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Are We Prepared for the Economic Risk Resulting from Telecom Hotel Disruptions?

Armbruster, Ginger; Endicott-Popousky, Barbara; Whittington, Jan. (2012). Are We Prepared for the Economic Risk Resulting from Telecom Hotel Disruptions? International Journal Of Critical Infrastructure Protection, 5(2), 55 – 65.

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Abstract

Large and small businesses in Seattle, Washington, as in most urban centers across the United States, increasingly rely on telecom hotels and related telecommunications centers to conduct business operations. What would be the economic impact to these businesses if a natural or man-made disaster were to make this infrastructure unavailable for a significant period of time? How long would it take for the owners of small businesses, which provide the foundation for economic recovery, to give up and move away? Are metropolitan regions prepared for this risk? This paper draws on publicly available reports of telecom hotel investments to examine the economic risks that such telecommunications hubs pose at the regional scale. New York City and Seattle are two urban areas that depend on key investments in telecom hotels. In the Pacific Northwest, these assets are located downtown, primarily in the center of the urban real estate market of Seattle. Although the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 were directed at the World Trade Center in Lower Manhattan, collateral damage to a major telecommunications hub brought outages during and after the attacks that highlighted the serious risk posed to small- and mid-sized businesses from disruptions in telecommunications service. The Seattle case study illustrates the potential to learn from the experience in Lower Manhattan and apply this knowledge across the United States. Regional economic analysis of the benefits of and the means to protect small- and mid-sized businesses can provide the basis for strategic investments that minimize economic loss and reduce the recovery time. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Keywords

Telecommunications Hubs; Telecom Hotels; Business Continuity; Risk

Messy Talk in Virtual Teams: Achieving Knowledge Synthesis through Shared Visualizations

Dossick, Carrie Sturts; Anderson, Anne; Azari, Rahman; Iorio, Josh; Neff, Gina; Taylor, John E. (2015). Messy Talk in Virtual Teams: Achieving Knowledge Synthesis through Shared Visualizations. Journal Of Management In Engineering, 31(1).

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Abstract

Engineering teams collaborating in virtual environments face many technical, social, and cultural challenges. In this paper we focus on distributed teams making joint unanticipated discoveries in virtual environments. We operationalize a definition of messy talk as a process in which teams mutually discover issues, critically engage in clarifying and finding solutions to the discovered issues, exchange their knowledge, and resolve the issue. Can globally distributed teams use messy talk via virtual communication technology? We analyzed the interactions of four distributed student teams collaborating on a complex design and planning project using building information models (BIMs) and the cyber-enabled global research infrastructure for design (CyberGRID), a virtual world specifically developed for collaborative work. Their interactions exhibited all four elements of messy talk, even though resolution was the least common. Virtual worlds support real-time joint problem solving by (1)providing affordances for talk mediated by shared visualizations, (2)supporting team perceptions of building information models that are mutable, and (3)allowing transformations of those models while people were together in real time. Our findings suggest that distributed team collaboration requires technologies that support messy talkand iterative trial and errorfor complex multidimensional problems. (C) 2014 American Society of Civil Engineers.

Keywords

Buildings (structures); Data Visualisation; Design; Grid Computing; Groupware; Knowledge Management; Structural Engineering Computing; Team Working; Virtual Manufacturing; Virtual Reality; Virtual Teams; Knowledge Synthesis; Engineering Teams Collaboration; Virtual Environments; Technical Challenges; Social Challenges; Cultural Challenges; Distributed Teams Making; Messy Talk; Knowledge Exchange; Globally Distributed Teams; Virtual Communication Technology; Distributed Student Teams; Design And Planning Project; Building Information Models; Bim; Cyber-enabled Global Research Infrastructure; Cybergrid; Virtual World; Collaborative Work; Team Perceptions; Iterative Trial And Error; Complex Multidimensional Problems; Visual Representations; Construction; Technology; Implementation; Collaboration; Communication; Teamwork; Digital Techniques; Knowledge-based Systems

An Evaluation Of Wearable Sensors And Their Placements For Analyzing Construction Worker’s Trunk Posture In Laboratory Conditions.

Lee, Wonil; Seto, Edmund; Lin, Ken-yu; Migliaccio, Giovanni C. (2017). An Evaluation Of Wearable Sensors And Their Placements For Analyzing Construction Worker’s Trunk Posture In Laboratory Conditions. Applied Ergonomics, 65, 424 – 436.

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Abstract

This study investigates the effect of sensor placement on the analysis of trunk posture for construction activities using two off-the-shelf systems. Experiments were performed using a single-parameter monitoring wearable sensor (SPMWS), the ActiGraph GT9X Link, which was worn at six locations on the body, and a multi-parameter monitoring wearable sensor (MPMWS), the Zephyr BioHarnessTM3, which was worn at two body positions. One healthy male was recruited and conducted 10 experiment sessions to repeat measurements of trunk posture within our study. Measurements of upper-body thoracic bending posture during the lifting and lowering of raised deck materials in a laboratory setting were compared against video-captured observations of posture. The measurements from the two sensors were found to be in agreement during slow-motion symmetric bending activities with a target bending of <= 45. However, for asymmetric bending tasks, when the SPMWS was placed on the chest, its readings were substantially different from those of the MPMWS worn on the chest or under the armpit. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Keywords

Detectors; Construction Workers; Posture; Wearable Technology; Accelerometers; Work-related Injuries; Health; Accelerometer For Inclinometry; Construction Worker; Work-related Musculoskeletal Disorder; Motion Measurement; Position Measurement; Sensor Placement; Upper-body Thoracic Bending Posture Measurements; Trunk Posture Measurements; Zephyr Bioharness 3; Sensor Placement Effect; Construction Worker Trunk Posture Analysis; Wearable Sensor Evaluation; Asymmetric Bending Tasks; Slow-motion Symmetric Bending Activities; Mpmws; Multiparameter Monitoring Wearable Sensor; Actigraph Gt9x Link; Spmws; Single-parameter Monitoring Wearable Sensor; Low-back-pain; Physical-activity Assessment; Risk-factors; Musculoskeletal Disorders; Reliability; Movements; Validity; System; Gt3x+accelerometer

Normative and Descriptive Models for COBie Implementation: Discrepancies and Limitations

Abdirad, Hamid; Dossick, Carrie S. (2019). Normative and Descriptive Models for COBie Implementation: Discrepancies and Limitations. Engineering, Construction And Architectural Management, 26(8), 1820 – 1836.

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Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to inquire into the reasons why Construction Operation Building Information Exchange (COBie) has not become mainstream across the construction industry despite the significant attempts to promote it. Design/methodology/approach This paper framed and compared the normative model of COBie to a descriptive model of COBie. The normative model was based on the assumptions and planned procedures outlined in the COBie documentation. The descriptive model was developed through a case study of COBie implementation, with ethnographic observations, interviews and artifact analysis as the data collection methods and thematic analysis as the data analysis method. Findings The comparative analysis of the normative and descriptive models showed that the underlying normative assumptions of COBie can be challenged in its implementation. In the case study, implementing COBie disrupted the conventional practice of few participating firms as the data requirements and the expected sequences and timelines of tasks were not aligned with the industry norms for exchanging data. Furthermore, the normative model of COBie could not account for the unanticipated variability in the internal routines of firms for submittal production. Practical implications - COBie, as an instruction-based model, may not provide enough flexibility for some firms to adapt to its requirements such that COBie tasks become integrated with their existing workflows. COBie tasks may become additional efforts, and at times, conflict with the industry norms and firms' routines, and therefore, disrupt the efficiency goals. Originality/value This paper provides empirical evidence to clarify why implementing COBie has not been as efficient for all industry players as expected.

Keywords

Construction Industry; Information Dissemination; Information Systems; Cobie; Hand Over; Information And Communication Technologies; Information Exchanges; Operations; Facilities Management; Bim; Construction; Case Study; Information Exchange; Information And Communication Technology (ict) Applications; Project Hand Over

Improving Construction Work Zone Safety Using Technology: A Systematic Review of Applicable Technologies

Nnaji, Chukwuma; Gambatese, John; Lee, Hyun Woo; Zhang, Fan. (2020). Improving Construction Work Zone Safety Using Technology: A Systematic Review of Applicable Technologies. Journal Of Traffic And Transportation Engineering (english Edition), 7(1), 61 – 75.

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Abstract

Once considered conventional, the construction industry is gradually increasing its reliance on innovations such as the application of technologies in safety management. Given the growing literature on technology applications in safety management and the varying opinions on the utility of applied technologies, a systematic review that streamlines findings from past studies is indispensable to construction stakeholders. Although a number of review studies are available in the building construction sector, the level of fragmentation and uniqueness within the construction industry necessitates a review study specifically targeting the heavy civil sector. In response, the present study applies a three-step approach to identify and review articles pertinent to the safety of highway construction work zones. The factors considered include the number of publications per year, publication locations, and technology types. In addition, the present study proposes to broadly group work zone safety technologies (WZSTs) into three categories based on their primary purpose: speed reduction systems, intrusion prevention and warning systems, and human-machine-interaction detection systems. Key findings include WZST research trends, application of smart work zone systems, and the potential relationship between WZSTs and fatalities. The paper ends with the identification of six additional research areas aimed at deepening the understanding of technology's role in highway safety management. The trend analysis and an in-depth discussion of each technology category alongside the identified research gaps will provide a substantial informative body of knowledge that both benefits current practitioners and directs researchers towards potential future studies. (C) 2019 Periodical Offices of Changan University. Publishing services by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of Owner.

Keywords

Automated Speed Enforcement; Drivers Visual Performance; Rumble Strips; Message Signs; Radar; Management; Adoption; Crashes; Transportation; Work Zone; Worker Safety; Technology Application; Safety Technology; Systematic Review

Safety Climate and Productivity Improvement of Construction Workplaces Through the 6S System: Mixed-Method Analysis of 5S and Safety Integration

Soltaninejad, Mostafa; Fardhosseini, Mohammad Sadra; Kim, Yong Woo. (2021). Safety Climate and Productivity Improvement of Construction Workplaces Through the 6S System: Mixed-Method Analysis of 5S and Safety Integration. International Journal Of Occupational Safety & Ergonomics, 28(3), 1811-1821.

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Abstract

The purpose of this study is to develop a framework for integrating essential safety practices (visualization, job safety analysis and plan-do-check-act) into 5S steps and validate it. First, 18 interviews with a snowball sample of construction workers, safety representatives, supervisors and site and project managers were conducted. A grounded theory method was utilized to code the interview data. The results revealed that the studied construction companies implement a systematic safety-based methodology to minimize construction work injuries. Second, to validate the proposed framework, a pre-test and post-test study was applied. The case and control groups (26 participants) answered a 6S questionnaire before the 6S system and 1 month after implementation. The results revealed that safety climate and productivity significantly increased for the case group but reduced for the control group during time.

Keywords

5s Method; 6s System; Grounded Theory; Lean Construction; Productivity; Safety Climate; Health; Management; Leadership; Culture; Impact

Teaching Life-Cycle Thinking in Construction Materials and Methods: Evaluation of and Deployment Strategies for Life-Cycle Assessment in Construction Engineering and Management Education

Lin, K. Y.; Levan, A.; Dossick, C. S. (2012). Teaching Life-Cycle Thinking in Construction Materials and Methods: Evaluation of and Deployment Strategies for Life-Cycle Assessment in Construction Engineering and Management Education. Journal Of Professional Issues In Engineering Education And Practice, 138(3), 163 – 170.

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Keywords

Sustainability; Design

PACPIM: New Decision-Support Model of Optimized Portfolio Analysis for Community-Based Photovoltaic Investment

Shakouri, Mahmoud; Lee, Hyun Woo; Choi, Kunhee. (2015). PACPIM: New Decision-Support Model of Optimized Portfolio Analysis for Community-Based Photovoltaic Investment. Applied Energy, 156, 607 – 617.

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Abstract

Inherent in large-scale photovoltaic (PV) investments is volatility that stems from a unique set of spatial factors, such as shading, building orientation, and roof slope, which can significantly affect both the level of risk and the return on investment. In order to systematically assess and manage the volatility, this study seeks to create a quantitative decision-support model: Portfolio Analysis for Community-based PV Investment Model (PACPIM). Focusing on residential PV systems, PACPIM determines optimized portfolios by applying the Mean Variance Portfolio theory. The model is intended to play an instrumental role in: (1) maximizing the hourly electricity output of PV systems; (2) minimizing the hourly volatility in electricity output; and (3) optimizing the risk-adjusted performance of community-based PV investment. The application and framework of PACPIM were deployed with an actual residential community consisting of 24 houses and their simulated data utilizing PVWatts (R) for estimating hourly electricity production. Results reveal that the optimized portfolios developed by PACPIM (1) increased annual electricity output of PV systems by 4.6%; (2) reduced the volatility in electricity output by 4.3%; and (3) offered the highest risk-adjusted performance among all possible portfolios based on the Sharpe ratios. This study is expected to effectively assist project owners and investors in systematically assessing their community-based PV projects and in developing optimized investment strategies. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Keywords

Photovoltaic Cells; Rate Of Return; Electricity; Dwellings; Electric Utilities; Community-based Investments; Decision-support Model; Mean–variance Portfolio Theory; Residential Photovoltaic Systems; Solar Energy; Decision Support Systems; Investment; Photovoltaic Power Systems; Large-scale Photovoltaic Investments; Spatial Factors; Shading; Building Orientation; Roof Slope; Return On Investment; Quantitative Decision-support Model; Portfolio Analysis For Community-based Pv Investment Model; Pacpim; Residential Pv Systems; Mean-variance Portfolio Theory; Hourly Electricity Output; Hourly Volatility; Risk-adjusted Performance; Hourly Electricity Production Estimation; Community-based Pv Projects; Optimized Investment Strategies; Romanian National Strategy; Renewable Energy; Public-attitudes; Wind Power; Pv Module; Performance; Implementation; Efficiency; Form; Economic Theory; Electricity Generation; Models; Risk; Shade; Solar Collectors

Sustainability in an Urbanizing Planet

Seto, Karen C.; Golden, Jay S.; Alberti, Marina; Turner, B. L., Ii. (2017). Sustainability in an Urbanizing Planet. Proceedings Of The National Academy Of Sciences Of The United States Of America, 114(34), 8935 – 8938.

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Keywords

Sustainability; Urbanization; Nature; Environment

Restructuration of Architectural Practice in Integrated Project Delivery (IPD): Two Case Studies

Abdirad, Hamid; Dossick, Carrie S. (2019). Restructuration of Architectural Practice in Integrated Project Delivery (IPD): Two Case Studies. Engineering, Construction And Architectural Management, 26(1), 104 – 117.

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Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to clarify that while integrated project delivery (IPD) methods can be momenta for restructuring architectural practice, they do not predetermine specific patterns of restructuration for the roles, responsibilities and services of architects. Design/methodology/approach This paper is based on a multiple case study design; two IPD projects were theoretically sampled and studied. The data collection methods included semi-structured interviews and observations. An inductive data analysis approach was applied to frame the phenomena, conduct cross-case comparisons and develop propositions. Findings While IPD implementations set expectations for new structures for practices, it is the project participants' situated decisions that lead to the restructuration of some dimensions of architectural practice. The dimensions in this study included team formation, design leadership and collaboration and architectural services. IPD project participants locally changed and redefined conventional roles, responsibilities and project artifacts (e.g. drawings and models) that concerned design development and coordination. Practical implications - IPD context, by itself, does not predetermine a fixed pattern of change in establishing designers' roles, responsibilities and services because restructuration is highly negotiated amongst the IPD parties and can lead to different responses to this contractual setting. Contracts set expectations for collaborative behavior, but the fulfillment of these expectations is situated and emerging as project participants negotiate to develop practices. Originality/value - While IPD research and guidelines aim to provide recipes for IPD implementation, this study contributes to the body of knowledge by clarifying that IPD is a context in which unprecedented ways of practice restructuration could emerge.

Keywords

Construction Industry; Contracts; Data Analysis; Human Resource Management; Innovation Management; Organisational Aspects; Project Management; Team Working; Architectural Practice; Case Studies; Integrated Project Delivery Methods; Specific Patterns; Responsibilities; Design/methodology; Multiple Case Study Design; Ipd Projects; Data Collection Methods; Observations; Inductive Data Analysis Approach; Cross-case Comparisons; Ipd Implementation; Practices; Design Leadership; Architectural Services; Ipd Project Participants; Conventional Roles; Project Artifacts; Concerned Design Development; Coordination; Practical Implications; Ipd Context; Designers; Ipd Parties; Different Responses; Practice Restructuration; Contractors; Ipd; Architecture; Integration; Design Management; Case Study; Integrated Project Delivery; Integrated Practice; Restructuration