Major earthquakes can cause extensive damage to buildings and alter both the natural and built environments. Accurately estimating the financial impact from these events is complex, and the damage is not always visible to the naked eye. PACT, SLAT, and HAZUS are some of the computer-based tools designed to predict probable damage before an earthquake. However, there are no identifiable models built for post-earthquake use. This paper focuses on verifying the significance and usage of variables that specifically need to be considered for the post-earthquake cost estimation of earthquake damage repair work (CEEDRW). The research was conducted using a questionnaire survey involving 92 participants who have experience in cost estimating earthquake damage repair work in New Zealand. The Weighted Average, Relative Importance Index (RII), and Exploratory Factor Analysis were used to analyse the data. The research verified that eleven major variables that are significant to the CEEDRW and should be incorporated to cost estimation models. Verified variables can be used to develop a post-earthquake repair cost estimation tool and can be used to improve the pre-earthquake loss prediction tools.

Retaining and replacing skilled professionals can be problematic within high-performance construction teams. The onus cascades upon fledgling, inexperienced individuals to embrace these high-stress responsibilities. Previous studies have highlighted the influential role that stress plays as an antecedent to burnout. Emotional fatigue, depersonalisation and a lack of personal achievement all sprout from the burnout syndrome. This project was undertaken as an inductive approach to theory development and employed a cross-sectional survey using a questionnaire. The study population comprised of construction professionals within the New Zealand construction industry. Convenience sampling was used to collect data from 266 New Zealand Site Safe members and their industry partners utilising a survey software called Qualtrics to address the research question. Through the use of a Likert scale, the mean values of the data were used to construct a table that incorporated combined stressors and their stress reduction strategies. “What stresses do construction professionals experience and what recommendations can be concluded to change workplace behaviour to reduce burnout?” The data was then used to construct a table that incorporated combined stressors and their stress reduction strategies. This research identified the contributing stress factors and their respective remedies to make changes in the New Zealand construction environment. The findings noted that various factors within the different clusters were indicative of high workplace stress, the strongest cluster being individual job demands. Other clusters highlighted factors such as managerial behaviour, organisational leadership and the economy as significant contributors. Transparent and clear communications between all staff levels proved to be the strongest moderating factor as a stress reduction remedy. The respondents indicated that a change in their sleeping patterns also created fatigue that leads to burnout. The contribution of this paper and contribution of this research lies in presenting the most significant current stressors in the New Zealand construction industry and aligning them with stress reductions strategies.

PurposeMany audits, subsequent to various fire incidents, revealed that the failure to prevent the use of non-compliant and non-conforming building products earlier in the process have been mainly attributed to the inability of the existing building and building product certification processes to mitigate the risks of having non-compliance and non-conformance. This paper presents findings from a research project in Western Australia (WA) set up to evaluate and manage the risks of non-compliance and non-conformance of building products, with a specific focus on (although not limited to) aluminum composite panels as an external cladding material, across the project processes by mapping the lifecycle of building products used in building projects. The research is underpinned by the basic principles of risk management applied in the construction industry but considering the impact of the regulatory environment.Design/methodology/approachLessons learnt from various jurisdictions indicated a real need for reform to the current building and building product certification processes unique to a jurisdiction in order to better manage such risks in these jurisdictions. This research focuses on a specific jurisdiction, namely the WA. The methodology used to gather and analyse data was both a quantitative and qualitative approach, facilitated through administering an online questionnaire followed by validation and refinement of interviews involving practitioners from WA.FindingsThe findings demonstrated that mitigating such risks will be feasible if an integrated and concerted approach is applied. Such a holistic approach has also unveiled specific potential reforms to the current building product certification framework that could be implemented to mitigate such risks. All of these led to the development of an idealised building product certification framework as the main contributions of this research.Originality/valueThe proposed idealised framework can be used as the framework to instigate reforms aiming to reduce the risks of allowing non-compliant and non-conforming building products within the WA jurisdiction. Whilst the framework was developed using the data from, and therefore aimed for the WA jurisdiction, the methodology applied here can be used as the basis to develop further frameworks in other jurisdictions.

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Soft skills are essential to employability and retention; therefore, if obtained and observed, they can significantly reduce sector-wide turnover. This study aims to investigate and compare soft skills that industry professionals currently possess and soft skills the industry requires and needs to attain. A questionnaire was administered using the RICS database, and 741 respondents participated in this study. Initially, the soft skills possessed and the soft skills required were analysed and compared via descriptive statistics. Furthermore, principal component factor analysis was used to identify the underlying factors and classify the identified soft skills. It was found that there are alignments and evident discrepancies between the actual skills currently possessed and the skills required by these professionals. The soft skills currently possessed by the industry were classified into three groups: (a) Ethics and Professionalism Cluster; (b) Self-Effort Management Cluster; and (c) Management—Leadership and Power Cluster. This was different to the two clusters identified for the soft skills requirements, which were: (a) trait-based cluster—less controllable; (b) training-based cluster—more controllable. The study concludes that there are controllable and less-controllable skills, which need to be possessed and managed in building professionals. Controllable soft skills are easier to train, whereas trait-based soft skills are more difficult to train and possess. The findings of this research are significant as their understanding can be used to help mitigate turnover and guide construction sector professionals to plan for the appropriate skills they require.