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Despite recognition of its importance to Singapore’s economy, the construction industry is plagued by poor safety and productivity performance. Improvement efforts by the government and industry have yielded little results. The purpose of this paper is to propose a framework for developing a productivity and safety monitoring system using Building Information Modelling (BIM).

The framework, Intelligent Productivity and Safety System (IPASS), takes advantage of mandatory requirements for building plans to be submitted for approval in Singapore in BIM format. IPASS is based on a study comprising interviews and a questionnaire-based survey. It uses BIM to integrate buildable design, prevention and control of hazards, and safety assessment.

The authors illustrate a development of IPASS capable of generating productivity and safety scores for construction projects by analysing BIM model information.

The paper demonstrates that BIM can be used to monitor productivity and safety as a project progresses, and help to enhance performance under the two parameters.

IPASS enables collaboration among project stakeholders as they can base their work on analysis of productivity and safety performance before projects start, and as they progress. It is suggested that the BIM model submitted to the authorities should be used for the IPASS application.

IPASS has rule-checking, hazards identification and quality checking capabilities. It is able to identify hazards and risks with the rule-checking capabilities. IPASS enables practitioners to check mistakes and the rationality of a design. It helps to mitigate risks as there are built-in safety measures/controls rules to overcome the problems caused by design deficiency, wrong-material-choice, and more.

Professionalism indicates a devotion to and demonstration of exceptional performance and achievement in any activity. The built environment comprises the physical items required for economic activity, long-term national development and social well-being. Studies show a need to improve many aspects of the built environment and the sector which creates it. Researchers should contribute to this improvement effort. It is suggested that researchers should demonstrate professionalism, but there is no agreement on how professionalism in research is determined. It is necessary to consider what constitutes professionalism in built environment research and how it can be developed.

An exploratory study is presented. It considers major works on the nature of the built environment and its sector, and factors influencing research on them; and draws on works on research ethics, integrity and good practice to propose a framework for professionalism in built environment research.

More work is needed to improve the built environment and its sector. Professionalism in built environment research will make the contribution of such research to this effort effective. This professionalism should be conceptualised, developed and continuously enhanced.

This first attempt to formulate a framework for professionalism in built environment research is based on a review of the major relevant literature. Subsequent works can test this framework empirically.

The professional built environment researcher will be committed to contributing to society.

This is the first work on professionalism in research on the built environment. The framework provides the basis for further studies on the subject.

From interviews with selected experts and secondary sources, this paper charts the actions that led to Malaysia having its own green building rating tool. It began with the Institution of Architects Malaysia and the Institution of Engineers Malaysia working together in 2008 to come up with the Green Building Index (GBI) specifically suited for the Malaysian condition. The index was launched a year later, the same year that a new prime minister came into office. With greening the economy in mind, he launched a few major initiatives, one of which was the creation of the Ministry of Energy, Green Technology and Water to replace the Ministry of Energy, Water and Communications and another was the launching of the National Technology Policy. In December 2009, he made the commitment on Malaysia's behalf to reduce carbon dioxide emission at the Copenhagen Summit, thereby cementing his commitment to green issues at the international level. Behind-the-scene lobbying by the private sector resulted in the government explicitly endorsing the GBI by tying GBI certification of buildings to financial incentives. This paper makes the case that the strong cooperation between the private sector and the government over the GBI represents a form of public-private partnership on aspects of collaborative spirit, complementarity of resources, private sector leadership, wide-ranging ramifications over other partnerships across time, timing and sustainability. Other countries intending to come up with their own rating tool can take stock of the Malaysian experience.

This study examines the initiatives that would enable contractors in Singapore to improve the level of construction productivity.

A two-pronged research method was employed: questionnaire survey with contractors (109 responses received) and in-depth interviews with 12 subject matter experts. The questionnaire covered questions such as the current and future improvement measures.

The results show that the top three motives for achieving high productivity (increase profitability, on time delivery and enhance corporate competitiveness) are underpinned by profit maximization. Factor analysis revealed several categories of productivity improvement strategies. Among these, only site operations category is under the control of contractors. Other important categories include government's initiatives and design factors.

While contractors are the producers of built products, their productivity is very much dependent on other factors and other parties. The long-standing exhortation to contractors to improve productivity is necessary but not a sufficient condition to improve it.

Recommendations are provided for the government, designers, contractors and other stakeholders on what can be done to improve productivity.

This research adds to knowledge by showing that contractors' top motives for high productivity relate to self-seeking behavior to maximize profit. Prior to this study, productivity improvement is considered the responsibility of contractors. This study shows that two other stakeholders also hold the key to productivity improvement – government and designers. Government controls the supply of foreign labor, has the capacity to offer incentives and has the muscle to enact regulations to improve productivity. Consultants' upstream designs must be buildable.

The construction programmes of developing countries have constituted a significant part of the international construction market. However, while international contractors seek to exploit these opportunities, the host nations also wish to develop their construction industries over time. This paper shows how conflicting objectives of international contractors and host countries can be correlated for mutual benefit. It outlines strategies adopted by international construction enterprises and contrasts the approaches they adopt in industrialised countries with those in developing ones. It then compares the objectives of international construction enterprises to those of host countries. It uses Singapore's experience to illustrate likely future developments in the construction industries of emerging countries. Finally, it offers suitable approaches that international and local construction enterprises, and governments, should adopt at various stages of development of host countries' construction industries.

Construction industries in developing countries face many problems. One of these is the low level of their technological development. This paper considers how a national technology policy can help improve the situation. After a brief discussion of technology and its development, construction technology development is considered. The nature of, and potential benefits from, technology policies are discussed. Ghana's experience and that of other countries in construction technology development are outlined. Courses of action for achieving progress are then indicated.

Construction companies have several possible growth paths to follow in their effort to develop. Studies show that the appropriate approach depends on the features of the company and the prevailing economic conditions, and support measures and incentives. This paper reports the results of a study on the paths which construction enterprises in Singapore have adopted since 1980. The main basis of the study was a mailed questionnaire survey. It was found that most local contractors have grown by working at home, either as main contractors or as specialist subcontractors. Some theoretical implications of the findings are outlined. Recommendations are offered on appropriate growth paths for Singaporean contractors under various circumstances.

The literature suggests that developing countries must use foreign construction enterprises to undertake much of the building and infrastructure projects which they require for their economic development. Authors suggest that foreign firms can have various impacts, both positive and negative, on the construction industries of the host countries. This study examines the effect of the operations of foreign contractors in Singapore on their local counterparts and on the nation's construction industry. The study assesses the extent to which Singaporean construction companies have grown during the past two decades, and investigates the influence of foreign firms in this growth process. It is based on interviews of prominent construction practitioners and administrators. It was found that Singapore firms grew considerably during the period under review, and that foreign firms contributed to this growth. It is concluded that there is scope for mutually beneficial co‐operation among foreign and local contractors.

The construction industries of many countries rely heavily on subcontracting. As a result, the quality of subcontractors is important as it has a direct bearing on the performance of the main contractor on projects. A large proportion of construction work in Singapore is subcontracted. Despite the well‐known and widely regretted deficiencies in the traditional subcontracting system, only recently have attempts been made to reform it. The most significant of these efforts is the Singapore List of Trade Subcontractors (SLOTS). This study sought to investigate whether or not the performance of subcontractors has been improved following the introduction of the SLOTS scheme. The research was based on a survey of project managers of main contractors. A major finding was that the SLOTS‐registered contractors were perceived to perform better than nonregistered ones. Suggestions for improving the SLOTS scheme are offered in this paper.

Researchers have traditionally focused on the technical and managerial features of construction projects and have tended to ignore the subject of leadership. However, recent interest in the subject has resulted in global research initiatives that aspire to provide an understanding of leadership in a holistic manner. To further the research on the subject, it is important to review the existing body of knowledge and draft a road map for the future. For this purpose, a review of empirical works on leadership in the construction industry was carried out.

A total of 49 studies were selected through a rigorous process. To summarize the findings, coding was done according to publication outlet, authors, nature of study, country of publication, target population, methodology, and key findings.

It was found that most of the empirical studies have focused on behavioral dimensions of leadership while paying less attention to several other important dimensions, particularly leadership development. Most studies were cross‐sectional in nature and used quantitative methods of analysis. It was also noted that these studies focused on a limited range theories presented in the mainstream.

The review presented here summarizes the empirical research on leadership in the construction industry. The paper details various past trends, predicts some future trends, and suggests certain areas in which future research on leadership in the construction industry could focus.

It is suggested that leadership studies need to be improved in terms of methodological approach, level of analysis, developmental perspective of leadership, and objective measurement of leadership outcomes.

The paper predicts some future trends and suggests certain areas in which future research on leadership in the construction industry could focus.