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The purpose of the paper is to examine the synthesis of polyaniline (PAn) and poly(m‐toluidine) (PmT) via an inverse emulsion polymerisation pathway and evaluate of the synthesised polymers as corrosion inhibitors for steel protection in surface coatings.

PAn and PmT were prepared by inverse emulsion polymerisation using ammonium persulphate as an initiator and sodium dodecylbenzene sulphonate (SDBS) as an emulsifier. Spectrophotometric measurements were conducted to characterise the prepared polymers. Latex paint formulations were prepared and dry paint films were evaluated for their physical, mechanical and corrosion protection performance.

The prepared conducting polymers of PAn and PmT are good candidates for enhancing the corrosion protection of steel. They showed good performance as corrosion inhibitors in latex paints without bad side effects on the physico‐mechanical properties of paint films.

Recent advances in corrosion protection of steel by coatings via inverse emulsion polymerisation of aniline and m‐toluidine have improved performance of anti‐corrosive water‐borne paints. Using formulations based on this new technology, offer uncompromised high performance eco‐friendly anti‐corrosive water‐borne systems that answer the future industrial demands from the economical and environmental points of view.

PAn and PmT prepared by inverse emulsion polymerisation showed promising results as corrosion inhibitors for steel protection. The polymerisation process was conducted in water (emulsion polymerisation) and the polymer lattices were incorporated in water borne paints from ecological and economical points of view.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the preparation of adhesive by incorporation of kraft lignin as an agricultural waste into phenol formaldehyde (PF) resin structure and to evaluate the mechanical properties of lignin phenol formaldehyde (LPF) as wood adhesive.

PF resin (resole) was prepared using sodium hydroxide as a catalyst. Different concentrations of lignin were incorporated into PF resin structure. The effect of lignin concentration, formaldehyde to phenol molar ratio, catalyst concentration, temperature and time upon solid content, adhesive strength and gel time was studied. The kraft lignin, PF and LPF resins were characterised using FT‐IR and thermal analysis.

The incorporation of lignin into PF resin (resole) increases adhesive strength and decreases gel time. The highest adhesive strength and the lowest gel time were achieved at 90 per cent of kraft lignin, formaldehyde to phenol molar ratio, 7.2 and 10 per cent of catalyst, after 4 h and at 80°C.

The effect of different concentrations of kraft lignin, formaldehyde/phenol molar ratio, catalyst concentration, temperatures and time upon solid content, gel time and adhesive strength was studied.

Incorporation of kraft lignin into resole leads to adhesive with improved mechanical properties.

It was found that LPF resin is better than PF resin from the economical point of view and has the better mechanical properties.

Adaptability and integration (ADI) are the core ingredients for environmentally sustainable construction (ESC), which preserves the ecology from unsupported human activities. However, the approach is lagging in developing countries, which has led to studying the influence of ADI on the adaptive capacity of small- and medium-scale construction organisations.

The research employed a quantitative methodology, collecting 400 responses as a sample size. A construct of 14 influential factors concerning ADI within the Ghanaian small and medium-scale construction industry was developed. The data obtained from participants underwent analysis using SPSS version 26. The validity of the study’s findings was assessed by applying structural equation modelling (SEM) within the AMOS software.

It was evident that innovation advancement and ongoing training and evaluations significantly influence ADI for adaptive capacity. Moreover, the system internally and vulnerability (SIV) and perceived need for implementation (PNI) sub-scales were the main latent components for best construction practices.

Ghana’s small- and medium-scale construction organisations have yet to fully recognise the importance of ADI in enhancing adaptive capacity for the best ESC. However, the results indicated that ADI constructs will significantly influence implementation outcomes to ensure ESC.

The originality of this research also resides in identifying how ADI affect small- and medium-scale construction organisation’s ability to ensure ecologically sustainable building practices.

This paper aims to develop a framework for optimising building performance through the integration between risk management (RM) and building information modelling (BIM) during the design process.

To achieve this aim, a research strategy consisting of literature review, case studies and survey questionnaire is designed to accomplish four objectives. First, to examine the concepts of design process, building performance, RM and BIM; second, to present three case studies to explain the role of using RM and BIM capabilities towards optimising building performance; third, to investigate the perception and application of architectural design firms in Egypt towards the role of RM and BIM for enhancing building performance during the design process; and finally, to develop a framework integrating RM and BIM during the design process as an approach for optimising building performance.

Through literature review, the research identified 18 risks that hamper optimising building performance during the design process. In addition, 11 building performance values and 20 BIM technologies were defined. Results of data analysis showed that “Design budget overrun”, “Lack of considering life cycle cost” and “Inefficient use of the design time” were ranked the highest risks that affect the optimisation of building performance. Respondents ranked “Risk avoid” or “Risk transfer” as the most risk responses adopted in the Egyptian context. In addition, “BIM As Built” was ranked the highest BIM technology used for overcoming risks during the design process. These findings necessitated taking action towards developing a framework to optimising building performance.

The research identified the risks that affect optimising building performance during the design process. It focuses on improving the design process through using the capabilities of BIM technologies towards overcoming these risks during the design process. The proposed framework which integrates RM and BIM represents a synthesis that is novel and creative in thought and adds value to the knowledge in a manner that has not previously occurred.

The purpose of this paper is to propose a new framework for assessing the risks of turnaround projects in upstream oil process plants.

This study represents a new hybrid framework for turnaround project risk assessment. First, according to experts’ opinions, the project risks were identified using interviews and brainstorming. The most important risks selected by experts and a hybrid multiple-attribute decision-making (MADM) method used to assess and prioritize them. The proposed MADM method uses fuzzy step-wise weight assessment ratio analysis (SWARA) and fuzzy evaluation based on distance from average solution (EDAS) methods based on trapezoidal fuzzy numbers.

In this research, 28 usual risks of turnaround projects are identified and 10 risks are then selected as the most important ones. The findings show, that among the risks of upstream oil industry turnaround projects from the perspective of experts, the risk of timely financing by the employer, with an appraisal score of 0.83, has the highest rank among the risks and the risk of machine and equipment failure during operation, with an appraisal score of 0.04, has the lowest rank.

The risk analysis based on inputs collected from the experts in the Iranian upstream oil industry, and so the generalization of the results is limited to the context of developing countries, especially oil producer ones. However, the proposed risk analysis methodology and key insights developed can be useful for researchers and practitioners in any other process industry everywhere.

A novel framework for risk assessment is introduced for turnaround projects in the oil industry using MADM methods. There is no literature on using MADM methods for turnaround project risk analysis in the oil and gas industries. Furthermore, this paper presents a hybrid fuzzy method based on SWARA and EDAS.

This research aims to develop and validate a framework for eradicating women’s discrimination in architectural design firms (ADFs) in Egypt and propose strategies for prospective adoption in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries to increase the transformational impact of women on the architectural and urban developments of the Gulf region.

A combined qualitative and quantitative research approach was designed to accomplish four objectives. Firstly, to investigate the nature of business in ADFs, women’s discrimination and policies for gender equity (PGE) in architecture. Secondly, to analyse three case studies to validate the identified causes and impacts of women’s discrimination and examine the role of PGE towards eradicating women’s discrimination in ADFs. Thirdly, to conduct a survey questionnaire with a representative sample of ADFs to investigate their perception of women’s discrimination and the correlation between PGE towards eradicating women’s discrimination in ADFs. Based on the above, the research developed and validated a framework to eradicate women’s discrimination in ADFs in Egypt and suggested strategies for potential application in the GCC countries to increase the transformational role of women in the architectural and urban developments of the Gulf region.

Through literature review and case studies, the research identified and validated the causes and impacts of women’s discrimination as well as PGE in Architecture. The findings of data analysis showed that the highest-ranked causes of women discrimination in ADFs were “customs and beliefs” followed by “Underestimating women’s work” and “Recruiting males more than females”. Moreover, the highest-ranked impacts of women’s discrimination were “career shift and leaving the profession” followed by “decrease in creativity and innovation” and “decrease in economic growth”. Furthermore, the Spearman correlation test showed that while some PGE were correlated, others were not. These findings helped in the development of the proposed framework and proposed strategies.

This research presents a practical framework to eliminate women’s discrimination in ADFs in Egypt based on the findings of literature review, case studies and survey questionnaire. The framework explained in a workable way the objectives of the framework functions; activities; tools and techniques; involved personnel and needed resources as well as enforcing mechanisms. It was validated by a representative sample of ADFs in Egypt to ensure its practicability and viability and suggested strategies for implementation in the GCC countries to increase women’s role in architectural and urban development.

The research identified and validated the causes and impacts of women’s discrimination as well as PGE in Architecture. Moreover, the research investigated the perception of women’s discrimination and the correlation between PGE through conducting a survey questionnaire with a representative of ADFs in Egypt. The research tackled a topic that received scant attention in construction literature, especially in Egypt and the GCC countries. The research developed and validated a framework to eradicate women’s discrimination in ADFs in Egypt. It represents a synthesis that is novel and creative in thought and adds value to the knowledge in a manner that has not previously occurred. The research suggested several strategies for the prospective implementation of the framework in the GCC countries as an approach to enhancing the transformational role of women in the architectural and urban developments of the Gulf region.

This paper aims to develop a framework for implementing the integrated project delivery (IPD) approach during the design process in architecture design firms (ADFs) in Egypt.

A research methodology consists of literature review, case studies and survey questionnaire was designed to achieve the abovementioned aim. First, literature review was used to identify and categorise the challenges of implementing IPD during the design process. Second, four case studies were analysed to investigate the values delivered to the client or missed due to the use of IPD or traditional procurement approaches, respectively. Finally, a survey questionnaire was carried out with a representative sample of ADFs in Egypt to investigate their perception towards the challenges of IPD implementation in Egypt. Based on the results of the above, the research developed a framework to facilitate the implementation of IPD in ADFs in Egypt.

Through literature review, the research identified 30 challenges that hamper the implementation of IPD in ADFs. These challenges were categorised due to their nature into five groups, namely, integration, cooperation, commitment and trust challenges, knowledge, experience skills and decision-making challenges, cultural challenges, legal and contractual challenges and technical and financial challenges. Results of data analysis showed that “poor communication and spirit of collaboration between project stakeholders” was ranked the highest influential challenge as IPD is based on collaboration and trust between project participants. In addition, “lack of training and motivation in investing for using IPD” was ranked the lowest influential challenge due to the poor attention paid to training in the construction industry. Moreover, despite the benefits of IPD implementations in many countries worldwide, it is not implemented in the Egyptian context. This necessitated taking action towards developing a framework to facilitate IPD implementation in ADFs in Egypt.

The research focussed on ADFs in Egypt.

Adopting the proposed framework developed through this research will help implementing IPD during the design process in ADFs.

The research identified, categorised and analysed the challenges that obstruct the implementation of IPD in ADFs. The research tackled a topic that received scant attention in construction literature in the Middle East generally and Egypt in particular. In addition, this paper presented a framework to facilitate the implementation of IPD during the design process, which represents a synthesis that is novel and creative in thought and adds value to the knowledge in a manner that has not previously occurred.

Design cost overrun is one of the prominent factor that can impact the sustainable delivery of the project. It can be encountered due to a lack of information flow, design variation, etc. thereby impacting the project budget, waste generation and schedule. An overarching impact of this is witnessed in the sustainability dimensions of the project, mainly in terms of economic and environmental aspects. This work, therefore, aims to assess the implications of a technological process, in the form of building information modelling (BIM), that can smoothen the design process and mitigate the risks, thus impacting the sustainability of the project holistically.

The identified design risks in construction projects from the literature were initially analysed using a fuzzy inference system (FIS). This was followed by the focus group discussion with the project experts to understand the role of BIM in mitigating the project risks and, in turn, fulfilling the sustainability dimensions.

The FIS-based risk assessment found seven risks under the intolerable category for which the BIM functionalities associated with the common data environment (CDE), data storage and exchange and improved project visualization were studied as mitigation approaches. The obtained benefits were then subsequently corroborated with the achievement of three sustainability dimensions.

The conducted study strengthens the argument for the adoption of technological tools in the construction industry as they can serve multifaceted advantages. This has been shown through the use of BIM in risk mitigation, which inherently impacts project sustainability holistically.

The impact of BIM on all three dimensions of sustainability, i.e. social, economic and environmental, through its use in the mitigation of critical risks was one of the important findings. It presented a different picture as opposed to other studies that have mainly been dominated by the use of BIM to achieve environmental sustainability.

While previous studies have highlighted the importance of incorporating environmental sustainability in building designs, there is a paucity of studies that assess the extent to which design teams in developing countries consider environmental sustainability at the building design stage. Therefore, using Zambia as a case study, this study examined the extent to which infrastructure design teams in a developing country consider environmental sustainability at the design stage.

The study used a qualitative research approach using structured interviews because there are hardly any studies which have explored the extent to which designers incorporate environmental sustainability in infrastructure designs in developing countries. The data is analysed thematically using the ATLAS.ti software.

The results show that environmental sustainability is not an important design consideration because it is secondary to functional, technical and aesthetic considerations. Environmental considerations are also made in an ad hoc manner and when it is cost-effective for the project. Regulatory requirements pertaining to environmental protection are adhered to without any cost considerations. It was, therefore, theorised that building design teams in developing countries make technical, functional and aesthetic consideration during the infrastructure design stage ahead of environmental considerations.

There is a paucity of studies that have investigated whether building infrastructure designers consider issues of environmental sustainability at the design stage in developing countries. The findings have practical implications on how developing countries can foster environmental sustainability at the design stage and avoid generating a building infrastructure stock that will require environmental resilience adaptation in the future.

This paper aims to develop an innovation management framework for achieving sustainability by managing risks associated with innovative solutions during the design process.

To achieve the abovementioned aim, a research methodology was designed to achieve four objectives. Firstly, a literature review was conducted to investigate the concepts of sustainability, innovation, innovation management and innovation and the design process. Secondly, three case studies were selected and analysed to validate the identified risks of innovation and to investigate the role of innovation management towards managing risks of innovation during the design process. Thirdly, a survey questionnaire was carried out with a representative sample of architectural design firms (ADFs) in Egypt to examine their perception and application of innovation management as an approach to managing risks of innovative solutions during the design process. Finally, developing an innovation management framework to achieve sustainability through managing risks associated with innovative solutions during the design process.

The literature review revealed that innovation plays a significant role towards achieving sustainability objectives, but integrating innovative solutions during the design process is frequently associated with risks. During the course of this research, 30 risks of innovation were identified and classified into four categories of product, process, person and press. Case studies showed that ADFs that applied innovation management approaches were successful in managing the risks associated with innovative solutions, whereas others that failed to use such approaches failed to meet sustainability objectives. Results of the survey questionnaire revealed that ADFs not only recognised the importance of innovative solutions in developing sustainable projects but also showed a gap between theory and practice. “Project delivery” is the most important type of innovation for ADFs in Egypt, followed by “building technologies” and “organisational culture”. Moreover, there is a misalignment between ADFs’ perceptions and the strategies used to deliver successful innovations. The highest risks of innovation are “unanticipated cost of innovation”, “manufacturing technologies and development issues” and “failing to meet technical criteria”.

Because of the conceptual nature of the developed framework, it has to be tested and validated to ensure its capability to achieve sustainability through managing the risks of innovative solutions during the design process which, in this research, adopted the Royal Institute of British Architects plan of work stages. Moreover, the lack of data availability directed this study to present and analyse only three case studies.

This research presents a practical solution to achieve sustainability through managing risks of innovation during the design process. It is a structured tool that can be used by ADFs in Egypt towards facilitating the shift in the direction of a more economically viable, environmentally friendly and socially acceptable built environment.

Although innovative design solutions are needed in developing sustainable buildings, a practical and systematic framework to manage associated risks during the design process is still lacking. In addition, current studies are business-oriented and need to be reinterpreted to fit with the architectural, engineering and construction disciplines. Thus, this research developed an innovation management framework to achieve sustainability through managing the risks associated with innovative solutions during the design process, which represents a synthesis that is novel and creative in thought and adds value to the knowledge in a manner that has not been previously explored.