College of Built Environments Archives - Page 36 of 51

Differential Associations of the Built Environment on Weight Gain by Sex and Race/Ethnicity but Not Age

Buszkiewicz, James H.; Bobb, Jennifer F.; Kapos, Flavia; Hurvitz, Philip M.; Arterburn, David; Moudon, Anne Vernez; Cook, Andrea; Mooney, Stephen J.; Cruz, Maricela; Gupta, Shilpi; Lozano, Paula; Rosenberg, Dori E.; Theis, Mary Kay; Anau, Jane; Drewnowski, Adam. (2021). Differential Associations of the Built Environment on Weight Gain by Sex and Race/Ethnicity but Not Age. International Journal Of Obesity, 45(12), 2648 – 2656.

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Abstract

Objective To explore the built environment (BE) and weight change relationship by age, sex, and racial/ethnic subgroups in adults. Methods Weight trajectories were estimated using electronic health records for 115,260 insured Kaiser Permanente Washington members age 18-64 years. Member home addresses were geocoded using ArcGIS. Population, residential, and road intersection densities and counts of area supermarkets and fast food restaurants were measured with SmartMaps (800 and 5000-meter buffers) and categorized into tertiles. Linear mixed-effect models tested whether associations between BE features and weight gain at 1, 3, and 5 years differed by age, sex, and race/ethnicity, adjusting for demographics, baseline weight, and residential property values. Results Denser urban form and greater availability of supermarkets and fast food restaurants were associated with differential weight change across sex and race/ethnicity. At 5 years, the mean difference in weight change comparing the 3rd versus 1st tertile of residential density was significantly different between males (-0.49 kg, 95% CI: -0.68, -0.30) and females (-0.17 kg, 95% CI: -0.33, -0.01) (P-value for interaction = 0.011). Across race/ethnicity, the mean difference in weight change at 5 years for residential density was significantly different among non-Hispanic (NH) Whites (-0.47 kg, 95% CI: -0.61, -0.32), NH Blacks (-0.86 kg, 95% CI: -1.37, -0.36), Hispanics (0.10 kg, 95% CI: -0.46, 0.65), and NH Asians (0.44 kg, 95% CI: 0.10, 0.78) (P-value for interaction <0.001). These findings were consistent for other BE measures. Conclusion The relationship between the built environment and weight change differs across demographic groups. Careful consideration of demographic differences in associations of BE and weight trajectories is warranted for investigating etiological mechanisms and guiding intervention development.

Keywords

Body-mass Index; Socioeconomic-status; Food Environment; Obesity; Health; Outcomes; Scale; Risk; Minority & Ethnic Groups; Urban Environments; Etiology; Demographics; Sex; Residential Density; Supermarkets; Age; Race; Ethnicity; Property Values; Body Weight Gain; Electronic Medical Records; Fast Food; Electronic Health Records; Real Estate; Subgroups; Demography; Trajectory Analysis; Weight

A Simulation-Based Dynamic Scheduling Model for Curtain Wall Production Considering Construction Planning Reliability

Kim, Taehoon; Kim, Yong-Woo; Cho, Hunhee. (2021). A Simulation-Based Dynamic Scheduling Model for Curtain Wall Production Considering Construction Planning Reliability. Journal Of Cleaner Production, 286.

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Abstract

Appropriate production scheduling of curtain wall systems is essential for the successful completion of construction projects. The construction process of the curtain wall system is mainly on the critical path and accounts for 10-15% of the total construction cost. Should curtain wall products not be timeously delivered to the construction site, construction projects are likely to fall behind schedule with most relevant activities on curtainwall installation on a critical path. However, due-date uncertainty caused by a contractor's lack of planning reliability causes the curtain wall production schedule to become complex and changes the due date after the initial order. In this regard, this study proposes a discrete event simulation-based dynamic scheduling model for curtain wall production to deliver products on time to the construction site by considering each construction project's planning reliability. Through simulation experiments, the validity and effectiveness of the proposed model were tested. The results of this study will help the successful completion of construction projects by ensuring the progress of the curtain wall system construction and follow-up activities following the construction schedule. (C) 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Keywords

Construction Industry; Discrete Event Simulation; Dynamic Scheduling; Production Control; Production Planning; Project Management; Reliability; Scheduling; Walls; Construction Planning Reliability; Construction Schedule; Curtain Wall System Construction; Construction Project; Discrete Event Simulation-based Dynamic Scheduling Model; Curtain Wall Production Schedule; Curtain Wall Installation; Curtain Wall Products; Total Construction Cost; Critical Path; Production Scheduling; Off-site Construction; Demand Variability; Job Shops; Precast; Minimize; Number; Curtain Wall; Simulation; Planning Reliability; Dispatching Rule

Structural Equation Modeling for the Determinants of International Infrastructure Investment: Evidence from Chinese Contractors

Wang, Yunhong; Lee, Hyun Woo; Tang, Wenzhe; Whittington, Jan; Qiang, Maoshan. (2021). Structural Equation Modeling for the Determinants of International Infrastructure Investment: Evidence from Chinese Contractors. Journal Of Management In Engineering, 37(4).

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Abstract

International infrastructure investment can effectively accelerate infrastructure development in developing countries and thus support their social and economic progress. However, little is known of the factors that may determine the flow of international infrastructure investment to those countries. This study aims to bridge that knowledge gap, first by identifying the determinants of international infrastructure investment, and then by developing a structural equation model to reveal their underlying interrelationships. The structural equation model is applied to country-level data regarding international infrastructure investment with Chinese contractors in 141 countries worldwide over the 9-year period from 2009 to 2017. The results show that three determinants, namely infrastructure quality, labor supply, and investment interdependency, have a positive relationship with a country's international infrastructure investment inflow. However, another determinant, institutional environment, has a significantly negative impact, which suggests that when making foreign infrastructure investment, Chinese contractors enter countries with a comparatively poor institutional environment with substantial political risks. The results also highlight how much a robust infrastructure development plan can help developing countries avoid the poor-infrastructure trap, a situation in which poor infrastructure quality discourages international infrastructure investment. These research findings may assist international infrastructure investment firms to make informed decisions with regard to financing and managing projects and help policymakers who focus on attracting foreign investment in infrastructure.

Keywords

Foreign Direct-investment; Public-private Partnerships; Economic-growth; Transport Infrastructure; Developing-countries; Labor Productivity; Fit Indexes; Location; Energy; Firms; Infrastructure Investment; Institutional Environment; Infrastructure Quality; Foreign Direct Investment (fdi) Interdependency; Structure Equation Modeling; Belt And Road Initiative

Hygrothermal Behavior Of Post-retrofit Housing: A Review Of The Impacts Of The Energy Efficiency Upgrade Strategies.

Recart, Carolina; Dossick, Carrie Sturts. (2022). Hygrothermal Behavior Of Post-retrofit Housing: A Review Of The Impacts Of The Energy Efficiency Upgrade Strategies. Energy & Buildings, 262.

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Abstract

Improving energy efficiency of existing buildings is currently among the most diverse and extensive mitigation opportunities to reduce energy consumption and CO2 emissions worldwide. However, the implementation of energy-saving measures has caused unintended impacts, often correlated with dampness and mold growth connected to poor hygrothermal behavior in residential buildings. The focus of this paper is research on the impacts of energy efficiency measures (EEMs) in regard to the hygrothermal behavior resulting from the interaction of building's envelope, indoor environment, and occupants. The results show that dampness and mold growth are by no means exclusive to neglected houses, since the occurrence of these pathologies actually depends upon a complex set of conditions, including indoor and outdoor conditions, occupancy, maintenance, ventilation, mechanical systems, and quality of the envelope. We found that building envelope post-retrofit may suffer from higher levels of moisture and dampness, higher condensations risks, and a faster structural degradation caused by higher humidity levels. We also found that measuring hygrothermal behavior may play a role in more accurately predicting both overall energy consumption and occupant comfort. While hygrothermal behavior may be problematic, we found evidence that retrofits may moderately improve thermal comfort. (c) 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Keywords

Energy Consumption; Energy Consumption Of Buildings; Carbon Emissions; Geothermal Ecology; Housing; Thermal Comfort; Building Envelopes; Dampness And Mold; Energy Retrofits; Hygrothermal Behavior; Residential Buildings; Unintended Impacts; Indoor Air-quality; Low-income; Environmental-quality; Assistance-program; Building Envelope; Health; Ventilation; Weatherization; Performance; Mold Growths; Indoor Environments; Moisture Effects; Energy Efficiency; Residential Areas; Mechanical Systems; Moisture Content; Green Buildings; Energy Conservation; Carbon Dioxide; Mold; Emission Measurements; Emissions; Mitigation; Buildings; Occupancy; Retrofitting; Mechanical Properties

Organizational Divisions in BIM-Enabled Commercial Construction

Dossick, Carrie S.; Neff, Gina. (2010). Organizational Divisions in BIM-Enabled Commercial Construction. Journal Of Construction Engineering And Management-asce, 136(4), 459 – 467.

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Abstract

Proponents claim that the adoption of building information modeling (BIM) will lead to greater efficiencies through increased collaboration. In this paper, we present research that examines the use of BIM technologies for mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and fire life safety systems (often referred to as MEP) coordination and how the introduction of BIM influences collaboration and communication. Using data from over 12 months of ethnographic observations of the MEP coordination process for two commercial construction projects and interviews with 65 industry leaders across the United States, we find that BIM-enabled projects are often tightly coupled technologically, but divided organizationally. This means that while BIM makes visible the connections among project members, it is not fostering closer collaboration across different companies. We outline the competing obligations to scope, project, and company as one cause for this division. Obligations to an individual scope of work or to a particular company can conflict with project goals. Individual leadership, especially that of the MEP coordinator in the teams we studied, often substitutes for stronger project cohesion and organization. Organizational forces and structures must be accounted for in order for BIM to be implemented successfully.

Keywords

Technology; Implementation; Viewpoint; Integrated Systems; Construction Industry; Leadership; Information Systems; Information Technology; Communication; Constructability; Mechanical Systems; Electrical Systems

Terrestrial Carbon Stocks across a Gradient of Urbanization: A Study of the Seattle, WA Region

Hutyra, Lucy R.; Yoon, Byungman; Alberti, Marina. (2011). Terrestrial Carbon Stocks across a Gradient of Urbanization: A Study of the Seattle, WA Region. Global Change Biology, 17(2), 783 – 797.

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Abstract

Most of our global population and its CO2 emissions can be attributed to urban areas. The process of urbanization changes terrestrial carbon stocks and fluxes, which, in turn, impact ecosystem functions and atmospheric CO2 concentrations. Using the Seattle, WA, region as a case study, this paper explores the relationships between aboveground carbon stocks and land cover within an urbanizing area. The major objectives were to estimate aboveground live and dead terrestrial carbon stocks across multiple land cover classes and quantify the relationships between urban cover and vegetation across a gradient of urbanization. We established 154 sample plots in the Seattle region to assess carbon stocks as a function of distance from the urban core and land cover [urban (heavy, medium, and low), mixed forest, and conifer forest land covers]. The mean (and 95% CI) aboveground live biomass for the region was 89 +/- 22 Mg C ha-1 with an additional 11.8 +/- 4 Mg C ha-1 of coarse woody debris biomass. The average live biomass stored within forested and urban land covers was 140 +/- 40 and 18 +/- 14 Mg C ha-1, respectively, with a 57% mean vegetated canopy cover regionally. Both the total carbon stocks and mean vegetated canopy cover were surprisingly high, even within the heavily urbanized areas, well exceeding observations within other urbanizing areas and the average US forested carbon stocks. As urban land covers and populations continue to rapidly increase across the globe, these results highlight the importance of considering vegetation in urbanizing areas within the terrestrial carbon cycle.

Keywords

Urbanization & The Environment; Carbon Cycle; Carbon In Soils; Climate Change Prevention; Population & The Environment; Land Cover; Cities & Towns -- Environmental Conditions; Seattle (wash.); Washington (state); Climate Change; Development; Mitigation; Pacific Northwest; Urban; United-states; Woody Debris; Storage; Growth; Responses; Fluxes; Co2; Sequestration; Landscape; Forests

Small-Scale and Extensive Hydrogeomorphic Modification and Water Redistribution in a Desert City and Implications for Regional Nitrogen Removal

Larson, Elisabeth K.; Grimm, Nancy B. (2012). Small-Scale and Extensive Hydrogeomorphic Modification and Water Redistribution in a Desert City and Implications for Regional Nitrogen Removal. Urban Ecosystems, 15(1), 71 – 85.

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Abstract

There are numerous examples of small-scale hydrogeomorphic manipulations within urban ecosystems. These modifications are motivated both by a need to handle storm drainage and by a human desire for aquatic ecosystems as places for recreation and aesthetics. In the Phoenix Arizona metropolitan area, two examples of these local modifications are artificial lakes and stormwater retention basins. Although lakes are not a natural feature of Sonoran Desert ecosystems, numerous artificial lakes are evident in the region. Retention basins are a common landscaping practice for preventing damage from rare but potentially large storm events. Here we attempt to quantify the heretofore unknown number and extent of these designed aquatic ecosystems and consider their potential impact on hydrologic landscape connectivity and regional nitrogen (N) removal. For lakes, we found that official GIS layers from local and state agencies had significant misclassifications and omissions. We used two published GIS datasets and state impoundment-permit information to determine the number, areal extent, and water source for artificial lakes. We discovered that there are 908-1,390 lakes in the Phoenix area, with the number varying according to level of aggregation. There are no existing GIS data on retention basins, so we employed drywell-permit data to estimate that there may be 10,000 retention basins in the region. Basic data on N stocks in these ecosystems are discussed within the context of the regional N budget. Accurate data on the extent and distribution of these designed ecosystems will be vital for water-resources planning and stormwater management.

Keywords

Urban; Urbanization; Retention; Phoenix

Quantifying the Impact of Facilitation on Transactive Memory System Formation in Global Virtual Project Networks

Comu, Semra; Iorio, Josh; Taylor, John E.; Dossick, Carrie Sturts. (2013). Quantifying the Impact of Facilitation on Transactive Memory System Formation in Global Virtual Project Networks. Journal Of Construction Engineering & Management, 139(3), 294 – 303.

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Abstract

Building strong ties between geographically dispersed project participants is crucial to project success. In global project networks, many firms have adopted virtual collaboration tools to address the challenges imposed by temporal and geographical distance. Some researchers have examined the role of facilitators and found that process facilitation can improve collaboration. Research has also shown that facilitators can be drawn into content interactions, which may negatively impact collaboration effectiveness in virtual workspaces. Research to date has not quantified this negative impact. In this study, the formation and maintenance of transactive memory systems (TMS) in two facilitated and two nonfacilitated global virtual project networks were investigated, each executing a 2-month project. Using TMS formation and cohesive subgroup formation as a proxy for performance, quantitative evidence was found that demonstrates a negative impact on collaboration effectiveness when facilitators engage in content facilitation in virtual project networks. This paper shows that this negative impact restricts the establishment of TMSs. These findings have important implications for understanding and designing appropriate facilitator interactions in global virtual project networks. DOI: 10.1061/(ASCE)CO.1943-7862.0000610. (C) 2013 American Society of Civil Engineers.

Keywords

Globalisation; Groupware; International Collaboration; Production Engineering Computing; Project Management; Process Facilitation; Transactive Memory System Formation; Global Virtual Project Network; Virtual Collaboration Tool; Temporal Distance; Geographical Distance; Content Interaction; Virtual Workspace; Tms Cohesive Subgroup Formation; Content Facilitation; Knowledge Transfer; Group Cohesiveness; Group Cohesion; Performance; Teams; Models; Globalization; Networks; Project Networks; Social Network Analysis; Transactive Memory Systems; Virtual Teams

Where to Focus for Successful Adoption of Building Information Modeling within Organization

Won, Jongsung; Lee, Ghang; Dossick, Carrie; Messner, John. (2013). Where to Focus for Successful Adoption of Building Information Modeling within Organization. Journal Of Construction Engineering And Management, 139(11).

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Abstract

Suggestions abound for successful adoption of building information modeling (BIM); however, a company with limited resources cannot adopt them all. The factors that have top management priority for successful accomplishment of a task are termed critical success factors (CSFs). This paper aims to derive the CSFs for four questions commonly asked by companies in the first wave of BIM adoption: (1)What are the CSFs for adopting BIM in a company? (2)What are the CSFs for selecting projects to deploy BIM? (3)What are the CSFs for selecting BIM services? (4)What are the CSFs for selecting company-appropriate BIM software applications? A list of consideration factors was collected for each question, based on a literature review, and then refined through face-to-face interviews based on experiences of BIM experts. An international survey was conducted with leading BIM experts. From the 206 distributed surveys, 52 responses from four continents were collected. This study used quantitative data analysis to derive a manageable number (4-10) of CSFs for each category from dozens of anecdotal consideration factors. The derived CSFs are expected to be used as efficient metrics for evaluating and managing the level of BIM adoption and as a basis for developing BIM evaluation models in the future.

Keywords

Architectural Cad; Building Information Modeling; Bim; Critical Success Factors; Csf; Management; Building Information Models; Organizations; Computer Software; Building Information Modeling (bim); Critical Success Factor (csf); Organizational Strategy; Bim Software Application; Bim Service; Bim-assisted Project; Information Technologies

An Exploratory Study of the Relationship between Construction Workforce Physical Strain and Task Level Productivity

Gatti, Umberto C.; Migliaccio, Giovanni C.; Bogus, Susan M.; Schneider, Suzanne(3). (2014). An Exploratory Study of the Relationship between Construction Workforce Physical Strain and Task Level Productivity. Construction Management And Economics, 32(6), 548 – 564.

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Abstract

The monitoring of construction workforce physical strain can be a valuable management strategy in improving workforce productivity, safety, health, and quality of work. Nevertheless, clear relationships between workforce performance and physical strain have yet to be established. An exploratory investigation of the relationship between task level productivity and physical strain was conducted. Nine participants individually performed a four-hour simulated construction task while a wearable physiological status monitor continuously assessed their physiological condition. Heart rate, relative heart rate, and breathing rate were utilized as predictors of physical strain, and task level-single factor productivity was used as an index of productivity. Numerous regression models were generated using the collected data. This investigation initially unsuccessfully attempted to establish a relationship between physiological condition and productivity at the individual worker level. However, an analysis of the regression models showed that there is a relationship between productivity and either heart rate or relative heart rate at the group level, and that this relationship is parabolic. Breathing rate was proved to not be a significant predictor of productivity. Research results significantly improve understanding of the relationship between work physiology and task productivity. Researchers and practitioners may use the tested monitoring devices, analysis methods, and results to design further applied studies and to improve workforce productivity. ¬© 2013 ¬© 2013 Taylor & Francis.

Keywords

Heart; Industrial Hygiene; Occupational Risks; Personnel; Regression Analysis; Construction Workforces; Management Strategies; Occupational Health And Safety; Operations Management; Physiological Condition; Physiological Status Monitors; Work Physiology; Workforce