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Sustainable Construction Engineering Processes

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (1 April 2024) | Viewed by 5924

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Civil Engineering Faculty, Warsaw University of Technology, 00-637 Warszawa, Poland
Interests: construction; management; optimization; sustainability; legal issues
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Civil Engineering Faculty, Warsaw University of Technology, 00-637 Warszawa, Poland
Interests: construction; management; multi-criteria assessment; sustainability; social psychology; sociology; education
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Civil Engineering Faculty, Warsaw University of Technology, 00-637 Warszawa, Poland
Interests: construction; management; risk; prefabrication; sustainability; H&S; education
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We extend an invitation to publish your research in this Special Issue on Sustainability. The field of sustainability includes projects on housing infrastructure, roads, bridges, tunnels, ports, airports, factories, shopping centres, offices, and warehouses, among others. The execution of these projects involves collaboration between public and private sectors, including architects, engineers, companies, and financers. The construction industry forms the basis of the three major economic sectors. It is intermediately positioned between industrial activities and services.

The advancement of scientific and practical knowledge is crucial for enhancing the efficiency and sustainability of the construction industry. Due to varying levels of economic development in different countries, there has been a significant migration of engineers and construction managers to the construction sector. Therefore, it is imperative to recognize and investigate the qualifications and skills of construction managers worldwide.

The purpose of this Special Issue is to offer valuable insights into sustainability in various construction-related issues, with a specific focus on methods, empirical evidence and applications, simulations, as well as conceptual frameworks. We seek sustainable solutions for the construction industry, related to the five common phases: (1) feasibility, (2) design, (3) execution, (4) commissioning and operation, including maintenance, and (5) demolition.

Topics for the Special Issue include (but are not limited to):

  • Sustainable building and construction projects;
  • Technological innovations in construction;
  • Quality management;
  • Optimization in construction;
  • Assessment methods, modelling, and simulation for sustainability in construction;
  • Performance measurement for sustainability in construction.
  • Health and safety in construction
  • Education of construction and managerial personnel;
  • Green prefabrication;
  • Lean manufacturing in precast concrete industry;
  • Green project management;
  • International certification systems, for example: LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, U.S.), BREEAM (BRE Environmental Assessment Method, UK), HQE (Haute Qualité d'Environnement, FR), and Valideo (Belgium);
  • BIM, Digital Twins, Extended Reality (XR), Virtual Reality (AR), Augmented Reality, Mixed Reality (MR), Laser Scanners, Drones, etc;
  • AI-based systems;
  • Lowering the carbon footprint;
  • Urban mining;
  • Construction 4.0;
  • Legal issues in construction;
  • Social psychology, sociology, mentoring, coaching in construction;
  • Human resource management.

Dr. Pawel Nowak
Dr. Mariola Książek-Nowak
Dr. Aleksander Nicał
Dr. Jerzy Rosłon
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

  • sustainability
  • technological innovation
  • green construction
  • project management
  • optimization
  • Industry 4.0
  • ICT in construction
  • BIM
  • education and soft skills in construction

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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10 pages, 897 KiB  
Article
Verification of Performance Standards for Construction Equipment in Terms of CO2 Emissions
by Jan Kowalski, Marzena Lendo-Siwicka, Grzegorz Wrzesiński and Roman Trach
Sustainability 2023, 15(21), 15188; https://doi.org/10.3390/su152115188 - 24 Oct 2023
Viewed by 1470
Abstract
Almost every civil engineering project involves heavy construction equipment to create earthworks. This in turn is connected with carbon dioxide emissions, which are hazardous to the environment, especially in densely populated areas. Strict control and regulation of emissions from construction equipment has already [...] Read more.
Almost every civil engineering project involves heavy construction equipment to create earthworks. This in turn is connected with carbon dioxide emissions, which are hazardous to the environment, especially in densely populated areas. Strict control and regulation of emissions from construction equipment has already been introduced in Hong Kong. This paper presents the results of several years of field research on the performance of construction equipment (excavators). The comparative analysis concerns the data obtained during a field survey in relation to the outlays proposed in the catalogues of material outlays commonly used in Poland (KNR catalogues.) The presented problem fills in the gaps in research on the performance of construction equipment. The results of the study clearly show the discrepancy between theoretical data from the KNR and the actual use of construction equipment during the construction of underground sanitary networks. Apart from the excessive consumption of diesel fuel, sequentially increased CO2 emissions occur. The presented research results allow for the development of an innovative method for the optimal use of heavy construction equipment, thus reducing CO2 emissions. This study is a continuation of a pilot study conducted by the staff of the Institute of Civil Engineering, Warsaw University of Life Science. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Construction Engineering Processes)
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Review

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23 pages, 3102 KiB  
Review
Structural Equation Modeling in Technology Adoption and Use in the Construction Industry: A Scientometric Analysis and Qualitative Review
by Chuyou Fu, Jun Wang, Ziyi Qu, Martin Skitmore, Jiaxin Yi, Zhengjie Sun and Jianli Chen
Sustainability 2024, 16(9), 3824; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16093824 - 2 May 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2097
Abstract
Considering the emergence and adoption of various innovative technologies, the construction industry has undergone transformation into a more secure, highly efficient, and ecologically sustainable landscape. An increasing number of studies uses the structural equation modeling (SEM) method to explore the dynamics of technology [...] Read more.
Considering the emergence and adoption of various innovative technologies, the construction industry has undergone transformation into a more secure, highly efficient, and ecologically sustainable landscape. An increasing number of studies uses the structural equation modeling (SEM) method to explore the dynamics of technology adoption and use within the construction sector. Previous studies have mainly focused on qualitative analysis using the SEM method to analyze technology adoption and usage in the construction industry. This study, however, distinguishes itself from previous research by focusing on the SEM method itself and conducting a systematic analysis using scientometric methods. Based on a total of 140 relevant journal articles, this study adopts a scientometric analysis approach to conduct a holistic review encompassing sources, researchers, keywords, and highly cited documents. The research findings are as follows: (1) the primary focus of the current research topics is on BIM technology; (2) most studies employ cross-sectional SEM instead of longitudinal SEM; (3) there is a deficiency in the theoretical foundation for designing SEM in current research; and (4) the selection of either reflective or formative measures lacks sufficient rigor. Qualitative analysis is used to examine prevailing issues in research design and address the intricate technicalities and potential challenges inherent in the SEM method. Three research gaps and future directions are presented: diversifying regions of study and research topics, incorporating theoretical support for research design, and carefully choosing reflective or formative measures. The findings provide a comprehensive roadmap and valuable reference for future research in this field. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Construction Engineering Processes)
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24 pages, 6684 KiB  
Review
Implementation of Integrated Life Cycle Design Principles in Ground Improvement and Piling Methods—A Review
by Aleksandra Mach and Daniel Wałach
Sustainability 2024, 16(2), 659; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16020659 - 11 Jan 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1615
Abstract
This study aims to investigate researchers’ interest in the topic of integrated life cycle design in the context of geotechnical works (ground improvement and piling solutions). In the first part, the authors conducted a literature review to assess the popularity of sustainable development [...] Read more.
This study aims to investigate researchers’ interest in the topic of integrated life cycle design in the context of geotechnical works (ground improvement and piling solutions). In the first part, the authors conducted a literature review to assess the popularity of sustainable development themes in research related to the aforementioned topics using the VOSviewer software. Several main categories were then identified, such as environmental aspects, noise, vibrations, economic aspects, process efficiency, and the most frequently addressed issues were highlighted for each category. The conclusions drawn from the review were used to conduct a decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL) analysis to investigate the inter-relationships between the identified factors and their impact on the implementation of integrated design principles in the relevant technologies. Analysis carried out using the VOSviewer program revealed that publications on ground improvement and piling solutions mainly focus on two thematic areas: design and the broadly understood materials used in these methods. A more in-depth review confirms the scarcity of publications addressing the technology selection process from a multi-aspect perspective, particularly in terms of sustainable development criteria and the assessment/characterization of individual technologies. This highlights a significant research gap. This study notes the promising potential of new, green materials in sustainable geoengineering and the need for comprehensive tools to assess their sustainability. It also acknowledges the potential cost savings offered by sustainable technologies, while discussing the challenges in their adoption due to resistance to new technologies, the lack of consistent emissions data, and the absence of uniform standards. These factors contribute to difficulties in comparing and implementing sustainable solutions effectively. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Construction Engineering Processes)
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