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The purpose of this paper is to explore the need for next‐generation knowledge management (KM) systems in the construction sector and outline the key features that such systems should have.

First, an overview is presented of KM and its benefits to construction sector organisations, and then the important considerations in KM implementation are discussed, highlighting the additional considerations that will be necessary in next‐generation KM systems. The main features that these systems should have are then briefly outlined.

KM is beginning to deliver value to many construction sector organisations but there is the need for next‐generation systems that can provide much more added value.

The paper provides guidance on what construction sector organisations need to look out for in next‐generation KM systems, while reiterating the benefits and implementation considerations with which they should now be conversant.

There is an increasing recognition of the value of effective information and knowledge management (KM) in the construction project delivery process. Many architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) organisations have invested heavily in information technology and KM systems that help in this regard. While these have been largely successful in supporting intra‐organisational business processes, interoperability problems still persist at the project organisation level due to the heterogeneity of the systems used by the different organisations involved. Ontologies are seen as an important means of addressing these problems. The purpose of this paper is to explore the role of ontologies in the construction project delivery process, particularly with respect to information and KM.

A detailed technical review of the fundamental concepts and related work has been undertaken, with examples and case studies of ontology‐based information and KM presented to illustrate the key concepts. The specific issues and technical difficulties in the design and construction context are highlighted, and the approaches adopted in two ontology‐based applications for the AEC sector are presented.

The paper concludes that there is considerable merit in ontology‐based approaches to information and KM, but that significant technical challenges remain. Middleware applications, such as semantic web‐based information management system, are contributing in this regard but more needs to be done particularly on integrating or merging ontologies.

The value of the paper lies in the detailed exploration of ontology‐based information and KM within a design and construction context, and the use of appropriate examples and applications to illustrate the key issues.

This research paper is a literature review of the existing building retrofitting process. It proposes studying the functional, technical, and organizational issues of the green retrofit process. The purpose of this paper is to expand the domain of design framework for retrofitting existing buildings.

The paper provides a review of the model-based design process from enrollment to evaluation stages representing the green retrofitting process in selected publications. The paper opted to review the Green Retrofit Design (GRD) process model for achieving a systematic design model of GRD development in the future.

Functional and maintenance issues are mainly for new buildings, also in the field for renovation and demolishing. Publications also show that environmental, social, and technical issues are often examined separately in the decision process of GRD. Papers in the facility management scale would concentrate more on organization/legal issues. Publications with questionnaire design are devoted to the usage on life-cycle assessment on existing building, but not yet on the stakeholder management and design process and related issues.

The achievement of the study is to provide a new framework of design approach that is significant to the theoretical research, education, communication, and practical works in terms of GRD development.

The paper not only achieves a specific sequence of practical approaches, including awareness of problems, conceptual development, and design embodiment, to meet design objectives, but also conforms to academic practice-based research of creative design taking on GRD practice.

Describes a study that exploits the potential of fuzzy systems in construction through the development of a decision support system which is capable of handling fuzziness in the collaborative decision‐making process. The proposed system is intended to provide an objective and rational framework within which collaborative decisions can be made by virtual construction project teams. Given the often linguistic nature of the weightings ascribed by individual disciplines to decision criteria, the proposed system will utilise fuzzy systems theory to rank criteria and recommend an optimal decision alternative. Presents an example to illustrate how the proposed tool works.

The paper proposes addressing the design and implementation of a web‐based risk assessment system that enables remote project team members to assess the risks at the conceptual design stage.

The prototype system is based on a client/server architecture and uses fuzzy logic and web‐based technology. A risk assessment scenario is used to demonstrate the operation and benefits of the prototype system.

The research found that the use of a web‐based risk assessment system for distributed project team members has major benefits in terms of use of linguistic terms to express risk assessment, ease of communication, ease of maintenance, and greater consistency, among others.

There is scope for enhancing the system through the development of a risk management module, improving the user interface and making specific provisions for different project types.

The move in industry towards collaborative working practices is supported by systems such as this. Risk assessment is an important area that requires the input of all team members, if evenly distributed.

This paper has presented an innovative approach to risk assessment for distributed project teams. It will be of interest to all parties involved in construction projects, particularly those involved in risk assessment.

In spite of the benefits of virtual models in the building and construction industry, the full potential of these models, especially in the construction and operation phases, remains largely unrealized. With the increasing developments in information and communication technology, a number of attempts have been made to extend the use of these models, through the development of integration approaches and technologies. However, the issue of integrating the virtual model and the physical construction such as to enable bi-directional coordination, has not been adequately addressed. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to investigate the application of a cyber-physical systems (CPS) approach in enhancing bi-directional coordination between virtual models and the physical construction.

This research employs scenario development rapid prototyping to illustrate CPS integration in the construction industry, with a particular focus on facilitating bi-directional coordination. The proof-of-concept prototype systems developed were validated using a focus group consisting of industry practitioners.

Bi-directional coordination between virtual models and the physical construction has the potential to improve real-time progress monitoring and control of the construction process, tracking of changes and model updates, information exchange between the design office and the job site, real-time documentation of the as-built status of high-value components and improved sustainability practices.

This paper adds value to the construction industry by demonstrating the application of the CPS approach in enhancing bi-directional coordination between virtual models and the physical construction through the development of system architectures, scenarios and prototype systems.

On one side, the purpose of this paper is to numerically analyze the emergency order allocation mechanism and help managers to understand the relationship between the emergency coefficient, uncertainty and emergency cost in two‐echelon logistics service supply chain. On the other side, the purpose of this paper is to help managers understand how to deal with the problem of order allocation in the two‐echelon logistics service supply chain better in the case of emergency.

The paper presents a multi‐objective planning model for emergency order allocation and then uses numerical methods with LINGO 8.0 software to identify the model's properties. The application of the order allocation model is then presented by means of a case study.

With the augment of uncertainty, the general cost of logistics service integrator (LSI) is increasing, while the total satisfaction of all functional logistics service providers (FLSPs) is decreasing, as well as the capacity reliability; at the same time the emergency cost coefficient is closely correlative with the satisfaction and general penalty intensity of FLSPs; finally, the larger the emergency cost coefficient is, the more satisfaction of FLSPs, but the capacity reliability goes up first and down later.

Management should note that it is not better when emergency cost coefficient is bigger. The general satisfaction degree of FLSP increases with the augment of emergency cost coefficient, but there is an upper limit of the value, i.e. it will not increase indefinitely with the augment of emergency cost coefficient. This paper also has some limitations. The optional emergency cost coefficient only adopted a group of data to analyze while the trend of the reliability of logistics capacity needs to be further discussed. In addition, the algorithm of emergency order allocation model in the case of multi‐objective remains to be solved.

Under emergency conditions, LSIs can adopt this kind of model to manage their FLSPs to obtain the higher logistics performance. But LSIs should be careful selecting emergency cost coefficient. In accordance with different degrees of emergency logistics demand, LSIs can determine reasonable emergency cost coefficient, but not the bigger, the better, on the premise that LSIs acquire maximum capacity guarantee degree and overall satisfaction degree of FLSPs. FLSPs can make contract bargaining of reasonable emergency coefficient with LSIs to make both sides get the best returns and realize the benefit balance.

Many studies have emphasized the capacity allocation of manufactures, order allocation of manufacturing supply chain and scheduling model of emergency resources without monographic study of supply chain order allocation of logistics service. Because the satisfaction degree of FLSPs the cost of integrators needs to be considered in the process of order allocation, and the inventory cost of capacity does not exist, it is different from the issue of capacity allocation planning of manufacture supply chain. Meanwhile, the match of different kinds of logistics service capacity must be considered for the reason of the integrated feature of logistics service. Additionally, cost is not the most important decision objective because of the characteristics of demand uncertainty and weak economy. Accordingly, this paper considers these issues.

A key process involved in supply chains is a priori evaluation of potential partners, not only in terms of expected cost (which includes exchange rate risk), but also in terms of other risks. These risks can include product failure, producing company failure (such as bankruptcy), and even political risk. This paper aims to compare tools to aid supply chain organizations in measuring, evaluating, and assessing risk in this environment.

The authors demonstrate the use of DEA, followed by a DEA simulation model and also a Monte Carlo simulation using a risk‐adjusted cost concept. Once non‐dominated partners are identified by DEA, simulation analysis is applied to compare expected performance of vendors, and the range of expected outcomes can be identified, aiding supply chain core organizations to better select producing partners.

The authors consider strategies of outsourcing to China, as well as other nations under various forms of risk. A scenario analysis using risk management models indicates outsourcing to Great China is a good strategy.

The authors conducted a thorough review of supply chain risk management and identified criteria and various risk performance measures for outsourcing under risk and uncertainty in a supply chain. The benefit of outsourcing to China is discussed. The authors have designed an international outsourcing problem, where foreign exchange risk, product failure, organizational failure, and political risks are considered.

This paper aims to investigate how large UK construction organisations manage their knowledge assets. It then proposes STEPS, a mechanism for benchmarking organisation's knowledge management maturity.

This paper adopts a case study methodology using four large UK construction organisations.

The investigation shows that the UK‐based companies with international operations are ahead of their national counterparts in their KM implementation efforts. The paper concludes that construction organisations are likely to be successful in implementing KM if appropriate considerations are given to strategy formulation, implementation issues addressed and the link between KM and business strategy is strengthened.

The paper proposes a mechanism, entitled STEPS, for benchmarking the maturity of large construction organisations' knowledge management practices. It then uses case study organisations to demonstrate how the STEPS model should be used.

This paper aims to investigate the motivations of Australian manufacturing companies for sourcing products and services from China, the results achieved and whether these lived up to expectations, related barriers and problems, and how these problems were dealt with.

The study is based on a survey of 35 Australian manufacturing firms, which have moved to import some goods or components from Chinese sources.

Most firms that source components or products from China do so because of the cost reductions that were expected. In actuality, significant cost reductions were achieved, however these reductions were on average less than expected. Along with these cost reductions, importing goods or components from China had some quality problems and delivery delays. Control procedures, improved communications and relationship‐building strategies were employed to overcome and deal with such problems, and most firms reported remaining committed to their China sourcing strategies.

This study demonstrates and measures the motivation, degree of success, performance outcomes, and challenges that can be anticipated by firms wishing to source products or components from China.