Seosamh B. Costello

Personal Exposure to Air Pollution for Various Modes of Transport in Auckland, New Zealand

This paper investigates the carbon monoxide (CO) doses received while commuting by different modes (car, bus, train, motorcycle, bicycle and running), taking into account the commute time as well as the level of physical activity required. While the participants were constrained to travel at specific peak traffic times and between designated start and end points, they were free to choose a route appropriate for their mode of transport. The results of this study suggest that the lowest exposures (concentrations of pollutants) are experienced by train commuters, largely a reflection of the routes being removed from any significant road traffic. Motorcyclists experienced significantly higher average concentrations as a result of high-concentration and very-short-duration peaks not seen in the traces of car and bus commuters travelling on the same road. Travel by bus along a dedicated busway was also found to be effective in reducing commuter air pollution exposure compared to travel by car on a congested stretch of motorway. The average concentrations to which cyclists and runners were exposed were found to be not significantly different for those travelling by car or bus (except when on dedicated pedestrian/cycleways). However, when the increased physical activity that is required is taken into account (leading to higher volumes of air breathed) along with the increased commuting time (especially in the case of runners), the air pollution doses (as estimated by the product of the concentration, commute time and breathing factor) were found to be significantly higher than for the motorised modes. The results suggest that separate pedestrian/cycleways go some way towards providing healthier options for cyclists and pedestrians.

Key practice indicators of team integration in construction projects: a review

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to identify, review and classify the key practice indicators of successful team integration in construction projects, with the intention of gaining a greater insight into how they influence team dynamics.Design/methodology/approach – This is a review paper that draws on existing research and, through observation of previous studies, identifies patterns to produce a greater understanding of the indicators affecting team integration in construction projects.Findings – The review identified 15 key practice indicators of team integration from the literature, which together form the basis for transforming disparate project teams into a highly integrated team. It is argued that although there is an element of interdependence between some of the indicators, for the purpose of defining team integration practice by means of key indicators it is important to consider them independently because each indicator represents a key element of team integration practice. The indicators...

Development of a conceptual team integration performance index for alliance projects

Project alliancing, also known as collaborative contracting, is designed to foster integration practice between multidisciplinary teams involved in delivering construction projects. If continuous improvement in project alliances is to be achieved through the use of integrated teams, a means of assessing how well teams integrate and how that integration changes over time needs to be introduced. As part of a wider study to develop an assessment tool for team integration in road construction alliance projects, key indicators (KIs) are identified for measuring team integration practice. It is necessary to identify not only the relevant KIs, but also which indicators are dominant, thereby focusing the attention of owners and non-owner participants (NOPs) on those that will have the greatest impact on alliance team integration. Seventeen experienced road construction alliance practitioners participated in four rounds of a Delphi questionnaire to identify the KIs. The resulting seven team integration practice KIs were: team leadership; trust and respect; a single team focus on project objectives and key result areas (KRAs); collective understanding; commitment from project alliance board; creation of single and co-located alliance team; and free flow communication. A conceptual alliance team integration performance index (ATIPI) was then developed based on the identified KIs and their relative significance. The ATIPI takes the form of a linear additive weighting model, consisting of a measure for each of the identified KIs and a corresponding weighting coefficient, identified as part of this research. A linear additive weighting model is considered appropriate based on the lack of correlation between the KIs, thus suggesting that they can be considered as independent variables in the ATIPI. The measures for each KI will be determined as part of future research and will result in a fully working model for the ATIPI.

Key indicators influencing the management of team integration in construction projects

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to validate a list of key indicators (KIs) of team integration identified from construction management literature, identify the most significant KIs and provide suggestions on how to influence team integration, based on the opinion of an established construction peer group in New Zealand. Design/methodology/approach – A literature review was conducted to identify and consolidate a set of KIs of team integration. Subsequently, a set of questions was designed to gain insight and opinion in terms of the significance and ranking of the identified indicators, as well as suggestions on how to influence the integration practice. Findings – Analysis of the survey results showed that all relevant indicators have a strong influence towards determining the success of team integration in construction projects. The top-ranked indicators that contribute towards successful team integration are all relationship orientated as follows; single team focus on goals and objectives, trust ...

Improving construction sector resilience

Purpose Improving the resilience of the construction sector helps countries recover quicker from crises and can assist with improving community resilience and recovery. This study aims to explore ways in which the construction sector might improve its resilience. Design/methodology/approach This paper examined past disasters and the role construction plays to understand what and how better construction resilience can be built, and the impact this will have on recovery and reconstruction. Findings The findings showed that after a crisis, the construction sector is called upon to manage building and infrastructure recovery and reconstruction. Construction organisations are needed by the community, as they provide physical resources, people, materials, logistics, management and technical expertise and rebuilding. To ensure that recovery and reconstruction programs are successfully implemented, it is necessary for the construction sector to be resilient. To achieve improved resilience in the construction industry, disaster resilience management needs to become mainstreamed into construction processes. Research limitations/implications Although larger organisations have some preparation to respond to crises, including having emergency or disaster plans, smaller companies struggle to achieve a reasonable level of resilience. It appears that senior management and key people in construction organisations are familiar with the procedures but that the majority of staff in organisations lack knowledge and skills. Practical implications Understanding the role the construction sector plays in disasters and providing directions for improving construction sector resilience will ultimately improve recovery and reconstruction outcomes. Social Implications This paper discusses how communities rely on services provided by construction organisations to enable them to recover from emergencies and crises. Pre-disaster construction company resilience impacts on the ability of construction companies to function post-disaster. Originality/value This paper focuses on a number of cases and shows where and how the construction sector has worked in disasters and provides a new analysis of the role the industry plays, and the various disaster stages where the industry has maximum impact.

Establishment of quantitative measures for team integration assessment in alliance projects

AbstractThe ability to sustain and consistently drive integration practice is vital for alliance teams as it promotes a collaborative culture and the continuity of equitable relationships to improve project performance. An alliance team integration performance index (ATIPI) has been previously developed based on seven weighted key indicators for alliance projects as follows: team leadership; trust and respect; a single team focus on project objectives and key results areas; collective understanding; commitment from project alliance board; creation of single and collocated alliance team; and free-flow communication. The ATIPI provides a point of reference for alliance teams to monitor, measure, and improve the performance of their integration practice. Given that the ATIPI is still at a conceptual stage, an appropriate measure, preferably objective, needs to be established. Consequently, the main objective of this paper is to identify quantitative measures for each key indicator to provide an objective ass...

Exploring construction client values and qualities: Are these two distinct concepts in construction studies?

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to focus on exploring the construction client values and qualities reported by scholars over the last 20 years, along with clarifying commonalities and differences between “value” and “quality” in terms of definitions and their constituent attributes in the context of construction. Design/methodology/approach An in-depth, systematic literature review was used to develop a basis for identifying client values and qualities. During the research process, citation analysis has been applied to understand these attributes in the literature. Findings While the findings may appear to align with the value theory concept of a strong interrelationship between quality and value, the authors argue that there is an intermingling of various subjective and objective preferences within construction scholarship, rather than a broad-brush adherence to the value theory and other related theories. Research limitations/implications A qualitative research approach of inductive analysis was conducted using the semantics of terms and codes. Although reliability checks have been conducted, the generalisability of the study findings is subject to natural methodological limitations. Practical implications This study provides initial guidance on what contractors need to consider while providing services, and leads contractors to give their clients the best possible experience during a relationship. It proposes a shift in the way construction clients assess their contractors, to improve how services are delivered. Originality/value Enhancing client value is not straightforward, hence strong emphasis has been placed on understanding client values in this study, which contributes to the construction literature by facilitating further research leading to stronger construct definitions and theory-building efforts.

Development of an assessment tool for team integration in alliance projects

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to report on a doctoral thesis that developed an Alliance Team Integration Performance Index (ATIPI), an assessment tool for measuring team integration performance in alliance projects. It provides a summary of the thesis findings, shares the candidate’s doctoral journey and discusses both the thesis “with publication” format and the doctoral programme at the University of Auckland. Design/methodology/approach – This study employed a qualitative and quantitative research methodology (mixed methods research). Research methods applied as reported in this thesis include the Delphi questionnaire survey, interviews and empirical questionnaire surveys with the alliance experts involved in road infrastructure projects. Findings – Results from the thesis indicate that the ATIPI is characterized by three elements: first, the most significant Key Indicators (KIs), signifying their dominant influence; second, the suitable quantitative measures for each of the KIs, to promote ob...

Client values within post-disaster reconstruction contracting services

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore and prioritize the key client values within contracting services for reconstructing the built environment in post-disaster situations. Design/methodology/approach A literature review, semi-structured interviews and questionnaire survey were included in this study. A comparative analysis was used to obtain different perspectives between public and private sectors. Findings A total of 39 client values were identified in this study. Clients for disaster reconstruction services put more emphasis on values such as timeliness, availability of resources, competency, building a trust-based relationship, financial stability, and communication techniques than contract price. Public and private clients have a different perspective regarding the importance of the identified values, while these are not statistically significant for the most important values. Research limitations/implications The construction literature is focussed on business-as-usual rather than post-disaster reconstruction. To ensure that reconstruction programmes after a disaster are successfully implemented, it is necessary to identify and prioritize the client values within contracting services. Focussing the attention of the service providers on these values is believed to have the greatest impact on the programmes’ success. Practical implications Understanding the client values identified by this study can aid contractors to better prepare for reconstruction programmes and provide improved services to clients. Originality/value A number of important client values within contracting services that appear to have a bearing on the success of disaster reconstruction programmes were identified in this study.

A Fuzzy Approach to Developing Scales for Performance Levels of Alliance Team Integration Assessment

AbstractUnderstanding the level of team integration in alliance projects, and how it changes over time, is key to maintaining consistently high levels of integration, and therefore performance, in highly complex projects. In response to the need to integrate teams, the Alliance Team Integration Performance Index (ATIPI), which combines seven weighted key indicators (KIs) and a set of corresponding quantitative measures (QMs) for measuring the team integration in alliance projects, was developed as part of previous research. However, the subjectivity inherent in assessing such performance requires the establishment of well-defined performance scales to ensure consistency and reliability when assessing performance. In order to address this gap in the body of knowledge, 17 recognized experts in the field of project alliancing participated in a questionnaire survey to help develop the performance scales. A systematic procedure based on fuzzy set theory, namely, the modified horizontal approach, was then appli...