Recent Scientific Developments in Sustainable Construction Project Management and Urban Development

Dear Colleagues,

Construction project management involves the process of planning, allocating resources for, implementing, managing, and monitoring construction projects. Construction project management is a complex activity and is based on four functions that form the principles of general management—planning, organizing, managing, and controlling. Construction project management aims to deliver construction project objectives (time, cost, quality, scope, safety, sustainability, and more) in an effective and efficient way, and this is achieved by defining the project first and then managing it from the stage of project goal definition through to the project’s commissioning and acceptance, using the principles and methods of general management and by applying project management and construction management methods and tools supported by modern digital instruments. Despite using cutting-edge technology, construction is still characterized by low productivity and a high rate of delays and failures. Most construction experts agree that this situation is a result of a shortage of talented managers in the construction industry. The best-performing projects are managed with the involvement of experienced project managers, but their numbers are not sufficient to meet the needs of the industry.

Sustainable development demands the construction industry to play a significant role, enhancing the concept of sustainable construction project management at all organizational levels. Construction project management (CPM) is intended to organize and control the construction process; however, it basically serves the construction industry—commonly understood as having severe consequences for society and the environment in both the short and long terms. Due the challenges and barriers that hinder its implementation, achieving sustainable development in the construction sector is no easy task. These challenges stem from the interests of different stakeholders in the construction process, and some of them can also be found in other sectors outside of construction. A common barrier in all economic sectors is a lack of concern for achieving long-term benefits as a result of sustainable actions, as the costs of these actions are usually borne by one part without them seeing the economic benefits that accrue to the community as a whole. That is why sustainable construction is also linked with the urban development of regions.

This Special Issue also deals with the various parameters related to sustainable construction management and material utilization. The goal of resources should be accomplished at a phase in the life cycle that of being responsible for producing the man-made environment and infrastructure, i.e., the buildings, roads, bridges, and other structures upon which a modern economy depends for its efficient functioning. Submissions to this Special Issue of original contributions containing fundamental and applied research, case studies, or explorations of the state of the art are highly encouraged. Therefore, this Special Issue calls for papers on, but not limited to, the following topics:

• Sustainable construction;
• Green building practices;
• Risk management;
• Project life cycle assessment (LCA);
• Carbon footprint reduction;
• Net-zero energy buildings;
• Smart construction technologies;
• Lean construction;
• Project management;
• Renewable building materials;
• Circular economy in construction;
• Building information modeling (BIM);
• Conservation of historic buildings;
• Urban analysis;
• Scanning of historic shrines;
• Cement composites;
• Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Dr. Ahsan Nawaz
Dr. Mary Hardie
Guest Editors

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