Showing papers by "Samad M. E. Sepasgozar published in 2017"

The role of customers and vendors in modern construction equipment technology diffusion

Abstract: Purpose The purpose of this paper is to address the gap in knowledge by exploring the role of customers and vendors in diffusion of modern equipment technologies into the construction industry. Design/methodology/approach To address the need to consider both vendors and customers in the innovation diffusion process and the need for in-depth cross-sectional studies, semi-structured interviews were undertaken with 147 participants including 85 vendors and 62 customers of modern construction technologies at company, project and operational levels in Australia and North America. Thematic analysis and an analytic hierarchy process illustrate the critical role of both customers and vendors in the diffusion process of modern equipment technologies. Findings A new conceptual model is presented which classifies modern equipment technology customers into four categories: visionaries (group I); innovators (group II); pragmatists (group III); and conservatives (group IV) based on the way in which they interact with vendors in the innovation diffusion process. The results also reveal that there is a significant emotional/affective aspect of innovation diffusion decisions which has not been recognised in previous research. Originality/value The major contribution of this study is that it analyses the role of both vendors and customers in the equipment technology diffusion process at three different levels (strategic, project and operational) in large corporations and small-to-medium-sized businesses. The findings not only advance construction innovation research beyond traditional linear models of innovation, but also provide new knowledge which enable customers and vendors to interact more effectively in the diffusion of new construction equipment technologies.

An Empirical Investigation on Construction Companies' Readiness for Adopting Sustainable Technology

Abstract: New digital technology has the potential to decrease the environmental footprint of construction activities, while they increase the productivity and safety involved in major construction projects. Digital technologies such as web-based building information modelling (BIM) and sensing technology are emerging technology that can be widely employed in construction projects in developing countries. However, the construction industry tends to be slow in adopting new digital technology to meet their objectives in developing countries. This paper aims to investigate construction technology readiness for utilization of digital technology in construction projects and to identify the factors that can potentially facilitate construction stockholders’ application of digital technology. A questionnaire is designed, and an empirical investigation is conducted to collect data from construction companies including industrial and infrastructure construction companies. Regression analysis was utilized to analyze the data to measure the relations of latent factors through significance values using SPSS. The findings show the importance of a series of factors influencing construction stakeholders’ intention to use a new digital technology. Based on the extensive review on the relevant literature, few empirical studies have been conducted to examine the proposed constructs including innovativeness and optimism for emerging digital technology. The results are also expected to provide a guidance to broaden understanding of adoption behavior within this context and thereby increasing the chances for successful adoption of sustainable technology and develop activity-level.

Energy optimization in modular buildings made from 3d printing

Abstract: Off-site construction involves the process of designing, fabricating, transporting and installing building elements for rapid site assembly to a greater degree of finish than in other types of on-site construction methods. However, some pieces of the building depending on the geometry, materials and weight can be produced using 3D printing on-site. Energy consumption can be modified based on the available resources on construction site such as labours, factories, and materials. This study focuses on energy optimisation based on simulating site available resources when 3D printing technology is available. The paper compares three proposed different cases including balconies are entirely concrete, balcony Containers are replaced with soil and a shade factor was applied as well as case 2 with the added effect of evapotranspiration.

Modelling Green Technology Adoption Based on Sustainable Construction Practices

Abstract: New digital technologies have the potential to monitor the environmental footprint, mainly Carbon emissions. However, the construction projects slowly adopt such technologies only for monitoring the footprint and other sustainability purposes. Despite the government’s policies and external pushes, the adoption decision for sustainability innovations largely depends on different stakeholders’ behavior including developers, consultants, and contractors. This paper presents a novel conceptual model for green technology adoption regarding sustainability in the construction industry. This model is developed based on six main constructs include organizational facilitating conditions, expected performance, expected efforts, innovativeness, optimism, and user performance. In order to develop the model, factors affecting the green technology adoption process are identified, a questionnaire is designed, and an empirical investigation is conducted to collect data from construction companies. Regression analysis is utilized to analyze the data using SPSS. The findings show the importance of a series of factors influencing sustainable technology adoption. Based on the extensive review on the relevant literature, few empirical studies have been conducted to examine the proposed constructs sustainable technology. The results are also providing a guidance to broaden understanding of users’ adoption behavior within this context and thereby increasing the chances for successful adoption of sustainable technology and develop activity-level.

A Framework for Using Advanced Visualization Tools for Residential Property Management

Abstract: Traditional real estate business models are not able to attract young generation customers since they are used to acquire required information from digital apps and devices. This paper aims to develop a framework for application of advanced visualization technology in residential property marketing to offer a detailed 3D information model to customers through the real estate websites. The paper presents the result of a survey examining the experience of customers who were used one of the five selected real estate on-line platforms in Australia. The survey targets a sample of 120 participants, who are selected at the University of New South Wales covering different genders and nationalities. Based on the result of the survey, the framework is verified and shows how 3D scanners can be useful for on-line property management. The results would be useful for property managers to communicate with customers by providing visualized information, and customers can easily examine whether the property meets their requirement without any physical inspection. The application of visualization technologies to residential property marketing will provide customers with more reliable and credible property information by 3D modeling and pictures, which is beneficial to property owners, customers and other stakeholders as well as real estate agents.