Built Environment Journal

Exploring the Utilisation of Drone Technology in Construction: Insights and Practices Within the Sarawak Region

2024-04-17T06:10:25+08:00

This study evaluates the application of drone technology in the construction industry, particularly in the Sarawak vicinity. Using a quantitative methodology, data were collected via a survey targeting construction professionals. The findings indicate that a majority of respondents are familiar with drone technology, with engineers being the primary users. Drones are utilised across various construction stages for tasks such as monitoring and inspection, preventing project delays, mapping, and compliance with safety regulations. The study also highlights several challenges, including weather limitations, battery life, security concerns, and operational complexity. Despite these challenges, drones offer significant advantages such as ease of control, immediate inspection capabilities, high-quality data collection, and enhanced worker safety. 74% of respondents acknowledged the ease of drone deployment, 80% noted their flexibility, 92% appreciated their ability to capture high-quality images, and 86% valued remote site access. The research concludes that while drone technology is recognised and utilised in the construction industry, further efforts are needed to promote its broader adoption through training and budget allocation for drone management.

Top Priority Characteristics of Blue Spaces Design for Stress Reduction: A Scoping Review and Delphi Technique Among BlueHealth Experts

2024-04-22T10:54:41+08:00

There is a growing need to identify blue space characteristics that optimize stress reduction. Few studies have directly linked specific variables of blue spaces to stress-reduction. To address this gap, this study aimed to develop a framework identifying priority blue space variables for stress reduction. A scoping review first compiled a comprehensive list of potentially influential factors. Using the Delphi technique, a qualitative study then evaluated the most significant of these variables through private interviews with eleven (11) BlueHealth experts. The experts, drawn from diverse disciplines, were asked to rate the importance of various blue space characteristics on a 6-point scale. The analysis revealed that factors such as size, colour/clarity, biodiversity, and time spent in the blue space may be the most critical for stress reduction. Experts highlighted the complex interrelationships between these variables, noting that the optimal design of blue spaces requires a delicate balance to maximize the stress-reducing potential. While further experimental validation is warranted, this expert-informed framework provides a solid foundation for designing blue spaces that support mental health and well-being. By prioritising the key variables and understanding their relative importance, architects, urban planners, and policymakers can make more informed decisions when creating or retrofitting blue spaces. The findings of this study come at a critical time, as the global mental health crisis continues to escalate, with depression and stress projected to be leading concerns by 2030. Integrating this evidence-based framework into the design of blue spaces holds the potential to mitigate the negative impacts of the built environment and contribute to the overall well-being of individuals and communities.

GIS based Analytical Hierarchical Process for Ecotourism Site Suitability Assessment

2024-04-05T11:18:33+08:00

Ecotourism grounded in environmental conservation and cultural sensitivity and emerges as a powerful tool for promoting tourism while preserving natural and cultural heritage. Lipis district located in Pahang have faces challenges such as illegal logging, thus pushing the needs and necessitating strategic planning for ecotourism sites. The study aims to derive a site suitability map for ecotourism in Lipis district using Geographic Information System (GIS) and Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). The objectives are to identifying key criteria influencing site suitability, developing an ecotourism model using GIS (AHP), and analysing the suitability of existing ecotourism areas. The criteria used were land use, slope, elevation, roads and proximity to infrastructure, are validated through expert opinions and past studies. The AHP calculation were done and the scoring of the criteria based on expert’s opinion. Results from the weightage shows the highest values are Land Use, Slope, Elevation, Roads and Infrastructure Proximity. The study concludes by developed a Site Suitability for Ecotourism Model (SSEM) and assessing existing ecotourism sites against the model. Results indicate that the SSEM successfully categorise areas into classes of suitability with Natural Breaks and Equal Interval classification. Overall, the district has a coverage of 9% Very High Suitability, 30% High Suitability, 33% Moderate Suitability, 22% Low Suitability, and 6% Not Suitable. Finally, the existing ecotourism sites in Lipis district align with the model's suitability classes, which mostly located around Very High Suitability and High Suitability rating area with a total value of 39% suitable area thus validating the effectiveness of the approach in site suitability assessment for ecotourism.

Evaluation of Students’ Engagement and Motivation to Participate in Virtual Events

2024-05-21T11:06:18+08:00

The swift change of physical to online classes has significantly changed the educational landscape in the era of the new normal. The use of the Internet for online learning has soared significantly, and students are highly dependent on it by intensively and regularly attending classes. The development of online learning offers opportunities not only academic but also extracurricular activities such as virtual events to enhance students’ engagement and motivation in the online learning environment. By using electronic communication such as Google Meet and WhatsApp, students are able to interact and demonstrate their skills, knowledge and confidence in virtual events regardless of their geographical location. Consequently, students are able to feel motivated and engaged with other students and, thus, build up their morale to participate in virtual events. The purpose of this research is to explore the characteristics of students’ engagement and motivation across years of study and gender as factors affecting their participation in virtual student events. The Motivation and Engagement Scale (MES) was adapted, and quantitative analysis of descriptive statistics and an independent t-test were carried out. A simple random sampling of 122 undergraduate students from the construction management course completed the questionnaire. The findings show that overall, students are highly engaged and motivated to participate in virtual events. The research also revealed the underlying key factors of students’ engagement and motivation. The contribution of this research reveals that the transition to online learning, including virtual events facilitated by tools like Google Meet and WhatsApp, significantly enhances student engagement and motivation, providing key insights for improving online educational experiences.

Determining the Key Elements in Maintenance Planning of the Masjid Kariah in Malaysian Perspective

2024-03-08T07:52:07+08:00

In Malaysia, mosques encounter various maintenance-related challenges including limited financial resources, a shortage of skilled labour, and the necessity to reconcile traditional architectural and design elements with modern building techniques specifically for Masjid Kariah. Non-existence of formal measurement criteria for efficient Masjid Kariah maintenance planning has led to the aim of this study, which was to determine the key elements in maintenance planning of the Masjid Kariah in a Malaysian perspective. The qualitative approach was employed in this study through a Delphi survey where semi-structured interviews were conducted to 11 experts from academicians, maintenance practitioners and governments' sectors. The formation of conceptual framework through reviewing previous studies has helped the identification of the key elements. Thus, the results revealed that all 11 experts have been agreed and validated establishing 10 key elements in maintenance planning, which are Planned Preventive Maintenance, Planned Corrective Maintenance, Corrective Maintenance, Organisation Management, Planning and Scheduling, Financial Provision, Service Quality, Assessment, Resources Allocation and Safety and Health specifically for the Masjid Kariah. Hence, the stakeholders can develop a holistic maintenance planning based on those 10 key elements for Masjid Kariah. In conclusion, the combination between maintenance strategy and maintenance performance measurement can foster a good practice for maintenance planning.

Automated Detection of Individual Tree Parameters using Terrestrial Laser Scanning Data

2024-07-20T13:01:59+08:00

The National Forest Inventory aims to provide current information on forest resources for planning, management, development, and maintenance purposes, as well as quantitative and qualitative data on forest resources. Although destructive sampling is the most accurate method for obtaining tree information, it requires substantial resources, is time-consuming, and labour-intensive. This study was undertaken to compare the effectiveness of Terrestrial Laser Scanning (TLS) in extracting tree parameters in comparison to conventional methods. The results revealed a strong positive correlation between field-measured Diameter Breast Height (DBH) and manually extracted DBH from TLS point cloud data, with an r value of 1.0 and a Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) of 1.48 cm. However, the relationship between field-measured height and manually extracted height from TLS point cloud exhibited a weak correlation, with an r value of 0.70 and an RMSE value of 7.9 m. In conclusion, TLS data has a significant impact on enhancing the management and monitoring of the inventory status of tropical forests in Malaysia.

Comparative Evaluation of 3D Building Model Using UAV Photogrammetry and Terrestrial Laser Scanner (TLS)

2024-05-13T13:21:52+08:00

With the growing emphasis on sustainability and resource efficiency within the architectural, engineering, and construction (AEC) sectors, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and Terrestrial Laser Scanner (TLS) have emerged as indispensable tools for the monitoring and inspection of building structures by using 3D modelling. This research is dedicated to assessing the quality and accuracy obtained from 3D modelling for a building and its structural components between UAV photogrammetry and TLS techniques. The investigation involved nadir and oblique flight missions for UAV data acquisition around the target structure, utilising six (6) Ground Control Points (GCPs), while TLS data collection employed direct georeferencing via the traversing method. The results revealed that TLS yielded superior surface reconstruction quality owing to its denser point cloud density, whereas UAV data met the requirements of numerous applications, offering a convenient and economically viable data acquisition solution. Regarding accuracy, a minimal disparity was observed for building objects discernible from both instruments, achieving centimetre-level accuracy. These findings not only highlighted the potential of UAVs and TLS in optimising 3D modelling processes but also offered practical insights for professionals engaged in urban planning, architectural design, and structural analysis endeavours.

Enhancing Sustainable Development Practices in The Malaysian Construction Industry: Sustainable Built Environment, Sustainable Project Management, and Sustainable Construction

2024-05-29T11:16:47+08:00

Despite efforts to promote the adoption of Sustainable Development (SD) concepts in Malaysian construction projects, an often-overlooked element is the potential misinterpretation of Sustainable Built Environment (SBE), Sustainable Project Management (SPM), and Sustainable Construction (SC) and the relevancy within the context of SD. This misconception and the risk of fragmented knowledge leading to misguided strategies, inefficient resource allocation, and sub-optimal project outcomes. This paper provides insights from research aimed at addressing these concerns by redefining the concepts of SBE, SPM, and SC to enhance understanding of application in SD which SBE guides overarching planning, SPM applies sustainable practices to individual projects, and SC ensures eco-friendly building practices during construction. Employing a qualitative approach for the research method, in-depth literature analysis was conducted using multi-layered thematic analysis by reassessing the right understanding of these concepts by identifying their similarities, differences, and overlaps. The findings suggest that a sound understanding of the concepts must be the principal starting point for learning SD in the built environment. The concepts should be perceived as a cohesive entity to avoid misconceptions in knowledge and practices as well as the industry practitioner can take proactive steps to foster a more sustainable and resilient construction sector, benefiting not only the construction industry but also society and the environment at large.

Theoretical Framework of Green and Blue Spaces Towards Enhancing Well-being for Individuals with Hoarding Disorder

2024-05-12T16:48:05+08:00

Hoarding disorder (HD) presents a unique set of challenges that call for novel therapeutic approaches. These approaches incorporate both psychological and environmental aspects, particularly with regard to the planning of green and blue spaces. The concept of green and blue spaces presents a significant opportunity in specific exploration for individuals who are struggling with HD. The aim of this study is to establish the ideation of environments that are conducive to the enhancement of therapeutic interventions, promotion of emotional recovery, and the encouragement of behavioural changes in individuals with HD. By drawing inspiration from the principles of biophilic design and attachment theory, this approach successfully combines natural elements, sensory engagement, and restorative architectural interventions in a harmonious blend. This research employs a two-stage methodology, which consists of conducting site-specific analyses of low-cost housing locations in Kuala Lumpur (PPR Beringin and PPR Desa Tun Razak) through field surveys, observations, and a review of the previously published literature. Attachment theory, cognitive behavioural therapy, and the principles of biophilic design are brought together to develop a theoretical framework. The results show the theoretical incorporation of green and blue spaces into residential settings explores the possibilities to improve psychological well-being. The capacity of the spaces to serve as potential restorative architectural design is brought to light by incorporating concepts from the fields of psychology, architecture, and nature. Future research recommends investigations on both the long-term effects of these therapeutic spaces

Modelling Factors Influencing the Replacements’ Characteristics of Malay Reserved Land Using PLS-SEM In Klang Valley, Selangor, Malaysia

2024-03-27T02:54:43+08:00

Malay Reserve Land (MRL) is one form of land ownership that has been dedicated to the Malay native community and following Article 89 of the Federal Constitution which protects the Malay Reserve Land (MRL), the area must be ensured not to be reduced in the event of revocation. According to the Ministry of Natural Resources, up to the present time, there have been fluctuations in the area of Malay Reserve Land (MRL) in Selangor and various states across Peninsular Malaysia. These fluctuations have been influenced by the revocation and substitution of Malay Reserve Land (MRL) to develop public infrastructure and reclaim the land for public facilities development. Hence, these have been a caused the occurrence in a mismatch between the replacements' characteristics of the Malay Reserve Land (MRL) and the Revocation Land. Therefore, this study specifically aims to assess the key factors influencing the replacements' characteristics for the Malay Reserve Land (MRL) in Klang Valley (KV), Selangor, Malaysia. Ten (10) replacements’ characteristics have been evaluated through the PLS-SEM model assessment and involved the distribution of 366 questionnaires to a target group comprising Klang Valley (KV) residents in the study area. The data collection was carried out through Systematic Random sampling. As a result, the modelling analysis revealed that Applicant's Dependent Cost characteristic did not significantly influence the replacements' characteristics for the Malay Reserve Land (MRL) in the study area. Thus, characteristics of Malay Reserve Land (MRL) replacement in the existing guidelines have been assessed in the Klang Valley (KV)’s area and the gap has been identified.