to provide details of all forms of legal challenges, to understand why they challenge procurement decisions and to ascertain views on how public procurement is managed in Northern Ireland. The data reveal that approximately 40 out of 1488 procurement exercises in the last 7 years have had some form of legal challenge. The results also indicate that legal challenges are not as prevalent as the contracting side of the construction industry in NI believes them to be and suggest that the legacy from the public inquiry era around 2008–2012 continues to cloud perceptions of public procurement in NI. The analysis also reveals that the challenging political environment, issues with quality assessment and abnormally low tenders have been the main contributory factors to the rise in legal challenges to public procurement in construction in Northern Ireland.
Publisher: Frontiers Media SA
Date: 22-09-2021
DOI: 10.3389/FBUIL.2021.650699
Abstract: Purposes: This article presents a recent research into megaproject sustainability with a particular focus on identifying a structure of its body of knowledge so as to establish the methodology of megaproject assessment on sustainability (MAS), which consists of a research roadmap toward megaproject sustainability and a system reliability analysis. In response to the research topic on “Reviews for Advanced Construction Management” at Frontiers in Built Environment , this article aims to make a contribution with the description about a generic approach to conducting literature review based on a whole range of relevant evidence in a systemic way. Methodology: The research described in this article is underpinned by the use of several methods. The nine-square process (NSP) of Theory of Inventive Problem Solving (TRIZ) is the method for facilitating a systemic evidence-based learning (EBL) process to identify further research into MAS. A normal process to establish research roadmap was then introduced to summarize what has been identified as specific research tasks alongside lifecycle processes on megaproject delivery, to which RIBA Plan of Work 2020 was adopted as the prototype. An event tree analysis (ETA) was eventually introduced by incorporating the novel measurements on system reliability to support quantitative MAS in terms of both practices and research. Findings: This article presents several findings from the described research, and these include that the use of NSP led to the formation of a systematic procedure for literature review, a procedure to support MAS, a research roadmap to facilitate efforts to be made for megaproject sustainability, and the feasibility of system reliability analysis to measure the status of sustainability underpinned by research and practices throughout megaproject lifecycle. Implications: The described research provides four modules to foster further research into megaproject sustainability, and these include a TRIZ-based module to facilitate systemic literature review for EBL, a lifecycle process module for MAS, a prototype research roadmap to guide research and development for megaproject sustainability, and an ETA module to support a system reliability analysis in the dynamic process of research and practices toward megaproject sustainability. Value: The research described in this article has made an initial effort to conduct a strategic review, development, analysis, and discussion about tactics for research and development toward megaproject sustainability. Research findings can be used for related research and practices with regard to technical guidance and best practices in megaproject delivery.
Publisher: Emerald
Date: 11-07-2016
DOI: 10.1108/IJLBE-09-2015-0014
Abstract: This paper aims to address the knowledge gap, by exploring the attitudes and experiences of mediators relative to the process, based on research with practitioners in Scotland. Recent research on construction mediation in Scotland has focused exclusively on construction lawyers’ and contractors’ interaction with the process, without reference to the views of mediators themselves. The entire research design of this research was constrained by the small population of practising Scottish construction mediators (thought to be circa. 20 in 2013). The design encompassed a literature search, participant interviews, questionnaire survey and qualitative and quantitative data. The research questionnaire was designed to capture data related to the biography, training and experience of those interviewed before their opinion on the benefits of, and problems with, mediation were sought. The results indicate that mediations failed because of ignorance, intransigence and over-confidence of the parties. Barriers to greater use of mediation in construction disputes were identified as the lack of skilled, experienced mediators, the continued popularity of adjudication and both lawyer and party resistance. Notwithstanding the English experience, Scottish mediators gave little support for mandating disputants to mediate before proceeding with court action. A surprising number were willing to give an evaluation of the dispute rather than merely facilitating a settlement. There are few experienced construction mediators in Scotland, and the continued popularity of statutory adjudication is a significant barrier. Mediators believe that clients’ negative perceptions of mediation are a bigger barrier than lawyers’ perceptions. The mediators wanted judicial encouragement for mediation backed by some legislative support, mediation clauses incorporated into construction contracts and government adoption of mediation as the default process in its own contracts.
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 23-02-2023
DOI: 10.3390/BUILDINGS13030594
Abstract: The construction industry is one of the most critical sectors of the global economy, contributing significantly to economic growth and job creation [...]
Publisher: Routledge
Date: 10-11-2016
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 02-03-2022
DOI: 10.3390/BUILDINGS12030283
Abstract: Housing associations (HAs) play a pivotal role in the delivery of affordable homes and, therefore, offsite construction could be beneficial in alleviating the crisis. Existing literature has focused on the perceptions of the housing sector at large towards offsite construction (OSC), particularly private housebuilders. This research addresses this gap in the literature. This paper explores the perceived barriers of using OSC through a survey of the largest HAs in England [n = 69], and how these compare with the perceptions within the wider housing sector. The evidence from this research indicates cost-related barriers are perceived to be the most significant barriers to OSC use for HAs, followed by the capacity of suppliers and end-user preferences for traditional construction. The perceived barriers of those with experience are aligned with the OSC literature, whilst the responses of those without direct experience suggested heightened concerns towards the key barriers. A conceptualised feedback model is proposed to monitor, capture knowledge and share best practice as HAs commit to accelerating project delivery through strategic partnerships with offsite manufacturing firms, local authorities at a local/regional level, that leverage the high-value, high-impact transformation of the housebuilding sector in tangible terms of efficiency, cost, and material savings.
Publisher: Thomas Telford Ltd.
Date: 02-2022
Abstract: While there is a plethora of research into the perceived benefits of off-site construction systems and the barriers towards their adoption, there has been very little discussion of the procurement route selection factors for off-site residential projects in the UK Midlands region. This study sought to identify the factors that influence the selection of a procurement method for off-site housebuilding projects in the Midlands. The aim of the paper was to identify the critical factors influencing the procurement selection for off-site housebuilding developments through a survey of 157 construction professionals and housing developers using the relative importance index as a basis for analysis. A comparison between the most highly ranked factors for off-site manufacturing and those presented in the literature indicates that practitioners’ perceptions are largely aligned with those of traditional construction processes. The higher constructability of design and environmental sustainability have been shown to have a greater influence on the selection of the most appropriate procurement route for off-site housebuilding as compared to those applicable to traditional construction. The research findings can also help practitioners to develop a wider and deeper perspective of the criteria for selecting the appropriate procurement method for off-site residential projects at a regional level.
Publisher: Thomas Telford Ltd.
Date: 04-2019
Abstract: This paper examines the determinants of non-compliance with structural building code standards and regulations within residential development projects in Nigeria. The study targets all stakeholders in development projects, and data were collected using stratified s ling and through the administration of 600 paper-based questionnaires to construction professionals and other stakeholders. A total of 378 valid questionnaires were utilised, representing a valid response rate of 63%. The following indicators were identified and investigated through quantitative analysis: corruption, capacity building, employment/financial strength, professional rivalry, professional vested interests, technological expertise, professional involvement in decision-making, human rights and public opinion from the earlier research in Nigeria. Using SPSS software with the Amos add-on, factor analysis and structural equation modelling were employed to investigate the data, which revealed that corruption, professional rivalry, professional vested interest and professional involvement in decision-making as a combined administrative factor were the most influential in leading to non-compliance with building code standards in residential development projects in Nigeria, followed by training and, to a lesser extent, sociological factors. In response to the findings, this study develops credible and acceptable enforcement control policy framework practices to improve the administrative and technical failure aspects of building standards and regulatory compliance in residential development projects.
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 05-1998
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 09-1998
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 13-01-2021
DOI: 10.3390/S21020539
Abstract: The growing demand for extensive and reliable structural health monitoring resulted in the development of advanced optical sensing systems (OSS) that in conjunction with wireless optical networks (WON) are capable of extending the reach of optical sensing to places where fibre provision is not feasible. To support this effort, the paper proposes a new type of a variable weight code called multiweight zero cross-correlation (MW-ZCC) code for its application in wireless optical networks based optical code ision multiple access (WON-OCDMA). The code provides improved quality of service (QoS) and better support for simultaneous transmission of video surveillance, comms and sensor data by reducing the impact of multiple access interference (MAI). The MW-ZCC code’s power of two code-weight properties provide enhanced support for the needed service differentiation provisioning. The performance of this novel code has been studied by simulations. This investigation revealed that for a minimum allowable bit error rate of 10−3, 10−9 and 10−12 when supporting triple-play services (sensing, datacomms and video surveillance, respectively), the proposed WON-OCDMA using MW-ZCC codes could support up to 32 simultaneous services over transmission distances up to 32 km in the presence of moderate atmospheric turbulence.
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 03-1995
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 06-1998
Publisher: Emerald
Date: 12-10-2015
DOI: 10.1108/IJLBE-07-2014-0018
Abstract: – Following an analysis of English construction lawyers’ perceptions, attitudes and practices relative to mediation, this paper aims to offer an insight into the initial stages of the legal decision-making process, involving an examination of the degree of control construction lawyers’ exercise over the decision-making process itself, as well as an analysis of the factors that determine the decision to use mediation. The empirical work thus far focuses on the different potential barriers to mediation that typically characterize the relationship clients’ and legal advisors, addressing to ergent monetary interests, non-monetary and psychological interests and barriers in the principal–agent relationship. – Based on a quantitative survey of legal advisors in England and Wales ( n = 212), the purpose of this paper is to explore mediation, specifically the factors that support its use, barriers that hinder use and the perceptions of the efficacy and level of effectiveness of the process. – The findings indicate that more experienced construction lawyers reported using mediation to a far greater extent than less experienced lawyers, consistent with the proposition that more experienced lawyers develop a cooperative reputation as a function of their professional encounters. The results reveal that the absence of good mediators, influence of the courts, inability to create enforceable precedents, negative experiences and preferences for other forms of dispute resolution do not seem to be significant factors militating against the referral of cases to mediation. It would also seem that self-reported financial interests do not deter construction lawyers from referring cases to mediation. Nevertheless, there may be a need to develop more standardised approaches to setting mediation fee scales to minimise lawyers’ diminished fee income as a consequence of their increased involvement as advocates or counsel in mediated cases. – The recent Jackson Cost Review has provided greater impetus for the use of mediation. A failure to respond to a request to engage in mediation may also be deemed unreasonable by the courts, as, for ex le, in the case of PGF II SA v. OMFS Company 1 Limited. Nevertheless, while the Civil Procedure Rules are being used by the courts in England and Wales increasingly to “encourage” parties to look to alternative methods to settle differences, little can be gleaned from the literature on the central role of construction lawyers in mediation, and more specifically the extent to which they refrain from referring cases to mediation in a manner inconsistent with their clients’ interests. Much of the construction-based research so far has focused on how mediation is bearing up in practice, its use, appealability and possible improvements.
Publisher: Thomas Telford Ltd.
Date: 08-2019
Publisher: Thomas Telford Ltd.
Date: 06-2013
Abstract: This paper aims to fill a gap in the literature by exploring the construction professionals’ interaction with adjudication at a key stage in its evolution based on a focus group analysis of industry experiences. The research aims to provide a richer understanding of the professional’s interaction with the adjudication process more generally, as well providing detailed insights into the issues that different professional groupings have experienced with the process, more specifically. At first glance, the conclusions of the research offer few surprises, confirming the importance of financial aspects of the process, the timescales involved, the quality of adjudication professionals and the role of legal practitioners in adjudication. A closer examination of the focus group analysis, however, suggests that the loss of confidence in the process is attributable to a myriad of interrelated factors linking professional reputation with understanding of commercial realities and business relationships, lawyer–client power imbalances and dispute tactics, the role of lawyers with dispute complexity, parliamentary intentions and the timescale of the process. Although, it is recognised that on-going changes to adjudication will add more uncertainties into the context, the findings of this study will act as a springboard from which further research will be conducted.
Publisher: David Publishing Company
Date: 28-03-2016
Location: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Location: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Location: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Location: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Location: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Location: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Location: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
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