John M. Kamara

• BEng, MA, PhD
• Professor (Associate) at Newcastle University

It is common in architectural conservation organizations that some conservation knowledge is not frequently provided. This calls for the necessity to access external sources of knowledge. This paper aims to investigate the current situation of managing the external knowledge in the context of the Management of Historical Cities Bureau in Tripoli, L...

This paper aims to investigate the key factors that affect the management of knowledge in the context of the Management of Historic Cities Bureau Organization (MHCB) in Libya. An approach of qualitative research was adopted for collecting and analyzing data. Multiple methods were used for collecting data and information, including interviews,...

This research investigates the use of Building Energy Performance Simulation (BEPS) tools in the early stages of building design in UK architectural practices with a particular focus on the barriers and opportunities to their effective application and further uptake. Two primary methods of investigation were undertaken; the first was a wide survey...

The adaptability of buildings addresses the responses of buildings to the changing needs of owners/users and the demands of external factors, over their lifecycle. An understanding of these changes is therefore key to the creation of adaptable buildings. This paper reports research which was aimed at modelling building changes to better understand...

With increasing restrictions on energy demands in buildings, Building Energy Performance Simulation (BEPS) tools have been rapidly evolving since their first appearance in the early 1960s. Attempts to merge BEPS with the building design process have faced a number of challenges related to tool technicalities, user-friendliness, and data availabilit...

Measuring and rating resilience of assets is a key enabler for asset and portfolio management. This paper presents a resilience rating system for buildings by utilising a Building Information Modelling approach. The assessment is carried out through a calculation following the Analytical Hierarchy Process. This methodology can be applied to differe...

Purpose This paper provides a critical review of developments in the adaptability of buildings. The purpose of this paper is to determine the current “state-of-the-art”, describe current thinking and trends in research and practice, and identify issues and gaps that further research can address. It provides a basis for a scientific and practical un...

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the adaptations that have been made to traditional courtyard houses (TCHs) in Baghdad, Iraq. The aim is to develop an understanding of various factors in the adaptation of these buildings to suit contemporary lifestyles, which will contribute to the wider field of building adaptability. Design/me...

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the contribution of the design quality indicator (DQI) tool in the management of client requirements in construction projects, and propose a requirements-oriented project process (ROPP) to ensure continued focus on client requirements throughout the lifecycle of a project. Design/methodology/approach...

Rating systems are assumed as instruments to endorse architectural quality, reliability, energy efficiency, economic convenience and finally expose a sustainability label. Moreover, these tools can be tied to a BIM model. The aim of this research is to set up a lean methodology to fulfil CESBA requirements through Construction to Operations Buildin...

Most of the building stock in Europe has been built in the sixties and nowadays it is not always fulfilling current requirements coming from binding laws, voluntary standards and clients’ needs. When dealing with assets acquisition or with decisions on their reuse and refurbishment, it always takes a big effort just to understand if a building comp...

The changing needs of building owners and users over time requires that buildings are adaptable to these changing needs over the lifecycle of buildings. Changes to building regulations, demand for enhanced building performance (e.g. in energy use), and the inadequate supply of new building stock (among other factors) further exacerbate the need to...

The creation and management of buildings over their lifecycle involves the cooperation of many organizations, which broadly fall into a client domain and AEC (architecture, engineering, construction) domain. While this mix of expertise is essential, the ineffective management of the boundaries between these organizations can undermine building life...

The Design Quality Indicator (DQI) tool was developed to allow stakeholders connected with a construction project to define indicators that can used to assess the design and construction quality of a building. While it is primarily focused on design quality issues, it also fosters communication and the management of expectations among stakeholders...

The increasing urbanization in China has created a high demand for housing and other infrastructure. Meeting this demand has huge resource implications with potentially harmful effects on the environment. A sustainable approach to construction is therefore a way forward to ensure that the competing needs for housing, economic development and protec...

Building Information Models (BIM) are becoming a new design standard for storing and exchanging information about a facility. Usually, as-built information is available for new buildings whereas existing buildings, rarely, have a 3D as-built BIM model. 3D Laser Scanners offer the opportunity for faster and less error-prone creation of as-built BIM...

The conceptual design stage often involves a compound set of objectives and constraints such as abstract notions of function and aesthetic, performance, project requirements, site constraints, and construction costs. To respond to these complexities, a number of design instances and alternatives need to be developed and assessed against predefined...

Private Finance Initiative (PFI) projects are a form of public private partnership where a single (private sector) organization provides the financing, design, construction and operation of facility over a 25/30-year period. This article reports a case study of a PFI project involving three multi-faceted organizations. The aim was to explore issues...

IntroductionThe Concept of Concurrent EngineeringImplementation of CEBenefits of Concurrent EngineeringCE in ConstructionCritical Enablers of CE Adoption in the Construction IndustryOvercoming Barriers to CE AdoptionBenefits of CE to the Construction IndustryConclusion Acknowledgement

The application of mobile computing in construction is becoming a major research theme in the domain of Information Technology in Construction. However, most research in this area focuses on a detailed aspect or single facet of a mobile computing technology. This paper introduces a framework for the implementation of mobile computing on constructio...

An organisation’s competitive advantage lies in the knowledge of its employees and the organisation’s ability to harness that knowledge to meet business objectives. Knowledge management is recognised in the construction industry as a potential tool for providing organisational benefits, but for a number of reasons – particularly the project based n...

System architecture of prototype applicationDevelopment of the Web-based knowledge baseRefinement of the IWS and user interfaceOperation of the prototype applicationTesting and evaluation of Capri.net

IntroductionCollaborative learningCL in constructionPrevious research in CLImplementing CL in construction projectsSummary/conclusions

IntroductionRequirements-oriented project processProject requirements documentDiscussion and conclusionsReferences

The concept of Knowledge Management (KM) is now widely embraced in the Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) industry, and many strategies and tools have been (and are being) developed for its implementation in the industry. Much of these efforts, however, are targeted at the firm-level, and they do not facilitate the collective learning...

IntroductionThe nature of projectsConstruction projectsCross-project knowledge transferLive capture and reuse of project knowledgeConclusions

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to develop a model for the use of mobile computing in the management of on‐site construction information and communication. Design/methodology/approach – The research strategy contains three steps: a pilot study for the first stage, a survey that investigated the information needs of particular users and the...

The efforts to share and reuse knowledge generated on construction projects are undermined mainly by the loss of important insights and knowledge due to the time lapse in capturing the knowledge, staff turnover, and people’s reluctance to share knowledge. To address this, it is crucial for knowledge to be captured “live” in a collaborative environm...

In construction industry, project knowledge is often lost due to the time lapse in capturing the knowledge, staff turnover, and the disbandment of the project team after the completion of a project. The ability to capture important knowledge from ongoing projects in real-time not only can help to prevent the knowledge loss problem, it also enables...

It is important that the knowledge generated on construction projects is captured and shared between project team members for continuous improvement, to prevent the 're-invention of the wheel' and to avoid repetition of previous mistakes. However, this is undermined mainly by the loss of important insights and knowledge due to time lapse in capturi...

This article was published in the Journal of Construction Engineering and Management [© ASCE]. The definitive version is available at: http://cedb.asce.org/cgi/WWWdisplay.cgi?0602931 Attitudes to knowledge management (KM) have changed considerably as organizations are now realizing its benefits. Implementation, however, has been facing serious diff...

The promised benefits from implementing knowledge management (KM) attract an increasing number of organizations. However, many organizations, face several difficulties when designing a KM system or implementing its initiatives. These difficulties, along with some unsuccessful KM initiatives worry many organizations interested in the concept. This p...

There are a growing number of research projects on knowledge management addressing various issues in construction, but the live capture and reuse of construction project knowledge has remained a major challenge that has not been adequately addressed. This paper describes work forming part of the research project on capturing and reusing of project...

The concept of knowledge management (KM) is now familiar to the construction industry, and various attempts are being made to develop tools and techniques for the effective management of knowledge in the industry. This paper addresses the 'live' capture of construction project knowledge, which is as yet, an elusive goal in KM efforts. It describes...

While organisations recognise that Knowledge Management (KM) is essential for improving performance, many have difficulties in developing strategies for implementation. The nature of knowledge is of particular complexity in organisations such as those within the construction industry characterised by temporary 'virtual' organisations formed for the...

The effective management of knowledge is being recognised as a vehicle through which organisations can address their need for innovation and improved business performance. This paper describes a framework for selecting a knowledge management strategy that is appropriate to the organisational and cultural context of an organisation. The framework is...

Knowledge management (KM) is now recognized as a core business concern and intellectual assets play a vital role in gaining competitive advantage. Within the architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) industry, where the need for innovation and improved business performance requires the effective deployment and utilization of project knowledg...

The advent of e-commerce is revolutionising the way individuals and businesses procure goods and services. There has been tremendous growth in the so-called ''Business-to-Customer'' (B2C) transactions, with the most significant impact on business processes expected to be made by ''Business-to- Business'' (B2B) transactions. While other industry sec...

Describes a study that exploits the potential of fuzzy systems in construction through the development of a decision support system which is capable of handling fuzziness in the collaborative decision-making process. The proposed system is intended to provide an objective and rational framework within which collaborative decisions can be made by vi...

Concurrent engineering (CE) is seen as a key to the integration of the construction process. Its implementation in the construction industry requires an adequate assessment of existing practices within the industry to determine the kind of processes and tools that need to be developed. This paper focuses on the briefing stage in the construction pr...

This paper describes a prototype software, ClientPro, which was developed in response to the need for computer based tools to support the early stages of the construction process. ClientPro was developed as a Microsoft Access application, and it is designed to facilitate the effective processing of client requirements on construction projects. The...

The realization that concurrent engineering can be adopted in construction has led to various efforts to develop appropriate tools and techniques for its implementation in the industry. This paper discusses the role of client requirements processing in implementing concurrent engineering in construction. Client requirements processing refers to the...

This paper extends previous work on the use of quality function deployment for client requirements processing in construction. It describes a computer-based application, ClientPro, which implements a quality-function-deployment-based model for the definition, analysis, and translation of client requirements into solution-neutral design specificatio...

Client requirements processing (CRP) refers to the definition, analysis and translation of client requirements into solution-neutral design specifications. It is a key aspectof the implementation of concurrent engineering in construction, as it facilitates concurrent working by supporting communication between different professionals regarding desi...

Describes a process model for processing client requirements, which was developed in response to the need for an appropriate framework for client requirements processing in construction. The model, which is represented using the IDEF-0 modelling method, draws from requirements processing techniques in manufacturing and requirements engineering, and...

The potential of concurrent engineering in the integration of the construction industry is now widely acknowledged. This paper describes research on the development of a model for processing client requirements so as to facilitate the implementation of an inte grated framework for concurrent life-cycle design and construction. Client requirements p...

Most business organisations often cite the staff as their greatest asset but have not appropriate mechanisms for managing the knowledge or intellectual capital that is embodied in these staff. The importance of Knowledge Management is now being realised and businesses are starting to formulate strategies and to invest in systems that will enable th...

As the initiators and financiers of projects, clients are central to the construction process. The satisfaction of their requirements should therefore be the ultimate goal of all parties in a project. There are many factors, such as project organisation, design, construction and quality of materials, which contribute to client satisfaction. However...

This paper describes an information model for client requirements processing in construction. It derives from a process model for client requirements processing which was developed in response to the need for an appropriate tool to define, analyze and translate, within an integrated framework for concurrent life-cycle design and construction, the e...

This paper discusses two initiatives for sustainable community development by a local church organisation in Makeni, Sierra Leone. These are: the Wesleyan Development Education and Awareness Building (WDEAB) Programme, and The Women's Loan Scheme (WLS) Project. The awareness building programme was developed to facilitate the initiation of community...

This paper describes a new approach to the improved processing of clients' requirements in construction. It is designed to address the deficiencies in current briefing practices, as well as satisfy the requirements for requirements processing in concurrent life-cycle design and construction. This approach is based on a client requirements processin...

The potential of concurrent engineering in the integration of the construction industry is now widely acknowledged. This paper describes research on the development of a model for processing client requirements so as to facilitate the implementation of an integrated framework for concurrent life-cycle design and construction. Client requirements pr...

This paper attempts to make a preliminary application of the ideas put forward in a recent Guest Editorial in Habitat International2 which calls for a shift in targeting housing intervention from the householder/house interface to the contractor/house and householder/contractor interfaces. Impressionistic evidence based on the personal experience o...

Construction sites are information intensive environments. Various construction personnel in the field need large amounts of information ranging from proj-ect design drawings to personal diaries to support their ongoing works. The emergence of Mobile Computing (MC) has the potential to improve information management on construction sites and enlarg...

This paper describes an information model for the establishment and processing of client requirements on construction projects (briefing). The model is described using the EXPRESS-G graphical notation, and it provides a formal representation of the na- ture, sources and interrelationships between information required for the implemen- tation of a m...

Clients are central to the Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) industry and the adequate implementation of their requirements is vital for project success. To this end, many tools, such as the Client Requirements Processing Model (CRPM), have been developed to facilitate the capture and representation of client requirements in design....

The briefing process in construction, which is used to communicate client objectives for a project, is an evolutionary process where design is used to clarify client requirements. This approach implies that a solution is formulated from a hazy understanding of client requirements, and therefore has the potential of shifting focus from the client to...

Construction work sites are the places where actual construction activities are carried out. However, onsite information communications are hardly supported by information technology. The advance of mobile computing gives the construction industry a powerful potential to extend the boundary of information systems to construction work sites. This pa...

BLDSC reference no.: DX213999. Thesis (doctoral)--University of Teesside, 1999.