School of Future Environments - Huri te Ao

Permanent link for this collection

https://hdl.handle.net/10292/13907
AUT is home to a number of renowned research institutes in architecture and creative technologies. The School of Future Environments - Huri te Ao strong industry partnerships and the unique combination of architecture and creative technologies within one school stimulates interdisciplinary research beyond traditional boundaries.

Browse

Browsing School of Future Environments - Huri te Ao by Subject "12 Built Environment and Design"

Now showing 1 - 10 of 10
  • Item
    An Analysis of the Literature on Construction Employee Turnover: Drivers, Consequences, and Future Direction
    (Taylor and Francis Group, 2024-04-22) Abdolmaleki, Goldis; Naismith, Nicola; Ghodrati, Nariman; Poshdar, Mani; Babaeian Jelodar, Mostafa
    Employee turnover is a critical factor affecting organizational effectiveness. It is particularly important in the construction sector due to its knowledge and labor-intensive characteristics. Therefore, it is necessary to understand why qualified employees would leave their employers so that effective measures can be taken to retain them. Despite the growing body of knowledge on employee turnover, there is a lack of comprehensive review of this topic in the construction literature. This study adopts a systematic literature review approach to synthesize domain knowledge on employee turnover from two perspectives: its investigated causes, and consequences. In total, 77 relevant papers are extracted. A total of 51 drivers of construction employee turnover are identified and categorized into personal, job-related, organizational, and external influencers. Findings also suggest three major outcomes caused by employee turnover, including individual, project, and organization-related consequences. This review contributes to understanding the turnover phenomenon in construction literature and highlights potential areas for future empirical studies to move forward. By understanding the main factors influencing turnover decisions, construction organizations can develop and implement effective means for managing employee turnover. This study further contributes to construction employee turnover research by emphasizing the importance of studying the consequences of the turnover phenomenon.
  • Item
    Applications of Building Information Modelling in the Early Design Stage of High-Rise Buildings
    (Elsevier BV, 2023-05-11) Omrany, H; Ghaffarianhoseini, A; Chang, R; Ghaffarianhoseini, A; Pour Rahimian, F
    High-rise buildings consume more energy and have greater environmental impacts, emphasising the need to adopt best practices during the design stage concerning BIM employment. However, despite strong support from the literature, little is known about the applications of BIM in high-rise buildings at the early design stage. Therefore, this paper aims to provide a holistic understanding of the current applications of BIM in high-rise buildings by analysing 60 studies. The findings identified seven research themes, including studies that used BIM for i) optimising building energy efficiency design; ii) collaborative design and planning; iii) life-cycle assessment; iv) designing net-zero energy buildings; v) integrating BIM with smart technologies for designing high-rise buildings; vi) cost analysis, and vii) structural design of high-rise buildings. Furthermore, this study highlights a number of challenges hindering the widespread application of BIM, alongside providing potential directions for the future development of BIM employment in high-rise buildings.
  • Item
    Combating Greenwashing of Construction Products in New Zealand and Australia: A Critical Analysis of Environmental Product Declarations
    (MDPI AG, 2024-11-06) Moshood, Taofeeq Durojaye; Rotimi, James Olabode Bamidele; Rotimi, Funmilayo Ebun
    The construction industry’s increasing environmental impact has led to the widespread adoption of sustainability claims, yet the prevalence of greenwashing—where organizations make misleading environmental claims—threatens genuine sustainable development efforts. Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) have emerged as a potential solution, particularly in the New Zealand and Australia construction sectors, where recent government climate regulations have accelerated their adoption. However, the effectiveness of EPDs in combating greenwashing and their practical implementation remain understudied. This research addresses this gap through a comprehensive analysis of EPDs in construction, employing a systematic literature review of 82 articles from 2010 to 2024 across major databases. Using ATLAS.ti 9 software, this study makes three key contributions: (1) develops a novel framework for evaluating EPD programs and their effectiveness in preventing greenwashing, (2) establishes a standardized methodology for assessing the completeness and accuracy of life cycle assessment information in EPDs, and (3) provides evidence-based recommendations for improving EPD implementation in the construction industry. The findings reveal critical shortcomings in current EPD practices, including inconsistent assessment methodologies and incomplete life cycle data. This study proposes specific reforms to enhance EPD reliability and transparency, offering practical guidelines for industry stakeholders to verify environmental claims. These contributions advance both the theoretical understanding of environmental certification systems and practical implementation of sustainable construction practices by developing regulatory frameworks.
  • Item
    Digital Twin Applications for Overcoming Construction Supply Chain Challenges
    (Elsevier BV, 2024-08-14) Bakhshi, S; Ghaffarianhoseini, A; Ghaffarianhoseini, A; Najafi, M; Rahimian, F; Park, C; Lee, D
    Despite Digital Twins' (DTs) growing popularity in the Architecture, Engineering, Construction and Operations sector, currently, only a limited number of studies have focused on the applicability and potential offered by DT to deal with the whole Construction Supply Chain (CSC) challenges, justifying the significance of the present study. As a response to provide a holistic insight into DT's contribution to overcoming CSC challenges, this paper follows an extensive literature review approach. This review aims explicitly to identify the existing applications of DT in dealing with current CSC challenges and explore its possible contributions by investigating examples of other industries that adopted DT to tackle similar challenges. Firstly, it utilises Scopus as a database to collect CSC-related data. Subsequently, it employs VOSviewer to extract and visualise CSC hotspots. Finally, this review conducts extensive discussions to identify the CSC challenges around the identified hotspots and the DT-provided solutions.
  • Item
    Digital Twins in the Construction Industry: A Comprehensive Review of Current Implementations, Enabling Technologies, and Future Directions
    (MDPI AG, 2023-07-12) Omrany, Hossein; Al-Obaidi, Karam M; Husain, Amreen; Ghaffarianhoseini, Amirhosein
    This paper presents a comprehensive understanding of current digital twin (DT) implementations in the construction industry, along with providing an overview of technologies enabling the operation of DTs in the industry. To this end, 145 publications were identified using a systematic literature review. The results revealed eight key areas of DT implementation including (i) virtual design, (ii) project planning and management, (iii) asset management and maintenance, (iv) safety management, (v) energy efficiency and sustainability, (vi) quality control and management, (vii) supply chain management and logistics, and (viii) structural health monitoring. The findings demonstrate that DT technology has the capacity to revolutionise the construction industry across these areas, enabling optimised designs, improved collaboration, real-time monitoring, predictive maintenance, enhanced safety practices, energy performance optimisation, quality inspections, efficient supply chain management, and proactive maintenance. This study also identified several challenges that hinder the widespread implementation of DT in construction, including (i) data integration and interoperability, (ii) data accuracy and completeness, (iii) scalability and complexity, (iv) privacy and security, and (v) standards and governance. To address these challenges, this paper recommends prioritising standardised data formats, protocols, and APIs for seamless collaboration, exploring semantic data modelling and ontologies for data integration, implementing validation processes and robust data governance for accuracy and completeness, harnessing high-performance computing and advanced modelling techniques for scalability and complexity, establishing comprehensive data protection and access controls for privacy and security, and developing widely accepted standards and governance frameworks with industry-wide collaboration. By addressing these challenges, the construction industry can unlock the full potential of DT technology, thus enhancing safety, reliability, and efficiency in construction projects.
  • Item
    Examining Practices of Apparel Use and End of Life in New Zealand
    (MDPI AG, 2023-03-14) Nautiyal, Mitali; Hunting, Amabel; Joseph, Frances; Cleveland, Donna
    Throughout a garment’s life cycle, the use and end-of-life phases are crucial in determining its environmental impact, due to the resources that would be utilised and waste produced during maintenance and disposal. Consumption patterns differ among countries and cultures; however, in New Zealand, there is limited published information to date. To address this gap, an anonymous online poll was conducted examining laundry practices, lifetime wear events and disposal practices for woollen and synthetic-blend knitted jumpers, which are predominantly used as winter clothing in New Zealand. The survey revealed considerable differences in the ways woollen and synthetic garments were worn, maintained and discarded. Over its lifetime, although woollen garments were worn a greater number of times, they were washed less. At the end of life, both types of jumpers showed significant reuse percentages. This information is useful for accurately modelling the inventory needed for assessing the environmental implication of apparel, using the life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology. By comparing New Zealand’s washing and disposal practises to those of other countries, this study found significant differences, highlighting the need for country-specific data for future LCAs.
  • Item
    Rock-Climbing Apparel: An Analysis of Current Clothing Options and Future Strategies for the Design of Rock-Climbing Clothing
    (Informa UK Limited, 2023-10-05) Novikova, Aleksandra; Joseph, Frances; Cleveland, Donna
    This paper identifies and analyses current clothing options available to rock climbers in New Zealand, drawing from data collected via a survey of experienced climbers, relevant literature and a detailed design analysis of garments that are currently on the market. The study considers some of the limitations of current rock-climbing clothing and identifies issues that need to be taken into account to design more practical, responsive, sustainable clothing options for climbers. Drawing on professional design expertise in patternmaking, material selection and garment construction, this analysis is used to inform the development of more appropriate and innovative garment design strategies for rock-climbing. It also recognises the potential for novel development by employing innovations from the field of advanced textiles and apparel, in particular the integration of smart sensing technologies into garments.
  • Item
    Smart Vision-Based Analysis and Error Deduction of Human Pose to Reduce Musculoskeletal Disorders in Construction
    (Emerald, 2023-08-22) Purushothaman, Mahesh Babu; Gedara, Kasun Moolika
    Purpose This pragmatic research paper aims to unravel the smart vision-based method (SVBM), an AI program to correlate the computer vision (recorded and live videos using mobile and embedded cameras) that aids in manual lifting human pose deduction, analysis and training in the construction sector. Design/methodology/approach Using a pragmatic approach combined with the literature review, this study discusses the SVBM. The research method includes a literature review followed by a pragmatic approach and lab validation of the acquired data. Adopting the practical approach, the authors of this article developed an SVBM, an AI program to correlate computer vision (recorded and live videos using mobile and embedded cameras). Findings Results show that SVBM observes the relevant events without additional attachments to the human body and compares them with the standard axis to identify abnormal postures using mobile and other cameras. Angles of critical nodal points are projected through human pose detection and calculating body part movement angles using a novel software program and mobile application. The SVBM demonstrates its ability to data capture and analysis in real-time and offline using videos recorded earlier and is validated for program coding and results repeatability. Research limitations/implications Literature review methodology limitations include not keeping in phase with the most updated field knowledge. This limitation is offset by choosing the range for literature review within the last two decades. This literature review may not have captured all published articles because the restriction of database access and search was based only on English. Also, the authors may have omitted fruitful articles hiding in a less popular journal. These limitations are acknowledged. The critical limitation is that the trust, privacy and psychological issues are not addressed in SVBM, which is recognised. However, the benefits of SVBM naturally offset this limitation to being adopted practically. Practical implications The theoretical and practical implications include customised and individualistic prediction and preventing most posture-related hazardous behaviours before a critical injury happens. The theoretical implications include mimicking the human pose and lab-based analysis without attaching sensors that naturally alter the working poses. SVBM would help researchers develop more accurate data and theoretical models close to actuals. Social implications By using SVBM, the possibility of early deduction and prevention of musculoskeletal disorders is high; the social implications include the benefits of being a healthier society and health concerned construction sector. Originality/value Human pose detection, especially joint angle calculation in a work environment, is crucial to early deduction of muscoloskeletal disorders. Conventional digital technology-based methods to detect pose flaws focus on location information from wearables and laboratory-controlled motion sensors. For the first time, this paper presents novel computer vision (recorded and live videos using mobile and embedded cameras) and digital image-related deep learning methods without attachment to the human body for manual handling pose deduction and analysis of angles, neckline and torso line in an actual construction work environment.
  • Item
    Sustaining Construction Organisations in NZ: A Linear Regression Model Approach to Analysing Determinants of Their Performance
    (MDPI AG, ) Alqudah, Hamzah E; Poshdar, Mani; Oyewobi, Luqman Oyekunle; Rotimi, James Olabode Bamidele; Tookey, John
    The characteristics, strategies, capabilities, and resources of an organisation contribute to its competitive advantage and superior performance. A model to explain performance differences in the New Zealand context will be developed by examining the relationships between construction organisational performance and these constructs. The information was obtained using a questionnaire survey. A total of 101 organisations participated in the research. For the instrument used to elicit data, the literature was used to identify indicators associated with characteristics of organisational strategies for competition, resources and capabilities, and performance of the organisation. Analyses of descriptive, parametric, and linear regression were conducted to examine the effects of these constructs on organisational performance. The results suggest that organisational characteristics are significantly associated with internal business processes, learning, and the growth perspectives of an organisation’s performance, while competitive strategies, resources, and capability perspectives are significantly related to financial perspectives. As a result, these findings add to the current discourse regarding organisational performance differentials in the construction industry. The study demonstrates that it is critical to take into account the different organisational characteristics that are implemented within organisations and how they influence organisational performance beyond rational processes.
  • Item
    System-Wide Construction Waste and Their Connectivity to Construction Phases, Impacting 5M Factors and Effects: A Systematic Review
    (Emerald, 2023-07-18) Purushothaman, Mahesh Babu; Seadon, Jeff
    Abstract Purpose This review paper, using a systematic literature review (SLR) approach, aims to unravel the various system-wide waste in the construction industry and highlight the connectivity to construction phases, namely men, materials, machines, methods and measurement (5M) and impacting factors. Design/methodology/approach This study used an SLR approach and examined articles published since the 2000s to explore the connectivity of system-wide waste to construction phases, 5M and impacting factors. The results are given in table forms and a causal loop diagram. Findings Results show that the construction and demolition (CD) waste research carried out from various perspectives is standalone. The review identified ten types of system-wide waste with strong interlinks in the construction industry. The finding highlights connectivity between wastes other than material, labour and time and the wastes' impacting factors. Further, the review results highlighted the solid connectivity for construction phases, 5M, and impacting factors such as productivity (P), delay (D), accidents (A), resource utilisation (R) and cost(C). Research limitations/implications SLR methodology limitations include not keeping in phase with the most updated field knowledge. This limitation is offset by choosing the range for literature review within the last two decades. This literature review may not have captured all published articles because the restriction of database access and search was based only on English. Also, fruitful articles hiding in less popular journals may not be included in the well-known database that was searched. Researcher bias of the authors and other researchers that authored the articles referred to is a limitation. These limitations are acknowledged. Practical implications This article unravels the construction system-wide waste and the waste's interlinks, which would aid industry understanding and focus on eliminating the waste. The article highlights the connectivity of system-wide wastes to 5M, which would help better understand the causes of the waste. Further, the paper discusses the connectivity of system-wide waste, 5M and P, D, A, R and C that would aid the organisation's overall performance. The practical and theoretical implications include a better understanding of waste types to help capture better data for waste reduction and productivity improvement. The operating managers could use the tracking of wastes to compare estimated and actual resources at every process stage. This article on system-wide waste, 5M and P, D, A, R and C, relationships and their effects can theorize that the construction industry is more likely to identify clear root causes of waste now than previously. The theoretical implications include enhanced understanding for academics on connectivity between waste, 5M and P, D, A, R and C that the academics can use and expand to provide new insights to existing knowledge. Originality/value For the first time, this article categorised and highlighted the ten types of waste in construction industries and the industries' connectivity to construction phases, 5M and impacting factors.
Items in these collections are protected by the Copyright Act 1994 (New Zealand). These works may be consulted by you, provided you comply with the provisions of the Act and the following conditions of use:
  • Any use you make of these works must be for research or private study purposes only, and you may not make them available to any other person.
  • Authors control the copyright of their works. You will recognise the author’s right to be identified as the author of the work, and due acknowledgement will be made to the author where appropriate.
  • You will obtain the author’s permission before publishing any material from the work.