WCS - 2016

Permanent URI for this collectionhttp://192.248.9.226/handle/123/16966

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Behaviour change in the sustainable built environment
(Ceylon Institute of Builders, 2016-07) Horr, YA; Katafygiotou, M; Elsarrag, E; Arif, M; Kaushik, A; Mazroei, A; Sandanayake, YG; Karunasena, GI; Ramachandra, T
Humans are always driven by their sensation for adequate comfort. Occupants’ behaviour is important in the built environment as it affects the building performance and the indoor comfort requirements. The built environment industry is moving towards high-performance buildings. However, highperformance buildings often fail to achieve ‘as designed performance’. It is due to occupant behaviour. The purpose of the paper was to investigate the theoretical background of behavioural economics and its relevance in developing sustainable human behaviour in a building’s lifecycle. Behaviour Economics uses the combined knowledge of psychology and economics to analyse and understand human behaviour. It has been successfully used to influence human behaviour in consumer markets, healthcare and insurance policies. This study explains six behavioural anomalies along with their applications in different industries. Behavioural anomalies such as Status Quo Bias, Incentives and Social Norms have been applied in consumer industry to create a positive impact on human behaviour. It concludes by highlighting the potential of applying behaviour economics in built environment and influencing occupant behaviour towards eco-friendly behaviour. This research study is a part of a research endeavour to develop strategies for office buildings’ operation to change human behaviour towards more eco-friendly behaviour. It will be useful for built environment professionals to use these literature findings in design and operation strategies of an office building. It also provides a good initial research note for researchers working in the field of sustainable human behaviour.
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3R.6R extended water hierarchy model for sustainable use of water during construction
(Ceylon Institute of Builders, 2016-07) Waidyasekara, KGAS; De Silva, L; Rameezdeen, R; Sandanayake, YG; Karunasena, GI; Ramachandra, T
There is a broad consensus in literature that effective utilisation of natural resources in any industry greatly influences sustainability of built environment. Hence, better management strategies of water began to emerge in all sectors; thus, different dimensions are in need to assess different industries. With this scenario, water sustainability on construction sites is one significant area, which demands the attention of construction stakeholders. Today many construction projects survive on potable water, and many strategies are available that can reduce the amount of water consumed by the construction industry. Water hierarchy is one strategy proposed for construction sites to reduce potable water consumption and encourage alternative water sources within the site. Literature and preliminary interviews further support identification of new 3R principles: Regulations, Responsibility, and Rewards that can influence on better water management on construction sites. Therefore, purpose of this paper is to examine the applicability and implementation of 3R principles in conjunction with six stages (6R) of water hierarchy to improve efficient water use on construction projects in Sri Lanka. The study adopted triangulation convergence mixed method approach, and data collection involved case studies and a structured survey. Qualitative data is presented as narratives and quotations while quantitative data is presented as descriptive statistics. The results revealed that all factors were considered as ‘applicable’ and the possibility of implementing them on construction sites. Reuse and recycle were identified as the least applicable, and are rarely practised on sites, if it is not initially identified as a mandatory process. Experience and commitment of individual staff and costs are identified as important drivers on implication of each 9R principle. New 3R principles were recognised as supportive policies to implement all six existing stages of water hierarchy. Finally, the paper discusses the extended water hierarchy model developed for construction industry.
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A review of construction safety, challenges and opportunities - Oman perspective
(Ceylon Institute of Builders, 2016-07) Umar, T; Wamuziri, SC; Sandanayake, YG; Karunasena, GI; Ramachandra, T
Data from a number of industrialized countries show that construction workers are 3 to 4 times more likely than other workers to die from accidents at work. In the developing world, the risks associated with construction work may be 3 to 6 times greater. Construction is one of the world’s biggest industrial sectors, including the building, civil engineering, demolition and maintenance industries and in Oman it account 10% of the total GDP. Statistic indicates that a total of 723,000 residents were working in construction industry in 2014. Construction workers build, repair, maintain, renovate and demolish houses, office buildings, factories, hospitals, roads, bridges, tunnels, stadiums, docks, airports and more. During the course of their work they are exposed to a wide variety of hazards on the job, including dusts and vapours, asbestos, awkward working positions, heavy loads, adverse weather conditions, work at heights, noise, vibration from tools, among many others. In most developed countries, organizations have significantly reduced the risk of injuries and fatalities by understanding the impact of construction safety on their performance. This involves the development and implementation of construction safety rules and laws by the organizations itself and by authorities responsible for this purpose. Such safety rules and laws are based on the studies of organization safety cultural and post-accident investigations. Statistics indicates that worker deaths in America are down on average, from about 38 worker deaths a day in 1970 to 12 a day in 2014 and worker injuries and illnesses are down from 10.9 incidents per 100 workers in 1972 to 3.3 per 100 in 2013. This paper presents the challenges and opportunities available for Oman to improve the construction safety performance of the organization by developing and implementing standard safety rules and laws. The research methodology includes the comparison of existing construction safety in Oman with some of the developed countries. The paper further describe how Oman can improve construction safety by developing specific safety rules and regulation and their enforcement through inspection of construction site under an independent authority of health and safety.
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A review of safety climate and risk-taking propensity in occupational health, safety and well-being in the construction industry
(Ceylon Institute of Builders, 2016-07) Rowlinson, S; Shen, Y; Koh, TY; Sandanayake, YG; Fernando, GI; Ramachandra, T
Studies which take safety climate as a safety monitoring tool are rarely reported. This study reports a benchmarking program to identify prominent safety management issues in three ongoing railway projects using a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods. In the quantitative aspect, the research team conducted a safety climate survey with three random samples, one sample from each ongoing project. A robust 11-factor structure of the safety climate questionnaire emerged after factor analysis. Most of the mean scores of safety climate indicators for subcontractors were below 3 (out of 4) and specific indicators were identified as in need of urgent attention. The main contractor’s direct labour scored similarly with subcontractors. Two main contractor management teams had to do more to take on the leadership role. The major weaknesses were the following indicators: work procedure for safety, safety compliance, safety priority over work pressure, safety cooperation and involvement, and appreciation of risk. In the qualitative aspect, the research team sought respondents’ comments on current safety management practice and suggestions as to further improvement in safety performance. Content analysis showed that conflicting safety rules and inadequate training were common in the three projects, and increased supervision was proposed as the way to improve safety performance.
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A study of delays in procurement of engineered equipment for engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) projects in India: a mixed method research approach
(Ceylon Institute of Builders, 2016-07) Sandilya, SK; Varghese, K; Sandanayake, YG; Fernando, GI; Ramachandra, T
The supply chain of the EPC industry operates predominantly in an engineered to order manner. Most of the equipment procured are specially made for the project as per the technical specifications laid in the contract. Due to this the lead time of these equipment are generally higher than products that are ‘out of the shelf’. Any delay in procurement of these equipment can have a cascading effect on the overall construction schedule. There is limited literature available on the procurement in the EPC industry. This paper thus presents a comprehensive review of the existing systems and practices for procurement of engineered equipment in EPC projects in India. The practices are analysed separating them into two segments, i.e. pre-order and post order procurement cycles. An exploratory sequential mixed method of research has been adopted for the purpose by taking inputs from Subject Matter Experts from different industries in the EPC sector. These inputs were in the form of semi structured interviews, which were analysed using the qualitative data analysis package NVIVO 10. A triangulation methodology has been attempted to validate the qualitative data collected. Finally a framework for improving the most significant of the delays in these projects has been presented.
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Adoptability of green lease in developing countries: the case of Sri Lanka
(Ceylon Institute of Builders, 2016-07) Hettige, NC; Perera, BAKS; Mallawaarachchi, H; Sandanayake, YG; Karunasena, GI; Ramachandra, T
The concept of Green Buildings is now being promoted as there is an increasing requirement for energy efficient buildings. With the boom of Green Buildings, Green Lease concept has become significant. However in Sri Lanka, presently Green Lease is not practiced very much. Nevertheless, attempts at adopting Green Lease cannot be ignored as there are clauses relevant to green buildings even in the existing lease agreements. Therefore, this research was carried out to investigate the adoptability of the Green Lease concept in Sri Lanka. Firstly, a literature synthesis was carried out to understand the Green Lease concept and its significance. Semi structured interviews and a documentary review were done thereafter to further identify the importance, and enablers and barriers of Green Lease. Subsequently, the findings were validated through expert interviews. The analysis revealed the significance of the Green Lease concept which provides a healthier work environment, lower utility charges and a good reputation for both the tenant and the landlord. However, there can be enablers and barriers of Green Lease. The contribution from the Green Building Council of Sri Lanka (GBCSL), the Government’s attempts to promote sustainable activities and conducting of business in Green Buildings are few of the enablers. Factors such as lack of policies and government rules, and poor awareness of the community about Green Lease are the significant barriers. The Government’s positive influence and the promotion of the Green Lease within the community will be beneficial towards adopting Green Lease. Several suggestions to minimize the identified barriers also have been made through the developmentof a framework.
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Adopting net zero energy building concept to reduce energy cost of commercial buildings in Sri Lanka
(Ceylon Institute of Builders, 2016-07) Weerasinghe, I; Mallawaarachchi, H; De Silva, L; Sandanayake, YG; Karunasena, GI; Ramachandra, T
Fulfilling energy demand has become a major challenge faced by most of high rise buildings today as it creates high utility cost to the organization. Hence, most of the organisations, especially in commercial building sector seek better options to fulfil their energy demand as a major energy consumer among the other building facilities. Hence, several energy management practices have been introduced to enhance energy efficiency. In the governing concern on less energy and less environmental impact, Net Zero Energy Building concept has received attention. Net Zero Energy Buildings have a greatly reduced energy demand by an equivalent generation of energy from low-cost, locally available, non-polluting, renewable sources. However, the adaptation of this concept has become a major challenge due to various barriers. Therefore, the purpose of this research is to identify the barriers to adopt Net Zero Energy Building concept to commercial buildings in Sri Lanka for proposing probable solutions. As this research required a detailed investigation, case study approach was selected under qualitative phenomenon. Three cases were conducted in three selected commercial buildings to collect the data. Cross-case analysis technique was applied as the appropriate data analysis technique. Nvivo and Decision-Explore software’s are used to analyse and present the data. As the focal point of the research, barriers to adopt Net Zero Energy Building concept was determined relating to five major categories, such as, financial, legal, policy, social, and technical barriers. According to case study findings, this concept is more suitable for new building constructions than the existing buildings, as it is more effective to adopt it at the early stage of the building. Further, major barriers include limitations of organisational internal policies, preference of organisations for short term profits, unawareness and government rules and regulations. Accordingly, a framework is developed to propose probable solutions. The developed framework gives a value to the research, as it could use as a firm base in both organisational and national levels to adopt Net Zero Energy Building concept to reduce energy cost of commercial buildings in Sri Lanka.
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Applicability of green human resource management concept to achieve sustainable goals of green buildings in Sri Lanka
(Ceylon Institute of Builders, 2016-07) Weerasinghe, RL; De Silva, L; Mallawaarachchi, H; Sandanayake, YG; Fernando, GI; Ramachandra, T
Nowadays in world, construction of green building becomes a new trend. Many studies noticed that there are considerable amount of investments to the green buildings than conventional buildings. Since in last decade, the world has concerned about green building concept as one of the solutions to reduce environmental impacts. In achieving such foremost benefits of green buildings, human resource plays a vital role, especially to achieve sustainable goals of green buildings. Green Human Resource Management came into practice as a newest concept to create green responsive employees who make a significant contribution to environmental sustainability. However, Human Resource is not utilized in effective and efficient manner in most of the organizations. Therefore, the intention of this research is to investigate the applicability of Green Human Resource Management concept to achieve sustainable goals of green buildings in Sri Lanka. As this research required an in-depth investigation, the research problem was approached through three case studies which are conducted in three selected green buildings in Sri Lanka. Content and cross case analysis techniques are used to analyse the data. QSR. Nvivo software is used to simplify the data analysis. As key research findings derived through case analysis, in Sri Lanka, existing green buildings have not been implemented the proper Green Human Resource Management process. Hence, the gaps in existing Human Resource Management process in green buildings are identified in relation to the job analysis, recruitment, selection, induction, training and development, performance evaluation and discipline management. Improper job designing, not including green competencies, use of traditional Human Resource Management process, unawareness, no proper performance evaluation criteria are identified as major gaps in Human Resource Management process in green buildings. Accordingly, a framework is developed to propose various strategies to fill the gaps in existing process to effectively utilize the Human Resource for achieving sustainable goals of green buildings in Sri Lanka as the main implication of this research.
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Approaches to foster green building constructions in Sri Lanka
(Ceylon Institute of Builders, 2016-07) Thalpage, R; Karunasena, G; Sandanayake, YG; Karunasena, GI; Ramachandra, T
With world’s trend, though the Sri Lankan government has taken a substantial effort for local green building movement, still it has not become as a major and pressing concept in Sri Lanka due to several barriers. Those barriers could be identified under five key areas as financial barriers, regulatory barriers, social barriers, knowledge/skills barriers and industrial barriers. Thus, the purpose of this study is to recommend the probable approaches to foster green building constructions in Sri Lanka by overcoming the existing barriers. A qualitative research approach was adopted for attaining the research aim while conducting semi structured interviews with 15 local professionals who are in local regulatory bodies for green buildings and sustainable constructions, who are involving with green building constructions as well as who have not still involved with green constructions but expect it in future. The findings were analyzed with content analysis technique. It was recommended to follow simple and primary green strategies, take the correct consultation, implement mandatory regulations, make collaboration between existing authorities, increase public awareness, correct common misconceptions, provide knowledge and education, promote research and development, government takes the leadership and take the support from organizational managements as few major approaches to overcome the identified barriers for Sri Lankan green building constructions. The recommended approaches can be followed by industry players in order to foster green building constructions in national level, local level or organizational level and it will provide a basis to achieve the sustainability goal of Sri Lanka.
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Black swan effects on the real estate environment: a conceptual framework
(Ceylon Institute of Builders, 2016-07) Perera, T; Higgins, D; Sandanayake, YG; Karunasena, GI; Ramachandra, T
Unpredictable events can have a major impact on real estate, yet they are often overlooked in many property decisions. This research looks at linking property market analysis to Black Swan (BS) Event theory, a term made famous by Taleb (2008) as those unpredictable disastrous events which have three key characteristics: rarity, extreme impact and retrospective predictability. The research takes the form of a narrative synthesis applying a literature review approach to define an extensive range of BS events into a conceptual framework so as to measure the impact on property markets with reference to risk and uncertainties. For property asset managers, this is important as BS events can be related to the impact on Place/location and Space/operation. To improve the resilience and reduce vulnerability towards these events, property strategies can embrace new disaster management research and so lower the impact of Place risk, although improved connectivity makes global organisations more vulnerable to space risk failure after a major BS Event. In this paper, BS management models are funnelled to the antifragility concept, as a positive sensitivity to increases in volatility. Finally, the study offers a conceptual framework of illustrating the relationship between BS effects and its respective fragile and antifragile strategies.
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Capacity of information technology infrastructure in Sri Lanka to support building information modelling systems
(Ceylon Institute of Builders, 2016-07) Kalhara, GWN; Jayasena, HS; Sandanayake, YG; Karunasena, GI; Ramachandra, T
Building Information Modelling (BIM) is a concept, improved with Information Technology (IT) to upgrade construction, maintenance and operation of a building or an infrastructure project. Information Technology Infrastructure (ITI) is a crucial aspect in implementing BIM. Rapid improvement of ITI has benefited mostly to AEC and FM industry while enhancing the accessibility to more numerical dimensional BIM modelling such as scheduling (4D), costing (5D), operation (6D), sustainable design (7D) and safety (8D). Therefore, it is necessary to investigate on ITI in Sri Lanka for successful implementation of BIM in Sri Lankan construction industry. Thus, this research is aimed at identifying the capacity of information technology infrastructure in Sri Lanka to support BIM systems. A qualitative approach to the research methodology was proposed in order to carry out an indepth investigation on subject matter. Major five BIM systems and minimum ITI requirements for each BIM systems were identified through a comprehensive literature review. Existing ITI in Sri Lanka was identified from various organizations which represent IT, construction, banking and apparel sectors. Further, risks and challenges in each infrastructure were identified. By combining the literature findings and existing knowledge which was obtained through a deep analysis. Then a framework was developed to indicate the capacity of ITI in Sri Lanka to support BIM systems. From the findings of the study, the conclusion was made that the BIM implementation in Sri Lanka is possible even there are several risks and challenges bound with ITI. Ultimately, it was recommended that Sri Lanka has enough capacity to implement BIM with minimum ITI requirements.
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Coastal zone adaptation in Trinidad and Tobago: a review of literature
(Ceylon Institute of Builders, 2016-07) Johnson, C; Kulatunga, U; Sandanayake, YG; Karunasena, GI; Ramachandra, T
Empirical evidence supports that anthropogenic activities have brought about significant changes in our climate. In the instance of Small Island Developing States (SIDS) there is a potentially significant impact from the effects of climate change as the majority of the population resides within the coastal zone, thereby increasing potential loss of life and damage to property during climate related events. Determining vulnerability can provide an assessment of the factors that place communities at risk to the potential loss of life and property and assist in the creation of solutions towards increased resilience and adaptation. This paper explores the literature on the coastal zone vulnerabilities of Trinidad and Tobago with particular focus on the Caroni River Basin, the most populated basin on the island. In addition to the population growth in the coastal zone, key sectors of subsistent agriculture, fisheries, cottage industries, oil refineries and manufacturing are located within the coastal zone. Therefore, this paper also highlights the myriad of vulnerabilities of Caribbean SIDS and outlines environmentally sensitive design solutions for coastal zone adaptation.
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Carbon and cost critical elements of office buildings: a case study
(Ceylon Institute of Builders, 2016-07) Victoria, M; Perera, S; Davies, A; Fernando, N; Sandanayake, YG; Karunasena, GI; Ramachandra, T
Buildings emit two types of carbon (and greenhouse gases) namely Operational Carbon (OC) and Embodied Carbon (EC). Operational carbon is regulated in the UK as it contributed up to 70-80% of total emissions. On the other hand, EC started gaining attention with the rise of zero carbon buildings and due to the fact that the EC is unregulated at present. However, estimating EC is not completely standardised and there is room for improvement. EC can be controlled only by vigilant building designs. Studying building closely will provide better understanding of the carbon significant elements and enable designers to make informed decisions. Accordingly, a case study of an office building located in London in the UK is selected for the study. Capital cost (CC) and EC estimates were prepared using detailed cost plan of the building. Then, the building elements were classified as per NRM1 (New Rules of Measurement 1) element classification and the most carbon and cost significant elements were identified in the case study building. Not all of the identified carbon significant elements are identified as cost significant but Substructure, Frame and Services are identified as both carbon and cost critical elements while Stairs and Ramps, Internal Doors and Fittings, Furnishings and Equipment were identified to be the least carbon and cost significant elements. Findings of the case study building inform designers about the elements that has a vast reduction potential and worth investing their time on experimenting. However, the findings are based on single case study and, hence, cannot be generalised but to be seen as an exemplar for further research.
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Construction management practices influencing productivity in building projects
(Ceylon Institute of Builders, 2016-07) Gurmu, AT; Aibinu, AA; Chan, T; Sandanayake, YG
The adverse effects of management related problems affecting productivity in construction projects can be reduced by implementing best management practices that are suitable for a specific project type. Previous studies identified the best practices for infrastructure and industrial projects. However, these practices could not directly be used for building projects as the management practices might vary from project to project and from country to country. Moreover, a little research has been conducted on what the best practices might be in the context of building projects in Victoria, Australia. Face-to-face in-depth interviews were conducted with nineteen experienced professionals in the construction industry and forty-seven context specific best practices for building projects such as long lead materials identification, machinery productivity analysis, short interval planning, incentive programs, dynamic site layout plan and safety policy are identified. The study revealed that some best practices that are applicable to infrastructure and industrial projects are not suitable for building projects. Therefore, implementation of the best practices identified in other contexts could not improve productivity in building projects and principal contractors involved in building construction should adopt context-specific practices to enhance the productivity of their projects.
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Critical success factors for construction of governmental projects in Egypt
(Ceylon Institute of Builders, 2016-07) Zabel, NY; Alfandi, GR; Eraky, YW; Ibrahim, ME; Sandanayake, YG; Karunasena, GI; Ramachandra, T.
The identification of Critical Success Factors (CSFs) for construction projects enables appropriate decision making to achieve the project objectives. Limited studies focused on the CSFs in previous researches particularly in Egypt. Therefore, this paper aims to explore the CSFs necessary to achieve Governmental Projects objectives in Egypt. A number of CSFs have been determined through a comprehensive literature review. These factors were grouped under five main groups: project aspects, owner, contractor, consultant, and environment. A questionnaire was developed to facilitate systematic data collection in this study. Experts with an overall average of 20 years of experience in the construction industry were invited to participate in the survey. The results of this survey were ranked based on their degrees of importance in relation to success using the relative importance index. The results can be used as a guideline to successfully handle construction projects in Egypt as well as in other developing countries.
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Developing a framework to ensure safety of maintenance workers in Sri Lankan commercial buildings
(2016) Udani, SHMI; Disaratna, PAPVDS; Weerasinghe, RPNP; Madhusanka, HWN
Maintenance is one of the most important and critical activities in every high rise commercial building. Maintenance activities often comprised of risk increasing factors and different kinds of potential hazards. Significant numbers of maintenance workers may be exposed to a variety of risks when doing their job. The safety of the maintenance workers should be prioritized in every maintenance work. It is mandatory to provide a safe working environment for their workers. Organisations and maintenance workers are not adhering appropriate safety practices to safeguard their lives and properties. Initiated regulations and standards are not specifically designed for the building maintenance activities. Therefore, this research intended to address this issue by developing a framework to ensure safety of maintenance workers in commercial buildings. Initially, a comprehensive literature review was carried out on the subject matter. Based on the nature of the study, data collection was carried out in two phases. A case study approach was used to gather existing information on maintenance works carried out under different categories, their related hazards. Semi structured interviews were conducted with a professional who is in the management level of the maintenance department in each selected case study. Expert survey was then carried out with three industry professionals to gather information about appropriate suggestions to ensure the safety of maintenance workers. The study highlighted key categories of maintenance works as confined space works, hot works, works at height, works involve with electrical equipment and works involve in using dangerous substance. These activities involve with different kinds of potential hazards such as physical, chemical, biological and psychological. The exposure level of the maintenance workers to the hazards is significantly high in this work environment. The study identified safe procedures to follow during different maintenance tasks.
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Development of a professional doctoral programme in built environment to enhance societal resilience to disasters
(Ceylon Institute of Builders, 2016-07) Babatunde, S; Ginige, K; Adeniyi, O; Perera, S; Amaratunga, D; Sandanayake, YG; Karunasena, GI; Ramachandra, T
Integrating disaster resilience into education is a key factor for reducing the adverse impact of future disasters. This paper in this context presents the methodology of developing an innovative professional doctoral programme (DProf) that integrates professional and academic knowledge in the built environment to enhance societal resilience to disasters. The DProf programme addresses the career needs of practicing professionals, particularly those in, or who aspire to, senior positions within the construction industry and caters for the researching professional. In developing the DProf programme, a detailed market needs analysis for built environment stakeholders to increase societal resilience to disasters was conducted capturing inter-disciplinary needs across a range of stakeholders and countries. A series of semi-structured interviews on current and emerging market needs with members of six built environment related stakeholders, namely, local and national governments; community; NGOs, INGOs and other international agencies; academia and research organisations; and private sector facilitated the aforementioned analysis. Qualitative data analysis techniques were employed in analysing the interview data. The findings of the interviews revealed the current and emerging needs and skills of the six stakeholders related to built environment professionals towards enhancing social, economic, technological, environmental and institutional dimensions of disaster resilience of societies. These findings were used to develop the appropriate learning outcomes and the content of taught and research components of the DProf programme.
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Dispute avoidance model for Sri Lankan construction industry
(Ceylon Institute of Builders, 2016-07) De Alwis, I; Abeynayake, M; Francis, M; Sandanayake, YG; Karunasena, GI; Ramachandra, T
Construction disputes have become a major hindrance for the performance of construction projects. Most of the practices in construction projects have contributed to avoid disputes while serving its own purposes. It is still hard to find a construction project with no disputes due the existence of root causes for disputes. Many steps have been taken to introduce effective dispute resolution mechanisms giving more concern on cost, time and enforceability of the solution, which still contain many drawbacks in practical applications. This ways to ‘prevention is better than cure’ and thus the concept of dispute avoidance being emerged. The research therefore aims to develop a dispute avoidance model for Sri Lankan construction industry. Primarily, literature review was done in order to find the issues related to dispute and factors contributing to dispute avoidance. The review revealed that risk allocation, selection of contractors, quality of documentation, time management, and procurement method could contribute to dispute avoidance. A survey research approach was adopted and questionnaires were issues to the professionals who have experience in dispute management in Sri Lanka. The collected data was analysed statistically using t-test. The research proposed ‘Dispute Forecasting Session (DFS)’ as dispute avoidance model for Sri Lanka. The research revealed that DFS need to be carried out middle of the briefing stage, in between pre and post contract stage and beginning of post contract stage of the project. Further the research identified the participants to DFS in terms of each stage of construction project; in briefing stage client and consultant; in pre contract stage client, consultant and neutral third party; in post contract stage contractor, consultant, nominated subcontractor and neutral third party. In addition, the research participants identified the activities to be performed in each stage of projects in order to avoid deputes. Finally the research suggests to utilise the DFS dispute avoidance model which will forecast construction disputes, thereby avoiding the foreseen construction disputes in Sri Lankan construction industry.
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Effectiveness of alternative dispute resolution methods used in the highway construction projects in Sri Lanka
(Ceylon Institute of Builders, 2016-07) Gammanpila, CM; Abeynayake, M; Sandanayake, YG; Karunasena, GI; Ramachandra, T
Effectiveness of dispute resolution affects immensely for success or failure of construction projects. This document consists of a literature review about alternative dispute resolution (ADR) methods including negotiation, mediation, Dispute Adjudication Board (DAB), ad-hoc adjudication, arbitration and ten critical factors affecting to effectiveness of ADR methods such as cost, speed, relationships, fairness etc. After decades of use there is no clear detailed analysis about used alternative dispute resolution in highway projects for their effectiveness and efficiency. In order to fulfil this gap, this research is conducted to evaluate effectiveness of used ADR methods regarding ten critical factors. The research methodology adapted was qualitative within multiple case studies from disputes arisen in Expressway Construction projects. The primary data collection techniques used in this study were ADR documents and semi structured interviews. Content analysis was used to analyse these documents and cross case analysis to compare cases findings to each other. The research findings revealed that ratings for critical factors fluctuate from case to case significantly. In the discussion of research findings, key attributes identify which was the cause for fluctuations. So one cannot simply say this or that factor affects most to the success and this ADR method is best way to deal with disputes. According to study it’s not fair to deal with every dispute in the same manner, so categorization of disputes concerning key attributes needed for improved efficiency of ADR methods. Guidelines developed include steps, tables and flowcharts for using ADR methods effectively. These findings and guidelines are presented in a logical, systematic and a sensible way to identify the ideal ADR method for a given dispute rather than relying on subjective decisions. It is hoped that these findings and guidelines will be useful to the stakeholders in future highway projects and can be adapted to the whole industry.
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Emerging competencies within national and local government for societal resilience to disasters in Sri Lanka
(Ceylon Institute of Builders, 2016-07) Hettiarachchi, SSL; Goonasekera, H; Gunatilake, S; Weeresinghe, S; Sandanayake, YG; Karunasena, GI; Ramachandra, T
Emerging competencies for societal resilience to disaster within the built environment domain of Sri Lanka were analysed in the aim of developing a professional doctoral (DProf) course through the CADRE (EU-FP7) project. Competencies were compiled following the amalgamation of both emerging market needs and skills within the built environment domain of Sri Lanka. In its investigation, qualitative and quantitative data collection was facilitated through a literature review. Data collection was conducted in respective to all stages of the construction cycle (i.e. Preparation, Design, Pre-construction, Construction, Use). The analysis was conducted using resilience themes for five thematic areas (i.e. social, technological, environmental, economic and institutional) in relation to each stage of the construction cycle. Despite local and national government bodies affecting a central role in policy, planning and implementation of land use changes and construction, built environment professionals with specialised expertise was minimal. Parallels were drawn regarding the gaps within the private sector and local and national government, such as a critical need for skills development programmes to ensure a viable skilled labour force and job security. Finally, it is critical for national and local government to enforce existing certification systems and standards for skilled workers to ensure a safe, viable and competitive construction industry.

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