bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Women’s Empowerment in Post-Conflict Housing Reconstruction in Palestine
Authors: Saleh N , Enshassi A , Sundermeier M 
Published: December 2022

Abstract
The occurrence of disasters, especially in the post disaster phase, could be an opportunity to empower women in housing reconstruction. Despite that the disasters are on increase globally; they affect women and men differently. Women are still passive in disaster management and they have been found more vulnerable to disasters than men. This study provides insights into the experiences of women empowerment in post disaster housing reconstruction (PDHR) in the Gaza Strip-Palestine. The study used a questionnaire survey to obtain data from women who had been involved in post conflict housing reconstruction. The results indicated that, five of nine practices of women empowerment were determined statistically significant. The findings showed that, the top three practices for women empowerment are: ensuring rights of land titles for female-headed households in the PDHR, equal distribution of financial assistance to both men and women, and equal access to resources and information related to reconstruction. Gaza Strip lacks researches regarding women empowerment in general and in PDHR in particular. This study fills the knowledge gap relating to women empowerment in post conflict housing reconstruction. The study results established a basis for better understanding of the women empowerment and could minimize their vulnerabilities to future disasters.
Unravelling the challenges for long-term planning post-disaster resettlement in Cagayan de Oro, Philippines
Authors: Carrasco Sandra , Egbelakin Temitope 
Published: December 2022

Abstract
Typhoon Washi hit the southern Philippine city of Cagayan de Oro in December 2011, causing massive destruction and displacing 40 per cent of the city’s population, 85 per cent of whom were informal settlers of highly vulnerable areas on the riverbanks. Informal settlers considered by the government as the most vulnerable residents were forcibly resettled in relocation sites in the peri-urban areas. The new settlements and houses fulfilled minimum Philippine standards for emergency housing with limited understanding of local conditions and creating gaps in the residents’ needs. In the following years, residents proactively modified their houses to fill initial housing gaps. The impacts of the residents’ self-help initiatives related to construction safety and the creation of new risks associated with low construction quality, materials and increased density in the houses are major concerns for the government which is responsible for policies to guide the urban development of these sites. This paper aims to assess the impacts of policies in the urban development of the resettlement sites for low-income disaster-affected communities. To do so, this paper analyses interviews with local government officials, analysing residents’ self-help housing construction seven years after the disaster and how these were considered in the local planning policies. Furthermore, the country’s post-disaster recovery planning changes will be analysed. The findings will provide insights into government-related challenges to guarantee the technical performance of the houses and the advances and crucial remaining governance challenges for implementing urban development policies.
Explaining the Changes in the Greenhouse Gas Emissions of New York City Buildings
Authors: Morshedi M , Bhattacharyya A , Hastak M 
Published: December 2022

Abstract
Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions are among the major causes of the rise in the global temperature and global warming. US commercial and residential New York City (NYC) buildings emit a high amount of GHG each year. Several past studies have introduced prediction models for the GHG emission of buildings. However, the factors that contribute to the changes in GHG emission patterns over time are less explored. In this paper, the New York Local Law 84 datasets for four consecutive years from 2017 to 2020 are used to explore which changes in building attributes would increase/decrease GHG emission over time. A Random Forest prediction model in combination with a variable importance analysis is conducted to identify the most important factors contributing to the observed increasing or decreasing GHG emission patterns. The results show that Energy Star Score is a significant factor in explaining an increasing GHG emission pattern. Similarly, the reduction in the GHG emission levels can be explained by the success in maintaining the Energy Star Score and significant reduction in the electricity and gas consumption of the buildings. The findings of the study can be used to prioritize actions and design appropriate policies to reduce the GHG emission of buildings.
Defect digital twinning: A technical framework to integrate robotics, AI and BIM for facility management and renovation
Authors: Chen J , Lu W , Ghansah F A , Peng Z 
Published: December 2022

Abstract
Buildings and infrastructure are aging around the world, calling for proper management and renovation. Awareness of defects occurred to the facilities is a prerequisite to make informed decisions. Despite extensive research in defect detection, it remains unclear how to timely update the dynamically changing defect condition at scale and with ease. This study aims to develop a technical framework that integrates robotics, artificial intelligence (AI), and building information modeling (BIM) to enable defect digital twinning. The framework establishes a mechanism to bridge defects in the physical world with their digital representations in the virtual world. It extends existing defect information modeling with a means to capture accurate and up-to-date as-damaged information in a timely manner. The proposed framework was evaluated with a 10-story residential building in Hong Kong. The case study demonstrates the effectiveness of the framework in twinning defects concerning their positions, geometry and dimensions. The research opens new possibilities to twin facility defects at street block or even city level to support urban renewal.
Prioritising urban green spaces using accessibility and quality as criteria
Authors: Rambhia M , Volk R , Rismanchi B , Winter S , Schultmann F 
Published: December 2022

Abstract
Urban green spaces are a critical component of cities, providing environmental, social, cultural, and economic benefits. To support smart(er) decisions by city planners and managers, this study aims to investigate how open data sources could be integrated into urban green space management. Specifically, it proposes a novel GIS-based method to prioritise urban green space in a resource-constraint scenario so that social benefits are maximised. To quantify the social benefits, the methodology is based on the WHO indicator, which recommends access to at least 0.5-1 ha of green space within 300 metres’ linear distance to all the city residents. The approach assigns each urban green space an ‘accessibility score’ based on its significance in the city, and a ‘quality score’ based on its performance on different quality parameters (size, greenness, quietness, and safety). Urban green spaces are ranked with respect to these two scores, enabling to prioritise spaces under resource constraints such as water shortage, limited staff, or budget. This approach is demonstrated through a case study on a mid-size German city and is transferable to other cities worldwide with varying weightage factors.
The Intra-Covid Renaissance: Envisioning Resilient Urban Neighbour- ‘Wood’
Authors: Okundaye B , Aigbe U O , Ogbolu G , Tzortzopoulos P , Gao Y 
Published: December 2022

Abstract
The focus of this study is on the influence of urban ‘woods’ on people’s quality of life in disadvantaged neighbourhoods investigated via the lens of architecture in a Sub-Saharan metropolis. The new intra-Covid Urban Agenda acknowledges that current urban and state-wide resilience management plans, policies, and practices of neighbourhood are failing. While the architectural sector— tasked with enhancing people’s quality of life, must promote more environmentally sustainable approaches to human-made surroundings, its design, and its management. The increasing attention on people’s health and well-being in human-made surroundings, as the intra-covid renaissance of a new age unfolds, calls into question the role of society’s environmental relationships. The study explicates ecologic, epidemiologic, and psychologic engaging scenarios. A city’s environment redesigned as Eco-equitable Community Absorbent Spaces (ECaS) can foster neighbourhoods with economic, mental, and physical cohesion— that in part encourage habitat disaster risk reduction and the health of the citizenry, when inclusive of all stakeholders’ ambition.
Opportunities for using blockchain in distributed solar energy projects
Authors: Gunarathna M A C L , Yang R J , Jayasuriya S , Wang K , Samarasinghalage T , Zang Y 
Published: December 2022

Abstract
The involvement of many stakeholders from diverse sectors throughout the distributed solar energy (DSE) project lifecycle and their discrete commitments to the project have lessened the stakeholder understanding in each other’s contribution. Communication between the stakeholders is not continuous and systematic; thus, the project information is not well-communicated for accurate decision making. Therefore, DSE projects have not yet won the complete stakeholder trust and its adoption in the building industry is not yet fully accepted. This study aims at exploring the opportunities for using blockchain technology to reduce/eliminate the trust issues and communication gaps along the DSE lifecycle. The study conducts 50 semi-structured interviews with building and energy stakeholders to identify the issues/ limitations which (1) reduce the stakeholder trust on DSE technologies and applications and (2) generate communication gaps along the DSE project lifecycle. Findings reveal that most of the issues/ limitations occurred due to the unavailability of a common platform for communication and information sharing, unavailability of information, improper record keeping and limited information security. The unique features of blockchain technology such as (1) distributed ledger technology (DLT), (2) smart contracts, (3) token-based access control, and (4) automated consensus and forking can effectively eliminate the identified issues/ limitations by providing (1) information accuracy and reliability, (2) information security, (3) open access to project information, (4) systematic record keeping and (5) proper governance of the system. The outcome of this study provides a systematic approach to increase the quality of communication in DSE projects design and management.
A taxonomy of pedestrian evacuation infrastructure for urban areas; an assessment of resilience towards natural hazards
Authors: Fathianpour Azin , Jelodar Mostafa Babaeian , Wilkinson Suzanne , Evans Barry 
Published: December 2022

Abstract
Many people in the world live in hazardous environments and are susceptible to disasters. In the time of a destructive event, a resilient community must be prepared to mitigate the event and quickly respond. An effective mitigation plan can lead to fewer fatalities and damages. One of the most critical tasks for mitigation is the evacuation process. Wherein short notice time, overcrowding, bottlenecks in infrastructure and challenging terrain and topography may worsen the situation. Amongst other things, the evacuation process encompasses transportation infrastructures referred to as corridors, signs, pedestrian footpaths, and/or shelter infrastructures for keeping people safe. Evacuation infrastructure can also become damaged after the event; therefore, it’s imperative to have a robust assessment of different evacuation infrastructures. This study will investigate the characteristics of the available evacuation infrastructure and outline the general drawbacks. A systematic methodology for reviewing articles has been implemented to understand how vulnerable cities can be more prepared, especially for pedestrian evacuation. An evacuation scoring system for pedestrians will be developed to investigate evacuation infrastructure in terms of different resilience features, such as redundancy, safe to fail, readiness, capacity. The most practical evacuation system will be estimated, with a final output being to provide the features of a successful pedestrian evacuation system for future policy use.
ABEM-based Simulation of Building Egression Safety for the Elderly Under Different Circumstances: Enlightenments of Healthy Residential Buildings for the Elderly
Authors: Zhang Fan , Chan Albert P.C. 
Published: December 2022

Abstract
People generally spend 90% of their time indoors. Owing to the increasing proportion of the elderly, how to develop healthy residential buildings, especially for the elderly, has raised more concerns. Even though many researchers have studied the healthy performance within the home environment of the elderly, there is little research focusing on the safety of indoor public spaces in mid-rise or high-rise residential buildings that are quite common in high-density cities. Dissimilar to other ordinary residents, the elderly would take changing and greater dangers during the egression under normal and urgent circumstances. Therefore, this study aims to explore building egression safety for the elderly under diverse circumstances. The agent-based egression models (ABEMs) are developed to simulate the egression process, and absolute values and relative values of simulation results are proposed to explore the egression safety for the elderly. One ten-story residential building is adopted as the case of simulation. The findings reveal how building egression safety for the elderly changes with different circumstances. This study offers an effective tool to ensure building egression safety. In practice, the ABEM-based simulation and indicators of building egression safety would benefit several stakeholders, by helping the designers and developers to improve their design schemes for better egression safety in the design stage, assisting the developers and property managers in updating egression plans and facilities based on the new occupancy status in the operation stage, helping potential old home buyers to make decisions, and finally facilitating the development of healthy residential buildings.
‘People first’ responses to an externality
Authors: Lester Ellyn A , Lester Hugh 
Published: December 2022

Abstract
Professional service firms in the built environment are subject to externalities. Whether these forces are related to economic downturns, changes in the regulatory environment, natural disasters, trade wars, armed conflict, mass migration, hyperinflation, climate change, global pandemics, entropy, or even the never foreseen, firms must adapt, reposition, and rebound from negative events. The ability to adapt is best personified by the people that make up a firm. When one firm’s major commission was completely altered overnight due to the passing of major legislation that changed the mission and mandate of the agency that commissioned the work, the firm was nimble enough to pivot, make judgments about what scope could still be accomplished within the deadline, and determine who to assign the necessary tasks to get the job accomplished. The experience forced mentors to step up, mentees to step out of their comfort zones, the team to congeal under pressure, and resulted in an unmanageable deadline being met despite difficult odds and a myriad of factors beyond the firm’s control. Only mentorship, knowledge sharing, resilience, and dedication allowed a positive result for the firm, the client, the user agency, and those served by the institution. It also furthered the standing perception of the firm as the trusted advisor that finds a way. This case study in the mitigation of exogenous shocks through a ‘people first’ strategy will highlight potential A/E/C industry responses to similar events.
Management of infection prevention and control in the development of new hospital buildings – effective stakeholder engagement during design and construction
Authors: Roche F , Hare B , Curtis K , Price L 
Published: December 2022

AbstractSpecific elements of building services such as heating, ventilation or water supply systems can play a key role in infection prevention and control (IPC) within hospital buildings and links between the design of such systems and increased rates of healthcare associated infections (HAI) have been identified. These links are complex and multifactorial and several issues have a bearing on this relationship during the construction of a hospital buildings. One such issue is the nature and efficacy of the engagement of IPC specialists employed by the client end user during the development process. Good management of IPC issues not only supports effective IPC team engagement but depends upon it to achieve key aims. Research suggests, however, that the quality of IPC team engagement is not always optimal and there is a gap in knowledge around how this can be addressed.This research focuses on a qualitative evaluation of the nature and efficacy of the engagement of IPC teams in the construction lifecycle development of new hospitals. Using in-depth interview data, the experiences of IPC team members will be explored and barriers and facilitators to high quality engagement identified. This data will be used to develop the foundational principles of an improvement strategy for the engagement of IPC teams within the construction lifecycle development of new hospitals in the UK. Post-pandemic, the role of the built environment in the spread of infection and the processes developed to manage this will be under increased scrutiny. This paper adds to this growing body of research.
Weather and Suicide of Construction Workers in Australia
Authors: Alashwal A , Moustafa A A 
Published: December 2022

Abstract
The suicide rate among construction workers is high in Australia and other developed countries. Suicide has many negative consequences on the families of the deceased, the construction sector, and the economy. This literature review paper discusses several factors underlying the suicide of construction workers, including relationship problems, untreated psychiatric conditions, job stress, workplace injury, job insecurity, and substance abuse. However, seasonality or weather has not been directly investigated as one of the triggering causes of the suicide of construction workers. The purpose of this paper is to shed more light on the role of weather in increasing the suicide rate. Construction workers, especially blue-collars, work on sites under severe weather conditions. As a result, workers are often exposed to different physical and psychological issues. Research in the psychology field has established the seasonality pattern of suicide among the general population. The review suggests that there is a potential for suicide among construction workers to follow a seasonality pattern with a correlation between the suicide rate and temperature, sunshine, and humidity. This notion is yet to be confirmed using an empirical study in the future.
Computer vision-based human-machine collision warning system on construction site
Authors: Gu Botao , Guo Hongling , Huang Yuecheng , Lim Huey Wen , Fang Dongping 
Published: December 2022

Abstract
With the increase of mechanization in the construction industry, more and more construction machines appear on construction sites. This improves construction efficiency but leads to the high risk of human-machine collision. At present, human-machine collision risks are usually monitored and warned manually. It is difficult to identify relevant risks in time due to the lack of sufficient safety supervisors. This paper proposes an efficient human-machine collision warning system based on computer vision and deep learning. The designed system and relevant devices are installed on construction machinery. It can quickly identify workers and measure the distance between workers and machinery in the complex and dynamic environment so as to quickly warn the risk of human-machine collision based on a threshold. Power supply restriction and harsh environment such as dust and vibration are also considered to ensure the stable and effective operation of the system. The system was tested on a construction site for 6 weeks. The result shows that the system has a significant positive effect on the early warning of human-machine collision risk, thus benefiting the improvement of safety performance of workers in human-machine collaboration scenes.
A Comparative Study of Occupational Safety and Health (OS&H) Regulations in United States, United Kingdom, Australia, South Africa, and Oman
Authors: Umar Tariq , Umeokafor Nnedinma , Honnur Vali Mohamed Shaik , Zia Asad 
Published: December 2022

Abstract
This article identifies the gaps in OS&H regulations in Omani construction using a critical review and analysis of relevant literature. Four countries United States of America (USA), United Kingdom (UK), Australia (AUS), and South Africa (SA) were then compared to Oman in relation to selected regulations. The study reveals fall from a height is one of the main causes of accidents in different sectors in Oman however there are no specific regulations that cover this cause of accidents in detail. The only regulation which applies to the “fall from a height” is the regulation of OS&H, issued by the Ministry of Manpower. Overall, the whole regulations applicable in Oman shows that although the term fall, appear several times in the regulation, the full spectrum of the fall protection is not covered in detail. The provision of chemical hazards in Omani regulations is not of the standards as adopted in the USA, UK, AUS, and SA. There is limited information for the regulated to support adequate compliance. While the term “scaffolding” was not found in the current regulations enforced in Oman, the term “ladder” was, however, used at five different instances in the regulations which obviously cannot substitute the scaffolding.
Application of Technological Tools in Improving Housing Resilience
Authors: Shaikh Saima , Brown Andre , Enegbuma Wallace Imoudu 
Published: December 2022

Abstract
Seismic events pose a significant threat, particularly to rural communities, with poorly developed construction practices. This has resulted in the loss of life and considerable economic losses owing to substantial numbers of house collapses. The application of best practice in disaster construction knowledge as a means of significantly improving housing resilience is, therefore, a key challenge for most rural construction practices. In this context, effective utilization of available, and feasible technologies in rural areas can help to solve the problem of the inadequate facilitation of communication that is needed to deliver knowledge on the construction of long-term disaster-resilient housing. The study examines the potential for improvement of housing resilience from a disaster knowledge perspective. It responds to the challenges of the effective application of best building practice guidelines in such contexts. The main question of our research is, “Are communication technology tools capable of having a positive effect in establishing a knowledge transfer framework in rural Pakistan?”. The study employs both literature and questionnaire survey, and explores the availability and usability of technologies. It takes a premise in which effective knowledge transfer via reasonably available technological tools can be actionable and made operational. Our findings support the creation of a knowledge transfer framework for rural housing construction to improve disaster mitigation. The approach can assist rural communities in reducing losses and improving response and recovery, thereby improving housing resilience and lowering vulnerabilities.