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Item A novel decision support framework for building refurbishment towards zero carbon emissions(Elsevier Ltd, 2025-11-15) Bui TTP; Wilkinson S; Domingo N; MacGregor CThe refurbishment of existing buildings is vital to maximise carbon emissions reduction and alleviate the impacts of climate change. While various decision support frameworks for building refurbishment exist. There is a notable gap in the availability of comprehensive frameworks that combine diverse methods, tools, and systems to support decision-making aimed at reducing whole-of-life carbon emissions. This paper brings together the development and validation processes of a novel early-stage decision support framework for building refurbishment towards zero carbon emissions in New Zealand (RefurbZC). The development of the framework was based on the critical analysis and interpretation of the literature review, preliminary study, and case study of university buildings in New Zealand, which integrate international best practices adopted to the local context and lessons learnt from real-life case studies. The framework was validated and refined using a focus group workshop with New Zealand building experts involved in the refurbishment process. The new RefurbZC provides a better detailed guideline to use in the early stages of the refurbishment process, focusing on maximising whole-of-life carbon reduction. It helps to understand the refurbishment decision-making process, identify areas for integrating carbon-reduction initiatives, determine key factors and actors in driving carbon-reduction solutions, and promote stakeholder collaboration and integration in carbon-reduction building refurbishment. The presented framework contributes extensively to theoretical and practical knowledge of building refurbishment towards zero carbon emissions and offers a basis and foundation for future work in this research area.Item A Comparative Study of Standardised Inputs and Inconsistent Outputs in LCA Software(MDPI (Basel, Switzerland), 2025-09-04) Gong J; Vishnupriya V; Wilkinson S; Shrestha PP; Shrestha KMotivation: Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is a valuable tool for quantifying environmental impacts in construction. However, inconsistencies between software outputs may compromise effective decision-making. Knowledge Gap: In New Zealand’s construction sector, practitioners have limited guidance in selecting suitable LCA tools due to gaps in software scope, data transparency, and the quality of result interpretation. Aim and Objectives: This study investigates inconsistencies in results produced by eight widely used LCA software tools and identifies the key factors contributing to these variations. Research Method: This study uses a comparative analysis with data from a timber-framed warehouse project in Auckland, New Zealand. Eight software tools (SimaPro V9.0, openLCA V2.0, LCAQuick V3.5, Building Carbon Calculator V1.0, CCaLC2 V3.1, eTool V5.0, One Click LCA, and Athena Impact Estimator for Buildings V5.4) were evaluated across 14 environmental impact categories using standardised inputs. Preliminary Findings: Substantial inconsistencies were observed even with standardised inputs, although SimaPro V9.0 and openLCA V2.0 provided the most consistent results. These findings highlight the importance of software selection for reliable environmental assessments. Research Significance: This study aids industry practitioners in selecting effective LCA tools for sustainable construction practices.Item Toward Standardised Construction Pipeline Data: Conceptual Minimum Dataset Framework(MDPI (Basel, Switzerland), 2025-08-07) Elkhidir E; Rotimi JOB; Patel T; Moshood TD; Wilkinson SThe construction industry is a cornerstone of New Zealand (NZ)’s economic growth, yet strategic infrastructure planning is constrained by fragmented and inconsistent pipeline data. Despite the increasing availability of construction pipeline datasets in NZ, their limited clarity, interoperability, and standardisation impede effective forecasting, policy development, and investment alignment. These challenges are compounded by disparate data structures, inconsistent reporting formats, and semantic discrepancies across sources, undermining cross-agency coordination and long-term infrastructure governance. To address this issue, the study begins by assessing the quality of four prominent pipeline datasets using Wang and Strong’s multidimensional data quality framework. This evaluation provides a necessary foundation for identifying the structural and semantic barriers that limit data integration and informed decision-making. The analysis examines four dimensions of data quality: accessibility, intrinsic quality, contextual relevance, and representational clarity. The findings reveal considerable inconsistencies in data fields, classification systems, and levels of detail across the datasets. Building on these insights, this study also develops a conceptual minimum dataset (MDS) framework comprising three core thematic categories: project identification, project characteristics, and project budget and timing. The proposed conceptual MDS includes unified data definitions, standardised reporting formats, and semantic alignment to enhance cross-platform usability and data confidence. This framework applies to the New Zealand context and is designed for replication in other jurisdictions, supporting the global push toward open, high-quality infrastructure data. The study contributes to the construction informatics and infrastructure planning by offering a practical solution to a critical data governance issue and introducing a transferable methodology for developing minimum data standards in the built environment to enable more informed, coordinated, and evidence-based decision-making.Item Real-Time tracking and analysis in construction projects: A RealCONs framework(Elsevier Ltd, 2025-09-01) Radman K; Jelodar MB; Lovreglio R; Ghazizadeh E; Wilkinson SConstruction projects increasingly rely on processing vast amounts of data from multiple sources, including consultants (BIM), cloud-based project management platforms (e.g., Aconex), planning departments, construction sites, main contractors, and subcontractors. However, inefficiencies in data acquisition and reliance on manual data entry hinder real-time project analysis, delay notifications, and decision-making. This study introduces the Real-Time Data-Driven Construction Project Analysis Framework (RealCONs) to address these challenges by streamlining data flow and enhancing project performance. A comparative analysis used eight case studies four employing the existing approach and four utilising RealCONs—to assess improvements in data integration, early delay identification, and decision-making efficiency. The results, validated through Earned Value Management (EVM) and Earned Schedule Management (ESM) metrics, demonstrate that RealCONs significantly enhance project forecasting accuracy, schedule adherence, and cost management. Additionally, statistical analyses, including the Shapiro-Wilk test and the Wilcoxon Signed-Rank analysis, confirm that RealCONs outperform the existing approach by reducing data collection and decision-making delays, enabling project managers to implement proactive mitigation strategies. These findings highlight RealCONs’ potential to improve project efficiency, reduce costs, and optimise real-time construction management.Item New Zealand's response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the effects of its governance on the construction industry(IOP Publishing Ltd, 2022-01-01) Mirhosseini SF; Wilkinson S; Babaeian Jelodar MThe global COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the construction industry. The pandemic caused wide international disruption to employment, supply chain, costs, skills, and other aspects, and it caused huge uncertainty. Around the world, governments dealt with the crisis in different manners. This study investigates the ways New Zealand responded to this pandemic and examined the effects of its governance on the construction industry. This is done through examining and analysing government records and guidelines in response to COVID-19 at different stages and alert levels. Relevant government information portals and websites such as "Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment", "Construction Sector Accord", and "Covid.govt.nz"are investigated to find guidelines and information to help the construction industry respond to the impacts of COVID-19. These guidelines and information were compared to understand how similar these recommended responses were. The findings show the mitigating implications and solutions to the construction industry's current disruption and demonstrate the similarity of the recommended solutions.Item Real-Time Project Productivity Tracking System: Practical Case in Smart Construction Projects(School of Built Environment, Massey University, 2022-02-17) Radman K; Babaeianjelodar M; Lovreglio R; Wilkinson S; Ghazizadeh E; Shahzad WM; Rasheed EO; Rotimi JOBMotivation: The productivity and progress tracking systems are currently used in construction projects to acquire the site works data and converting to various digital reports. Knowledge gap: To date, capturing and transferring data processes are slow or inefficient because significant human errors occur in the process. Therefore, project managers can omit critical information, and no timely decision can be made related to delay and unproductivity. Aim and objectives: The purpose of this paper is to encompass a real-time project productivity tracking system to register data and manage delays related to an Electrical and Instrument service trade involved in smart construction projects in New Zealand. Research method: The paper aimed to review industries delay reports, use expert judgment experience, and compare the proposed method with current ones. Preliminary or anticipated findings: The finding shows the proposed method uses a combination of smartphone and Ms Project real-time monitoring software to optimise the current site reporting procedure and workflow of productivity managing. Research significance: The presented method should help construction decision-makers enhance time and cost-effectiveness and manage delay better alongside more effective decisions. Meanwhile, hours booked to collect data and update programs and models dropped by 24%.Item Classification of rework root causes in the design stage of projects for contract assessment(IOP Publishing Ltd, 2022-01-01) Asadi R; Rotimi JOB; Wilkinson SRework is one of the leading causes of cost and time overruns that primarily affect project performance. The performance of construction projects can be elevated with the implementation of rework moderation strategies. Identifying rework root causes is the first step of rework management followed by a mitigation approach, reducing or preventing strategy. As the contract is the core connection between clients and contractors, using a rework management approach in the contracting process allows participants to be aware of rework impacts before the project's commencement. Selecting the best approach for rework mitigation depends on rework causes and their classified roots. Thus, the paper classifies rework root causes in the design stage of projects to provide a platform for contract documents assessment. The method used to classify the identified rework causes into five categories was designed on the literature. Results from collecting secondary data indicated all categories in the design stage, consisting of technical, human resources, process, material/equipment, and other general factors. The next step of the study is to assess contract documents through a questionnaire based on these classified factors in search of a connection between rework, contractual claims, and clauses of the contract. The paper recommends that assessing contract documents can be used as a new approach for rework management.Item A taxonomy of pedestrian evacuation infrastructure for urban areas; An assessment of resilience towards natural hazards(IOP Publishing Ltd, 2022-01-01) Fathianpour A; Jelodar MB; Wilkinson S; Evans BMany 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.Item Zero carbon refurbishment for existing buildings: A literature review(IOP Publishing Ltd, 2022-01-01) Bui TTP; Domingo N; Macgregor C; Wilkinson SThe need to mitigate climate change calls for the construction industry to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions for new and existing buildings by 2050. Zero carbon refurbishment (ZCR) for existing buildings is a significant area of interest, as many existing buildings will still be there in 2050. This paper investigates the global development, knowledge structure and gaps in the research field by conducting a systematic literature review. The final selection of 147 up-to-date journal articles was analysed using mixed-method data analysis, including quantitative (science mapping) and qualitative (thematic) analysis. Quantitative results reveal evolving research topics including energy performance and efficiency, life cycle environmental impacts, energy resources and policy, and decision-making with multi-objective optimisation. Research in ZCR is well-established in European countries and there is much interest and activity around the world. ZCR research on residential and office buildings provokes much consideration compared to other building types. The qualitative findings discuss the mainstream research areas (e.g. decision-making with multi-objective optimisation), determines research gaps (e.g. carbon impact), and recommends the future research agenda. The study offers academics a comprehensive understanding of ZCR research to link current research areas into future trends. It also provides construction professionals with current practices and an interdisciplinary guide to better deliver ZCR projects.Item Flood risk management in New Zealand: A case study of the Northland urban community(IOP Publishing Ltd, 2022-01-01) Auliagisni W; Wilkinson S; Elkharboutly MThe Northland river is characterised by having a short stream and large catchments. Heavy rains in the region trigger the rapid rise of the water levels and causes flooding, affecting the urban community in the flood plain with flash floods and river overflow as double threats. The government-initiated programs to protect urban communities such as 'predict and mitigate' but primarily focuses on physical infrastructure protection. While providing infrastructure is beneficial, developing a resilient community comprises more holistic strategies. There is a need for improving the local capacity to enhance resilience. A resilient, human-focused mitigation strategy which includes the affected communities, as well as the existing infrastructure, can reduce flood risks more efficiently. This paper explores the ways the Northland communities follow to mitigate existing flood risks, including their perceptions of the current flood protection strategies. This study investigates also the social and cultural elements that influence responses to flood risks. The main recommendation, of the study advocates a community-based risk management plan to complement the government's strategy to efficiently mitigate flood risk in the urban Northland.