Emmanuel C EZE | FEDERAL UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY, OWERRI (FUTO) (original) (raw)

Papers by Emmanuel C EZE

Journal of Engineering and Technology for Industrial Applications, 2024

This study investigated the awareness of the Nigerian construction organisations on some identifi... more This study investigated the awareness of the Nigerian construction organisations on some identified ML application areas, and the readiness of the organisations to adopt ML learning in the identified application areas. A comprehensive Literature review was undertaken to identify the application areas of ML, then, a well-structured questionnaire was developed and used to gather relevant data from construction professionals using the snowball sampling method via electronic means. 143 valid responses were obtained, and the gathered data were analysed using arrays of descriptive and inferential analytical tools. The study revealed that the critical applications areas of ML with higher awareness level and adoption readiness in Nigeria are (1) Health and Safety prediction and management, (2) Waste management, (3) Prediction of and management of construction costs, (4) Risk Management, (5) Structural Health Monitoring and Prediction, and (6) Building Life-Cycle assessment and management. Further, a significant statistical difference was observed between the opinions of the participants regarding the awareness and adoption readiness of the various ML application areas. This study identified critical application areas of ML where the awareness and adoption readiness are very high, thus, signalling the preparedness of the Nigerian construction industry (NCI) to embrace ML to drive sustainable construction.

Civil and Sustainable Urban Engineering, 2022

Earth-based materials are useful in building and engineering construction projects globally, but ... more Earth-based materials are useful in building and engineering construction projects globally, but they have largely remained unextracted and wasted, and their use has been limited to rural areas and avoided in modern buildings in the cities. The sustainability market in developing countries is still largely unsaturated and undertapped. This situation is blamed on the lack of knowledge of the potentials, benefits, and characteristics of green and sustainable building materials. This study aimed at determining the benefits of earth-based materials that could lead to the rejuvenation of the market for their adoption in building construction projects in the urban areas of a developing economy. The study adopted a structured questionnaire administered via electronic means to construction experts using the snowball sampling technique in Nigeria. With a response rate of 62.94% and a reliability index of over 0.90, the gathered data were analysed using frequency, percentage, and exploratory factor analysis (EFA). The study revealed that the main clusters of benefits of earth-based materials that can stimulate the market for these materials in urban areas are "cost and pollution-related benefits," "emissions and environmental benefits," "waste and workability benefits," "sound and fire-related benefits," and "thermal insulation and resource efficiency." The study recommended that housing investors, clients, and stakeholders should capitalise on the availability of large quantities of earthen materials to improve the quantity of housing provisions in cities and urban areas.

Journal of Project Management Practice, Dec 31, 2021

International Journal of Built Environment and Sustainability, 2018

Rework is a menace that leads to undesired and unnecessary loss of efforts, it degrades project c... more Rework is a menace that leads to undesired and unnecessary loss of efforts, it degrades project cost and schedule performance of construction projects, both at design and construction phases. This study therefore, analyzed the impact of cost of rework on time and cost performance of building construction projects in Nigerian, using selected commercial building project within the country’s capital. A pro forma was adopted for gathering data on rework cost, project cost and time of selected building projects, while structured questionnaire was used to collect information on the likely measures for reducing rework incidences from construction professionals that were involved in the delivery of the identified projects. Regression analysis, relative importance index and Kruskal-Walis test were employed for data analysis. The study revealed a significant relationship between the cost of rework and initial and final project cost of delivering commercial buildings, as an average of 3.53% im...

Borneo Journal Of Sciences And Technology (BJoST) , 2022

Financing is critical to the success of every construction project. Construction projects are cap... more Financing is critical to the success of every construction project.
Construction projects are capital intensive and require a sustainable flow of
financial resources for project targets and objectives to be met. The purpose of
this study was to examine the major finance sources in construction project
delivery and their impacts on the construction sector. A well-structured
quantitative questionnaire was administered to construction experts in client,
consultants and contractors organisations for gathering data via electronic
means using the snowball sampling technique in Nigeria. The collected data
were analysed using appropriate descriptive statistical tools and the Kruskal-
Wallis test. The study found that finance is critical to the success of every
construction project and the frequency of need ranges from high to very high.
The impact of financing equally ranges from high to very high as financing
affects different aspects of the functioning of the construction organisations and
their projects. The major sources of Finance for Construction Projects in Nigeria
are Credit from suppliers, Bank loans, Bank overdrafts, Personal savings, and
Retained profit. Financing impacts the construction organisations and projects,
particularly in areas such as improved investment in technology, enabling early
mobilisation of work on-site, improved managerial capacity, better competitive
strength, and high quality of the project. Clients, as well as contractors, should
establish a good relationship with suppliers of building materials and
equipment to ensure that needed materials are obtained on credit for the
smooth running of construction projects. Project managers would leverage the various financing sources for financing investment in modern construction technologies and equipment

Journal of Management Information and Decision Sciences, 2022

The construction industry plays an essential role in the life of every nation, as it makes a mean... more The construction industry plays an essential role in the life of every nation, as it makes a meaningful contribution to countries GDP, shelter and infrastructure provisions and employment generation. A critical problem that is challenging the delivery of these benefits to citizens is declining productivity among construction organisations, and pressure from competition, modern technologies and management techniques. These have led to construction projects being delivered behind schedule, over budgets and reduced quality standard. Productivity is found to have a link with the performance of construction projects and organisations growth and survival. This study showed that increase in productivity influence the growth and survival of construction organisations. This study was carried out among construction organisations in the south-south geopolitical zones of Nigeria. The study adopted quantitative and qualitative approaches using a well-structured electronic questionnaire and semi-structured interview as the tool for data collection. The survey participants were construction organisation employees (i.e. both construction professional and non-construction professionals) of middle to top management levels in their various organisations. The snowball sampling technique and electronic means was used in selecting both quantitative and qualitative participants. With a sample size of 114 and a reliability index of over 0.70, the quantitative data collected were analysed using mean item score, Mann-Whitney U test, and correlation analysis. While the thematic analysis was used for the qualitative data. A significant correlation was found between productivity and organisational growth and survival. Productivity brings about increase organisational profitability, improves competitive advantage, customer loyalty and repeat patronage, excess profits are available for re-investment for expansion purposes, and opportunity for expansion and growth. Regular leadership improvement was recommended as effective leadership/management is at the centre of ensuring sustainable productivity and organisation survival.

Construction and Human Settlements Management Journal (CHSMJ), 2022

Construction projects are laden with different categories of risks and uncertainties which impact... more Construction projects are laden with different categories of risks and uncertainties which impact construction projects' objectives of time, cost, quality and safety performance. While risk management (RM) practices have evolved in developed countries, developing countries like Nigeria are still lagging due to awareness and knowledge issues. This has denied construction organisations from enjoying the full benefits of RM. The purpose of this study is to determine the benefits and pitfalls of risk management in construction projects in Nigeria. The quantitative survey questionnaire and snowball sampling technique were used to gather data from construction professionals in consulting and contracting organisations within the study area. Frequency, percentage, mean item score (MIS), and Mann–Whitney U-Test were used to analyse the gathered data. It was found that the practice of RM is low, and the major benefits of RM are; more precise estimate (through reduced uncertainty), maximization of the objectives of the projects, maximisation of opportunities in the business environment, Healthier bottom lines (with regards to quality, time and cost, and scope), and minimisation of surprises. Also, the major pitfalls of RM in construction are; effective risks management practice is time-consuming, subjective nature and lack of consistency in assessing risks, making RM a one-off activity instead of an on-going process, not recognising team members' responsibility for certain specific risks, and risk management practices in construction are 'post mortem'. Effective RM is advocated among construction organisations for better construction project performance.

Construction and Human Settlements Management Journal (CHSMJ), 2022

Delay is a phenomenon that impacts construction project baselines. Delays lead to majorly, time a... more Delay is a phenomenon that impacts construction project baselines. Delays lead to majorly, time and cost overruns and other parameters, for which the construction industry has been highly criticised. While many delays manifest during construction, most of the foundational causes occur from inefficiencies and unknowns at the pre-contract stage. This study assessed the causes and impact of design and pre-contract delays on construction project delivery. A survey research approach was adopted in which a quantitative questionnaire was used to gather data from construction professionals using a purposive sampling technique. With a response rate of 43.75% and a reliability index above 0.80, the gathered data were analysed using frequency, percentage, relative importance index (RII) and Friedman test. The study revealed that the most critical causes of delays at the design and pre-contract stage are; incomplete drawings/ detail design, corrupt practices, Incompetent/inexperienced design/project teams, mistakes and errors in designs, unclear documentation, poor communication among the consultants staff, late design and design documentation, unclear details and design specification, misunderstanding of clients requirements, and poor project feasibility studies. The most critical impacts are time overrun, disputes between parties, cost overruns, poor quality of construction, and abandonments. Construction project stakeholders have a critical role in ensuring that adequate care is taken at the pre-contract stage to avoid causes that could result in delays at the construction stage. It is recommended that the client, as well as the consultant/design teams, ensure that construction project designs/drawings and specifications are completed before construction work on site starts.

Journal of Project Management and Practice, 2022

Cost management practices have remained a vital aspect of project management functions. Despite t... more Cost management practices have remained a vital aspect of project management functions. Despite the efforts of project management, construction projects are still being delivered above budget, with schedule overrun, poor quality and amongst other problems. Poor cost management approaches have been blamed for these problems. Effective cost management improves project performance and the strategic performance of construction organisations. This study aims to assess the role of cost management practice on construction firms' strategic performance in Nigeria. The objectives of the study are to determine the benefits of cost management of the project on the competitive position of construction firms, and the factors influencing cost management strategies of construction firms. This study adopted a well-structured questionnaire administered to construction professionals via electronic means and using snowball sampling technique in the six states of the south-south geopolitical zone of Nigeria. With a response rate of 65.48% and a reliability of index of over 0.70, the gathered data were analysed using frequency, percentage, and relative importance index (RII). It was found that major factors influencing construction cost management are; experience and competence of the project managers, weak management support and control, poor project communications, external economic environment, and lack of use of project management tools (technology). Also, effective cost management was found to play a critical role in the strategic performance of construction organisations; with most benefits being in the areas of waste and expenses reduction, improves operational efficiency need, helps to predict future expenses, ensures procurement effectiveness, and improve profit maximization. Project managers should continuously upgrade their skills for effective cost management to boost the strategic competitive position of their firms.

ITEGAM- Journal of Engineering and Technology for Industrial Applications (ITEGAM-JETIA), 2021

Independent Journal of Management & Production, 2018

Rework is systemic and a recurring decimal and It is triggered by several factors, which emergenc... more Rework is systemic and a recurring decimal and It is triggered by several factors, which emergence create scenarios, which degrades project cost, quality and schedule performance, and overall project performance. This study therefore examined the perception of construction professionals on the factors that triggers the emergence of rework in the Nigerian construction industry. This was achieved by determining the predominant rework triggers that affect project performance, identifying rework triggers in which the professionals view varies significantly, and examining the category of rework risks triggers that contribute more to rework incidences. The study adopted a quantitative survey approach in which structured questionnaire was adopted as the research instrument. Mean item score was used in ranking the professionals perception on rework triggers, and Kruskal-Wallis H test was used to identify the variables in which the professionals view varies. The study concluded that: contrac...

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CONSTRUCTION SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT, 2021

The complexity and fragmented nature and the multiple stakeholders in the construction industry o... more The complexity and fragmented nature and the multiple stakeholders in the construction industry often make it difficult to come up with a firm decision regarding sustainable building materials selection. The wrong choice could negatively impact the project objective and performance outcome. This study assessed the critical factor influencing the choice of sustainable building materials (SBM) selection on construction projects in the Southeast geopolitical zone of Nigeria. Data were collected using a well-structured questionnaire, nonprobability (purposive and snowball) sampling techniques, and an internet-mediated survey. Data analyses were carried out using the appropriate descriptive and inferential statistical tools and exploratory factor analysis (EFA). The study revealed recycled plastic, natural clay and mud, stone, bricks and tile, cellulose, stray bales, grasses, limestone, and wood timber, are the commonly used sustainable building materials. Also, their level of awareness is high while their adoption is moderate. EFA revealed that the major clusters of determinants of the choice of green building materials are: emissions minimisation, low running cost and reusability, low thermal and energy consumption efficiency, low cost and high health and safety consideration and waste minimisation. The key factors influencing the choice of sustainable building materials selection in construction are: reducing greenhouse gas emissions from buildings, materially embodied energy cost, operating and maintenance costs, non-toxic or low toxic emissions generated by the products/materials, recyclability of the building materials, availability of the technical skills, renewable (reusable) properties, inhibiting the impact of buildings on the environment, safety and health of the occupants, and appearance and aesthetic. It is recommended that consideration be given to these factors in selecting sustainable/green building materials in the designs and specifications of construction projects.

Journal of Engineering and Technology for Industrial Applications, 2021

In complex and multi-stakeholder construction projects, delays and disruption are commonplace. De... more In complex and multi-stakeholder construction projects, delays and disruption are commonplace. Delays trigger the request for Extension of time (EoT) to enable adequate time for the project to be completed. Substantiating the need for EoT is a difficult task and requires a lot of effort. The administration of EoT claims come with a lot of issues to the clients and the contractors. The purpose of this study is to assess the factors for substantiating Extension of time (EoT) claims and the common issues associated with (EoT) in complex-Multi Stakeholders' Building Construction contracts. This study adopted a well-structured questionnaire administered on construction professionals in consulting and contracting organisations, via electronic means and using snowball sampling techniques in Abuja and Lagos state, Nigeria. With a response rate of 39.60% and an instrument reliability index of above 0.70, the gathered data were analysed using appropriate descriptive analytical tools. It was found that the major documents and records that have the level of importance for substantiating claims for extension of time are; time impact analysis showing the potential impact of the changes before carrying out the changes, change of work notices, claim register, programme updates, minutes of the daily, weekly, and meetings, and daily progress reports. The major disputed issues associated with claims for extension of time in construction contracts are concurrent delay, The absence of notice of delay by the contractor as required by the contract, eligibility of time extension claim, inadequate effort in mitigating the delay and poor demonstration of the impact of the delay event to the project schedule. Regular training and continuous professional development is required to enhance the skills and expertise of project administrators/managers for effective claim administration and management.

Borneo Journal of Sciences & Technology, 2021

A lot of failures and poor project performances reported on construction projects have been blame... more A lot of failures and poor project performances reported on construction projects have been blamed on communication related problems. The effects of ineffective communication are usually high and they result from factors emanating from the management systems of construction organisations. This study examined the causes and effects of ineffective communication on construction projects. A well-structured questionnaire and snowball sampling techniques were adopted in gathering data from construction professionals in both private and public construction organisation in Delta state, Nigeria. With a reliability index of over 0.80, the gathered data were analysed using frequencies, percentages and relative importance index (RII). A fishbone diagram was also used to show the key findings of this study. The study revealed that construction organisations are still lagging behind in the practice of effective communication and that the major factors responsible for ineffective communication are management and leadership abilities, lack of training and undertrained workers, lack of support for advanced communication technologies, malfunction and/or use of outdated technology, and poor communication skills. The major effects of ineffective communication on construction projects are; cost overrun, time overrun, high accident rate, wrong execution of activities, and rework and redesign occurrence. Effective communication practices are a great project integration tool that guarantees successful delivery of construction projects. Thus, experienced project managers with sound leadership capabilities should be engaged for sustainable communication practices.

CSID Journal of Infrastructure Development, 2021

The construction sector is facing challenges of meeting client's value and end-user satisfaction,... more The construction sector is facing challenges of meeting client's value and end-user satisfaction, and this situation is worsened by customers' dynamic demands for quality and speedy delivery without loss of value. Lean concept has been advocated to be a panacea to poor project performance, and it, however, has a high awareness level but with little implementation among construction organizations especially in developing countries including Nigeria. The purpose of this study is to assess the major barriers to lean construction application on construction project delivery, to suggest possible measures for overcoming them. A well-structured questionnaire was used to gather data from construction professionals in the south-south, Nigeria using electronic means and snowball sampling technique. Data gathered were analyzed using frequency, percentage and factor analysis. It was found that the major cluster of barriers to lean implementation are technology and knowledge barrier, leadership and management barrier, culture and complexity barrier, engagement and relationship barriers, financial barriers, and communication barriers. It was recommended that adequate management and leadership support is needed for entrenching lean construction techniques into the culture of operations of construction organisations.

Construction and Human Settlements Management Journal, 2021

The intolerably high and frequent injuries and fatalities in the construction industry have made ... more The intolerably high and frequent injuries and fatalities in the construction industry have made it remain one of the most dangerous and hazardous industry to work in. The poor health and safety performance of the Construction SMEs is attributed to their characteristics; which have contributed to the normalisation of H&S deviances. This study examined the contribution of the characteristics of Construction SMEs to the prevalence of health and safety deviance normalisation in the construction industry. The effects of H&S deviance normalisation were also examined. The well-structure structured questionnaire was used to gather data from the SMEs using the snowball sampling technique. The collected data were analysed using frequencies, percentages, mean analytics, and Mann-Whitney U test. It was found that the characteristics of the SMEs that contribute most to H&S deviance normalisation in the construction industry are; poor budgetary allocation for safety implementation, financial insecurity, constant project management and leadership changes, seeing adherence to H&S as an impediment to productivity, and lack of clear cut difference between management and operations. The major effect of H&S deviance normalisation in the construction industry are; disruption of work progress, project execution delay, extra cost for medical expenses, death of workers, and extra cost to rebuild damaged work. It was concluded that the level of health and safety implementation and performance of the construction SMEs is poor, and this is caused by the characteristics of the SMEs. The Mann Whitney U tests showed a slightly differences in the perception of the SMEs in some of the assessed variables. This study will assist managers/owners of the SMEs and the industry regulators and other stakeholders in making decisions that will change the functioning, management and operations of the SMEs and the H&S related practices and performances in the construction industry. The study recommended that interventions such as partnering, and government support will improve the health and safety performance of the Construction SMEs.

Journal of Engineering, Project, and Production Management, 2021

The purpose of this paper is to show by multivariate regression model if a defective procurement ... more The purpose of this paper is to show by multivariate regression model if a defective procurement procedure leading to a contract award affects the smooth execution of a project in terms of its cost performance on the strength of the significance of the model. This investigation was conducted with a quantitative method of research by administering questionnaires to key industry players (clients, consultants, and contractors) engaged in construction projects (both civil and building works) in assessing contract award procedures, conditions for contract award after tender evaluation and criteria for contractors' prequalification. Data from their field survey was analysed with mean item score to show hierarchal importance of factors and critical evaluation using multivariate analysis of variance. Findings showed that a poor and inappropriate contract award procedure has divergence from efficient project cost management based on the corollary of mean score values of contract award procedures, conditions for the award and prequalification test. The practical implication of this, is that an unbiased contract award procedure will apparently lead to a lesser strenuous project management effort towards mitigating cost spills and overruns for a lesser project abandonment if the right contractor with the right capabilities is awarded the contract. These implications stem from the originality of the investigation arising from F-value statistics (7.406), t-value statistics (3.046), and p-value of 0.003.

Journal of Engineering, Project, and Production Management, 2021

The construction industry influences and accelerates national growth and development, but it, how... more The construction industry influences and accelerates national growth and development, but it, however, contributes to unsustainable and eco-unfriendly development which impacts on the economy and environment. To encourage investment in sustainable construction, this study made a case for green building materials (GBM) products and services market in the construction industry of developing countries, through an assessment of the benefits of GBM incorporation in construction projects. The study adopted an internet-mediated questionnaire survey approach and snowball sampling techniques to gathered data from clients, consultants, professionals, and contractors/sub-contractor in the southeast geopolitical zones of Nigeria. Frequency, Percentile, Shapiro-Wilk test, Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) and Bartlett's tests, relative importance index (RII) and Kruskal-Wallis test were used to analyse the collected data. The study revealed that the green construction market is unsaturated and under-tapped. With high awareness and low adoption levels of GBM, it was concluded that the most important benefits of GBM that will trigger demand and supply of GBM products and services are improved daylight and reduced need for artificial lighting, improves the quality of life, Increase employees productivity and reduced absenteeism, improve occupants health and comfort, higher profit and return on investment, leads to construction professionals specialisation, reducing greenhouse gas emission from building, reduces toxicity in the internal environment, low operating and maintenance cost, and creates new job opportunities. The uniqueness of this study lies in the assessment of the views of construction stakeholders' in the five states that make up the Southeastern geo-political zone of Nigeria, regarding the key benefits that could trigger the uptake and incorporation of GBM in construction. Developers and Investors in the industry could invest in green construction since there is a ready and unsaturated market for it.

International Journal of Advanced Engineering, Management and Science, 2017

Quantity Surveyors are an asset to both the building clients and other professionals within and o... more Quantity Surveyors are an asset to both the building clients and other professionals within and outside the construction industry. This is because quantity surveyors are in charge of financial matters and provide cost management expertise in the industry. Not fully knowing their roles as quantity surveyors have hindered their engagement by the public, especially non-construction professional. This research work was carried out with the Aim of appraising the perception of Quantity Surveying Profession by Non-allied construction professionals in Nigeria, with a view to determining the level of awareness on the existence and roles of the quantity surveyors in Nigeria. The study employed questionnaire survey. Mean item score and percentage were used to analyze the data collected. It was discovered that 94.6% of the respondents have heard about the Profession and majority of them are aware of the profession for over 5 years. The study concluded that the awareness level of quantity profession among the non-construction professionals is high although, they are not well patronized by the public due to the cost of hiring the professionals. Also, there were low level of awareness in few of quantity surveyors' duties and roles. It is recommended that there is the need for the Professionals to work hard to improve their image so as to attract patronage.

CSID Journal of Infrastructure Development, 2020

The complex networks of activities of construction projects have made the construction environmen... more The complex networks of activities of construction projects have made the construction environment unfriendly and unsafe for the construction tradespeople. Tradespeople play a key role in construction project delivery and are the major victims of accidents that affect negatively on project performance. This study assessed the perception of construction tradespeople on the health and safety management on the construction site. The study objectives are; to determine the trade with the highest accident exposure level, to ascertain the types of accidents and level of occurrence, to determine the major causes of accidents on construction sites, and to examine the possible measures for preventing accidents on construction sites. A well-structured questionnaire and stratified purposive sampling technique were adopted in gathering data from the participants in Abuja, Nigeria. With a reliability index of at least 0.80, the gathered data were analysed using frequencies, percentiles, mean analytics, Kruskal-Wallis test, and Mann-Whitney U tests. The study found that Concreters/Mason/Bricklayers, Carpenters, and Steel benders/fixers/welders are the most vulnerable trades groups to hazards and accidents on construction sites. Fall-related, Slip and trip, and contact with objects (struck by objects) are the most occurring accident types. The most critical causes of accidents based on tradespeople perception are; inadequate training, drugs and alcohol, horseplay by workers, excessive working hours resulting in mental fatigue, and communication issues. The most important measures for preventing accidents on construction sites are; rewards and penalties for defaulters, the use of personal protective equipment, effective communication system on-site, correct placement of ladder through proper supervision, and site discipline among workers. The study concludes that there is a low level of implementation of health and safety management practices on construction projects site by construction organisations. Rewards for safety compliances and penalties for HS deviant workers should be put in place by the management of construction sites.

Journal of Engineering and Technology for Industrial Applications, 2024

Civil and Sustainable Urban Engineering, 2022

Journal of Project Management Practice, Dec 31, 2021

International Journal of Built Environment and Sustainability, 2018

Borneo Journal Of Sciences And Technology (BJoST) , 2022

Journal of Management Information and Decision Sciences, 2022

Construction and Human Settlements Management Journal (CHSMJ), 2022

Journal of Project Management and Practice, 2022

ITEGAM- Journal of Engineering and Technology for Industrial Applications (ITEGAM-JETIA), 2021

Independent Journal of Management & Production, 2018

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CONSTRUCTION SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT, 2021

Journal of Engineering and Technology for Industrial Applications, 2021

Borneo Journal of Sciences & Technology, 2021

CSID Journal of Infrastructure Development, 2021

Construction and Human Settlements Management Journal, 2021

Journal of Engineering, Project, and Production Management, 2021

International Journal of Advanced Engineering, Management and Science, 2017

CSID Journal of Infrastructure Development, 2020

NIESV, 52nd Annual Conference, Garden City 2022, With the theme: Cities of the Future: Development, Infrastructure and Sustainability, 2022

The soaring growth in population and its effect on urbanization has necessitated the need for suc... more The soaring growth in population and its effect on urbanization has necessitated the need for successive government especially in developing countries to meet the demands for infrastructure, buildings and other social amenities as they are exerting undue pressure on the real estate sector. This development has increased the rate of consumption of natural resources resulting to unsustainable development and distortion of enabling environment. Smart city (neighbourhood) approach is a sustainable system of delivering and management of Infrastructure, which has gained prominence in developed nations and some other developing ones. There is however the absence of consensus on the factors that drive smart neighbourhood among researchers. This study assessed the drivers of smart neighbourhood in the real estate sector of Nigeria. The Quantitative research questionnaire developed from literature review was used to gather data from experts in the real estate sector in Imo state, using purposive sampling technique. The gathered data were analysed using appropriate descriptive statistical tools. The study found that the top critical drivers of smart neighbourhood are; improve health care delivery and services, Decrease pollution levels, Green modes of transport ,Improved public and social services , and Improved education. Government and private investors should prioritize the attainment of smart and intelligent neighbourhood as it has positive impact on the economy, environment, and social wellbeing of the populace.

5th CU Construction Conference, 2021

The prevalence of change requests and associated reworks that follows often leads to unnecessary ... more The prevalence of change requests and associated reworks that follows often leads to unnecessary and undesired consequences, especially with regards to the time, cost and quality performance of construction projects globally. Change orders and rework occur at the design and construction stages of building construction projects and managing the consequences often pose challenges to the parties to the contracts, especially as it demotivates and lead to a decline in the tradespeople productivity in the construction industry. Changes and rework lie in root causes such as poorly written contracts that are binding on all parties or failure to comply with full proof contracts without consequences. The main purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between the potential root causes of multiple changes orders and reworks on the tradespeople's productivity in Imo State building projects in Nigeria. A qualitative research approach utilising semi-structured interviews as the instrument was used in the collection of the data in three Imo house building companies. Empirical data were gathered from 30 semi-structured interviews comprising of 18 group tradespeople and 12 construction professionals using the convenient sampling technique. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the gathered data. The study identified common challenges and 10 critical factors that should be addressed in the design phase from both literature and practitioner's view. The result shows that multiple design changes and reworks demotivate construction tradespeople, thereby leading to a decline in their productivity. Furthermore, it leads to increased materials waste, additional cost and time. Contractors should be engaged by the clients with the consultants at the design stages of the house building to ensure that detailed design and complete information are available. This will help to curtail changes and rework at the construction phases.