Journal of Construction Engineering, Management & Innovation

Tevfik Demir Esra Dobrucalı

Buildings exert a variety of environmental impacts throughout every stage of their life cycle. A structure designed and constructed with environmental sustainability in mind not only reflects the design team’s awareness but also influences the environmental sustainability awareness of multiple stakeholders involved in the post-design phases of the building life cycle. This study explores the impact of constructing production buildings (facilities) in accordance with environmental sustainability principles on the awareness of environmental sustainability among firms and managers during the facility management phase. A survey was conducted with 38 firms operating in the Turkish construction sector, all of which are currently in the facility management stage of the building life cycle. The collected data were analyzed using cluster analysis, factor analysis, and the Relative Importance Index (RII). The cluster analysis classified the facilities into two distinct groups based on environmental sustainability criteria: Group 1 includes facilities not constructed in line with environmental sustainability principles, whereas Group 2 comprises facilities that were built in accordance with such principles. Subsequently, the environmental sustainability awareness of the institutions and managers within each group, along with the key influencing factors, were examined. The results reveal that institutions and managers in Group 2 demonstrate significantly higher awareness levels and RII scores compared to those in Group 1. These findings highlight the importance of incorporating environmental sustainability considerations at the early stages of the building life cycle, particularly during the design phase, in order to ensure full adoption of sustainability by firms and managers.

https://doi.org/10.31462/jcemi.2026.592

Yunus Dinç Başak Varli Bingöl

This study proposes to investigate the effects of service delays from various causes on the rail system throughout 2021. The study analyzed the frequency of delays from five distinct sources: train-related delays, passenger-related delays, operational delays, equipment-related delays, and system-related delays. Statistically significant differences among these sources were evaluated using Welch’s One-Way ANOVA and Games-Howell post-hoc analyses. To quantify the magnitude of impact, η² and ω² effect sizes were calculated." The findings indicate that train-related delays constitute the predominant source of disruption within the transportation system. Train-related delay, greatly exceeding those from other sources, and notably affected the total delay performance of the transportation system. Delays associated with passengers exhibited notable discrepancies solely in relation to train delays and non-system delays, but not in connection with operational ones or delays connected to system equipment. Operational lags were markedly distinct solely in relation to train-related delays, as opposed to the other categories. Retardation attributable to system equipment exhibited a notable disparity in comparison to train-related delays. Ultimately, delays attributed to non-system sources markedly differed from those caused by trains and passengers, although were not dissimilar to operational or system equipment delays. The findings indicate that minimizing train-related delays is the paramount factor for enhancing the overall efficacy of the transportation system. Future research should ascertain the underlying reasons of train delays and devise appropriate methods to alleviate this issue.

https://doi.org/10.31462/jcemi.2026.622

Gökhan Kazar

Strong project performance depends on the mental wellbeing of employees in construction, but more empirical investigation is needed to fully evaluate this impact. The research attempts to quantify the impact of mental health conditions on project outcomes and to investigate how demographic traits mitigate this link. Data from 309 construction workers in Turkey was used to design and test a conceptual model and related hypotheses. After that, multi-group structural equation modelling was used to assess the hypotheses and validate the resulting model. The findings show that mental health disorders have a negative effect on project performance in construction. Anxiety was shown to have a modest effect, whereas depression and stress were found to have the greatest impact. Furthermore, the association between mental wellbeing and project performance was found to be strongly moderated by demographic factors such as marital status, tobacco usage, place of residence, work experience, and income. According to these results, adverse impacts could be mitigated by personalized support plans tailored to the demographic profiles of workers, especially with regard to experience, marital status, and income. Additionally, improving living conditions, particularly in labor camps, may encourage construction workers to perform better and be more motivated.

https://doi.org/10.31462/jcemi.2026.623

Hüseyin İlcan Mustafa Şahmaran

This study investigates the construction and demolition wastes (CDWs) valorization in geopolymer production under various conditions, emphasizing the criticality of reutilizing CDWs in a value-added manner. The CDW-based precursors used in this study were red clay brick (RCB), hollow brick (HB), roof tile (RT), glass waste (GW), and concrete waste (CW), along with blast furnace slag (BFS) as an industrial by-product. Recycled concrete aggregate (RCA) was employed as an aggregate, while sodium hydroxide (NaOH) used as the sole alkaline activator at varying dosages to activate the precursors. The influence of NaOH molarity, the form in which NaOH is added (solution, powder, or flakes), and precursor blends were evaluated by conducting flow table and compressive strength tests, alongside a cost comparison to analyze the effects of these parameters on economic performance. The results indicated that increasing the NaOH molarity improved both workability (~ 5%) and compressive strength (~ 95%), which can be attributed to the enhanced dissolution of aluminosilicate species and the subsequent geopolymerization reaction. CDW-based geopolymer mixtures reached compressive strengths ranging from 10 to 25 MPa after 28 days of ambient curing. Among the precursors used in this study, masonry-based precursors exhibited superior performance, particularly the HB samples, which demonstrated the highest mechanical performance. The method of NaOH addition had no noticeable influence on the engineering properties of the CDW-based geopolymer mixtures activated by solely 4M NaOH. Cost analysis showed that the alkaline activator, BFS content, and transportation expenses were the major factors to overall costs. The HB-containing mixture showed superior performance both in terms of cost per cubic meter and cost per 1 MPa, compared to other CDW-based precursors. Although the 100% BFS-based geopolymer mixture had a higher cost per cubic meter, its cost per MPa was slightly lower and comparable to that of the HB-containing mixture. This study provides insights to guide experimental design and support future research on sustainable waste-derived binder systems.

https://doi.org/10.31462/jcemi.2026.635

Mulisa Deressa Ephrem Sinesilassie

The construction industry in Ethiopia is the backbone of the economy and contributes a big chunk to the GDP. But the sector is also plagued by high rates of injuries and fatalities on construction sites which is a big concern for both industry and national level. This study aims to identify and analyze the critical factors that affect the safety and health performance of building construction projects. Through literature review and interviews with engineers 47 potential factors that affect safety and health were identified. These factors were then incorporated into a structured questionnaire which was distributed to consultants and contractors in Addis Ababa to assess and rank their importance. Stepwise multiple regression analysis revealed that two factors – inadequate provision of personal protective equipment (PPE) (B = –0.33, β = –0.57, t = –10.09, p < 0.001) and absence of clear company safety and health policy (B = –0.32, β = –0.58, t = –10.29, p < 0.001) have the most negative impact on safety and health performance in construction projects. The regression model accounted for 62% of the variance in safety and health performance (R² = 0.62; adjusted R² = 0.61), indicating strong explanatory power. The findings of this study will be useful for both researchers and practitioners to understand the critical drivers of safety performance and to implement proactive measures to ensure workplace safety in Ethiopian construction sector. Keywords: Building Construction, Critical Factors, Performance, Safety and Health, Ethiopia

https://doi.org/10.31462/jcemi.2026.616

Esra Lakot Alemdağ

As the construction sector is one of the largest sources of global energy consumption and carbon emissions, the search for sustainable building materials has accelerated in recent years. In this context, cross-laminated timber (CLT) has become a material attracting attention not only from an engineering perspective but also in terms of energy efficiency and sustainability, thanks to its low embodied energy value, carbon storage capacity, and thermal performance advantages. This study aims to examine the CLT and energy efficiency literature using bibliometric analysis and scientometric mapping methods and to reveal the quantitative growth, thematic diversity, and international collaboration patterns of the field. A total of 843 WoS-indexed publications (1993–2025) were analyzed, and publication trends, collaboration networks, and keyword distributions were assessed using Bibliometrix and Biblioshiny software. The results reveal that the CLT-energy literature has gained significant momentum over the past decade, growing at an average annual rate of over 11%. Research is primarily focused on engineering and building technology, but increasingly intersects with sustainability and environmental sciences. Thematic analyses reveal a parallel development in the literature between structural performance-focused research and energy-sustainability themes. Unlike prior CLT bibliometric reviews that primarily emphasize structural and engineering performance, this study systematically repositions the literature around energy efficiency and sustainability, revealing thematic shifts and structural–energy research dynamics. It quantitatively demonstrates the relative dominance of structural research over energy themes and identifies emerging sustainability-oriented clusters within the CLT knowledge base. The findings of this study highlight the potential role of CLT in energy-efficient and low-carbon building practices and the implementation of climate policies, providing a strategic database for researchers, designers, policymakers, and industry stakeholders. Overall, this study demonstrates that CLT is not only a structural solution but also a strategic material for achieving energy efficiency and carbon reduction goals.

https://doi.org/10.31462/jcemi.2026.612

Tejiri Dogun Ala Suliman

The construction industry has been slow to adopt innovative technologies, particularly in digitalisation. This study examines the impact of digital leadership on stakeholder management in the UK construction industry, focusing on communication, leadership theories, and organisational factors. Through a literature review and survey of 112 construction professionals, this research investigates the efficiency of digital leadership capabilities in stakeholder management and identifies factors enhancing or hindering its performance. The results demonstrate that digital leadership significantly enhances stakeholder management processes, though challenges like ineffective collaboration platforms and authoritative leadership approaches can impede its efficiency. The study reveals that informed and innovative leaders are crucial for leveraging digital leadership to improve productivity. A conceptual framework is proposed to help organisations optimize digital leadership processes and address current challenges in stakeholder management by combining skills such as adaptability, feedback loops, innovative leadership, and effective use of digital tools. This research contributes to understanding how digital leadership can transform stakeholder management in construction. The insights provided offer industry practitioners, policymakers, researchers, and the construction industry with a framework to promote resilience by integrating adaptable digital leadership skills and strategies, enhancing stakeholder management, and overcoming organisational challenges to boost productivity and project success.

https://doi.org/10.31462/jcemi.2026.641