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Recently, there has been a shift toward the embodied energy assessment of buildings. However, the impact of material service life on the life-cycle embodied energy has received little attention. We aimed to address this knowledge gap, particularly in the context of the UAE and investigated the embodied energy associated with the use of concrete and other materials commonly used in residential buildings in the hot desert climate of the UAE.

Using input–output based hybrid analysis, we quantified the life-cycle embodied energy of a villa in the UAE with over 50 years of building life using the average, minimum, and maximum material service life values. Mathematical calculations were performed using MS Excel, and a detailed bill of quantities with >170 building materials and components of the villa were used for investigation.

For the base case, the initial embodied energy was 57% (7390.5 GJ), whereas the recurrent embodied energy was 43% (5,690 GJ) of the life-cycle embodied energy based on average material service life values. The proportion of the recurrent embodied energy with minimum material service life values was increased to 68% of the life-cycle embodied energy, while it dropped to 15% with maximum material service life values.

The findings provide new data to guide building construction in the UAE and show that recurrent embodied energy contributes significantly to life-cycle energy demand. Further, the study of material service life variations provides deeper insights into future building material specifications and management considerations for building maintenance.

This study investigates the barriers and drivers of using green methods and technologies (GMTs) in supportive educational buildings (SEBs) in South Africa, and assesses their impact on the circular economy (CE) in achieving net-zero carbon goals. While there has been extensive literature on green building technologies, there is limited research on the barriers and drivers of using GMT in SEBs, as well as their impact on the circular economy (CE) in achieving net-zero carbon goals.

This study adopts an interpretivist approach with an ontological basis, using an overarching case study of a SEB at the University of Cape Town (UCT). Semistructured interviews were conducted with executive UCT management, and a field survey of a UCT supportive education building was performed.

At UCT, multiple GMTs have been installed across various buildings to enhance monitoring and management of water and energy consumption. Moreover, initiatives to positively influence student behavior, such as water and energy-saving campaigns around UCT premises, have been introduced. The findings further indicate that UCT has recently emphasized the implementation of GMTs, resulting in improved resource efficiency, CE practices and progress toward achieving net-zero carbon targets for supportive education buildings and the university as a whole.

This research highlights the positive impact of GMTs on a SEB’s CE and net-zero carbon operations. As a result, facility managers should consider incorporating GMTs when planning the development or refurbishment of SEBs.

Our study centered on activity-based workspaces (ABWs), unassigned open-plan configurations where users’ activities determine the workplace. These workspaces are conceived and shaped by accommodation professionals (APs) like managers and architects and are loaded with their ideas, ideals, norms and values; therefore, they are normative and hegemonic. Previous research has largely failed to consider how APs’ spatial conceptions materialize in the workplace. To address this omission, we adopted a narrative approach to study APs’ impact during the conceptualization stage.

The data were collected via a 10-year at-home ethnographic study at a Dutch university, including observations, interviews, documents and reports. Studying the researchers’ organization allowed for a longitudinal research approach and participative observations. The data focused on the narrative techniques of APs when establishing an ABW.

In introducing ABWs, APs resorted to two principal narrative strategies. Firstly, the ABW concept was lauded as a solution to a host of existing problems. Yet, in the face of shortcomings, lecturers were often blamed.

Despite the considerable influence of APs on both the physical layout of workspaces and the nature of academic labor, there is little insight into their conceptions of the academic workspace. Our research contributes a novel perspective by revealing how APs’ workspace conceptions drive the narratives that underpin the roll-out of ABWs and how they construct narratives of success and failure.

This paper explores total quality management (TQM) soft domain efficacy in social care organizations to determine the extent to which an organization's project success may stem from soft TQM critical success factors (CSFs).

Non-structured interviews were conducted with 16 managers overseeing the prosthetic device regeneration project of the Italian local health unit (located in Salerno) to explore which soft factors could contribute to the success of a social care multifunctional organization.

Organizations' handling of certain projects, such as pivoting on soft TQM issues, may allow them to be configured as multiservice organizations. Therefore, a conceptual model of a multiservice social care organization is proposed.

From a managerial perspective, this study presents an interesting success case of a multiservice social care organization with a total annual expenditure of €20 million on prosthetic assistance. Preliminary data show a 13% reduction in public expenditure for Salerno's local health unit via a refurbishment project.

The paper contributes to the soft TQM literature debate: although Italian local health professionals appear aware of soft TQM issues' implementation and consciously apply them in their organization and projects, this occurs more with specific CSFs emerging from the literature. Therefore, this article paves the way for further quantitative and theoretical investigations on the adoption of TQM soft issues in social care organizations' performance measurement.

Energy-efficiency measures have always been important when renovating aging building stock. For property owners, window intervention is a recurring issue. Replacement is common to reduce operational heating energy (OHE) use, something many previous building renovation studies have considered. Maintaining rather than replacing windows has received less attention, especially for multi-residential buildings in a subarctic climate where there is great potential for OHE savings. The objective was to assess the life cycle (LC) climate impact and costs of three window maintenance and replacement options for a 1980s multi-residential building in subarctic Sweden.

The options’ embodied and operational impacts from material production, transportation and space heating were assessed using a life cycle assessment (LCA) focusing on global warming potential (LCA-GWP) and life cycle costing (LCC) with a 60-year reference study period. A sensitivity analysis was used to explore the impact of uncertain parameters on LCA-GWP and LCC outcomes.

Maintaining instead of replacing windows minimized LC climate impact and costs, except under a few specific conditions. The reduced OHE use from window replacement had a larger compensating effect on embodied global warming potential (E-GWP) than investment costs, i.e. replacement was primarily motivated from a LC climate perspective. The LCA-GWP results were more sensitive to changes in some uncertain parameters, while the LCC results were more robust.

The findings highlight the benefits of maintenance over replacement to reduce costs and decarbonize window interventions, challenging property owners’ preference to replace windows and emphasizing the significance of including maintenance activities in future renovation research.

The objective of this research is to investigate the barriers impacting the integration of Industry 5.0 (I5.0) in supply chain sustainability. By understanding these challenges, this study aims to provide valuable insights that can guide organizations in successfully implementing the transformative potential of I5.0. The ultimate aim is to improve operational efficiency and advocate for sustainable practices within supply chains.

Research has used industry expert interviews, a comprehensive literature review and the decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory approach for analysis. Industry expert interviews serve to capture first-hand insights from professionals well versed in the field, providing practical perspectives on the barriers to I5.0 adoption.

This study identifies technological challenges, organizational barriers, regulatory impediments and economic constraints as pivotal factors inhibiting the widespread adoption of I5.0 in supply chain sustainability.

This research serves as a foundation for future investigations into overcoming barriers to I5.0 adoption, guiding scholars and practitioners in refining strategies for successful implementation.

The findings offer practical insights for organizations aiming to adopt I5.0, informing decision-makers on key challenges and facilitating the development of targeted strategies to overcome them.

The social implications lie in fostering sustainable business practices through the adoption of I5.0, contributing to environmental responsibility and societal well-being.

This research contributes original insights from practitioners, policymakers and researchers in navigating the complex landscape of I5.0 adoption, ensuring meaningful contributions to both academia and industry.

A positive outlook on the impact of Industry 4.0 (I4.0) on sustainability prevails in the literature. However, some studies have highlighted potential areas of concern that have not yet been systematically addressed. The goal of this study is to challenge the assumption of a sustainable Fourth Industrial Revolution by (1) identifying the possible unintended negative impacts of I4.0 technologies on sustainability; (2) highlighting the underlying motivations and potential actions to mitigate such impacts; and (3) developing and evaluating alternative assumptions on the impacts of I4.0 technologies on sustainability.

Building on a problematization approach, a systematic literature review was conducted to develop potential alternative assumptions about the negative impacts of I4.0 on sustainability. Then, a Delphi study was carried out with 43 experts from academia and practice to evaluate the alternative assumptions. Two rounds of data collection were performed until reaching the convergence or stability of the responses.

The results highlight various unintended negative effects on environmental and social aspects that challenge the literature. The reasons behind the high/low probability of occurrence, the severity of each impact in the next five years and corrective actions are also identified. Unintended negative environmental effects are less controversial than social effects and are therefore more likely to generate widely accepted theoretical propositions. Finally, the alternative hypothesis ground is partially accepted by the panel, indicating that the problematization process has effectively opened up new perspectives for analysis.

This study is one of the few to systematically problematize the assumptions of the I4.0 and sustainability literature, generating research propositions that reveal several avenues for future research.

This study aims to examine the challenges for green retrofitting implementation in existing residential buildings to lower the running cost and achieve a better energy-efficient system.

This study adopted a qualitative approach by interviewing conveniently selected 16 construction professionals, made up of architects, quantity surveyors and engineers. Data received were analysed using the content analysis method.

The findings revealed that the main barriers to incorporating green retrofitting in the existing residential buildings as the nature of the existing structures, limited knowledge, not being a priority and high costs involved in the process. Moreover, other factors influencing property developers’ decision to apply energy-efficient principles in a residential home include cost (initial capital and maintenance), level of knowledge, nature of the climate in the area, local legislation, more independence and increasing the property’s market value and environmental aspect.

This study is limited to South Africa; thus, the literature available was limited.

People’s perceptions, either wrong or correct, affect their ability to make an informed decision to adopt green retrofitting principles, thereby denying them the opportunity to reap the associated benefits. Therefore, there is an urgent need for the construction industry stakeholders and government to increase educational opportunities for property owners on the importance of green retrofitting.

This study provides the occupants with the possible barriers and problem areas with implementing these principles. They will thus make an informed decision when implementing sustainable design methods.

Successful project delivery for sustainable building construction (SBC) has been linked to certain features. Previous studies have emphasised the need to improve SBC practice in South Africa. The purpose of this study is to explore the SBC features for project delivery in South Africa.

A structured questionnaire elicited the primary data from 281 built environment professionals, mainly in South Africa’s Gauteng province. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used for the data analysis. This study used the principal component analysis technique to ascertain the principal SBC features.

Three components of SBC features, namely, sustainable resource use and compliance, sustainable waste minimisation and recycling and sustainable designs and materials, were developed from the principal component analysis. The factor loadings of the constituent variables ranged from 0.570 to 0.836. The reliability of each component was evaluated, and the results were 0.966, 0.931 and 0.913.

The revelations from this study will aid the decision-making of the relevant stakeholders towards establishing improvement initiatives and mitigating the reluctance to shift from conventional building methods and poor knowledge sharing of SBC benefits.

This is one of the most recent South African studies that sheds light on the components of a successful SBC deployment. The findings of this study added to knowledge by confirming three fundamental features of SBC. This study recommends adequately considering the principal features for successful SBC project delivery in South Africa.

This paper aims to present insights on the governance of sustainability transitions in higher education in Africa. The authors interrogate the research literatures on the governance of socio-technical transitions in water, electricity, transport and waste management, and identify barriers and enabling factors that enhance transformative practices in universities.

The analytical framework proposed in this paper combines the elements of governance network theory (GNT) and transition topology. The framework of this study is grounded in an actor-centric approach using GNT to understand networks conducive to sustainability transitions. Events and governance networks were mapped on a transition topology to visualise organisational and institutional changes over time. The study engaged students, management, academic and administrative staff in building a community of practice towards sustainability. This research is based on qualitative content analysis grounded in interview data, focus group discussions, workshops, webinars and secondary data analysis.

The findings show that the university has consolidated a sustainability vision and targets, but several factors prevent the community from achieving these targets, including hierarchical decision-making processes, a multitude of disjointed committees and fragmentation in the campus community.

This research adds to an emerging body of literature in the field of sustainability in higher education with two contributions. Firstly, the study presents a novel perspective(s) on the governance of sustainability transitions by combining the literatures on governance and sustainability transitions using a new methodological approach of transition topology to show organisational and institutional changes. Secondly, the study presents new empirical evidence for improving the governance of sustainability transitions in a diverse and highly unequal African university community in the process of (de)colonisation of knowledge and governance.