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This study aims to assess the competency gap among construction industry professionals concerning the competencies required for identifying construction activities that produce recyclable materials. Accordingly, the study objectives are threefold: to identify key competencies, analyze the disparity between the level of importance and level of competence for each competency, and quantify the criticality of the competency gaps.

A systematic literature review was conducted to identify and categorize 20 competencies into knowledge, skills, and abilities. The competencies formed the basis for a questionnaire survey distributed to construction industry professionals. 120 valid responses were collected and analyzed using mean and normalized values, Wilcoxon signed-ranks test, and competency gap analysis.

The findings highlight eight key competencies: ability to prepare sustainable designs, skills in trading construction waste materials, skills in lean construction techniques, skills in designing out waste in construction activities, knowledge of diagnosing construction waste generation, knowledge of construction-related waste design, knowledge of the practice of sustainable facilities management, and knowledge on the sustainable characteristics of construction activities. Despite their importance, critical competency gaps exist among these key competencies and must be addressed.

This study equips decision-makers with insights to manage natural resources efficiently, offers practitioners a list of key competencies for sustainable project management, and provides researchers with a solid foundation for further investigations to advance sustainability in construction.

The built environment contributes to environmental concerns, including carbon emissions, with traditional construction materials being problematic. Adopting sustainable construction materials (SCMs) is envisaged; however, barriers exist. Hence, this study sought to determine significant barriers to adopting SCMs in Zimbabwe.

An online questionnaire survey of construction professionals in consultancy firms and semi-structured interviews with key informants in Zimbabwe and Africa were instituted. Mean score analysis, normalisation values and exploratory factor analysis were quantitatively used to determine significant barriers. Content analysis of qualitative data from key informants was used to triangulate the findings.

From the normalisation (with values > 0.90) and thematic analysis, a lack of incentives, training and government support were exposed as the most critical barriers. The factor analysis revealed seven significant components: governmental policy, finance and research support-related; sustainable construction material supply chain-related; green building policy and capacitation-related; change and trust-related; cost and complexity-related; project execution and investment-related and awareness and demand-related.

The insights of construction professionals from construction companies were not solicited. However, construction consultancy professionals who have a more significant influence on adopting SCMs were included. The government and clients are most critical in promoting the adoption of SCMs through enacting relevant policies and establishing buy-in.

According to the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to determine barriers to adopting SCMs through the contribution of key informants from various countries within the African continent.

Construction activities generate overwhelming waste that is typically disposed of in landfills, which has significant environmental consequences and hinders national progress. However, with the appropriate competencies, there is an opportunity to identify construction activities that produce recyclable materials, offering a path to a sustainable future. This study aims to assess the competencies for identifying construction activities that produce recyclable materials. To attain that aim, the study seeks to identify the key competencies and assess the index level of the competencies.

A systematic literature review was conducted, and 20 competencies were identified and categorized into knowledge, skills, and abilities. A questionnaire survey was developed based on the competencies and completed by 101 individuals. The collected data were analyzed using normalized mean analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, and fuzzy synthetic evaluation (FSE).

The results revealed that the key competencies are problem-solving skills, communication skills, skills in providing vocational training, and knowledge of the environmental impacts of construction activities. The FSE ranks the constructs in order of skills, knowledge, and abilities. Also, the FSE illustrated that the overall index level is inclined to be important.

This study leads to saving natural resources, using raw materials efficiently, protecting from environmental pollution, and mitigating resource depletion by providing the index level of the competencies.

The findings can guide professionals in effective waste management, policymakers in creating new policies and regulations, and researchers in compiling a list of competencies for identifying construction activities that produce recyclable materials.

This study aims to develop workplace well-being indexes for construction sites of different project types (infrastructure, high-rise and low-rise). Accordingly, the study objectives are to identify the critical factors that affect workplace well-being at construction sites, compare the critical factors between different project types, categorize the critical factors into subgroups and compute indexes for the critical factors and subgroups.

Data from a systematic literature review and semi-structured interviews with construction industry professionals were used to extract 19 potential factors that affect workplace well-being. Then, a structured questionnaire survey was distributed, and 169 valid responses were collected. Finally, the data were analyzed using normalized mean analysis, agreement analysis, factor analysis and fuzzy synthetic evaluation.

The study findings revealed that there are 11, 11, 8 and 12 critical factors across overall infrastructure, high-rise and low-rise construction projects. Out of those, six critical factors are overlapping across project types, including “general safety and health monitoring,” “salary package,” “timeline of salary payment,” “working hours,” “communication between workers” and “planning of the project.” Accordingly, the critical factors can be categorized into two subgroups within each project type. Finally, the development of indexes shows that infrastructure construction projects have the greatest index compared to other project types.

This study contributes to filling the current knowledge gap by developing workplace well-being indexes at construction sites across different project types. The indexes would assist decision-makers in understanding the current state of workplace well-being. This increases the commitment and recognition of well-being across different construction project types.

Achieving sustainable construction is immensely challenging in developing economies due to their inadequate technical support system(s) (TSS). Hence, this article develops a TSS framework for sustainable construction indicators for Zimbabwe, a developing country.

A post-positivist philosophical stance and deductive reasoning were adopted to test pertinent theory. Construction professionals in consultancy, construction companies, government bodies and academic institutions participated in an online questionnaire survey. Primary data was analysed using a reliability test, Shapiro Wilks test, Kruskal–Wallis H test, mean score ranking, normalisation value, factor analysis and fuzzy synthetic evaluation (FSE).

FSE revealed a framework with six critical technical support subgroups, in order of importance viz: innovation for construction sustainability; adequate sustainability expenditure and skills training support; adequate project economic assessment and governance support; adequate circularity and environmental technical support; climate change literacy and supplier assessment support; and adequate decent work support. Existing sustainable construction initiatives can be buttressed by strengthening the six identified TSS through related policy initiatives.

The framework developed constitutes an innovative TSS for Zimbabwe to achieve sustainable construction.

Sustainable construction deficits are common in developing economies, and resolutions are constrained by the failure to prioritise the plethora of available indicators. This study aims to report on overlapping indicators for benchmarking sustainable construction for construction organisations.

Online survey data were collected from construction professionals, academics and senior managers in government bodies. Pearson chi-squared tests and overlapping analysis were used to determine significant indicators. Kruskal–Wallis tests were used to determine statistically significant differences among the dimensions.

Overlapping analysis determined indicators significant for economic, environmental and social performance. Environmental protection and reporting (pollution and emissions) were significant for all three performance dimensions. The most significant indicators are economic performance (adequate competence of key project staff), environmental performance (environmental protection and reporting – pollution and emissions) and social performance (adequate sustainability expenditure by construction organisations). Significant differences due to dimensions existed for adequate competence of key project staff, sustainable construction and eco-design, adequate governance and organisational excellence of construction projects and satisfactory workers’ morale.

Determining overlapping indicators enables prioritised implementation that ensures sustainable construction. Excluding construction workers was a significant limitation for a holistic interrogation.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to determine overlapping indicators for sustainable construction performance in Zimbabwe.

In the face of rising concerns over air pollution in buildings, this study undertakes a systematic review of emerging technologies for mitigating air pollution, with the goal of devising a comprehensive framework to address air pollution in buildings. It begins by highlighting the critical backdrop of deteriorating air quality across global cities, setting the stage for an urgent inquiry into viable solutions.

This study systematically reviews the literature on emerging technologies for mitigating air pollution in buildings. In total, 2,630 related articles were identified and analyzed using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) method.

The findings illuminate a promising landscape of technological advancements, demonstrating significant reductions in key pollutants, including particulate matter and greenhouse gases. Innovations in filtration systems, renewable energy adoption and smart buildings emerge as pivotal in driving down pollution levels. Furthermore, the study elucidates the synergistic potential of integrating these technologies with strategic policy initiatives and community engagement efforts, highlighting the multifaceted approach required to combat air pollution effectively.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to systematically review prior literature on technologies for mitigating air pollution in buildings. The significance of this study extends beyond its theoretical contributions, offering practical insights and actionable strategies for industry professionals, policymakers and researchers. It underscores the critical intersection of technology and policy in paving the way for healthier built environments, providing a blueprint for future initiatives to achieve sustainable air quality improvements.

Zero-energy building (ZEB) has been considered as an innovative approach to reducing building carbon emissions (CEs) and improving building energy performance. Despite huge benefits of ZEBs, there are still challenges limiting the construction of ZEBs in the construction sector. This study seeks to assess and determine the principal component of technological-related barriers to the construction of ZEBs in Nigeria.

The study designed a questionnaire to examine the technological-related barriers to the construction of ZEBs in Nigeria. Questionnaires were administered, and 272 valid responses were elicited. Thereafter, data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics.

The results from the exploratory factors analysis show that the principal components of technological-related barriers to the construction of ZEBs in Nigeria are categorised into five principal components: access and awareness for technological integration and innovation; knowledge on renewable technology integration; space and complexity of sustainable energy technologies; cost and readiness for ZEB technologies; and research outcomes with practical implementation in sustainable building technologies.

This study contributed to more effective ZEB studies by highlighting technological-related barriers to the construction of ZEBs in construction industry. An understanding of these barriers can aid construction stakeholders, organisations, policy-makers and governments in devising strategies targeted at reducing these technological-related barriers and fostering the construction of ZEBs in construction sector. Recommendations for further study on ZEBs were also made.