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Sustainable Innovation and Management of the AEC Sector in the New Normal

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainable Management".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 June 2023) | Viewed by 11689

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Mary Hardie

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Built Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW 2750, Australia
Interests: sustainable building design; sustainable construction innovation; green roofs; rainwater storage; sustainable urban development; waste management in construction; eco-friendly construction systems
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Liyaning (Maggie) Tang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Architecture and Built Environment, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan 2308, Australia
Interests: big data analytics; building energy management; building infrastructure; construction waste management; construction management; occupational health and safety; public private partnerships; work health safety
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We are pleased to confirm that the submission portal is now open for the Special Issue on “Sustainable Innovation and Management of the AEC Sector in the New Normal” to be published in Sustainability. 

The Architectural Engineering and Construction (AEC) sector has been badly affected by COVID-19, same as other industries. After one year of COVID-19, all industries are trying to find their paths in the new normal. To continue developing business and providing the infrastructure needed for growth worldwide, the AEC sector needs to continue working on developing, adopting, and applying sustainable innovation and management in the new normal.  

With the dynamic situation of aligning COVID-19, the development of the AEC sector is facing a big challenge. In this context, the aim of this Special Issue of Sustainability titled “Sustainable Innovation and Management of the AEC Sector in the New Normal” is to inspire scholars to continue conducting research on sustainable construction innovation and management in the new normal.

Submission types such as case studies, original research contribution, systematic reviews, conceptual papers, and experimental and original research contributions are welcomed. Full papers are invited in areas including but not limited to:

Sustainable construction technology

Energy efficiency

BIM application

Sustainable building for ageing

Sustainable resilience of disaster management

Online and mixed mode training

Sustainable safety of construction sites

Mental health of construction workers

Multilocation construction management

Online stakeholer management

Dr. Mary Hardie
Dr. Liyaning (Maggie) Tang
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • sustainable construction technology
  • energy efficiency
  • bim application
  • sustainable building for aging
  • sustainable resilience of disaster management
  • online and mixed mode training
  • sustainable safety of construction sites
  • mental health of construction workers
  • multilocation construction management
  • on-line stakeholer management

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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13 pages, 1657 KiB  
Article
Strengthening Capacity in Disaster Waste Management in Vanuatu
by Iftekhar Ahmed, Thomas Johnson, Sascha Fuller, Ma Bella Guinto and Faafetai Sagapolutele
Sustainability 2022, 14(20), 13505; https://doi.org/10.3390/su142013505 - 19 Oct 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1510
Abstract
This paper explores the effectiveness of a training program in strengthening the capacity of disaster waste management (DWM) in Vanuatu, drawing on an action research project undertaken during the delivery of a Training of Trainers (ToT) program in Port Vila and Ifira Island. [...] Read more.
This paper explores the effectiveness of a training program in strengthening the capacity of disaster waste management (DWM) in Vanuatu, drawing on an action research project undertaken during the delivery of a Training of Trainers (ToT) program in Port Vila and Ifira Island. The researchers gathered feedback through questionnaires, host group discussions, and park sheets from the participants. This feedback was used to inform revisions of the Disaster Waste Management Handbook to be provided to participants, and to understand the potential benefits for similar programs in other countries across the Pacific Region. The ToT proved to be well-received by participants with 64.7% of the participants giving a rating of “Excellent” and the remaining participants rating it “Good”. It demonstrated to be a cost-effective mode of training with scalability and promoted self-reliance and empowerment of the community. Key challenges in the delivery included time management, and internet connectivity disruptions. By addressing these key challenges and with further research to ensure that it is context-specific, the ToT model could be used effectively to strengthen DWM capacity in other Pacific Island nations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Innovation and Management of the AEC Sector in the New Normal)
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15 pages, 1514 KiB  
Article
Stakeholder Collaboration Mechanism in Elderly Community Retrofit Projects: Case Study in China
by Li Guo, Shuya Hao, Udara Ranasinghe, Maggie Liyaning Tang and Mary Hardie
Sustainability 2021, 13(19), 10759; https://doi.org/10.3390/su131910759 - 28 Sep 2021
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2203
Abstract
The aged population all over the world is predicted to increase over the next couple of years. Especially in China, the ageing population is expanding significantly every year. A ‘Home-care model’ is becoming the first choice for many elders in China due to [...] Read more.
The aged population all over the world is predicted to increase over the next couple of years. Especially in China, the ageing population is expanding significantly every year. A ‘Home-care model’ is becoming the first choice for many elders in China due to the traditional style of community and economic considerations. However, existing communities generally lack supporting facilities for their elders. This can result in hidden safety risks in these communities. Consequently, retrofit projects among these communities of elders have attracted attention and generated studies in both academia and industry. Such elderly community retrofit projects (ECRPs) involve multiple stakeholders, and therefore, the establishment of an effective synergy mechanism for all stakeholders would provide significant value for the successful implementation of ECRPs. Until now, no such mechanism has been developed and published. This research aims to develop a stakeholder collaboration mechanism (SCM) for ECRPs in China. As the method of data collection, interviews with relevant ECRP stakeholders were conducted. Stakeholders involved with ECRPs were classified into three main categories—namely, core stakeholders (ageing families, government organisations, and ECRP companies), dormant stakeholders (other residents, other investors community committees), and marginal stakeholders (financial institutions, property service enterprises, and public welfare organisations). Finally, the SCM was developed utilising a power–interest matrix. Actions for stakeholders were recommended in order to promote ECRP in China. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Innovation and Management of the AEC Sector in the New Normal)
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17 pages, 15342 KiB  
Article
Study on the Matching Degree between Land Resources Carrying Capacity and Industrial Development in Main Cities of Xinjiang, China
by Yu Liu, Fangchen Shi, Hongman He, Liyin Shen, Wenzhu Luo and Lingyun Sun
Sustainability 2021, 13(19), 10568; https://doi.org/10.3390/su131910568 - 23 Sep 2021
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1719
Abstract
The contradiction between industrial development (ID) and land resource carrying capacity (LRCC) is increasingly intensified with the rapid advancement of urbanization globally. This typical phenomenon exists particularly in these developing countries or regions. This study investigated the matching degree (MD) between ID and [...] Read more.
The contradiction between industrial development (ID) and land resource carrying capacity (LRCC) is increasingly intensified with the rapid advancement of urbanization globally. This typical phenomenon exists particularly in these developing countries or regions. This study investigated the matching degree (MD) between ID and LRCC by using a coupling coordination degree model (CCDM) with referring to the main cities of Xinjiang, China. The data used in this study was collected from 16 sample cities in Xinjiang for the period of 2009–2018. The research findings reveal that (1) MD average value between 16 sample cities has been gaining steady growth; (2) although MD value in all sample cities has been increasing, there still exists a big room for improvement towards a well matching state; (3) the differences in MD values among all sample cities are very small; (4) the MD performance in the northern cities in Xinjiang is better than that in southern Xinjiang. This is mainly because of the radiation effect of Urumqi in northern cities. It is therefore suggested developing such a radiation city in southern Xinjiang in order to improve MD performance in southern Xinjiang. These research findings can provide policymakers in Xinjiang and other backward cities globally with valuable references in understanding the status of MD between ID and LRCC in the local cities, thus tailor-made policy instruments can be designated for the mission of sustainable development. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Innovation and Management of the AEC Sector in the New Normal)
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Review

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20 pages, 579 KiB  
Review
Can Business Models Facilitate Strategic Transformation in Construction Firms? A Systematic Review and Research Agenda
by Priyadarshini Das, Amer A. Hijazi, Duncan W. Maxwell and Robert C. Moehler
Sustainability 2023, 15(17), 13022; https://doi.org/10.3390/su151713022 - 29 Aug 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1971
Abstract
A business model represents an organisation’s value logic with a value proposition as the central dimension. The construction industry has been categorised as fragmented, slow to move and destructively competitive, idealising only cost-based perceptions of performance; however, recent trends indicate a paradigm shift [...] Read more.
A business model represents an organisation’s value logic with a value proposition as the central dimension. The construction industry has been categorised as fragmented, slow to move and destructively competitive, idealising only cost-based perceptions of performance; however, recent trends indicate a paradigm shift in the sector emphasising value-based perspectives such as early engagement, design for manufacture and assembly, and a lifecycle approach by promoting a conscious discourse on business model innovation. This paper presents a systematic review and integration of research on business models in the construction industry. The findings illuminate the potential of business models as creative tools for strategy formulation, the importance of strategic partnerships in novel business models, and the bridging role that business models play between technology integration and strategy formulation. Based on the findings, the paper proposes future research directions, including understanding how managers can steer conflicts towards cooperative competition (coopetition), exploring various pathways (leaping and drifting) for business model innovation and project-based business model innovation. The paper establishes that using a business model approach to facilitate strategic transformation can help construction firms resolve some of the most pressing challenges, such as customer dissatisfaction, fragmentation, and slow technology uptake. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Innovation and Management of the AEC Sector in the New Normal)
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14 pages, 1593 KiB  
Review
A Critical Analysis of Risk Factors and Strategies to Improve Mental Health Issues of Construction Workers
by Mohammad Tanvi Newaz, Helen Giggins and Udara Ranasinghe
Sustainability 2022, 14(20), 13024; https://doi.org/10.3390/su142013024 - 12 Oct 2022
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2751
Abstract
Previous research has enabled construction professionals to consider appropriate mental health interventions for improved mental health outcomes. However, the heterogeneity of such interventions in contemporary studies makes it difficult for practitioners to keep up to date with relevant alternatives. Thus, the aim of [...] Read more.
Previous research has enabled construction professionals to consider appropriate mental health interventions for improved mental health outcomes. However, the heterogeneity of such interventions in contemporary studies makes it difficult for practitioners to keep up to date with relevant alternatives. Thus, the aim of this research is to critically analyse mental health risk factors and identify strategies intended to mitigate risks and promote employees’ mental health in the construction industry. A Systematic Literature Review (SLR) was employed following PRISMA guidelines, and 58 articles that met the inclusion criteria were selected for data synthesis. In total, 100 risk factors and 76 preventive strategies were extracted and clustered into a taxonomy consisting of an individual level, workgroup level and organisational level. Strategies were further evaluated based on the type of prevention and financial significance. A critical content analysis of selected studies can suggest recommendations for future research, including the gap in mental health studies in the construction industry as well as the need for empirical research emphasis on generic forms of risks and strategies to cover more individual (e.g., age, profession), workgroup (e.g., team, trade, project) and organisational (e.g., culture, policy) factors that appropriately fit into construction workplace settings. The findings herein can broaden the mental health knowledge of industry practitioners, and could assist in mental health-related decision-making by developing best practices for boosting the mental wellbeing of the construction workforce. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Innovation and Management of the AEC Sector in the New Normal)
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