Mohammad A. Hassanain

King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals | KFUPM · Architectural Engineering Department

The oil and gas (O&G) sector depends on information analysis, making digital transformation vital. Industry-specific factors like environmental, regulatory, operational, and security challenges shape its tech adoption. This paper identifies and examines the barriers and drivers of digital transformation in O&G through a literature review and expert...

The increasing global influence of FM in higher education institutions (HEIs) reported in the literature necessitates a comprehensive examination of the research landscape, with emphasis on how facility management (FM) plays a crucial role in enhancing the quality of teaching, learning, and research environments. This study provides an analysis of...

Forecasting the final cost of construction projects during the construction phases is challenging, particularly for long-duration projects, due to the rise in uncertainties associated with future cost performance index values after report dates and the impact of many factors on cost performance. Current practices, along with existing methods and mo...

Purpose This study aims to identify and assess the factors challenging the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies in healthcare workplaces. Design/methodology/approach The study utilized a mixed approach, that starts with a literature review, then developing and testing a questionnaire survey of the factors challenging the integr...

Purpose This paper explores the relevant fire code requirements and outlines the development of an evaluation tool based on these codes to evaluate fire safety measures in dining properties. Design/methodology/approach Existing literature was examined to identify the combustible materials, fire causes and factors making these properties prone to f...

Purpose This paper seeks to establish design quality indicators (DQIs) that can be utilized for assessing the design of community centers, with an emphasis on the technical, functional, and behavioral performance domains. Design/methodology/approach A comprehensive literature review resulted in identifying 79 DQIs for community centers. A three ro...

Purpose This paper aims to review and assess the sustainable design and management considerations affecting workplaces’ productivity in Saudi Arabia. Design/methodology/approach The study uses a mixed approach, commencing with literature review, development and pilot-testing of a structured questionnaire instrument to assess design and management...

Purpose This paper aims to propose a novel model that addresses the limitations of current practices, through considering quantitative and qualitative criteria in the decision-making process for equipment replacement. Design/methodology/approach Literature review and consultation with professionals in the heavy construction industry was conducted...

Introduction: Over the past few decades, there has been an increasing focus on Smart Building Projects (SBP) and the technologies associated with them. Numerous studies have been conducted globally to define smart building technologies (SBT), identify challenges, and explore areas for improvement. This study aims to examine the concept and terminol...

Purpose Community centers play a socio-economic and urban role of combining different communal necessities, that serve inhabitants, at different neighborhoods in cities. Their role emerged in importance as being a hub for improving and customizing quality of life experiences of the public. This research presents a code-based risk assessment tool fo...

Purpose This study aims to analyze the facilities managers’ involvement over the project life cycle phases (PLP), based on theoretical knowledge, consensus from empirical assessment of facilities managers and consultants’ practices. Design/methodology/approach A literature review was undertaken to determine the different tasks that facilities mana...

This paper introduces a newly developed decision support model for allocating a budget for bridge maintenance. The model is built based on capturing the experts’ knowledge for the prioritization of criteria for selecting a bridge maintenance plan. A literature review and interviews with a group of nine local experts were carried out to identify the...

Purpose This paper aims to provide an exemplary application of an indicative post-occupancy evaluation (POE) on an organizational multistorey residential apartment building. Design/methodology/approach This research comprises of mixed qualitative and quantitative approaches. The methodology commences with a review of the recent literature, identif...

Purpose This paper aims to present an assessment of the challenges of using building information modeling (BIM) in the facilities management (FM) practice in Saudi Arabia. Design/methodology/approach A review of the relevant literature was conducted, resulting in identifying 31 potential challenges to BIM utilization in FM, which were grouped into...

Purpose-This research compares consultants' and contractors' professional practices and perspectives on the use of specifications in the engineering of built environment projects. Design/methodology/approach-The study initiates with a review of literature, toward realizing (1) the need for inclusion of specifications, throughout the projects' stage...

Purpose This paper aims to present a systematic review of the published literature on building information model (BIM)-based simulation tools used for occupant evacuation over the past 23 years. Design/methodology/approach A literature review was conducted on BIM-based simulation tools used for occupant evacuation over the past 23 years. The searc...

Purpose This paper aims to provide architecture, engineering, construction and facilities management (AEC/FM) practitioners with a guiding tool for overcoming the challenges affecting their performance in adaptive reuse project. Design/methodology/approach Literature review was conducted to comprehend the challenges affecting the AEC/FM performanc...

Purpose Post-occupancy evaluation (POE) of office buildings, accommodating large number of users, is significantly demanded, to ascertain the provision and upkeep of users' requirements. This paper presents the findings of a POE of an office building located in Saudi Arabia, as a case study. Design/methodology/approach A mixed approach of qualitat...

Purpose This research aims to examine the practice of design for safety (DfS) in the construction industry of Saudi Arabia. Design/methodology/approach The study has adopted a mixed-method approach through the use of questionnaire surveys administered to professionals in architecture and engineering firms, as well as follow-up interviews with sele...

Purpose This research presents a review and assessment of the factors affecting the implementation of remodeling projects, during their lifecycle. Design/methodology/approach A mixed design approach comprising of qualitative and quantitative methods was utilized. The research commenced with a literature review to identify the factors affecting rem...

Purpose This study aims to present the post-occupancy evaluation (POE) of a smart building on a university campus. Design/methodology/approach Literature review was conducted to report on the smart building concept and POE. A total of 49 performance indicators, classified according to the technical, functional and behavioral elements, were investi...

Schools are high-risk type of facilities in fire emergencies. This requires the implementation of safety measures, which comprise administrative and operational efforts to mitigate the occurrence of fire accidents. The review of literature indicated the lack of practical approaches that can be easily adopted for safety management in school faciliti...

Purpose This study aims to develop a set of design quality indicators (DQIs) suitable for the design and evaluation of public schools in terms of their technical, functional and behavioral performance. Design/methodology/approach The methodology entailed the review of literature on the design quality of school buildings to identify potential DQIs....

Workplace facilities are organizational capital assets, which entail high risks of fire occurrences. The fire risks increase based on occupants’ behaviors, lack of awareness and poor workspaces safety management. Thus, fire safety risk assessment is vital to raise awareness about workplace fire-safety culture, and to train employees on effective fi...

Purpose This research investigates the literature and perspectives of bilateral domains of experts, the facilities management (FM) and real estate management (REM) professionals. It provides insights towards a comprehensive understanding of office facilities relocation as organizational workplaces. Design/methodology/approach An investigation of t...

Health club facilities represent a physical space for an industry that is centric to human health and fitness, serving various societal dimensions such as cultural, economic, and social aspects on the individual and the national levels. This research conducts an indicative post occupancy evaluation (POE), for assessing the provision of post-pandemi...

Purpose This study aims to present the design quality assessment of facilities on a university campus in Saudi Arabia. Design/methodology/approach Forty-nine standardized design quality indicators (DQIs) have been adopted for the study. These were classified into relevant categories including: “Indoor Environment, Safety and Maintenance,” “Furnitu...

Mosques are religious and cultural facilities that are used as a place of worship, social gatherings, and religious events by Islamic communities. The built environment in these facilities should meet certain technical, functional, and behavioral requirements for worshipers. Mosques could endure critical defects and inadequate performance, with gap...

This study examined the relationship and hierarchy among the factors that enable the adoption of off-site construction into the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) construction industry. This study used interviews with the industry’s key stakeholders to identify enablers for adopting off-site construction. A questionnaire survey of construction practitio...

Purpose This research presents the applicable international fire code requirements for educational facilities, in a comprehensive manner, and the findings of a case study to assess the level of compliance with these requirements. Design/methodology/approach A review of literature, fire codes and standards was conducted to identify the various sour...

Purpose This study presents findings of post-occupancy evaluation (POE), through a performance assessment, on a polyclinic, as a health-care facility, in Saudi Arabia. Design/methodology/approach Review of the literature is conducted to identify the recent publications, on conducting POE, and performance indicators (PIs) assessing performance of h...

Purpose This paper aims to present a generic lifecycle framework model for guiding architects, engineers, contractors and facilities managers (AEC/FM) practitioners on the effective implementation of adaptive reuse projects. Design/methodology/approach A mixed approach of qualitative and quantitative techniques was followed in the development of t...

Purpose This study aims to identify research gaps on workplace relocation, through investigating and critiquing the published literature, in the facilities management (FM) and real estate management (REM) domains, over three decades. Design/methodology/approach An extensive literature review was conducted, using academic search engines, using qual...

Purpose This paper investigates the current practices of adaptive reuse projects, within the context of architecture, engineering, construction and facilities management (ACE/FM) industries. Design/methodology/approach A mixed research methodology, combining qualitative and quantitative techniques, was followed. Literature review was performed to c...

Because every building is considered as a long-run investment, regardless of its scale, at least to its owner, broadly by collectively impacting the national development of built assets. It is a vital aspect to ensure the qualities which define its inhabitance experience. Buildings’ indoor environments have been undermined being observed as an unco...

A considerable amount of the oil used in Saudi Arabia is consumed to generate power. In an effort to minimize such consumption, the government of Saudi Arabia has established an ambitious part of the 2030 Vision that includes 96 strategic objectives. In recent years, the advancement in information technology has made it possible to develop accurate...

Purpose This paper presents a systematic conduct of post-occupancy evaluation (POE) for polyclinic facilities at public hospitals. Design/methodology/approach This is a mixed design research, where a review of literature was utilized, to qualitatively synthesize POE research on healthcare facilities. Three polyclinic facilities at Saudi Arabia wer...

Purpose This paper provides an exemplary systematic conduct of post‐occupancy evaluation (POE) on higher education facilities in Saudi Arabia. Design/methodology/approach The research study utilized several qualitative and quantitative POE techniques which were systematically comprising (1) scoping and reviewing the facilities-related documents, (...

Purpose This paper intends to review and assess the factors influencing adaptive reuse of commercial projects, throughout their life cycle, in Saudi Arabia. Design/methodology/approach A mixed approach of literature review, pilot-testing and questionnaire survey was utilized to identify and assess the factors affecting adaptive reuse of commercial...

Purpose The purpose of this study is to propose a framework model for workplace relocation. Design/methodology/approach Published literature was reviewed to comprehend the broad aspects of workplace relocation. The current practices of workplace relocation were investigated by corporate real estate (CRE) professionals. A generic framework model wa...

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to holistically identify and assess the factors affecting the workplace relocation process during its various phases, namely: pre-relocation, relocation and post-relocation. The factors assessment evaluates the perspectives and level of agreement between facilities and real estate management professionals. Desi...

Post-occupancy evaluation (POE) is a performance assessment methodology, which can be applied to determine the level of user satisfaction with any given facility. Since university shopping malls could have an impact on the students’ academic experience and well-being, it is of paramount significance that university shopping mall facilities are desi...

Purpose This study aims to evaluate the quality of an on-campus medical facility at a leading university. Design/methodology/approach Published literature was consulted to review knowledge areas on the usability and quality performance requirements of healthcare facilities. Quality indicators were, thus, developed from the extant literature and ve...

Adaptive reuse of buildings is the practice of converting the use of an originally designed built-environment to suit a new use. This conversion process has a direct bearing on the performance of the building, and the satisfaction of the users with the conditions of the converted built-environment. This paper presents the findings of a post occupan...

This study aims to identify and assess the major barriers to post-occupancy evaluation (POE) implementation in the Saudi Arabian building industry. A literature review was conducted to identify 27 barriers to POE implementation in the building industry. A questionnaire survey was completed by a targeted sample of 150 building industry professionals...

Purpose The literature revealed a limited number of studies on critical success factors (CSFs) in Saudi Arabia. These studies were either outdated, covered limited factors or focused on very specific issues of a project. In response to this knowledge gap, the purpose of this paper is to identify and assess the factors which affect the success of co...

This paper presents the development of design guidelines to improve the functional efficiency of academic and research laboratory facilities. The study was carried out in four stages, firstly, key performance indicators for the functional performance of laboratory facilities were identified. Furthermore, the space syntax theory was used to identify...

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to present the post-occupancy evaluation (POE) of academic and research laboratory facilities. This is based on the premise that the performance of such facilities is directly connected to the productivity, health and wellbeing of its users. Design/methodology/approach The paper was carried out in two phases, f...

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to identify the key drivers for adopting electronic bidding (e-bidding) systems in public construction projects located in Saudi Arabia. Design/methodology/approach Literature review was undertaken to identify the drivers of e-bidding practices. Nine drivers, classified under four categories, were identified. A...

The construction industry is one of the most dangerous industries worldwide due to deadly fatalities and accidents recorded yearly. Though many countries have established and implemented safety programs, the situation does not seem to have been mitigated. This study aims at developing a risk assessment approach that can be used to enhance the safet...

The construction industry in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) has experienced a significant increase in new projects in recent decades. With the economy slowing down for the past couple of years, there are still significant needs in infrastructure and housing projects. Fulfilling those needs will be difficult if the construction industry still use...

In light of the spread of residential fires worldwide, this paper aims to identify the current fire safety code requirements for providing the minimum level of safety in residential facilities, hence, mitigating the risk of fire occurrence. The paper also presents the findings of a case study to demonstrate the compliance level of a sample resident...

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to identify and assess the significance of various factors affecting maintenance costs of public school facilities. Design/methodology/approach Detailed literature review resulted in identifying 54 factors that were categorized under nine groups. This was followed by a questionnaire survey completed by 60 exper...

Purpose Projects in the construction industry have been confronted with an unprecedented volume of claims, which negatively impact the construction business environment. The purpose of this paper is to identify and assess the major causes of claims and disputes, from the perspectives of three key stakeholders. Design/methodology/approach An online...

For many years, the building industry in many countries has been plagued by issues of poor quality, cost overruns, and construction delays. This has been largely attributed to the continuous fragmentation of the industry and the consequent lack of effective coordination of various building services. Previous research efforts have sought to address...

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the current practices of the early facilities management (FM) involvement during the design development and review stages (DDRS), and recommend activities aimed at achieving better integration. Design/methodology/approach A comprehensive literature review was conducted to ascertain the challeng...

Many construction projects exceed time and budget. The Saudi Arabian construction projects are not an exception to this phenomenon. However, the causes of time and cost overrun of Saudi Arabian oil and gas construction projects have never been studied. Thus, this paper endeavors to investigate the main causes of time and cost overrun in Saudi Arabi...

One of the critical decisions taken by contractors is whether or not to bid for a project. This is due to the complexity and uncertainty surrounding this decision, which is influenced by many factors. Given the above challenge, this study aimed to uncover the critical factors affecting the contractors’ bidding decisions in Saudi Arabia-based constr...

Properly prepared design documents are crucial to the success of construction projects. Poor design documents can have a range of adverse effects on various construction project stakeholders. This research explored the significance of various consequences of Design Documents’ Deficiencies (DDDs) on large construction projects. A comprehensive liter...

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to develop a comprehensive list of key performance indicators (KPIs) that can be employed in determining the functional performance of academic and research laboratory facilities. Design/methodology/approach The study employed a two-phase approach. First, a thorough literature review was conducted to identify...

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) is facing a rapid growth in energy demand mainly because of factors like burgeoning population, economic growth, modernization and infrastructure development. It is estimated that between 2000 and 2017 the power consumption has increased from 120 TWh to 315 TWh. The building sector has an important role in this res...

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to develop and assess interdisciplinary design checklists for mechanical, electrical and plumbing (MEP) systems’ coordination, for building projects, in Saudi Arabia. Design/methodology/approach Relevant documents were acquired including: heating, ventilation and air conditioning schedules; ductwork and chill...

Purpose University research and academic laboratory facilities are key elements in the support of a successful education and research experience. World-class universities consider the functionality of these facilities as a matter of high priority. The functionality of research and academic laboratory facilities is strongly linked to the productivi...

Purpose This paper seeks to introduce a new general approach for estimating the maintenance cost of constructed facilities. The proposed approach consists of four components, including: (1) facility work breakdown structure (WBS); (2) historical maintenance cost and cost contingency data of actual completed projects; (3) feedback obtained from the...

Purpose Design documents’ deficiencies (DDDs) are a major issue that plagues the construction industry in many countries. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the major causes of DDDs in a fast expanding economy, where errors can translate to an adverse impact on the economy. This paper aims to identify and assess the causes of DDDs for lar...

Purpose This research seeks to present an assessment of the user satisfaction of an innovative workplace design, otherwise known as flexible workplaces. Design/methodology/approach The study firstly sought to establish the level of flexibility of the workplace through the identification of flexibility criteria presented in a checklist format. Tw...

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to present the development and implementation of a qualitative, code-compliance framework for property managers of student housing facilities. Design/methodology/approach The paper identified the fire safety code requirements for student housing facilities and arranged these requirements in the form of a chec...

Construction is a high-risk industry due to the high rates of accidents/fatalities recorded annually in various countries. Health and safety (HS) is a major concern of the construction industry. More so, for developing countries where HS cultures are yet to become fully established. In such situations, the perception of construction workers is a vi...

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to identify and assess the factors affecting building services’ coordination during the design development and review stages of building projects. Design/methodology/approach Literature review and interviews were conducted to identify the factors affecting building services’ coordination. In total, 36 factors...

Rapidly expanding population in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has a massive impact to put pressure on the shortage of housing and existing infrastructure. With average population growth rate of 1,9% yearly, the population in Saudi Arabia is projected to increase from 31 million in 2015 to 37 million in 2025. According to the housing ministry, Saudi A...

This paper investigates the significance of the different types of design documents’ deficiencies (DDDs) by both contractors and consultants involved in large construction projects. Sixteen different types of DDDs were identified and classified under six different groups. Based on the significance index of the different types of DDDs, the top five...

Purpose This paper seeks to present the findings of a theoretical calculation for the emergency evacuation of an auditorium facility managed by a university in Saudi Arabia. Design/methodology/approach The authors reviewed the published literature to identify the sources of fire incidence, guidelines for means of escape in assembly occupancies a...

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to present an assessment of the challenges to the implementation of building management systems (BMS) in Saudi Arabia, during the life cycle of building projects. Design/methodology/approach Review of literature and interviews were conducted with professionals to identify and synthesize the challenges to the im...

Green roofs may be considered a passive energy saving technology that also offer benefits like environmental friendliness and enhancement of aesthetic and architectural qualities of buildings. This paper examines the energy and economic viability of the green roof technology in the hot humid climate of Saudi Arabia by considering a modern four bedr...

For old/existing buildings, detailed fire risk assessments based on current codes and standards may result in unrealistic conclusions. Hence, it is desired that more holistic approaches are employed such as safety ranking systems. This paper seeks to propose a Fire Safety Ranking System (SH-FSRS) for student housing facilities. A review of publishe...

This paper presents a model for selecting Architect/Engineer (A/E) professionals for construction projects. The model takes into account all relevant criteria considered by the owner. These criteria were identified through a comprehensive literature review, and were then clustered into seven groups, namely firm background; past experience; technica...

This research employs the use of post-occupancy evaluation (POE) to assess the quality of an existing conglomerate of student housing facilities in a university campus in Saudi Arabia. The assessment methods used include walkthroughs, questionnaire surveys and focus group meetings. The key performance issues identified include the performance and c...

This paper presents a holistic postoccupancy evaluation (POE) framework and its application to a campus residential facility. The development of a framework was based on an extensive review of literature and an identification of a comprehensive set of performance indicators. Multiple evaluation techniques were employed, including the review of exis...

Although post-occupancy evaluation (POE) is an old tool with hundreds of studies, it is yet to become routine in the housing industry. The growing complexity of buildings and emerging trends in the industry further reinforces the need to carry out more POE studies. Though some studies exist, a holistic approach is yet to be given priority in the in...

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present an IDEF 0 framework model for the post-occupancy evaluation of school facilities, and the findings of a case study to demonstrate the applicability of the framework. Design/methodology/approach – The framework model consists of five sequential processes, namely: first, identify the performance requ...

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present an integrated approach to fire safety assessment, through combining the outcomes of a checklist tailored to the requirements of the International Building Code (IBC), and an evacuation simulation tool (EVACNET4), applied to a student housing facility as case study. Design/methodology/approach – The...

Previous studies have established that early attention to maintainability during the early design stages of building projects provides for delivering high levels of comfort to building occupants and reducing maintenance budgets. This paper identifies and assesses the set of structural durability design defects that are attributed to lack of mainten...