Carolyn Hayles

An examination of decision making in post disaster housing reconstruction

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the key challenges facing non‐governmental organisations (NGOs) during decision making in post disaster housing reconstruction.Design/methodology/approach – An extensive literature review was undertaken to establish the key challenges facing disaster management practitioners. Following this review, practitioners from leading NGOs were asked to discuss their experiences of post disaster housing reconstruction including the issues of hazard risk and appropriate mitigation including increasing vulnerability due to climate change, end‐users and stakeholder consultation in planning and design, technological solutions, and constructing the build; as these were identified in the literature as the principal challenges being faced by practitioners in the pursuit of sustainable construction.Findings – The research results presented in this paper provide clear insights into the decision‐making practices of these NGOs and establish where improvements need to be made. ...

Curriculum Change for Sustainability

Abstract January 2005 saw the launch of the United Nations’ ‘Decade of Education for Sustainability’ and with it a number of initiatives to promote sustainability education within the built environment disciplines. At the School of Property, Construction and Project Management, RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia, interest was generated by a project working to embed sustainability within the core curriculum of different schools across the university. This paper describes the pedagogical research approach adopted to embed sustainability into the core curriculum within the School. The main focus of this research was based on capacity building through reflective practice. Staff members were encouraged to engage with the project team and to develop their own understanding of sustainability, while resources were provided to assist staff to make changes to their modules. In addition three new modules were developed as part of the project to give students the opportunity to further explore sustainability in the built environment. Delivery of these new modules is significant as there has been a move away from lectures to a hands on approach, making it easier for students to foster values and behaviours, deepening their understanding of sustainability.

Climate change: comparative impact on developing and developed countries

Government organizations are responsible for strategic decisions regarding the economic development of individual countries and regional areas. This decision-making process is influenced by the certainty of the information presented to government officials. One area where this decision-making influence is challenging government officials is in climate-based events. The past decade has witnessed a significant rise in the number of climate events, as well as the number of people affected by climate events. Far from being under control, evidence and long-term projections suggest that these events are climate-based rather than weather-based. In these projections, climate change is a global issue with potential impacts for every country. However, the relative impact of these events will be far different in the developed and developing worlds. As detailed in this paper, the authors examined this disparity through an analysis of 10 countries with varying income levels to determine the relative impact of climate ...

An analysis of value management in practice: the case of Northern Ireland's construction industry

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to report the findings of research into the principles and procedures associated with value management (VM) and assess its use and effectiveness within the construction industry in Northern Ireland. It provides a brief review of the principles, various procedures and methods associated with VM, investigates the positive and negative factors relating to its use whilst analysing the extent of its usage and determining its effectiveness.Design/methodology/approach – Using a mixed method approach, the authors present the results of a survey of construction professionals operating in Northern Ireland and provide an examination of three case studies exploring the use of VM within the Northern Ireland construction industry.Findings – In an industry where the clients needs and demands are of paramount importance, VM has emerged as a tool which can help satisfy these needs. This study shows that VM is frequently used within the Northern Ireland construction industry and on t...

Climate change adaptation : a decision support framework to encourage environmentally responsible behaviour

Purpose – In this paper, the authors present the Awareness Behaviour Intervention Action (ABIA) framework, a new system developed by them to support environmentally responsible behaviour (ERB). Design/methodology/approach – Previous ERB programmes have failed to deliver lasting results; they have not appropriately understood and provided systems to address ERB (Costanzo et al., 1986). The ABIA framework has been developed in line with behavioural studies in other disciplines. A preliminary pilot study has been carried out with social housing residents in order to understand the frameworks efficacy. Findings – The ABIA framework enables a better understanding of current attitudes to environmental issues and provides support for ERB alongside technological interventions employed to promote carbon reduction. Research limitations/implications – The ABIA framework could be tested on individuals and communities in a variety of socio-economic, political and cultural contexts. This will help unpack how it can im...

Potential Impact of Climate Change on Municipal Buildings in South Africa

Abstract Municipal buildings are an essential component of daily life. Without schools, hospitals and other public buildings, society and economy could not function. Therefore a failure to consider the potential impact of climate change on municipal buildings would be both costly and detrimental to sustainable development. In this paper the authors present research undertaken to ascertain the potential impacts of climate impacts on municipal buildings in South Africa. A two-phase approach was adopted. Firstly the appropriate climate effects on a given building inventory, in a selected location, were determined; then the cost impacts on that building (based on a set of stressor-response functions) were applied. The results of the study predict that the total impact of climate change on buildings in South Africa could vary between USD

The impact of climate change on road and building infrastructure:a four-country study

42.7 million average annual costs in the median scenario and USD

Dynamic Knowledge Creation through Value Management Teams

214.3 million average annual costs in the maximum scenario. The results presented are all incurred costs, which need to be addressed to avoid health and safety issues. However costs would be much higher if the existing stock was augmented without considering climate change impacts. The research provides an understanding of the cost of climate change and how the maintenance and adaptation of the unsustainable buildings may divert resources from sustainable development. The results of the research may also present an opportunity for existing buildings to be retrofitted with alternative, sustainable technologies, which serve to decrease vulnerability to climate change impacts going forward.

Social housing tenants, Climate Change and sustainable living: A study of awareness, behaviours and willingness to adapt

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to examine the potential impact of climate change on the built environment in four Northern Asian countries. The impact on roads and buildings infrastructure in China, Japan, South Korea and Mongolia were considered during the decades 2030, 2050 and 2090. Design/methodology/approach – The study is based on a stressor-response approach, where using the analysis of 17 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) approved Global Circulation Model (GCM) scenarios, projections for impacts from flooding events, precipitation amounts and temperature were determined. The cost of the impacts, based on both maintenance and new construction considerations, were then determined. “Adapt” and “No Adapt” scenarios were incorporated to predict potential costs in each era. Findings – Mongolia is vulnerable under the majority of scenarios and faces the greatest opportunity cost in terms of potential loss to enhancing the road stock. China is also vulnerable, but the extent of this...