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Through the significance matrix, this paper aims to investigate and explore the main sustainability factors of mega transportation infrastructure projects. Sydney’s Metro mega transportation infrastructure is used as a case study. Sydney’s Metro was selected because of its sustainability challenges faced because of the areas’ diverse ecological zones. Sydney’s Metro is thus examined as the basis of best practice for the determination of the sustainability factors of transportation infrastructures.

Using the significance matrix as a methodology, this research evaluates the environmental impact assessment and environmental assessment processes, to alleviate the problems of the mega transportation infrastructure.

This research found that a more comprehensive determination is needed to further analyse the sustainability factors of mega transportation infrastructures, use of a significance matrix would further assess the environmental complexities of mega transportation infrastructures and the sustainability factors of mega transportation infrastructures should include a nonlinear and asymmetrical scheme highlighting its components and carefully outlining its integration and consolidation.

Although there is concurrent research into sustainability factors of mega transportation, this paper undertakes a new methodology for such infrastructure. While the significance matrix is not a new concept, it has never been used specifically for mega transportation infrastructure. Subsequently, using the significance matrix as a methodology, this research undertakes such environmental analysis and assessment and thus produces a qualitative risk analysis matrix. The findings from this research will ultimately assist the key stakeholders of mega transportation infrastructures to better plan, monitor and support similar projects.

Through an empirical study, this research proposes a multi-dimensional assessment method for Sustainable Building Design (SBD). This approach is adopted to investigate and evaluate the current practices of SBD and to provide a basis for refining such processes while reducing existing shortfalls. In doing so, a holistic sustainable framework for rating the sustainable performance of buildings is proposed.

To achieve the aforementioned purpose, this research (1) investigates the most current trends in SBD including the use of Building Information Modelling (BIM); (2) examines the practical issues of SBD; (3) proposes a multi-dimensional assessment method; and (4) compares 18 separate case studies in the three countries of Australia, United Kingdom and USA, as part of the SBD implementation. To compare these case studies, an additional SBD tool, Green Building Rating and Certification System (GBELS) was carefully selected and applied. Five core values of SBD were identified based on functionality, accessibility and productivity, which align with the GBELS outcomes.

This research found that, for the 18 examined buildings, the main issues in SBD in the three countries concerned environmental and ecological issues. These included the impacts of buildings on the environment, as well as issues concerning the buildings' life cycle analysis and assessment. It was also determined that energy usage, pollution reduction and climate change concerns were important inclusions in establishing these buildings, particularly in the USA.

To support the research aim, this paper explores the most innovative trends in SBD assessments including their Structural Health Monitoring (SHM), grade (stars) classification, Relative Weight (RW) and particularly GBELS. GBELS was selected for this research, since it is relatively new and there is little available literature discussing its adaptation. Accordingly, this research further evaluates the application of GBELS as a part of versatility in SBD multi-dimensional assessment method. As the basis of these tests, a total of 18 separate case studies are closely evaluated.

To develop a systematic procedure and a computerized tool for optimizing the delivery and inventory of materials, as part of a comprehensive material management system in construction projects.

A newly devised approach that employs genetic algorithms (GAs) for the optimization of material delivery schedules and their associated inventory control is presented. The approach is based on the project material requirement plans, and employs an objective function that minimizes the total costs associated with material deliveries. Furthermore, the computer system developed is used to examine and validate the adopted approach.

GA proved to be a satisfactory approach for optimizing material delivery schedules and its associated inventory levels. The selected case study particularly showed the system to produce material delivery plans that have reduced costs compared with their actual counterparts. Also, the computer processing time for developing the optimized plans was rather minimal, which promote its practical use.

The paper addresses one part of the comprehensive material management system; that is the optimization of the material delivery schedules and inventory control. Other future publications by the same authors will address the issues of probabilistic lead time calculations and development of material ordering schedules.

The paper partially fulfills a long‐sought research need for developing comprehensive material management systems specifically tailored to construction projects. The system takes into account several parameters that are not typically incorporated in the economic order quantity models for material management. Furthermore, practicality of the introduced system is augmented by the fact that it is interlinked with one of the most commonly used scheduling software.

Inflation is really a hydra‐headed monster as Cagan named it. There have been numerous theoretical and empirical studies on the causes, costs and policies of inflation and unemployment. However, there has been no critical solution yet.