Suchergebnisse

With the associated environmental challenges and unsustainable patterns of construction, there is also notable awareness and willingness among the state bodies to adopt sustainability measures and practices in Kazakhstan. This study explores the drivers of and barriers inhibiting the adoption of sustainability paradigm in the construction context of Kazakhstan. The drivers and barriers were validated through the survey and structured workshop with the construction professionals to ensure their relevance to the local context, which were then ranked according to their levels of influence through the lens of the industry professionals in Kazakhstan. Delphi technique was the last stage before consolidating the specified lists. Stakeholder opinions were then consolidated to develop a context-oriented decision support system. The findings reveal that addressing environmental issues is vital to increase the level of sustainability leading to the more efficient use of construction materials and resources. Various social aspects are also found to be driving forces for the effective adoption of the SC concept. On the other hand, a great portion of SC barriers is related to economic aspects, which are followed by government as well as awareness and education related barriers. The findings are hoped to contribute to the body of knowledge in terms of drivers of, and barriers to SC in developing countries, particularly in Central Asian countries due to similarities in context. The findings may also be useful for the construction forefront players seeking ways to improve sustainability performance of the construction industry.

Although proper safety management in construction is of utmost importance; anecdotal evidence suggests that safety is not adequately considered in many developing countries. This paper considers the key variables affecting construction safety performance in Cambodia. Using an empirical questionnaire survey targeting local construction professionals, respondents were invited to rate the level of importance of 30 variables identified from the seminal literature. The data set was subjected to factor analysis. Correlations between the variables show that five key factors underlie the challenges facing the local industry; management and organisation, resources, site management, cosmetic and workforce. It is found that the forefront construction professionals (top management and government authorities) should take more responsibilities for further improvements in safety performance on project sites. Findings and recommendations of this study may be useful to construction professional who are seeking ways to improve safety records in developing countries.

Although proper safety management in construction is of utmost importance; anecdotal evidence suggests that safety is not adequately considered in many developing countries. This paper considers the key variables affecting construction safety performance in Cambodia. Using an empirical questionnaire survey targeting local construction professionals, respondents were invited to rate the level of importance of 30 variables identified from the seminal literature. The data set was subjected to factor analysis. Correlations between the variables show that five key factors underlie the challenges facing the local industry; management and organisation, resources, site management, cosmetic and workforce. It is found that the forefront construction professionals (top management and government authorities) should take more responsibilities for further improvements in safety performance on project sites. Findings and recommendations of this study may be useful to construction professional who are seeking ways to improve safety records in developing countries. ; Full Text

In the lead-up to the Paris climate change conference, the majority of the UN Member States submitted their Intended Nationally Determined Contributions on carbon emissions reduction to be met by 2030. Kazakhstan is no exception. The government made pledges and, therefore, has to adapt its national policies and regulations to meet the set ambitious goals. In this regard, the role of residential building sector is of the utmost importance due to its significant share in the country's energy consumption and carbon emissions profile. Thus, this study presents the types of residential buildings available and assesses how far they are from meeting the green building (GB) indicators set in various certification schemes and standards. This would help in suggesting practical steps to improve the sustainability levels of the residential building stock of Kazakhstan. This study collected a robust set of data on existing residential buildings in Astana, chosen as a case study location, classified them and, based on a developed checklist, evaluated their performance compared to GB standards. The study has found that old buildings tend to have a rather poor level of sustainability, whereas the sustainability of new buildings depends on the class of the building—steadily increasing from economy to premium class in all categories of the checklist. A detailed analysis of the results has led to the development of recommendations on how each type of building should be improved to meet the GB standards.

Purpose
Universities have recognized their rich endowments in research, academic skills and facilities, as uniquely suited to finding "green" solutions. Moreover, the campus setting itself presents as a microcosm of greater society through which to investigate and test innovations. Thus, the "living lab" was born, a means of coupling sufficient resources and active stakeholders in the pursuit of practical, sustainable solutions. Much of the work to date, however, remains piecemeal, small-scale and disparate. This study aims to propose that the work of such labs must ultimately be directed, coordinated and integrated under a "university sustainability office," if they are to be ultimately effective.


Design/methodology/approach
The research approach is twofold. In the first instance, a literature review charting the history and progress of living labs is reported, with emphasis of the university context. Second, a case study appraisal of Deakin University's initiatives in adopting and promoting sustainability through the living lab framework is undertaken.


Findings
A main finding of this paper is that current efforts remain piecemeal and peripheral. If the apparent ambiguity regarding commitment is to be overcome, Deakin University should adopt measures as adopted by peer leaders in the field. Specifically, the setting up of a centralizing sustainability function bestowed with the capacity to coordinate university-wide living lab efforts, and at such a scale that substantial benefits transferable to greater society is generated.


Originality/value
This paper stands out among previous studies in the field through facilitating a transition to living lab for other universities, where findings facilitate that progress and consider how the lessons learnt might inform the further evolution of university living lab initiatives.

AbstractImplementing more sustainable practices in the construction industry would provide healthier and safer environmental conditions as well as ethical approaches. The conventional wisdom is that their uptake will continue to improve in line with its familiarity and applicability among industry stakeholders at the forefront of onsite project activities. Thus, an investigation was carried out into the factors affecting the sustainability performance of contractors in Palestine, particularly at the project execution stage. A questionnaire survey of 42 factors was administered to 90 registered contractors. Analysis of results using the mean value technique revealed that the cost of fundamental project resources, labor‐related factors, and destruction of natural habitat and depletion of natural resources were the most significant factors affecting contractors' sustainability performance. Despite being a limited exercise in scope, it is recommended that consideration is given to any potential cost fluctuations, as well as explicit mention of gain and pain issues within the project documentation, in order to sustainably operate in the construction sector of Palestine, while continuing to contribute to the national economy.