Publications from the Centre for Advanced Built Environment Research (CABER)
Below is a selection of the latest publications by CABER members. A complete list of publications can be found in the UWE Bristol Research Repository.
Books
A list of the most recent published books by our members.
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Handbook of Drivers of Continuous Improvement in Construction Health, Safety, and Wellbeing
Editors: Umeokafor, Nnedinma; Emuze, Fidelis; Khairil Izam Che Ibrahim, Che; Yosia Sunindijo, Riza; Umar, Tariq; Windapo, Abimbola; Teizer, Jochen
This Handbook presents opportunities, best practices, and case studies backed by cutting edge research on the drivers of continuous improvement of health, safety, and wellbeing in the architecture, engineering, construction, and facility management sector. The book consists of 23 chapters with six themes covering: ● Drivers of the business case for healthier and safer construction ● Opportunities and drivers of digital technologies for improving health and safety ● Drivers of human factors for improving health and safety ● Drivers of safer design and procurement ● Drivers of better health and wellbeing for construction. ● Opportunities for driving equality and inclusivity for safer construction. The book will be beneficial to academics, undergraduate and postgraduate (research and taught) students, professional institutions (such as the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health), health and safety professionals (health and safety officers, consultants and managers), occupational health professionals, mental health and wellbeing professionals, construction managers, architects, project professionals, engineers (design, construction, project, site, electrical, mechanical, civil, building services, and structural), facilities managers, quantity surveyors, and site managers. The aim of the book is to provide critical perspectives alongside evidence based practical examples of success stories, that should inspire readers and engender continuous improvement in health, safety, and wellbeing in the construction industry.
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Research Handbook on Flood Risk Management
Authors: Lamond, Jessica; Bhattacharya-Mis, Namrata; Proverbs, David
Pushing the boundaries of flood risk management research, this comprehensive Research Handbook presents pragmatic insights into all areas relating to flood risk. Through its use of dynamic and people-centred paradigms, it explores urban flood management within localities, properties, neighbourhoods and cities. Structured around the flood risk management cycle, chapters explore the critical importance of managing the consequences of flooding whilst examining key concepts such as mitigation, preparedness, emergency management and recovery. An international range of expert contributors from an array of disciplines recognize the inadequacies of existing governance approaches and mechanisms when it comes to addressing urban flooding, and identify the ways in which these can be strengthened in order to create an integrated flood and water management framework. Adopting a forward-thinking approach, the Research Handbook also investigates future directions of flood risk management research. The Research Handbook on Flood Risk Management will be an indispensable resource for academics, researchers and students interested in environmental geography, environmental governance and regulation, urban studies, politics and public policy, and the management of natural resources.
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Routledge Handbook of Embodied Carbon in the Built Environment
Editors: Moncaster, Alice; Azari, Rahman
This handbook explores the critically important topic of embodied carbon, providing advanced insights that focus on measuring and reducing embodied carbon from across the built environment, including buildings, urban areas and cities, and construction materials and components. Split into five distinct sections, international experts, researchers, and professionals present the recent developments in the field of embodied carbon from various perspectives and at different scales of material, building, and city. Following an introduction to the embodied carbon question, the chapters in Section 1 then cover the key debates around issues such as the politics of embodied carbon, links between embodied carbon and thermal mass, and the misuse of carbon offsets. Section 2 reviews the embodied carbon policies in a selected number of countries. Sections 3, 4, and 5 approach the topic of embodied carbon from urban-, building-, and material-scale perspectives, respectively, and use case studies to demonstrate estimation techniques and present opportunities and challenges in embodied carbon mitigation. This will be important reading for upper-level students and researchers in Architecture, Urban Planning, Engineering, and Construction disciplines. Presenting case studies of embodied carbon assessment, this book will also help practicing architects, engineers, and urban planners understand embodied carbon estimation techniques and different mitigation strategies.
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Construction Safety, Health and Well-being in the COVID-19 era
Editors: Manu, Patrick; Cheung, Clara; Yunusa-Kaltungo, Akilu; Emuze, Fidelis; Abreu Saurin, Tarcisio; Hadikusumo, Bonaventura H.W.
This edited book presents a significant and timely contribution to our understanding of a broad range of issues pertaining to COVID-19 and its relationship to occupational safety, health and well-being (OSHW) in the global construction industry. The editors first introduce the industry and its poor OSHW history before highlighting some of the broader impacts of the pandemic on the sector. The book is then divided into two sections. Section One focuses on the management of COVID-19 transmission risk. It captures insights, practices, technologies and lessons learned in relation to what has and is being done to prevent or mitigate the risk of COVID-19 transmission among the construction workforce. Construction Safety, Health and Well-being in the COVID-19 Era also details case studies, lessons and best practices for managing sites and workforces when infections inevitably do occur. Section Two brings together international chapters discussing the impacts of COVID-19 on the OSHW of the construction workforce both on and off-site, as well as the management of those impacts. Furthermore, this presents implications of the pandemic (at the short-, medium-, and long-term) for other performance measures of construction projects such as cost, schedule, quality and, most importantly, how the pursuit/non-pursuit of such performance measures have impacted/will impact the OSHW of construction workers and professionals in the industry. This book addresses the gap in literature by offering global perspectives on the OSHW impacts and implications of COVID-19 in the construction industry and will help its wide readership (including construction industry organisations, professionals, researchers, government bodies/policy makers and students) to understand a broad suite of issues pertaining to COVID-19 and its relationship to OSHW in construction.
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Handbook of Construction Safety, Health and Well-being in the Industry 4.0 Era
Editors: Manu, Patrick; Gao, Shang; Bartolo, Paulo Jorge Silva; Francis, Valerie; Sawhney, Anil
This Handbook seeks to examine and advance current understanding of the confluence of construction health, safety and well-being and the broad range of Industry 4.0 technologies in use in the architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) industry. Globally, the construction sector accounts for more than 100,000 occupational fatalities annually. In many countries, reports of work-related accidents, injuries and illnesses are commonplace, and there is an urgent need to improve the occupational safety and health (OSH) outlook of the construction sector. The fourth industrial revolution presents opportunities to leverage modern technologies (e.g., big data, artificial intelligence, automation, sensors, AR, VR and robotics) to improve the poor OSH performance of the construction industry. However, embracing such technologies could also induce unintended adverse consequences for the safety, health and well-being of construction workers. Therefore, the realisation of the opportunities as well as the mitigation of potentially adverse consequences requires research-informed holistic insights around the union of Industry 4.0 and construction occupational safety and health management. This cutting-edge volume addresses a significant gap in literature by bringing together experienced academics and researchers to highlight the drivers, opportunities and drawbacks of the merging of Industry 4.0 with construction health, safety and well-being. After a detailed introductory section which highlights key issues and challenges, section one covers the application of a broad range of digital technologies; then section two discusses the application of industrial production and cyber physical systems in the context of construction safety and health management. Readers from a broad range of AEC backgrounds as well as safety professionals and technologists will come to understand how the technologies are applied and the resulting OSH benefits as well as potential drawbacks.
Journal articles
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Design for Safety (DfS) implementation in the construction industry: A study of design professionals in Northern China
Authors: Xu, Danning; Agyekum, Kofi; Manu, Patrick; Cheung, Clara; Che Ibrahim, Che Khairil Izam; Mahamadu, Abdul-Majeed; Perez, Pablo A.
Purpose: Design for Safety (DfS) has been studied as an effective method to reduce injuries and fatalities in construction. Although the benefits of implementing DfS are gradually being recognised, there is limited research on DfS in developing countries, including China. Therefore, this study explores the implementation of DfS among design professionals in the northern geographical region of China. Design/methodology/approach: Adopting the quantitative research method, a questionnaire survey was used to obtain data from 68 design professionals on various aspects of DfS implementation, and the data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics (i.e., T-tests). Findings: The results show that the extent of engagement in DfS practices among the design professionals is moderate despite high awareness and positive attitude towards the concept of DfS. The results also revealed a significant difference in the extent of implementation of DfS practices between designers who have received DfS related education and training and those who have not. Furthermore, the findings reveal that DfS industry guidance and legislation are the most influential factors that affect DfS implementation in China. Originality/value: Overall, the study offers some positive outlook of DfS implementation among design professionals in Northern China and underscores the significance of training, education, industry guidance, client influence, and legislation in efforts to enhance DfS implementation. The findings should offer a headway to assist in DfS implementation in various geographical settings in China.
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A systematic review of occupational safety and health in modular integrated construction
Authors: Sadeghi, Haleh; Cheung, Clara Man; Yunusa-Kaltungo, Akilu; Manu, Patrick
The construction industry is facing increased pressure to enhance efficiency and safety, owing to its high incident rates. Modular integrated construction (MiC) has gained significant attention from scholars and practitioners as a viable means of enhancing the overall performance of the industry. Despite its numerous advantages, MiC presents occupational safety and health (OSH) challenges due to its unique characteristics, like offsite manufacturing, standardisation, and specialised assembly processes. These complexities necessitate comprehensive management of OSH risks. Although existing studies have addressed OSH issues in MiC, a comprehensive review that thoroughly covers the OSH issues throughout the entire lifecycle of MiC is lacking. To address this gap, a systematic literature review (SLR) following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) approach was conducted, resulting in the identification of 130 relevant articles from Scopus and Web of Science (WoS). This SLR identified the OSH areas addressed by MiC, types of OSH hazards and risk outcomes associated with MiC, hierarchies of control, types of construction work and MiC lifecycle stages, technologies used for OSH management, challenges in OSH management of MiC, and future research directions. The results show that the most commonly researched hazards that have been mitigated and introduced by MiC are fall- and health-related hazards, respectively. Additionally, administrative controls are the most common hierarchy of control in the previous studies. This in-depth knowledge offers practitioners valuable insights into hazards and risk outcomes associated with MiC, while emphasising the technologies used in various studies to mitigate these risks.
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Bridging Innovation and Practice: Assessing the Readiness for 3D Printing in Construction
Authors: Umar, Tariq; Shashank, Satish
Abstract Design/methodology/approach (limit 100 words): The literature review discusses both the benefits—such as lower labour costs, faster construction times, and less material waste—and the drawbacks—such as high initial costs, reliance on traditional methods, and a lack of standardized regulations. A quantitative research methodology was used to investigate these issues, which included distributing a structured survey to 150 construction industry professionals. The survey's purpose was to collect detailed quantitative data on 3D printing perceptions, preferences, and experiences. The data were analysed with SPSS software using descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and reliability testing, which provided a thorough understanding of the factors influencing 3D printing adoption. Purpose (limit 100 words) This study investigates the factors that influence 3D printing technology adoption in the construction industry, with a focus on the economic, environmental, social, and regulatory barriers to widespread integration. Despite the widely acknowledged potential of 3D printing to transform construction practices by lowering costs, increasing efficiency, and enhancing sustainability, adoption has been slow. The research focus on the challenges with economic, social, environmental, and regulatory factors. Findings (limit 100 words): The study concludes with actionable recommendations to address these challenges, such as advocating for increased government support through subsidies and incentives, investing in training and education to reduce resistance to change, and developing standardized regulations to ensure the safe and effective implementation of 3D printing. These strategies, which are consistent with the literature, are required for the construction industry to fully realize the benefits of 3D printing technology, ultimately increasing productivity, lowering costs, and contributing to more sustainable construction practices. Research limitations/implications (limit 100 words) This study has several limitations. The sample size was modest and geographically limited, which may restrict the generalizability of the findings to broader construction contexts. Additionally, some survey constructs demonstrated low internal reliability, suggesting the need for more refined measurement tools in future studies. The cross-sectional design also limits the ability to assess changes in perceptions over time. Despite these limitations, the study provides important insights into the economic, social, environmental, and regulatory barriers to 3D printing adoption. The findings offer practical implications for industry stakeholders, policymakers, and researchers seeking to advance innovation within the construction sector. Practical implications (limit 100 words) The findings of this study provide actionable insights for construction industry stakeholders seeking to adopt 3D printing technologies. Addressing economic challenges through financial incentives, training, and partnerships can enhance feasibility, particularly for SMEs. Environmental benefits such as material efficiency and reduced waste should be leveraged to support sustainable practices. Policymakers must develop clear regulatory frameworks to streamline approvals and ensure safety. Training programs and awareness campaigns are essential to overcome social resistance and skill gaps. By addressing these areas, industry professionals and decision-makers can accelerate the responsible integration of 3D printing and drive innovation in construction processes. Social implications (limit 100 words) The adoption of 3D printing in construction carries significant social implications, particularly in workforce transformation and public acceptance. While the technology may reduce demand for manual labour, it creates opportunities for skilled jobs in digital design, robotics, and machinery operation. This shift highlights the urgent need for reskilling and upskilling programmes. Additionally, public perception plays a crucial role; concerns about safety, reliability, and job displacement can hinder adoption. Raising awareness through education and demonstration projects can build trust and acceptance. Promoting inclusive access to training and employment in 3D printing can also support social equity and technological inclusion. Originality/value (limit 100 words): This research reveals that 3D printing in the construction industry has numerous advantages and a few evident issues that have to be resolved to let construction use this effective type of technology more often. What is needed is a more consolidated, coordinated, and systematic approach through the formation of strategic alliances, the development of complete legal codes, and the promotion of lessons with construction ideas and information. Such an approach will additionally help to eliminate current barriers and guarantee that the construction industry will be ready to meet future requirements and challenges effectively.
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Implementing environmental management systems (ISO14001) in the construction sector of Ghana
Authors: Boateng, Ransford; Booth, Colin A.; Horry, Rosemary E.; Wiejak-Roy, Grazyna; Agyekum, Kofi; Al-Tarazi, D.; Joseph, R.; Manu, Patrick; Prabhakaran, Abhinesh
Environmental Management Systems (EMS) enable organisations to manage their environmental impacts. Globalisation has resulted in more organisations needing to engage in environmental sustainability. In developed nations ISO 14001 provides the key guidance, but in developing nations, sustainability remains a new concept. This study investigates EMS implementation within the Ghanaian construction sector which has low EMS adoption. A critical literature review identified 11 benefits, 11 barriers and 10 strategies for implementing EMS in the construction sector. The views of construction professionals in Ghana were sought regarding thesguree benefits, barriers and strategies. Of 150 questionnaires distributed, 60 were returned and 52 were deemed usable. Data was analysed using the Voting Analytic Hierarchy Process (VAHP) (Manu et al., 2019). The results showed that 'cost savings due to the reduction of fines associated with convictions’ was the main perceived benefit of implementing EMS, while the major barrier was ‘a lack of government legal enforcement’. The most significant implementation strategy was suggested to be ‘the implementation of a legal requirement for environmental protection for EMS’. It is concluded that lack of legal requirements may impede ISO 14001 engagement. The recommendation is that environmental regulations and policies are created to encourage the adoption of EMS.
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BIM maturity and its influence on BIM implementation challenges: The perspectives of UK contractors
Authors: Arvanitis, Lampros; Al-Tarazi, Dalia; Agyekum, Kofi; Kissi, Ernest; Manu, Patrick; Mahamadu, Abdul-Majeed; Booth, Colin; Prabhakaran, Abhinesh; Pittri, Hayford
Building Information Modelling (BIM) offers a powerful means to enhance collaboration and efficiency in construction project delivery. However, many organizations still face persistent technical, organizational, and environmental challenges during implementation. BIM maturity has emerged as a key factor in addressing these issues, yet few studies have empirically examined how maturity influences the ability to manage such challenges. This study investigates how BIM maturity affects implementation challenges from the perspective of UK construction contractors. The research adopted a quantitative approach using a structured questionnaire administered to 65 professionals from UK contracting organizations. The survey measured BIM maturity across technology, process, and policy domains and examined how organizations manage common implementation challenges. The analysis employed descriptive statistics, Spearman’s rank correlation, and independent-sample t-tests. Findings reveal that most organizations operate at Capability Stage 2, with moderate maturity across key BIM areas. Technological maturity, especially in software use, ranked highest. Organizations with higher BIM maturity managed challenges more effectively, though the correlation was moderate. These results underscore the value of assessing and developing BIM maturity as a strategic tool for overcoming barriers. Practically, construction firms can use maturity assessments to identify gaps, prioritize improvements, and enhance BIM implementation success across their projects.
Conference papers
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Hive mind for Net Zero: Towards a social engagement model for collective home energy behaviour change
Authors: Zhao, Jill; Badarnah, Lidia
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Co-production and the key aspects of community involvement in flood risk management (FRM)
Authors: Nsobya, Claude; Potter, Karen; Moncaster, Alice; Mabon, Leslie; Ramsay, Jed
Flood risk management (FRM) has shifted towards more decentralised and people-centred approaches. This increase in community involvement has become conceptually linked with ‘coproduction,’ used in other societal domains by both academics and professionals over the past decade. The two main principles of co-production are fair, equitable distribution of power and community empowerment. Mees et al. (2018) have set out typologies of citizen co-production in one of the most relevant frameworks for understanding the forms of co-production within the domain of FRM. Yet some of the Mees' categories arguably do not fully adhere or embrace the core principles of equitable power distribution and empowerment. This paper discusses how the potential limitations in these categories could inadvertently reinforce power imbalances and restrain opportunity for community empowerment. Drawing on wider research, a scoping literature review (across bibliographic databases Scopus, Web of Science and Google Scholar), the paper argues that five key aspects of community involvement—mutual learning, early and long-term involvement, inclusivity, clear objectives, and capacity building—would enable adherence to the core principles of co-production in FRM. These key aspects integrated with the Mees’ framework would enable the evaluation of not only the ‘form’ of co-production, but also if and how communities have been empowered in the process.
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Decision support for building thermal comfort monitoring with a sustainable GenAI system
Authors: Arslan, Muhammad; Munawar, Saba; Mahdjoubi, Lamine; Manu, Patrick
Staff expenses can account for up to 70% of business costs, with indoor conditions playing a critical role in employee health, behavior, and productivity. Optimal thermal comfort, typically around 21°C with 40-70% humidity, maximizes productivity. However, effective monitoring requires comprehensive data, particularly as energy regulations push for smarter building management. Although Building Information Modeling (BIM, a digital representation of a building's physical and functional characteristics) and sensor integration support facilities management, many existing systems are proprietary, expensive, and inflexible. To address these challenges, this study introduces ThermalComfortBot, a sustainable Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI)-powered Chatbot designed as an advanced Information System (IS). Utilizing Large Language Models (LLMs, AI models for natural language understanding) and Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG, a method that combines data retrieval with LLMs-generated insights), ThermalComfortBot integrates data from BIM, sensors, and other relevant sources. Built on open-source technology, it is cost-effective and fully customizable, allowing users to tailor datasets to their needs. The Chatbot delivers actionable insights through a Question-Answering (QA) interface, enabling data-driven decisions on thermal comfort to improve workplace conditions and enhance operational efficiency.
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Sustainable energy decision-making with an RAG-LLM system
Authors: Arslan, Muhammad; Munawar, Saba; Sibilla, Maurizio
To reach the ambition of a net-zero economy by 2050, the UK aims to improve energy efficiency in all homes by 2035, targeting reductions in energy consumption and household expenses. Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) play a critical part in this evolution but frequently face challenges in navigating the complex and fast-changing Energy sector to access essential information. Required data spanning regulatory updates, market trends, renewable energy production, and climate patterns is dispersed across multiple sources, creating inefficiencies and raising costs for SMEs pursuing sustainable Energy goals. This study addresses this information gap through a prototype Information System (IS) that consolidates diverse regulatory and environmental topics as a proof-of-concept. The proposed Energy Question Answering (QA) Assistant, based on the Large Language Models (LLMs) and Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG), integrates information from government, industry, and environmental sources. Using open-source technology, this tool delivers SMEs timely insights into Sustainable Energy Initiatives (SEIs) and regulatory frameworks, supporting cost-effective and informed decision-making that aligns with the UK's sustainability targets.
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A transdisciplinary engineering and systems approach for decarbonizing UK home heating
Authors: Wise, Freya; Cooper, Adam; Eckert, Claudia
At present, only around 10% of the heat pumps required to reach our critical 2050 climate goals are being installed in the UK. The government has set ambitious targets to phase out gas boilers by 2035, replacing them with heat pumps. This paper argues that instead of viewing the low carbon heating transition as a simple techno-economic issue, solved by a technology swap, we need a transdisciplinary systems approach to address this complex socio-technical challenge. Drawing on previous research and the literature we identify the current level of heat pump uptake and consider some of the barriers to the low carbon heating transition including technical aspects, installers skill shortages, financial barriers and informational challenges. We find that these barriers are mostly addressed in silos without considering the interrelationship between different aspects. Heat pumps should be considered in the context of a whole house approach to retrofit and barriers need to be overcome to make the technology more attractive to households. In this paper we call for a systemic, transdisciplinary approach to the low carbon heating transition to accelerate uptake: combining an understanding of social, engineering and policy perspectives. Key to this are systems-based methods and transdisciplinary approaches that enable engineering and engineers to be part of the solution. We present the benefits of this approach and suggest some principles for further research.
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Research themes for the Centre for Advanced Built Environment Research (CABER)