This latest issue (Volume 177, Issue 3) of the ICE’s Management, Procurement, and Law is a collection of four articles and one book review. The four articles show the best thinking on alternative dispute resolution (ADR), building information modelling (BIM), design, public-private partnerships (PPP), and safety. These articles align with the targets of sustainable development goals three (good health and wellbeing), 11 (sustainable cities and communities) and 12 (responsible consumption and production).
The issue begins with the article by Agyekum et al. (2024), which unpacks the critical attributes of designers’ competencies for design-for-deconstruction (DfD) implementation. The practical implications of this research are not just significant, they are game-changing. It suggests that proper expertise and motivation, knowledge of material quality and durability, accurate comprehension of construction processes and effective coordination of expected tasks are critical attributes of designers charged with deconstruction aspects of buildings and facilities. These attributes help to attest to the competencies of DfD, not only in Ghana but also in most developing nations, where sustainable construction practices are of utmost importance. The following article in the issue addresses ‘safety’, a construction professional’s core graduate attribute. Applying tacit and explicit knowledge of construction science and management is required to make safety decisions that affect the lives of people on the frontline of construction. Chellappa and Ginda (2024) observe that multiple-criteria decision-making (MCDM) focuses on safety risk assessment, safety culture, and safety programmes. In effect, practitioners confronted with varying decisions on safety can use MCDM, analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and fuzzy AHP to arrive at choices that prevent accidents and injuries in construction. These articles are not just academic exercises, they have real-world implications that can change how we approach construction.
The third article on the issue concerns the choices and adoption of BIM in Uruguay. In the article, Olivera et al. (2024) report on the uptake and use of BIM in Uruguay. The authors observe that BIM is not fully matured in the country (in contrast to countries in the Global North), and practitioners have low buy-in concerning its use and efficacy. The adoption and diffusion of BIM in Uruguay is similar to what is reported in other nations in the Global South, where the top-down approach is the norm. The implication is that the government and, by extension, clients in the Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) sector have a central driving role in developing countries. From Uruguay to Oman, the role of the client in driving innovative practices is vital. In the fourth article of the issue, Wamuziri (2024) reminds readers that a practical regulatory framework is needed to attract investors to the infrastructure development space through a PPP procurement strategy. The evaluation of four royal decrees shows that transparency and stability are crucial to managing long-term risks in implementing PPPs in Oman and other developing nations. As a prelude to the Construction Law Quarterly (CLQ) article for this issue, the book review by Massey (2024) indicates how Andrew Agapiou mapped the trajectory of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) for practice and research in UK construction.
The articles in Volume 177 Issue 3 of MPL urge the readers to address the procurement, design, construction and de-construction issues with praxis in mind (theory and practice). The research articles in this issue are based on science (as explained in Godfrey-Smith, 2021) to describe problems and solutions so that the reality of projects in the AEC sector would be better for society. These articles are published Ahead of Print on the ICE Virtual Library homepage. As a CIB-encouraged journal, Ahead of Print MPL articles highlight the latest ideas and best practices for moving the AEC forward. The editorial board of MPL appreciates the journal’s continued support.
Happy reading!
