With the global energy consumption reaching unsustainable levels, the need for regulating energy consumptions has been emphasised. Hence a variety of methods are followed in different countries to minimise the impacts of embodied energy (EE) and operational energy (OE) in buildings. Considering either EE or OE in its individuality is not a pragmatic approach and it is important to consider means of reducing both EE and OE in parallel. The design stage was identified as the most suitable stage for integrating energy efficiency measures, since most crucial project decisions are taken at this stage. Although a multitude of research has been conducted on EE and OE individually, there seems a lack of research that focuses on both these aspects together. The extensive literature review was followed by 5 preliminary interviews with subject matter experts and then semi structured interviews with 12 experts were conducted. It was revealed that determining strategies for achieving simultaneous EE and OE reduction is difficult. The identified strategies to be implemented in the design stage were classified as material selection related, design approach related, building morphology related, procurement process related and other strategies, with a majority of strategies falling under the ‘procurement process’ category.

Construction sites constitute major sources of pollutants creating negative impacts on the environment. Sustainable construction aims at mitigating these negative externalities while promoting economic and social outcomes. Dust pollution in construction sites is an invisible hazard, which is often ignored as little more than a nuisance. Although behavioral control is a popular way of preventing dust generation, past research has paid little attention to worker behavior regarding dust mitigation. This study aims to test a model that predicts intentions to alter the conduct of workers towards dust control in construction activities. This study adopted a questionnaire survey design with construction participants in Sri Lanka, using structural equation modelling to test several hypotheses based on the Norm Activation Model. The results proved that awareness of consequences and ascription of responsibility could have a positive impact on personal norms, which in turn could influence the behavior of site employees. The study also provided new insights on employees’ awareness of dust hazards, their sense of responsibility for its control, and the importance of their company. Policymakers and practitioners are recommended to pay more attention to how to harness worker’s support to mitigate dust pollution, and construction companies should initiate educational campaigns to raise awareness about environmental impacts, to influence personal norms of the workers in building sites. This research contributes to the body of knowledge by enhancing our understanding of factors influencing employees’ dust control behavior.

Purpose Many studies have focused on embodied energy (EE) and operational energy (OE), but a shortage of studies on decision making, which involves several decision makers whose decisions can affect the energy performance of buildings, is evident. From the stages of the project life cycle, the design stage is identified as the ideal stage for integrating energy efficiency into buildings. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to revisit the role of professionals in designing energy-conscious buildings with low EE and OE. Design/methodology/approach This study administered a qualitative approach. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews only with 12 experts, due to the lack of expertise in the subject matter. The data were analyzed using manual content analysis. Findings The outcomes revealed the necessity to revisit the role of construction professionals in terms of adopting energy-efficient building design concepts from the project outset. The roles of the key professional groups (i.e. architects, structural engineers, services engineers and quantity surveyors) were identified through this research. Common issues in designing energy-efficient buildings and the means of addressing such problems were outlined. Originality/value This study contributes to the knowledge by revisiting the roles of construction professionals and proposing how they could leverage their strengths to play the important role and contribute collectively to design buildings with both low OE and EE.

Revamping design, construction and operations for boosting built asset sustainability With the construction industry inevitably being a major contributor to global greenhouse gas emissions, sustainability research has become a generic trend in the built environment. Once it has been decided to build a new building, or to refurbish an existing building, or change working practices, the opportunities for improvement through sustainable planning, design, construction, operations and maintenance practices are significant. To this end, sustainability solutions across a diverse range of projects in different contexts are required to bring change and innovations to the sector. However, there is still a lack of sustainability focus on the interfaces of design, construction and operational phases in construction projects that would eventually bring life to "Built asset sustainability". This Special Issue was aimed at revisiting and revamping traditional approaches to design, construction and operations with a common focus on boosting "Built asset sustainability". There was an effort to connect processes and people engaged in different phases, where appropriate, to collectively and collaboratively address built asset sustainability.This issue is lined up with the first five papers (Papers 1-5) suggesting the integration of different life cycles phases using technology (Paper 1 on blockchain technology), management theories (Paper 2 on lean principles) and sustainability frameworks/applications in unexplored contexts (Paper 3-5) to boost built asset sustainability. The last three papers (Papers 6-8) primarily focus on operational phase while attempting to link to either design or construction phases in varied contexts such as apparel (Paper 6), hotel (Paper 7) and university (Paper 8) sub-sectors. An overview of each paper is offered below.The opening paper revolutionises the current state of sustainability thinking and integrates different stages of the life cycle of a built asset through blockchain technology. The authors, Alirez Shojaei, Jun Wang and Andriel Fenner, propose and test a model for using blockchain as an infrastructure support within a case study. The highlight of this model is its ability to offer a decentralised, transparent and comprehensive database for life cycle sustainability assessments. This is an evolving, but inspiring piece of research that opens up many avenues for future research in sustainability.The second paper by Sonali Pandithawatta, Nisa Zainudeen and Savindi Perera, extends traditional lean construction applications based on economic considerations to "social and environmental" considerations in an attempt to boost built asset sustainability across its life cycle phases. This research is conducted in Sri Lanka through a qualitative research method incorporating expert interviews. The paper offers a framework to guide the implementation of integrated lean-green application in the studied context.The third paper by Chukwuka Ohueri, Wallace Enegbuma and Hadina Habil attempts to apply a sust...