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Effective cost performance is a crucial criterion measuring successful project management in public-housing projects. This paper aims to analyse the vital underlying factors surrounding the successful cost management process (CMP) outcomes in public housing projects (PHPs).

The research was conducted in three stages. The first stage consisted of a detailed literature review to document success factors affecting cost performances and management. In stage two, brainstorming sessions were undertaken with construction experts knowledgeable in cost management practices and have been involved in PHPs. These sessions were used to refine those success factors for the PHPs settings and define their criticality with respect to the CMP stages using interpretive ranking process. In stage three, focus group sessions were performed to validate the interrelationships of the contextualised critical success factors.

The top three most critical factors for successful implementation and outcomes at all CMP stages in PHPs settings were found to relate to competencies, team qualities and collaborative practices of the project team. Early contractor involvement and effective construction planning and management also emerged relevant to the process.

Government project departments, project managers and construction organisations (consultants and contractors) need to commit and mandate continuous development of cost management competencies for all professionals engaged in PHPs. Channels supporting team integration and collaborative practices between design and construction teams are required to increase the likelihood of successful project cost management practice and outcomes in PHPs.

The research has developed a factor-process relationship model that can be used to improve and evaluate the efficacy of CMP implementation in PHP settings.

Building information modelling (BIM) is an innovative, collaborative process underpinned by digital technologies introduced to improve project performance in the architecture, engineering and construction (AEC). Growth in industry demands has necessitated BIM inclusion into the higher education (HE) curricula as both a pedagogic and practical objective to prepare and develop aspiring built environment (BE) professionals with the required competence for contemporary practice. However, comprehension of BIM concepts and subsequent development of the skill set required for its application remains overwhelming for students. In mitigating this challenge, adopting appropriate learner-centred strategies has been advocated. Problem-based learning (PBL) is becoming a widespread strategy to address concerns associated with authentic practices.

This paper evaluates the impact of the PBL strategy on students' accelerated learning of BIM based on a case study of 53 undergraduate students in a BIM module. The network analysis and centrality measures were employed in understudying the most applicable BIM skills.

From the analyses, PBL benefits students' knowledge acquisition (cognitive and affective) of BIM concept and development of transferable skills (academic and disciplinary), equipping them with capabilities to become BIM competent and workplace ready for the AEC industry.

The BIM pedagogy evolves, and new skillsets emerge. Analytical, communications and collaboration skills remain sacrosanct to delivering BIM modules. These skills mentioned above are essential in getting undergraduate students ready to apply BIM in the AEC sector.

This study aims to develop a success factor model to understand and facilitate improved cost management system (CMS) implementation in low-cost housing (LcH) project delivery in Nigeria.

Literature findings highlight 13 drivers affecting effective implementation within the CMS and uses series of brainstorming sessions and questionnaire surveys to validate the drivers. Factor analysis (FA) identifies possible contextual relationships among the validated drivers and groups them into three success factors. The results of the FA are refined using interpretive structural modelling (ISM). The ISM identifies and models the influential drivers and aids the development of the success factor model.

Effective team qualities, information and management actions and a stable operational environment are the three essential success factors for effective CMS implementation.

The paper highlights effective team qualities as the most important CMS considerations for Nigerian LcH project delivery. This finding creates the needed awareness to guide project sponsors and project managers in the appropriate selection of the project management team (PMT) as well as the procurement system that facilitates their collaboration.

This study is a novel research using FA and ISM to investigate the influence of success factors needful for effective implementation within the CMS. It further develops a hierarchy model that aids the PMT with better understanding of the drivers and factors interrelationships for use on LcH projects within the Nigerian context.

Circular economy (CE) and offsite construction (OSC) are two innovations for improving the construction industry's overall performance against a myriad of sustainability-driven agenda/initiatives. There is a real opportunity to conjoin OSC and CE to provide new insight and opportunities to deliver more evidence-based sustainable systems. This study analyses extant literature in CE and OSC (between 2000 and 2021) through a bibliometric review to tease out critical measures for their integration and transformation.

This study adopts a science mapping quantitative literature review approach employing bibliometric and visualisation techniques to systematically investigate data. The Web of Science (WoS) database was used to collect data, and the VOSviewer software to analyse the data collected to determine strengths, weights, clusters and research trends in OSC and CE.

Important findings emerging from the study include extensive focus on sustainability, waste, life cycle assessment and building information modelling (BIM), which currently serve as strong interlinks to integrate OSC and CE. Circular business models, deconstruction and supply chain management are emerging areas, with strong links for integrating CE and OSC. These emerging areas influence organisational and operational decisions towards sustainable value creation, hence requiring more future empirical investigations.

This study is a novel research using bibliometric analysis to unpick underpinning conduits for integrating CE and OSC, providing a blueprint for circular OSC future research and practice. It provides the needed awareness to develop viable strategies for integrating CE in OSC, creating opportunities to transition to more sustainable systems in the construction sector.

The Purpose of this paper is to identify statistical relationships between visual environment and occupant productivity. Visual environment is one of the most important indoor environmental quality (IEQ) parameters, and it directly impacts occupant productivity in offices. The literature outlines the significance of the impact. Still, there is a lack of investigation, statistical analysis and inter-relationships between the independent variables (IEQ factors), especially in the hot and arid climate.

This study presents a research study investigating the effects and shows statistical relationships between IEQ on occupant comfort and productivity. The study was conducted in the Middle East, and data was collected for 12 months. It used the response surface analysis to perform analysis.

This study outlined seven unique relationships highlighting the recommended range, inter-dependencies. Results include that illumination has maximum effect on visual comfort and temperature, daylight having direct influence and relative humidity, wall type next to the seat and kind of workspace also impact visual comfort and productivity. These findings would help to improve occupant comfort and productivity in office buildings. It is recommended to include results and recommendations on design guidelines for office buildings.

This study presents the unique effects of non-visual IEQ parameters on visual comfort and productivity. This investigation also provides a unique method to develop the statistical relationship between various indoor environmental factors and productivity in different contexts and buildings.

Continual cost reduction of overhead costs of building projects can realign the concept of post-contract cost control towards value-driven construction projects and stakeholders’ satisfaction. This study synthesised and analysed the viable continuous improvement measures critical for waste reduction during the execution phase of a building project.

A review of existing literature facilitated a list of continuous improvement measures. This literature review findings enabled a Likert-scale questionnaire which was administered to two-hundred and fifty (250) small- and medium-scale construction companies (SMSCC) in Nigeria. Multiple linear regression statistical tests deduced the significant cost reduction measure from which a causal loop diagram was designed to indicate continuous improvement measures during the execution phase of a building project.

Cogent construction activities associated with overhead costs were deduced from the statistical tests as being payment of suppliers and sub-contractors and purchase orders. An all-inclusive casual loop model for cost reduction through waste minimisation in construction projects as a viable oriented mechanism for meeting clients' requirements was developed.

The causal loop continuous improvement model recognised external and internal factors which are crucial for SMSCC to focus on for their organisational growth and performance enhancement.

A focus on non-physical waste in construction organisations potentially addresses behavioural challenges for continuous improvement.

An increase in outsourcing of consultancy services has been observed during procurement and delivery of public-sector infrastructure projects. However, the incidence of project failure has continued unabated despite this shift by public-sector entities. Also, there appears to be limited literature focussed on seeking to provide the rationale governing the decision to outsource or insource consultancy services by public-sector organisations. The purpose of this study was to appraise the performance of public-sector projects in which consultancy services have been outsourced or insourced. These are the gaps which this study was undertaken to fill.

A grounded theory methodology (GTM) research design was adopted based on the nature of evidence sought and gathered from a Provincial Department of Public Works and Infrastructure (PDPWI) in South Africa. Data was obtained from a mixture of semi-structured interviews and project-specific documents spanning a five-year period and was analysed according to the procedures associated with GTM. Accordingly, open coding, axial coding and pattern matching were carried out at several intervals to develop categories and themes.

The findings of the study showed the absence of a structured approach within the PDPWI for facilitating decisions pertaining to outsourcing or insourcing consultancy services within construction projects. Furthermore, the study established that both approaches yielded similar results across all performance facets of cost, time and quality. In addition, a detailed insight into the steps required for the successful application of GTM in built environment research has been provided in the study.

Limited studies have been undertaken to compare the impact of either outsourced or insourced services on the organisational and project performance. This was the gap to which the study reported in this paper was undertaken to contribute.

While circular economy (CE) is fast becoming a political and economic agenda for global urban development, there are still substantial knowledge gaps in possible strategies to speed up such transition, especially in the construction industry. This study analyses literature surrounding CE to unpack current trends possible future research directions to foster CE implementation in the construction industry.

The study undertakes a systematic review of CE literature published between 1990 and 2019. It adopts a five-stage procedure as a methodological approach for the review: formulation of the research question(s), locating and identifying relevant studies, selection and evaluation of studies, analysis or synthesis and results reporting.

The findings on CE research in the construction industry show extensive focus on resource use and waste management. There are limited investigations in other areas of construction such as supply chain integration, building designs, policy, energy efficiency, land use, offsite manufacturing, whole life costing, and risk, cost reduction, cost management, health and safety management. The study findings provide evidence that current CE practice fails to incorporate other areas that would facilitate the network of true circular construction industry.

This research provides a comprehensive overview of research efforts on CE in the construction context, identifying areas of extensive and limited coverage over three decades. Besides, it identifies possible pathways for future research directions on CE implementation, towards the accelerated transition to a true circular construction industry for the benefit of funding bodies and researchers.

This study aims to assess “learning opportunities” provided to undergraduate students, from level three to six, in higher education (HE). A knowledge gap was identified within the current practice relating to learning opportunities for built environment (BE) students in HE. The study focussed on the themes under section two of the national student survey (NSS): how students explore ideas or concepts in-depth, bring information and ideas together from different topics and apply the learned content in a real-life context. The study aimed to provide recommendations for enhancing “learning opportunities” to the BE students within HE.

Data collection focussed on section two of NSS “learning opportunities” and documentary analysis, and a qualitative survey were adopted for this study. A documental analysis of 334 mid-module reviews was carried out. The qualitative data was collected from level three to level six students and academics from architecture, construction management, civil engineering and quantity surveying disciplines representing BE context. A sample of 40 students and 15 academics, including a Head of school, a Principal lecturer, Subject leads and lecturers, participated in interviews as part of a qualitative survey. In total, 12 drivers were developed using the data obtained through literature, documental analysis and interviews. These drivers were analysed using manual content analysis to identify their influence on the specified themes under NSS section two and circulated amongst academics to be ranked by identifying its influence to promote learning opportunities to BE students in HE.

This study highlighted 12 drivers which promote learning opportunities in HE within BE curriculum. Findings established that topics should be explained with more real-life or industry-orientated concepts such as simplification integrated into module delivery. Contrary to the literature, the use of physical materials (i.e. handouts and whiteboard) in addition to a virtual learning environment for detailed explanations were considered effective in exploring concepts. During the current COVID-19 pandemic, context-based learning needs to be promoted by integrating videos of practical implementation for better understanding. The study recognised that lab, fieldwork and tutorials were essential to apply what students have learned in BE curricula to a real-life context.

This study identified current learning approaches and provided recommendations to improve the BE students learning experience in HE. They identified 12 drivers that would significantly help academics and academic institutions to understand how learning opportunities should be facilitated in the BE curriculum to enhance student performances in HE.