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This study aims to avail architects with the potentials of knowledge management (KM) principles towards an optimal and effective procedural mechanism for the choice of building materials during design and construction processes.

In all, 202 questionnaire forms were distributed in a survey. They were administered to practicing architects and Architectural firms in Nigeria. Thereafter, ANOVA, regression analysis and exploratory factor analysis with reliability and Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of 0.861 identified KM principles in specification writing for architects.

These findings show that the building material selection procedure can be optimized with efficient and conscious consideration of KM principles imbibed by architects in tune with global trends. The study serves as a guide to architects and other stakeholders on the effect of KM principles in deepening reflectiveness of the surpassing role of effective KM in specification writing in the construction industry.

This is perhaps the first empirical research that sought to understudy knowledge sharing strategies in architectural firms within the context of the study location Nigeria. The value of the research lies in optimization of architects’ building materials’ specification strategy through KM principles.

The purpose of the paper is to report research conducted to explore the insights of UK architects on the Code for Sustainable Homes (CSH) in relation to low carbon housing design and delivery.

To explore the awareness and knowledge of CSH in low carbon housing design and delivery in the UK, a mixed method approach comprising of interviews with architects in practice and academia were combined with questionnaires to UK sustainable architectural practices.

The results confirmed that, although UK architects are aware of CSH, it is only very few (11.8 per cent), who have the expert knowledge. This is in comparison to 52.9 per cent of those with some knowledge, and 35.3 per cent of those who are very knowledgeable in the use and implementation of CSH to design and deliver low carbon new homes in the UK.

The findings of this study are based only on the sustainable architects in the UK, therefore the findings may not represent the view of other constructional professionals in the UK.

The research focused on investigating the judging criteria and opinions of architects who are strongly identified with sustainable housing design practices in the UK. It explores the insights of architects on the CSH, because their knowledge, use and implementation of it, along with other information on low carbon housing design, from the onset determines how soon zero carbon homes in the UK can be achieved; leading towards tackling energy use in the UK and on a wider level, the European commitment reduction of energy consumption.

The paper is able to expose the weakness of architects in the use of information that is not represented graphically, pictorially or in the recognised Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) plan of work stages familiar to architects and the general construction industry in the UK.

Architects and craftspeople work together on complicated built heritage projects as part of a diverse multidisciplinary team. Effective interactions and collaborations between them can lead to a more successful project outcome; however, differing perceptions of each other can cause professional relationship tensions, communicative barriers and disharmony.

Through the analysis of online surveys completed by architects and craftspeople, this study examines the contemporary relationship between the two groups, including the architect's perceptions of the function of traditional building craft within their day-to-day role.

Findings suggest that whilst both groups agree that the craftsperson is an essential specialist on a built heritage scheme, there are contradictory perceptions with regard to the architect's role. Despite these differences, the results suggest that architects are open to accommodating more exposure to craftspeople and traditional building craft within their day-to-day role – believing they would learn more about building materials, make better practical decisions and understand craftspeople better. More importantly, this study proposes that a focus on craft would break down communicative and perceptual barriers, in turn improving relationships and project outcomes.

The study strongly suggests that traditional building craft can form an essential, tangible bond between architects and craftspeople by increasing focus on relationships and learning. The insights offered are relevant not only to those in the fields of architecture and traditional building craft but also to those involved in heritage management, as well as other professional roles, who may benefit from the use of craft as a method to repair professional relationships, as well as historic buildings.

The purpose of this paper is to develop a design strategy that investigates the systematic use of interdisciplinary knowledge through a transparent decision-making process. The study identifies relevant design parameters that should be considered in the development of this design strategy.

The empirical data were collected through observations of the design process of two new sport facilities, meetings with sport, well-being and aging experts and through semi-structured interviews with end-users. The development of the proposed design strategy is based on a methodology with elements from “Knowledge to Action (KTA),” “Action research” and a “List of value concepts.” The rigid timetable guaranteed systematic progress, where both knowledge from the end-users and experts were incorporated throughout the decision-making process.

The two case studies documented results involving end-users and experts in a systematic way. In conclusion, it was apparent that the use of interdisciplinary collaboration informed the design outcome.

Based on the two cases, the following advice can be given to the architectural profession: architects should use the KTA model or similar in order to target the search for relevant interdisciplinary knowledge and ensure that relevant evidence is involved in the design process of upcoming projects regarding sport and recreation. Architects should make the design process transparent so that one can see which design decisions have been made through the design process. This must be done to ensure that there is greater coherence between vision and practice.

The study showed how architects could import knowledge, skills and values from other disciplines such as environmental psychology and active living research to improve the decision-making process of future sport and recreation projects. It was also clear that this design decision process could be made more transparent in the effort to allow the various stakeholders to take ownership of the resulting design outcomes.

This study is based on a research approach proposal aiming to reveal tacit knowledge that shapes architectural design processes through subjective accumulations and tools. With the premise that design embodies tacit and personal knowledge, it proposes an alternative way to decipher this subjective medium.

The proposed research approach, “(architectural) design research through reflection”, basically belongs to “research by design” method and narrowed in the focus of reflection. It enables to study how tacit knowledge functions within processes of architectural design without being its very subject. The proposal and the product of the approach, revealing diagram, are developed through the “architect's” tools and the involvement of the “researchers” in the process. It is also supported by a conceptual basis created from literature on reflection.

By means of the proposal, the reflective accumulation of the subjects, that is, the tacit knowledge, is investigated in relation to practice. The revealing diagram is presented as a tool through which relations can be interpreted within the framework of subjects. It is a tool by which the subjects, tools and processes of the architectural design product can be analysed.

The study contributes to architectural research by shifting the perspective on reflective knowledge that shapes design processes.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the validity of the theory of reasoned action as a general framework to predict knowledge‐sharing behavior and offer practical guidance to promote knowledge sharing in the Chinese construction sector.

Based on survey data, structural equation modeling was applied to test the theory of reasoned action in the architectural design project team context in China.

The results suggest that attitude toward knowledge sharing is more important than subjective norms in determining architects' willingness to share knowledge. But the two factors are positively correlated.

Although theory of reasoned action provides us with a powerful prediction model, it cannot explain the underlying mental processes. More attention should be paid to the development of the explanatory model in future researches.

The results presented in this paper usefully imply that team managers should focus more on training architects to have a positive attitude toward knowledge sharing, so as to increase knowledge‐sharing behaviors. Moreover, the architectural design organizations should build up a knowledge‐sharing culture so that architects' attitudes toward knowledge sharing become more positive.

The complexity of knowledge in architectural design results in its unique management characteristics not being fully recognized and appreciated. Little research has been done in this area. This paper aims to bridge this knowledge gap.

A multiple‐case study methodology is applied to identify the knowledge sharing pattern in architectural design institutes in the People's Republic of China. Content analysis is employed to analyse the qualitative data collected by in‐depth interview, site observation and document review.

The results show that individual architects share their own knowledge by means of reflection‐in‐action, conversation and problem solving. Either formal or informal mentoring, legitimate peripheral participation, communities of practice and workshops are the major mechanisms for architectural design institutes to share organizational knowledge but the knowledge sharing pattern are quite different for different kinds of architectural design institutes.

The major limitation of this research is associated with sample selection. Although the cases being selected are fairly representative of the architectural design institutes in People's Republic of China, not all types of architectural design institutes are included due to the availability of data.

The identified knowledge sharing patterns can help managers of architectural design institutes as well as individual architects to better understand how knowledge is shared in their field and how to improve their overall performance.

This paper contributes to the existing body of research on how knowledge is shared in the construction industry. In particular, a knowledge sharing pattern is identified to offer insights in architectural design institutes in China. The paper addresses a number of research questions which are not fully explored in current literature.