Performance measurement has the main aim of helping organizations to realize how decision-making processes can be harnessed to improve success rate in past activities and how the understanding from the current and past can lead to future improvements. Specifically, a comprehensive performance measurement practise must enhance the achievement of the key aim of the project stakeholders, the objectives of the project itself, and the needs of the users all of which should be capable of being represented in raw data to be manipulated and measured by a performance measurement tool. The performance of a project is directly related to its potential for success, and on the other hand, the CSFs of a project have a direct bearing on the project's performance. In essence, the efficiency and effectiveness measures of a project are essential yardsticks for assessing project performance and success. The stakeholders in a project have needs and expectations which the project is being conceived to satisfy, therefore, these needs and expectations must be held paramount during the conceptual design, development execution, and operation stages of a project. This is applicable to the general construction industry and in particular, in construction projects implemented by municipal organisations. However, municipal construction project have been fraught with delays, cost overruns and failure in operational performance. Hence, the overall aim of this research is to develop a framework within which municipal construction project performance can be measured in the SA at any stage of the project, and specifically to increase its effectiveness and efficiency of the project in order to improve the project's performance to the satisfaction of stakeholders. This study was implemented through the administration of a questionnaire survey based on a hypothesis that requires the identification of the challenges and obstacles that are facing the implementation of municipal construction project in SA. The collected data is based on responses from three major organisations; government, contractors and consultants that are involved in the delivery of municipal construction projects in SA. Mean and analysis of variance (ANOVA statistic) was used to manipulate the data from the questionnaire within the SPSS v.20 software environment. The resulting framework was subjected to a validation procedure which involved a structured interview process based on a focus group consisting of experts that were specially selected for the purpose establishing the extent to which the framework is practical, clear, applicable and comprehensive. Also, the focus group was used to determine the significance of the CSFs, PMs, and success (efficiency and effectiveness) measures. Overall, this study found that a total absence of performance measurement concept process permeates the management of construction projects in SA and in the municipality construction projects in particular. To close this gap, this study was embarked upon to investigate and identify the various performance measurement approaches and frameworks that are used to support the guidance of project performance toward success. Notably, this study emphasises the importance of stakeholder needs and expectation forming the bases of municipality construction projects in SA. Specifically, this study suggests that the measurement of project performance in municipality construction projects in SA should be integrated in a holistic framework containing several elements that will help to guide construction projects toward success.

Over the last century a temperature rise of 0.6 C m global climate and the affiliated greenhouse effects have inflicted enormous impacts in the form of natural catastrophes, economical losses, health problems and seasonal disorder. If human activities continue at existing pace, a further temperature rise of 2.5 C is being anticipated over the next hundred years, which may cause unimaginable damage to humanity and ecology of the planet. In such a prevailing global environmental scenario sustainability is the need of hour and should be given the prime importance in execution of activities in all sectors in order to keep future secure for coming generations. Windows are amongst the most sensitive elements in a building envelope, also, due to their multi-disciplinary role, they are important not only for their effects on interior environment but also for the energy performance of the building. Energy contents and environmental impacts of the materials involved, add up on to window significance in the ecology of buildings. Energy efficient windows with least possible environmental burden over their whole life cycle are thus very important in achieving desired levels of sustainability in general, particularly in buildings. The present work addresses the sustainability of double glazed aluminium clad timber windows adopting the life cycle assessment (LCA) approach. LCA of windows helps cutting down the associated ecological burdens at all stages, i.e. extraction/production of materials, operation, maintenance and disposal of windows at the end of their service life. Cost effectiveness and productivity, the important features of sustainability, have been evaluated for aluminium clad timber and timber windows on the basis of life cycle cost assessment (LCCA) approach. Value engineering (VE) of aluminium clad timber windows has also been addressed. Running and/or maintenance costs which largely determine the life cycle costing have been estimated and the most cost effective options are presented. Four different types of windows, made of aluminium, aluminium clad timber, PVC and timber frame, have also been compared with respect to the ecology of frame materials - covering energy contents and environmental loads, maintenance and durability, service life and costing. A survey has been carried out with the help of housing authorities, architects and surveyors within UK, to study the performance of these windows in real life. A series of accelerated tests have been carried out to study the weathering performance of the candidate windows. The results have revealed that aluminium clad timber windows have excellent resistance against weathering conditions and they perform better than aluminium, PVC and timber windows under any conditions. In an ongoing research project at Napier, copper (Cu) coated silicon carbide (SiC) reinforcement particles have been used in aluminium 6061 matrix to enhance the mechanical properties of the Al SiC metal matrix composite (MMC), which is a prospective material to be used in window hardware. Results have indicated that Cu coating does not bring any additional corrosion loads onto the MMC. Recommendations for further work have also been laid out.

This submission for PhD by publication aims to capture, reflect upon, analyse and offer critical insights into how the use of land and exchange of property can help serve the search for sustainable urban development (SUD). This aim is subsequently met by: • hypothesising how the applicant's publications provide a representation of SUD able to get beyond the state-of-the-art and offer a conceptual framework capable of uncovering the positive role land and property can play in sustaining urban development; • reviewing the research undertaken by the applicant to define SUD and develop a framework for analysis, set of protocols and directory of assessment methods to evaluate the sustainability of urban development; • highlighting the possibility there is for the valuation methodologies and investment appraisal techniques underlying the use of land and exchange of property, to be constructive in terms of the relationship their corporate strategies and financial instruments have to the environment; • illustrating how it is possible to compute the informational basis of property management and draw upon the intelligence this offers cities to develop electronically-enhanced services underpinned by e-learning platforms, knowledge management systems and digital libraries, capable of supporting environmental improvements; • showing how the environmental improvements that surface from such developments in turn support the community-based approach to urban regeneration which underlies the UK government's socially-inclusive and participatory venture into ecological modernisation and democratic renewal; • providing examples of where the management of property by cities is intelligent, not only because the environmental improvement supporting their community-based approach to urban regeneration are socially-inclusive and participatory, but for the reason the ecological modernisation and process of democratic renewal underlying these developments meet the sustainability requirement; • reflecting on the contribution this representation of SUD as informational, intelligent, socially-inclusive, participatory, community-based, regenerative, ecological and democratic, makes to what is known and understood about the subject. Together these positive, analytical and constructive examinations of SUD augment into the informational basis of property management and surface as the corporate strategies and financial instruments of the electronically-enhanced service models needed for cities to be intelligent. In particular, the strategies, instruments and eGov(ernment) service models, cities need to be intelligent in valuing the environment and accounting for the socially-inclusive, participatory, community-based, regenerative, ecological and democratic qualities underlying their improvement programmes.

Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis (Bong.) Carr.) has been the most common forestry species in UK plantations for many decades. It is generally fast grown in short rotation, which has implications for quality. The harvested timber has a number of end-use applications. Of these, sawn construction grade timber is at the high end of market value. Currently, under one third of home grown sawn timber processed by sawmills achieves the required C16 or higher grading for construction class timber. Presently there is significant standing stock of 40 years old or under. Improvements in timber quality would create significant benefits for growers and processors. Distortion in kiln dried sawn timber is a considerable barrier to improving grading classification and marketability. Twist in particular accounts for around six percent of the rejections after kiln drying. Additional twist when timber dries further; in storage, at construction sites or in-service, is perceived as a marketing issue. The focus of this work was to better understand the evolution of twist during the drying process and seek to improve quality by examining the key properties in sawn timber that contribute to the formation of twist. Samples of regularly processed full size (3 m in length) sawn timber were kiln dried with no restraint to promote maximum twist. This was done in three stages to assess the impact of intermittent drying. Measurements of twist, moisture content, acoustic velocity and basic dimensions were taken before and after each drying cycle. The results showed highly significant differences between battens containing the pith and those that did not. Drying in stages did not seem to affect the linearity of the moisture content against twist relationship. Twist was seen to develop at a consistent rate throughout the process regardless of the final amount of twist accrued or the position from which the batten was sawn. Where timber is likely to dry to lower moisture content after sale it is therefore possible to predict the additional twist from the moisture content expected and allow for it by stricter grading than the twist standard demands. Twist was seen to decrease slightly during a lengthy period of storage in controlled conditions between drying cycles. This may allude to a relaxation effect which could have implications for timber distortion in-service but this would require a more extensive study before any such conclusions could be drawn. A second batch of unrelated samples, were kiln dried to 12% MC under restraint. All of these samples contained the pith along their length and all developed significant amounts of twist. This suggests that battens containing the pith will twist regardless of restraint. A method was developed to measure longitudinal shrinkage. This required the batten size to be reduced to fit the method and battens were sawn into 3 x 1 m sections. Battens were re-saturated and measured daily throughout air drying until an equilibrium moisture content was achieved. Measurements of transverse shrinkage were also taken concurrently. No relationship could be found between the longitudinal and transverse results. When plotted against the data for twist a positive relationship was found with longitudinal shrinkage. Acoustic tools were used to calculate dynamic stiffness. As the values for acoustic velocity squared correlated well with dynamic stiffness, other possible relationships were explored. Good agreement was found with twist and longitudinal shrinkage. This suggests it may be possible to predict twist in sawn timber directly or as a function of microfibril angle, using acoustic tools. A simple method for measuring grain angle was devised. Discs taken from the trees used in the drying experiment were measured for grain angle to compare with other measured properties. The measurement method worked well but the sample size was small and the discs too thin to provide good quality data quality. The results were not as instructive as expected. A vague relationship with twist was found. A repeat of the experiment with an improved method could yield more conclusive results. A method was developed to measure radial and tangential shrinkage in discs. Discs of Sitka spruce from a different source were used. Discs were saturated and allowed to dry with the expectation of cracks developing. The intention was to explore the nature of internal stresses present in intact discs and why tangential and radial shrinkage differs. As only one disc cracked the scope of comparison was limited but it was apparent that the greater shrinkage tendency in the tangential direction was responsible for radial cracking.

This research makes a significant contribution to knowledge in the area of agile project management and augmented reality visualisation technology. It enables an understanding on how the use of the proposed, designed, and developed ARGILE framework (integration of Agile and Augmented Reality) enhances the collaboration, communication, decision-making, and visual understanding within construction projects. ARGILE changes the current process buildings are designed and built, and consequently contributes to the improvement of the construction project outcomes. This research study seeks the best way to accomplish the research aim, and develops a conceptual framework, which implements a mixed convergent parallel approach in order to discover a rich coherence of the current situation in the design and construction industry; bridges the gap among decision-making, collaboration, communication; and finally facilitates the visual understanding. Consequently, to endorse the validation of the conceptual framework, the triangulation of mixed research methods including qualitative and quantitative to collect the data will be used, followed by a rich analysis and description of the data collected, leading to the design of the ARGILE framework, and ending with two focus groups’ workshops to effectively validate the proposed design and developed ARGILE framework. The main findings of this research are: the successful combination of agile and augmented reality achieved through the development of the ARGILE framework, which contributes to improving and augmenting the decision-making, collaboration, communications, and the visual understanding throughout the design and construction stages. Moreover, the most important outcome of this work is that it enabled the practices to obtain an overview of their current state of decision-making, collaboration, and the visual understanding, assisting in fundamentally changing the current way buildings are designed and constructed. As the design and construction are completely different tasks, but normally treated as one, using ARGILE will help breaking the link by allowing the design stage to spend enough time and conduct productive tests it needs before starting the construction stage on site. ARGILE contains all necessary mechanisms built-in to enable sufficient design, collaboration, decision-making, and client integration.

Heating and cooling account nearly 60% of world total energy consumption and highly depending of conventional energy sources generated by fossils fuels. As the scarcity of oil reserves becomes the jargon issues in all part of the world today, researchers have to look into a robust investigation on finding the alternative energy to alleviate the dependency of conventional energy. Furthermore, if the phenomenon of using fossil fuel remain as the primary energy sources, it would affect adversely on the greenhouse gas emission. In 2008, The Climate Change Act by the UK Government had targeted that 34% cut in 1990 greenhouse gas emissions by 2020 and, at least, an 80% cut in emissions by 2050. Therefore, to achieve this target, more low carbon technology needed to realise the future reduction of emission. Renewable energy technologies such as solar, wind, geothermal and such thought to become the solution to reducing the demand for conventional energy. However, their instability considered as problematic for future energy demand. Thus, a more efficient management of energy demand, coupled with efficient energy storage systems is required. The aim of this study is to develop novel Thermochemical Heat Storage system (THSS) using off-peak power and renewable sources to minimise energy demands from fossil fuels and reducing GHG emissions. Thus, this could be achieved by developed and constructed a unique adsorption heat pipe using a high energy storage density of the nanocomposite Thermochemical material. Other than that, this unique adsorption heat pipe was integrated with a heat-pump circuit for desorption process. In this study, a Novel Thermochemical Heat Storage has been theoretically model, built and tested on a lab scale and a domestic-scale prototype. The chosen Thermochemical Material (Vermiculite + CaCl2) reacting with pure water vapour operates within a closed system. Other than that, result from thermal analysis shown that Vermiculite + CaCl2 could attain higher heat storage capacity of 374 kJ/kg. The heat storage system of this work based on reversible thermochemical reactions, such as adsorption and desorption of composite Thermochemical materials which exhibits very high energy storage density (up to 364 kWh·m3 of material storage). The small scale experimental investigation has found this THSS has the maximum adsorption temperature of 45.07°C to 71.12°C with the corresponding Coefficient of Performance (COP) of 0.53 to 1.34. Another investigation on Solar Heat Solar collector (SHSC) has carried out numerically and experimentally. The numerical study predicted that the temperature lift achieved at 42°C of using 10m2 of the solar collector. Hence, this SHSC has shown the possibility of integrating the TCM (Thermochemical material) with solar thermal energy. Lastly, a domestic scale THSS has revealed that the highest temperature uplift from the adsorption process at 57°C. The economic analysis of a domestic scale THSS has shown that this system will receive payback in 7.5 years with the internal rate of return (IRR) 15.25%. Furthermore, emission analysis demonstrated that this system would reduce 34% of CO2 in 20 years of its lifespans.

This thesis describes an investigation into the phenomenon of air entrainment in vertical dropshafts conveying water from a high level to a lower level. The study initially commenced with hydraulic tests on scale models of a vortex-entry dropshaft arrangement. This subsequently expanded into a more detailed analysis of the mechanisms involved in the air entrainment, rejection and transport processes evident in the early stages of the work. An attempt has been made to define the criteria controlling these three modes of operation in air/ water systems. The physical process of initial entrapment by the plunging water film was researched extensively. The inability to accurately reproduce the bubble sizes in scale models conclusively shows that this aspect is fundamental to the understanding of the problem. A dimensional analysis of the parameters controlling the rate of entrainment in the system was undertaken in the investigations. A number of dimensionless groups were obtained to describe the relationships between the parameters involved in the process. This enables the rate of air entrainment to be predicted in any.system of dropshafts under certain flow and geometrical conditions. The downward passage of air bubbles in water (just one mode of operation in two-phase flow systems) was investigated to establish the air transport capabilities of various flows and hence the air rejection process. An empirical relationship was derived which describes the air void ratio at various discharges and hence enables many aspects of the transport of air bubbles to be studied. A series of values defining the limits of operation of the phases invovled in air entrainment were also identified, e.g. onset of air entrapment and air transport.

There is a growing concern that current levels of economic activity have outgrown the physical limits of the planet. In the face of global constraints, humanity continues to deplete nature, through resource harvesting and waste generation, faster than nature can regenerate itself. The UN World Commission on Environment and Development (WCED) introduced the idea of sustainable development in 1987, with the release of Our Common Future. Sustainable development has since become a powerful and controversial theme, creating seemingly impossible goals for policy makers. Sustainable indicators can be a key mechanism for encouraging progress in the right direction by providing a measuring tool that gives a clearer understanding as to whether sustainability is being achieved. The ecological footprint has emerged as an innovative technique to measure the ecological dimension of sustainability. The research tests the ecological footprint as a tool for guiding humanity towards sustainability. The research establishes whether or not the ecological footprint provides an effective accounting framework for the biophysical services that a given society requires from nature. With Guernsey as the case study, the research investigates whether or not the ecological footprint is a comprehensive tool for local policy decision-making. Considering the methodology of the ecological footprint, its use for time series analysis and the development of scenarios does this. The ecological footprint is also tested for its ability to act as a tool to communicate the ideas of sustainability. In conclusion, while containing some limitations, the ecological footprint is a tool that can facilitate the comparison of policy choices society inevitably must face. At the local level, the ecological footprint is a valuable part of the sustainable indicator tool kit. The use of the ecological footprint as a communication tool for sustainable development is invaluable. It is an indicator that can be understood by the general public and one that links individual lifestyle choices to global environmental problems. The ecological footprint is only an empirical tool and in itself cannot change anything. It is a first step in a process of change and the political will and desire to change must be the driving force. Its great advantage over other sustainability indicators is that it is holistic and makes connections between different activities and impacts. However, the ecological footprint is based on assumptions as the ratios/equations calculated by others. In conclusion, the ecological footprint demonstrates that intelligent rationalisation of means and prudent moderation of ends is the only solution. By providing common ground, the ecological footprint builds bridges between different worldviews and amplifies the resonance between all disciplines working on sustainability.

Despite the constant improvement of project management tools and methodologies the performance of projects is decreasing. Considering the forecast that the volume of projects undertaken will roughly double by 2025 this is a considerable issue for the profession. Therefore this work focuses on the psycho-social relationships in projects, in particular organisational justice (climate) and their impact on performance in order to present an alternative approach to increase project performance and to highlight this under-researched area. Three studies were conducted for the purpose of this work: first, a questionnaire was used to explore the relationships between organisational justice (climate) and different aspects of performance, mediated through antecedents of project performance. The questionnaire produced a final sample of 194 cases and was analysed using structural equation modelling (SEM). Second, focus groups were administered to better understand how organisational justice (climate) effects performance. A phenomenological analysis was conducted to explore the lived experience of the participants. And third, a case study was undertaken to explain how organisational justice (climate) relates to various antecedents of project performance. The case study was analysed using propositions and pattern matching. All three studies revealed that there are significant and strong relationships between organisational justice (climate) and project performance. These relationships are complex and manifold, but it can be concluded overall that the adoption of fair principles and procedures in projects improves the project performance. Based on the triangulation of the three studies an explanatory framework was developed, which includes details on all the different aspects. In essence, this research showed that next to tools and methodologies it is important to pay attention to the psycho-social relationships in projects in order to be able to face the upcoming challenges of the profession.

The aim of this research project is to develop an improved backcalculation procedure, for the determination of flexible pavement properties from the Falling Weight Deflectometer (FWD) test results. The conventional backcalculation methods estimate the pavement layer moduli assuming full adhesion exists between layers in the analysis process. The method developed in this research can predict the interface condition between the wearing and the base courses in addition to the layer moduli, which can be considered an improvement to the existing procedures. A two stage database procedure has been used to predict the above parameters and to facilitate the determination of the deflection insensitive parameters. The need for this improvement arises from the large number of debonding failures which have been reported in the literature between the wearing and base courses, and the theoretical studies which identified the significance of including the interface bonding condition in the analysis process. The validation of the improved method has been carried out firstly by comparing the backcalculated results for ninety theoretical pavements with their hypothetical values, and secondly by comparing the improved procedure results with other well known programs such as WESDEF and MODULUS. Full scale pavement testing using the FWD has been performed and the backcalculated results compared with measured values for the pavement materials. Indirect tensile tests for resilient modulus of bituminous materials were carried out on cores extracted for the pavements, whereas Dynamic Cone Penetrometer (DCP) tests were conducted for the unbound materials. The Backcalculated and the physically measured results correlated well, validating the improved procedure.