Abstract The evolving dynamics of the construction industry have sharpened the need for quantity surveyors (QSs) to reinterpret their role, expanding beyond traditional commercial management practices to encompass broader strategic functions such as value optimization and interdisciplinary collaboration. At the same time, professional overlaps and cross-boundary practices have become an increasing challenge to the quantity surveying profession, leading to potential conflicts and quality compromises in construction projects. However, there is markedly less research on the negative effects of cross-boundary practices for the quantity surveying profession, particularly regarding professional identity and long-term industry implications. Therefore, this study aims to recognize the challenges posed to the quantity surveying profession by cross-boundary practices and to examine the underlying reasons for these challenges. A comprehensive literature review and 25 semistructured interviews were conducted with two samples: QS professionals and non-QS professionals, to collect data. The content analysis method was used to analyze the gathered data. The core quantity surveying functions, such as taking off quantities, preparing bills of quantities, and contract administration, are increasingly performed by non-QS professionals in the construction industry. Even if there are positive effects, including knowledge transfer and reducing the scarcity of QSs through cross-boundary practices, the negative consequences, such as lowering project quality and harming the professional image of QSs, were found to be more significant. By empirically investigating the causes and effects of cross-boundary practices in quantity surveying, this study addresses an overlooked vulnerability in the construction industry and fills a critical gap in the literature on professional role integrity and industry standards.
Abstract Urbanization has caused severe housing issues related to affordability in urban areas. In Colombo, Sri Lanka, middle-income earners are more vulnerable to housing issues due to housing unaffordability and demand supply imbalances, and structural and distributional issues. However, public–private partnership (PPP) models have been successfully initiated in addressing urban housing affordability issues worldwide. Hence, this research aimed to investigate the adaptability of PPP models to overcome procurement issues in state-sector middle-income housing projects in Sri Lanka. The aim was accomplished via a three rounds of the Delphi approach by collecting data through semistructured interviews from experts. Collected data were analyzed through manual content analysis via three-phase coding. Findings revealed that PPP models, joint venture, concession, design–build–finance–operate–maintain (DBFOM), build–own–operate–transfer (BOOT), lease–develop–operate, design–build–finance–operate (DBFO), mixed PPP, and build-lease-transfer (BLT) offer viable alternatives for addressing challenges in delivery of affordable housing in Sri Lanka through conventional public-sector procurement methods. Key PPP features identified as critical to overcoming existing procurement issues include partnership and collaboration, shared risks and responsibilities, private funding, innovation and efficiency, value for money, and digital transformation. However, weak regulatory frameworks, lack of sector-specific PPP policies, bureaucratic inefficiencies, and absence of a central authority were highlighted as barriers to implementation of PPPs. The findings offer a foundation for countries that share similar socioeconomic backgrounds, particularly for developing countries, to consider PPP models in delivery of affordable housing.
Wastewater-integrated microalgal bioprocesses have emerged as a promising approach for simultaneous wastewater treatment, resource recovery and valuable biomass generation within a circular bioeconomy. Nevertheless, the presence of pathogens in wastewater poses critical challenges that compromise cultivation performance, biomass quality, safety, process stability and downstream applications. Accordingly, this review presents a critical perspective on pathogen reduction as an essential upstream process for the design and operation of wastewater-integrated microalgal bioprocesses. Moreover, physical, chemical and electrochemical pathogen-reduction technologies are critically assessed in terms of sterilization/disinfection efficiency, nutrient retention and bioavailability, impacts on microalgal growth, operational requirements, process integration potential, techno-economic feasibility, and environmental sustainability. Conventional sterilization techniques, while effective for pathogen reduction, often reduce the economic and environmental feasibility of wastewater-integrated microalgae cultivation systems due to high energy demand, nutrient losses and additional processing steps. In contrast, solar-driven ultraviolet irradiation and other low-energy pretreatment strategies demonstrate significant potential to enhance process sustainability, particularly in high-irradiance regions. Additionally, the review discusses process engineering strategies, including multi-criteria decision-making for technology selection, mathematical modelling, process simulation, optimization, advanced monitoring and control, and techno-economic and environmental sustainability assessments, for designing scalable pathogen reduction technologies. Furthermore, key knowledge gaps, engineering challenges and future perspectives are identified to facilitate the industrial implementation of safe, economically viable and resource-efficient wastewater-integrated microalgal bioprocesses within a circular bioeconomy framework.
Abstract Road construction industries worldwide are periodically exposed to economic crises, which are cyclical in nature and often characterized by high inflation, currency depreciation, resource shortages, and institutional inefficiencies. In such conditions, traditional procurement methods frequently struggle to maintain project continuity, prompting the emergence of local contractor consortiums as a more resilient alternative. This study examines how contractor consortiums in the road construction sector adapted to recent economic crises and sustained operations amid unprecedented challenges. A qualitative research approach was adopted, involving 14 semistructured interviews with industry experts. Manual content analysis identified key adaptive measures, including financial pooling, shared equipment and labor, agile internal coordination, and proactive engagement with public authorities. These mechanisms enabled many consortiums to continue project delivery despite severe economic and operational constraints. However, the effectiveness of these measures was constrained by rigid legal and contractual frameworks, limited digital integration, fragmented stakeholder collaboration, and delayed institutional responses. To enhance future resilience, the study recommends modernizing contractual systems, strengthening digital adoption, and improving public–private coordination. The findings contribute to construction management research in crisis contexts by demonstrating the viability of consortium-based procurement and providing practical guidance to support the long-term sustainability of local contractor consortiums in the road construction sector.
South Asia's marine and coastal environments face escalating pressures from industrialization, urbanisation, and climate variability, yet policy responses remain fragmented and underfunded. This review synthesises sources, pathways, and impacts of marine pollution and advances a framework that integrates scientific assessment with blue finance mechanisms tailored to the region's socio-ecological realities. It considers both legacy contaminants (heavy metals, hydrocarbons, nutrients) and emerging threats (microplastics, pharmaceuticals, nanomaterials), linking them to governance and financial readiness. The review highlights how monsoonal hydrology, inadequate infrastructure, and institutional fragmentation intensify pollutant accumulation and economic vulnerability. It further examines state-of-the-art monitoring technologies, nature-based solutions, and persistent policy gaps. The paper's central contribution is a finance-ready pathway coupling scientific indicators with governance reforms and instruments such as blue bonds, trust funds, and risk-sharing facilities. By embedding pollution management in a blue economy framework, this study informs strategies for coastal resilience and sustainable ocean-based livelihoods.
