The circular economy concept, which aims to minimise waste and make the most of resources, has gained global traction as a sustainable alternative to the traditional linear economy. In recent years, Australian universities have increasingly adopted these principles to align with global sustainability goals to reduce environmental impact, enhance resource efficiency, and foster a culture of sustainability within their communities. This study examined the implementation of circular economy protocols in Australian universities to achieve zero waste and promote sustainable practices. Specifically, it assessed universities' commitment to circular economy strategies, waste reduction, resource optimisation, and the net-zero agenda. The research involved a systematic literature review of 70 sources from 2012-2022. Text mining techniques, including co-occurrence analysis, were applied to a secondary dataset to reveal the relationships between circular economy principles and universities, thereby enhancing our understanding of these connections. between circular economy principles and universities. Emergent themes centered around sustainability-oriented economic models like circular and sharing economies. The analysis underscored the importance of sustainability, collaboration, and locality in achieving waste minimisation goals. Significantly, there was an overlap between circular economy principles and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Universities showed a growing commitment to these goals through sustainable practices. Region-specific strategies, dynamic collaborations, and community engagement played key roles in waste minimisation. The adoption of sustainable economic models, including circular economy, was prominent. In conclusion, the study provides insights into universities' roles in waste reduction, resource optimisation, and supporting the transition to a net-zero, circular economy.

Purpose Establishing a more sustainable built environment is an increasing global concern for the construction industry. Despite the intrinsic and extrinsic obstacles the stakeholders face, huge efforts are required to transition to a smooth, sustainable construction (SC) practice. This study identifies and discusses cogent obstacles to SC in developing nations. Design/methodology/approach The Preferred Reporting Item for systematic reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) approach was employed to establish research work in SC for developing countries. The databases used were Scopus and Web of Science. Meta-analysis of keywords was analysed thematically. The initial broad search returned 8,420 publications which were filtered and reviewed in-depth to fit the aim of the study, produced only 21 relevant publications from the years 2000–2021. Findings The four identified themes of obstacles to SC in developing countries are as follows: construction professional training and education, clients' attitudes and awareness, construction industries' culture and capacity and governments' regulation, policies and economy. The key barriers identified from the meta-analysis include inadequate training and education amongst construction professionals, poor execution of sustainability ethics, poor populace attitude towards sustainability, poor awareness and understanding, dearth of precise data and integrated study and inappropriate priorities about sustainability. Originality/value The originality in this study are themes drawn from millennium development goals (MDGs) and sustainable development goals (SDGs) publications related to SC. Consequently, the final framework presented a holistic approach to surmounting the established limitations and aided recommendations for future studies. Thus, setting a background for developing strategies to overcome the limitations and further attain sustainable development (SD).

Cost overruns are a common problem for public works projects, often due to modifications to the original design. While the causes of these modifications have been studied, the legal framework's impact and limitations on these modifications have received extensive treatment, with no specific case studies from different countries. This paper explores the relationship between modifications in Spanish public works projects and their compliance with legal limits, investigating the alignment between base bidding prices and eventual costs after adjustments. The study also delves into the strategic behaviour of construction companies in Spain, which frequently involves manipulating project costs to match the initially proposed bidding price. Statistical methods, such as the Spearman correlation test and graphical analysis, confirm a nearly exact relationship between base bid price and final price. Also, a modification costs comparison for two different legal periods highlights the legal framework's influence, as a less restrictive framework leads into higher average cost overruns. It provides valuable information to avoid malpractice for tendering institutions, practitioners, and legal developers, as well as those interested in the Spanish public works sector, and opens the door for future research on solving this problem.

Purpose This project aims to improve understanding of disaster preparedness and resilience, as well as animal recovery during a disaster event. The purpose of this study is to determine the type and extent of repair/renovation work required to bring proposed animal safe places and their different components up to the minimum standard for an operational animal evacuation site. Design/methodology/approach On-site survey using a five-point Likert scale questionnaire was used to collect data through a five stage processes beginning with the creation of a facility register and continuing with the development of assessment guidelines, assessment planning, actual assessment and reporting. In the Hunter Region of New South Wales, Australia, 25 potential animal evacuation sites, including saleyards, showgrounds, animal shelters and racecourses, were identified and accessed. Findings The findings of the study reveals that none of the facilities are of high standard. However, 16% would require cosmetic work, 76% would require minor work and the remaining facilities would require significant work. According to the characteristics of the facilities assessed, saleyards have a greater capacity to accommodate animals ranging in size from large to small. More than half of the facilities have average to excellent hay sheds and wash bays, whereas less than half have dedicated animal quarantine space. Research limitations/implications The findings of this study should assist government agencies, local councils, emergency management teams and other stakeholders in planning for and considering renovation/upgrade of potential animal safe places. Originality/value The assessment guideline developed as part of this research can be included in the local council’s emergency management plan to improve adequate planning for safe animal evacuation.

PurposeFlood preparedness and response from the perspective of community engagement mechanisms have been studied in scholarly articles. However, the differences in flood mitigation may expose social and behavioural challenges to learn from. This study aimed to demonstrate how text mining can be applied in prioritising existing contexts in community-based and government flood mitigation and management strategies.Design/methodology/approachThis investigation mined the semantics researchers ascribed to flood disasters and community responses from 2001 to 2022 peer-reviewed publications. Text mining was used to derive frequently used terms from over 15 publications in the Scopus database and Google Scholar search engine after an initial output of 268 peer-reviewed publications. The text-mining process applied the topic modelling analyses on the 15 publications using the R studio application.FindingsTopic modelling applied through text mining clustered four (4) themes. The themes that emerged from the topic modelling process were building adaptation to flooding, climate change and resilient communities, urban infrastructure and community preparedness and research output for flood risk and community response. The themes were supported with geographical flood risk and community mitigation contexts from the USA, India and Nigeria to provide a broader perspective.Originality/valueThis study exposed the deficiency of "communication, teamwork, responsibility and lessons" as focal themes of flood disaster management and response research. The divergence in flood mitigation in developing nations as compared with developed nations can be bridged through improved government policies, technologies and community engagement.

Australian primary industries are severely impacted by disasters such as the livestock losses from the 2022 floods, accounting for almost 2% of the national herd. Livestock producers have been identified as a highly vulnerable group as animal evacuation often fails. Although government agencies recommend pre-emptively removing animals from vulnerable areas, the logistical challenges associated with a prompt livestock evacuation are magnified by the volumes to be transported, access to trucks and the owners' uncertainties about the conditions of evacuation sites. This study focuses on the implications of ensuring the safe evacuation of animals during disasters in the Hunter Region in New South Wales, recurrently impacted by floods in recent years. The findings provide valuable information about the state of the facilities available for use as animal shelters. The assessment shows that two-thirds of the facilities are unsuitable for floods, fires or both, and upgrading should be considered suitable for multiple disasters. This study evidences the need for updated and reliable information about the conditions of the animal evacuation sites to support livestock owners' decision-making to evacuate their animals and support the engagement of various stakeholders in ensuring animal welfare.

Seismic vulnerability is a major threat to New Zealand's winery industry. Many studies have assessed the vulnerability of New Zealand wineries, especially in high seismic regions. However, few studies have been conducted to assess the earthquake susceptibility of wineries in low seismic regions, such as Auckland. This study investigated the earthquake vulnerability of wineries in the Auckland region by (i) creating an inventory of the elements at risk in the wineries and (ii) assessing the level of vulnerability of these elements. As case studies, twenty-one wineries from various parts of the Auckland region were chosen. The research findings identified key elements at risk of seismic hazard in Auckland wineries using a field survey, including buildings, storage tanks, catwalks, and barrel racks. Furthermore, the findings revealed that at-risk elements are vulnerable to moderate to high levels, emphasising the need for resilience strategies to reduce potential earthquake losses. This study concluded that low seismic risk does not imply low vulnerability, and that Auckland winery owners should reconsider their views on seismic risk mitigation. The study's findings benefit both winery owners and industry professionals by providing insights into the Auckland winery's vulnerability level and recommending approaches to improving the winery's organisational resilience.

A base isolator is a proven system that can significantly reduce any damage to a building in the event of an earthquake. Despite their efficacy, seismic isolators are not widely used in New Zealand, with only about forty systems in use during the 2010 and 2011 Canterbury Earthquakes. This study seeks to investigate why base isolation systems are not frequently used in seismic strengthening projects and buildings in New Zealand. It also focuses on determining ways in which seismic isolators could become more widely used in New Zealand due to increased seismic activity. This study used an exploratory sequential mixed method design, in which qualitative data were collected first through in-depth face-to-face interviews, analysed, and used to construct the quantitative instrument, which was an online questionnaire. Data were obtained from construction professionals such as architects, engineers, site-based construction personnel, and quantity surveyors. The findings of this study indicated the need for an increased awareness of base isolation systems and improved universal guidelines for the design of seismic isolators. The motivators identified include provision of monetary incentives, such as reduced insurance premiums and financial subsidies, to encourage the adoption of seismic isolators. The factors preventing the adoption of base isolation systems in New Zealand were classified as human-related, safety and design-related, and cost-related. The study’s implication is that providing a universal guideline for seismic isolators can enhance designers’ confidence. Likewise, incentives may be provided to property owners to lower the cost of implementing a base isolation system.

As an alternative to the linear economy concept, the circular economy (CE) is growing in popularity among researchers, governments, and organisations. It is a waste-elimination concept that takes, creates, uses, and regenerates materials. Although the CE concept has been adopted in a variety of industries and countries, its application in Africa, particularly in the built environment sector, is still in its early stages. A lack of adequate research on the subject could be one of the reasons for the slow uptake in the built environment. In this context, the study provides an overview of publications focusing on CE in Africa’s built environment from 2001 to 2021. Through the Web of Science database, this study identifies various key topics and CE implementation methods in Africa using bibliometric analysis. The findings show that 92 publications in Africa focused on CE and the built environment over a 20-year period. Using the VOS viewer software, data analysis focused on the document type, year of publication, journal distribution, top authors, most cited publication, and keywords. In conclusion, the study suggests that vigorous research on the CE concept be conducted, with a focus on waste minimisation, in order to reduce pollution in the long run.

Providing shelters for animals during disasters such as floods, bushfires and storms requires adequate planning and preparedness. Planning for animals during the disaster response and recovery phases is critical to mitigating the negative effects that animal loss or separation can have. The human-animal bond has the potential to influence people’s decisions during emergencies, such as how they will respond and when or if they will evacuate. Evacuation with animals during a disaster event can be difficult and complicated. It is critical, however, that animals are rescued and kept safe during and after disasters. Any compromise can result in the death of such animals. Similarly, even in disaster-related situations, animal handling should be consistent with the Australian Animal Welfare Standards and Guidelines. This project aims to better understand disaster preparedness and resilience, as well as the recovery of animals during a disaster event. Twenty-five potential animal evacuation sites, including saleyards, showgrounds, animal shelters, and racecourses, were identified and accessed in nine local government areas (LGAs) across the Hunter region of New South Wales, Australia. On-site survey using a 5-point Likert scale questionnaire was used to collect data. While none of the facilities are of high standard, 16% would require cosmetic work, 76% would require minor work, and the remaining facilities would require significant work. The project’s implication is that the assessment guideline can be included in the local council’s emergency management plan to improve adequate planning for safe animal evacuation.

A significant number of heritage buildings are vulnerable to hazards of different types, which threaten the unique richness of their embodied architectural, historical, religious, and cultural values. Through the implementation of adequate structural measures, these buildings can be strengthened and preserved. The owners of heritage buildings often face several challenges that make the preservation and reinforcement of their properties economically nonviable unless they obtain some incentives. The study examined heritage owners' preferences for incentives that could contribute to behavioral changes. Using a mixed-method approach, we collected data from building owners in three locations in New Zealand. The research findings revealed that heritage-building owners' main preferences include regulatory, financial, and technology-based incentives, and that they are often unaware of available options. The findings also suggested that no single incentive category or policy tool could offer a broad-ranging solution, rather a combination of complementary means would produce the optimal result. Consequently, policy-makers need to understand the owners' preferences and develop innovative strategies to address them. Moreover, local authorities and relevant organizations should prioritize the provision and dissemination of information relating to the incentives. Lastly, the formulation of policies aimed at increasing investments in disaster risk reduction could promote the structural strengthening and preservation of heritage assets. Highlights: Most heritage-building owners are unaware of available seismic-retrofit incentives. Awareness of the incentives does not relate to uptake but could motivate adoption. No single incentive category or policy tool could offer a broad-ranging solution. Heritage-building owners prefer a combination of complementary incentives.

The construction industry makes a significant contribution to the growth and development of any country through infrastructure development. However, the industry also generates huge amounts of wasteWaste, and these inadvertently impact on the environment and deplete finite raw materials. This underscores the need for the industry to adopt effective waste managementWaste management strategies. Several such strategies including the reduce, reuseReuse, and recycle (or 3Rs) principle have been discussed in the literature and employed in many developed and developing nations. The 3R principle forms the basis of the circular economyCircular Economy (CE), which has gained traction as a potential strategy to minimize construction material wasteWaste. The question of whether the concept of the CE can be adopted as a waste managementWaste management approach in Nigeria continues to pique the interest of researchers and industry practitioners. Through a concurrent triangulation design in a cross-sectional survey, this study assessed waste managementWaste management strategies adopted at the construction phase by Nigerian building construction firms (NBCF). A structured questionnaire was used to collect quantitative data from 243 firms, while semi-structured interviews with 65 professionals from 10 building construction projects in Lagos, Nigeria, were used to obtain qualitative data. The findings reveal that the reuseReuse and reduce components of the 3Rs are the most adopted strategies, while recyclingRecycling is the least, implying that the CECircular Economy concept is used in principle by the NBCFs. The research lays the groundwork for future studies in construction material wasteWaste minimization through the adoption of CE principles.

The construction industry plays an essential role in a country's economic growth. The industry has been criticised for activities and processes that generate high volumes of waste, whilst obstructing sustainable development goal (SDGs) targets. The circular economy (CE) increases waste minimisation by keeping materials and resources in a closed loop. This concept has continued to gain positive traction as a potential solution to achieve sustainable development. The authors argue that contextualising the circular economy (CE) as part of the discourse towards implementing the United Nations (UN) SDGs Agenda 2030 is crucial for managing the increasing amounts of waste generated by the construction industry. This paper provides a framework that establishes a detailed relationship between the SDGs, construction waste management and the CE to direct future sustainable development research, policies, and innovations. The study adopted a narrative literature review methodology. Scopus and Web of Science were scoured for relevant literature published between 2015 and 2021. Initially 65 articles were identified with this number being reduced to 24 following a detailed inspection of their applicability to the study. The findings from the articles were summarized, synthesized, and incorporated into the study. A key theme that emerged was that an understanding of the SDGs-circular economy linkages in construction waste management is integral to establishing long-term innovative solutions for developing multi-sectorial measures for waste prevention, eco-design, and re-use of materials. These linkages increase competitiveness, stimulate innovation, and boost economic growth. This study proposes that all stakeholders who generate waste should apply new innovative technologies, methods and strategies leading to transdisciplinary and transformative change.

Fast-track construction projects are becoming increasingly prevalent in the construction industry, particularly where completion time is essential. A high adoption rate in some of the United Arab Emirate countries and the lack of a conceptual understanding of the challenges inherent in such may jeopardize the future sustainability of the construction sector. To make an informed decision about adopting a fast-track construction method, it is necessary to first identify the opportunities and challenges associated with it. Therefore, this study examines the critical challenges impeding the performance of Qatar's fast-track construction projects. The research findings were analysed and triangulated using a real-life project as a case study and several data sources. The results of the research identified four critical categories of barriers: design and coordination-related, scope or change orders-related, material and equipment-related, and contractual-related barriers. In addition, strategies such as accurate information, constructability assessment, early involvement of operations and maintenance personnel, and the use of an effective change control system were identified for addressing the identified challenges. The findings are beneficial to professionals who are currently operating or planning to undertake construction projects in Qatar or other United Arab Emirate countries. This study recommends that project managers be more attentive to key barriers in order to improve the performance of fast-track projects and to meet clients' objectives.

The need to reduce waste generation and resource extraction arising from the traditional linear economy system is gaining the attention of scholars, organisations and governments. A potential alternative is the circular economy concept, which can minimise waste, keep materials in circulation through reuse and recycling principles and consider the environmental, social and economic benefits of products. The circular economy evolved from some conflicting concepts and theories to a linear economy. The purpose of this study is therefore to identify those concepts and theories and to explore their potential contributions to the construction industry. To achieve the objective of the study, a semi-systematic review of extant literature was conducted. The results indicated that 14 concepts including cradle to cradle, regenerative design, biomimicry, performance economy, industrial ecology and reverse logistics are the pillars of the circular economy. The findings revealed that all the concepts share similar characteristics with the circular economy and are relevant to the construction industry, especially for environmental protection. Seven (50%) of the pillars are applicable for reuse and recycling, six (42.8%) for resource efficiency, three (21.4%) for design and two (14.3%) for service models. However, it is hoped that the results of this study will contribute to the body of knowledge on the circular economy concept and waste management. The development of a framework for the identification of suitable concepts for the construction industry is recommended for future studies.

Effective minimisation of construction material waste has demonstrated that environmental pollution arising from construction activities can be reduced. Yet, there is insufficient knowledge on the role of architects in minimising waste, especially at the design phase. The purpose of this article is to identify the causes, barriers, approaches, driving factors to waste minimisation and to investigate strategies employed by architects at the design phase. This study adopted a survey questionnaire with both open and close-ended questions to elicit information from architects in Akure, Ondo State, Nigeria. Empirical results indicate that the major cause of waste at the design phase is the client's last minutes changes to design. Lack of training and design for flexibility and adaptability were the top barrier and approach to construction waste minimisation respectively. The driving factors were training, waste management policy and legislation while the top three strategies employed by the architects are modular coordination, proper detailing and market survey. Findings recommend that a design checklist be created and implemented, that waste minimisation options be considered and that architects take more responsibility for their actions during the design phase.