Research Publications
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Item Open Access Lean integrated circular economy in the Sri Lankan construction industry: a qualitative Delphi study(Ceylon Institute of Builders, 2025) Vijayakumar, H; Ranadewa K.A.T.O; Weerakoon, P; Weerakoon, P; Jayanetti J.K.D.D.TThe construction industry is known for its significant environmental impact and waste generation. To address this issue, the concept of Circular Economy (CE) has emerged, aiming to minimise waste and maximise resource utilisation. However, there are several barriers which impede the implementation of the CE concept in the construction industry. Therefore, this research aims to incorporate the lean concept to overcome the barriers of CE implementation in the construction industry. Therefore, this research develops a framework for a lean-enabled CE in the construction industry. The qualitative approach is used for this paper, and the Delphi technique was adopted. Purposive sampling was used to select the experts for the study, and data were analysed through manual content analysis. The findings revealed 10 benefits from CE and 12 benefits from Lean were identified, along with 8 benefits of CE and Lean integration. Furthermore, 19 barriers were identified towards this integration, and 12 strategies were identified to overcome these barriers. This study also provides a comprehensive mapping between CE and Lean implementation benefits, their integration benefits and barriers, and strategies. In addition, integrating lean and CE for the construction industry can lead to many significant benefits, such as cost savings, improved environmental performance, and enhanced stakeholder engagement.Item Open Access THE APPLICABILITY OF CARBON EMISSION ESTIMATION WITH BIM ENVIRONMENT: SRI LANKAN CONTEXT(Ceylon Institute of Builders, 2025) Perera D.A.M.V; Allis C; Perera B.K.C; Lokuge AThe global construction industry is increasingly adopting sustainable practices and advanced technologies to enhance efficiency and reduce environmental impacts. Within this context, managing carbon emissions has emerged as a critical component of sustainable development, with Building Information Modelling (BIM) serving as a pivotal tool in this pursuit. While developed countries have already integrated BIM and carbon emission estimates, there is a notable opportunity for similar advancements in developing countries, potentially leading to significant progress within the industry. Hence, this paper aims to explore the applicability of implementing BIM for carbon emission estimations in the Sri Lankan construction industry. A comprehensive review of existing literature identified the importance of carbon emission simulations, BIM implementation strategies and estimation procedures in other countries. Further, this research involved a survey to assess the familiarity and experience levels of construction professionals with BIM tools for carbon emission estimations in Sri Lanka. Findings from the research point to Autodesk Insight as the primary software tool used within the industry. While the industry demonstrates an awareness of these processes, its progress is hampered by a lack of experience in using these technologies for carbon emission estimation scenarios and the absence of crucial databases such as Environmental Product Declarations. The study recommends enhancing industry capacity through targeted training and the adoption of advanced tools. It also encourages further research to assess the compatibility of BIM technologies in the local context, aiming to bridge the gap and drive sustainable transformation in Sri Lanka’s construction sector.Item Open Access TOWARDS SUCCESSFUL IMPLEMENTATION OF OFFSITE CONSTRUCTION IN SRI LANKA: BARRIERS AND STRATEGIES(Ceylon Institute of Builders, 2025) Manodya L.P.T.; Bandara R.P.H.S; Buddhini P.H.YThe construction industry has significantly progressed by incorporating modern construction technologies. Offsite building is growing in popularity, yet it continues to face resistance from the built environment market and the construction industry. Offsite construction (OSC) is gaining recognition globally as a sustainable, efficient, and innovative alternative to traditional construction methods. In Sri Lanka, despite the evident benefits but OSC adoption remains limited due to several barriers. This research aims to investigate and identify strategies to overcome the barriers that hinder the successful implementation of OSC in building projects in Sri Lanka. Accordingly, the literature review highlighted the feasibility of OSC for the Sri Lankan construction industry and the advantages and barriers of OSC in the Sri Lankan context. Moreover, semi-structured expert interviews were conducted with 10 experts to gather data, and thematic analysis was used to analyze the collected interview data. Findings reveal that the primary barriers include high initial capital costs, lack of skilled labour, insufficient governmental support, limited public awareness, and a reliance on conventional construction practices. Additionally, logistical challenges, such as transporting prefabricated components, and the absence of standardized design codes further constrain OSC implementation. Despite these obstacles, the study emphasizes the transformative 5 potential strategies proposed for promoting the adoption of OSC in building projects in Sri Lanka. This strategy strives to empower Sri Lanka towards a more innovative, productive, and sustainable construction industryPublication Open Access Influencing Factors of Resilience of Construction Supply Chains: A Case of SMEs in Sri Lanka(SLIIT Business School, 2023-12-14) Manchanayake, M; Bandara, M; Sandhakirani, C; Bandara, W; Madhavika, N; Jayasinghe, M; Ehalapitiya, SThis research paper aims to explore the factors influencing supply chain resilience in Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) operating within Sri Lanka's construction industry during economic crises. The study employed a qualitative approach. Data were collected using purposive sampling with a sample size of eight SMEs in the construction sector registered under the National Enterprise Development Authority of Sri Lanka. Using structured interviews, data were collected, and the responses were analysed using the Manual Thematic analysis procedure. The study findings states that collaboration, entrepreneurial orientation, internal integration, and outsourcing have been the main factors that have contributed to making the Sri Lankan construction supply chains resilient during Economic crisis. Therefore, it is recommended for the construction firms to focus and improve the presence of these factors in their respective supply chains, to make the supply chains more resilient. This study's significance lies in its focus on construction SMEs in Sri Lanka, offering insights from the perspective of manufacturers, which has been relatively unexplored in existing resilience related research. Although some research articles do touch upon this area, mostly these studies have been conducted in developed nations. Thus, this study contributes to the scant Sri Lankan supply chain resilience literature. Sri Lanka is making strong efforts to support its economy to combat the economic downturn and stabilize. Therefore, the findings of this paper will undoubtedly be useful for the Sri Lankan construction sector while aiding the country to flourish again.Publication Open Access IMPACT OF ECONOMIC CRISIS ON EMPLOYEES OF CONTRACTORS’ ORGANISATIONS IN THE SRI LANKAN CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY(Ceylon Institute of Builders - Sri Lanka, 2023-07-21) De Silva, S.S.; Wijekoon, W.M.C.L.K.; Kalugala, CThe construction industry contributes more than 6% of the GDP of the Sri Lankan economy, employing workers at different levels of the value chain. The economic crisis in the country from 2019-2022 has had a significant impact on contractors’ organisations in the Sri Lankan construction industry, resulting in job losses, pay cuts, and reduced working hours. Hence this study aims to investigate the impact of the economic crisis on the employees of contractors’ organisations in the Sri Lankan construction industry, the most affected level of employees, and propose strategies to minimise the impact on the most affected level of employees. This study has been done using the mixed-method approach. Thirty-three (33) employees participated in a questionnaire survey and seven (7) managerial-level professionals were interviewed who are currently engaged in construction projects. This study has explored the levels of employees including technical, supervisory, and similar levels, professional level, administration, and managerial level. Further, this study provides the strategies adopted by the employees and the contractors to overcome the impact of the crisis, including measures to enhance productivity, cost reduction strategies, and access to financial support. The findings of the study will provide insights into the impact of the economic crisis on the construction industry in Sri Lanka and inform policy recommendations to support affected workers and ensure the long-term sustainability of the industry in a resilient wayPublication Open Access Strategies Used by the Sri Lankan Construction Industry to Overcome the Challenges Posed by the Covid-19(SLIIT, Faculty of Engineering, 2023-03-02) Fernando, P; Gunarathna, NThe global outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has thrown the world's political, social, economic, religious, and financial structures into disarray. COVID-19 has a broad range of effects on numerous industries, including construction. Sri Lanka as a developing country is also affected by the pandemic and many sectors of the Sri Lankan economy such as construction, education, tourism, imports and exports, agriculture, and health etc are experiencing negative consequences of the pandemic, Construction industry as one of the key sectors of the economy was also severely affected by the COVID-19 global pandemic in various ways. Construction companies and government institutes are taking action to face these challenges. This study describes how COVID-19 impacts the local construction industry throughout the construction process. Furthermore, the impact was evaluated with regard to several aspects namely, financial, human resources, supply chain and logistics, legal, and completion and handover of the project. The strategies which are used by the construction industry participants to face the challenges of the pandemic are also discussed. A mixed research approach was used in the study and questionnaires which comprised of both qualitative and quantitative questions were used as a data collection tool. This research revealed new knowledge about the construction industry in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic. The study's most important finding was that the spread of the virus influenced the entire construction process. The pandemic had a major impact on the construction stage as well as the human resources aspect of the industry.Publication Open Access Modelling the Implications of Delayed Payments on Contractors’ Cashflows on Infrastructure Projects(Salehan Institute of Higher Education, 2023-01-01) Chadee, A; Ali, H; Gallage, S; Rathnayake, UThe consideration of payments to contractors is not only a legal obligation but a necessity for assuring the continuity and completion of a construction project. However, consistent payments to facilitate project cash flows are uncommon in the construction industry. Within the context of a small island developing state, this paper aims to uncover leading risks factors contributing to implications of delayed payments, on contractors’ cash flows and uncover causalities and effects on relationships among these factors. A two-tiered quantitative approach was adopted. Firstly, a compiled list of delay factors was collated from the literature review. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with experienced construction professionals to determine the factors’ relevance and applicability in Trinidad and Tobago. A closed-ended survey questionnaire was subsequently developed and administered to primary construction stakeholders. Secondly, the responses obtained were collated, validated, and ranked using the relative importance index. A confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was carried out using SPSS, and thereafter, SPSS Amos was used to determine the best-fit Structural Equation Model (SEM). The results strongly indicate that the issue of delayed payments is very prevalent within public sector projects. Unstable political climates and the delay in employers’ issuance of variation orders were found to be the main causes of delayed payments within the industry. Delays in sub-contractor and supplier payments as well as an increase in the contractor’s debt were the leading effects of delayed payments on the contractor’s cash flows. Based on these findings, a risk response framework was outlined to assist small to medium-contracting enterprises to cope with payment delays, both locally and internationally. This research contributes to the advancement of construction management knowledge by informing construction professionals and policy makers of the implications of delaying approved payments, the consequential causes and effects, and a risk response technique to mitigate the negative effects on contractors’ cash flows.Publication Open Access Factors influencing the timely completion of construction projects in Sri Lanka(Public Library of Science, 2022-12-15) Abeysinghe, N; Jayathilaka, RTimely completion is a crucial factor for the success of a construction project, especially in the Sri Lankan context. This study aims to identify the most influential factors that affect the timely completion of construction projects in Sri Lanka. Thirty-nine factors were identified through a comprehensive literature review and experts’ opinions. A questionnaire incorporating the 39 project delay factors was distributed among 163 Civil Engineers, and responses were obtained. Random sampling method was adopted to select the sample. The Relative Importance Index (RII) analysed and ranked the project delay factors. The top ranked significant project delay factors were identified as shortage of skilled subcontractors/suppliers, shortage of labourers (Skilled, semi-skilled, unskilled), financial difficulties of contractors, delay in delivering materials to the site, and Covid-19 pandemic situation. According to the main three respondent types, i.e., clients/owners, contractors and consultants, the contractor related factors was the key group among others that delay a construction project. The scientific value of the study includes assisting the Sri Lankan construction industry to identify the factors affecting the timely completion of construction projects, and developing mitigation methods and strategies. Also, the stakeholders could duly schedule the construction work by identifying areas that need more attention. The contribution of this study would assist stakeholders to adopt a proactive approach by identifying mistakes on their part and minimising potential issues that lead to construction project delays in Sri Lanka. FiguresPublication Open Access Causes for Death and Injuries in Construction Industry in Sri Lanka(SLIIT, 2022-02-11) Wijesekara, M; Fernando, P; Gunarathna, NThe construction industry plays a vital role in the socio-economic development in any country. However, it has been recognized as one of the most hazardous industries in many counties around the world because of the nature of activities and tasks performed at construction sites. Similarly, presentday construction industry of Sri Lanka prioritizes and considers safety as a primary, complex issue due to its high impact on the industry. Accordingly, the aim of this study was to identify the causes for deaths and injuries in construction sites in Sri Lanka and identify actions to mitigate those accidents. The data collection was in the form of documentary review, semi-structured interviews, and questionnaire survey. This study found that the nine (9) most prominent types of accidents that have occurred in Sri Lankan construction sites include falling from heights and scaffoldings, falling debris or objects and machinery accidents. During the last 10-year period 2,135 accidents have been recorded in the construction industry, including both fatal and non-fatal accidents, among which 311 were fatal accidents. As per the study findings, during the period of 2010 – 2020, 14 fatal construction accidents were reported out of every 100 construction accidents. Usually, most of the accidents at construction sites are due to lack of safety at site, working without PPE, inadequate training and lack of supervision. Further, the study also recommends strategies to minimize the identified nine (9) most prominent types of accidents and to improve construction site safety. Findings of this research could help towards reducing the fatal and non-fatal construction accidents in Sri Lanka and to develop safe work environment in the local construction industry.Publication Open Access Conflicts Handling Styles Used by Professionals at Pre-Contract Stage of Building Construction Projects in Sri Lanka(SLIIT, 2022-02-11) De Silva, p; Sandanayake, Y. GConflicts between design team professionals is a common experience in building construction projects in Sri Lanka. Depending on the way they are been handled, these conflicts bring either positive or negative impacts to the project. Thus, this paper investigates the conflict-handling styles that the professionals use to handle different types of conflicts among themselves at pre-contract stage of construction projects in Sri Lanka. The study on different types of conflicts and handling styles were derived through quantitative approach by a questionnaire survey designed incorporating Rahim’s Organisational Conflict InventoryII (ROCI-II) with the participation of 42 number of professionals engaged during the pre-contract stage of building construction projects in Sri Lanka. The scope of the study was limited to the building construction projects and only to the conflicts among professionals at the same level. The collected data were analysed using descriptive statistics. The research findings revealed that there are four types of conflicts: task, relationship, process and status conflicts, occur in different frequencies among the professionals. The task conflicts occur very often, and process conflicts occur often whilst relationship and status conflicts occur rarely among professionals during the pre-contract stage. This study revealed that professionals use different conflict handling styles to handle these four types of conflicts among themselves during the pre-contract stage of building construction projects in Sri Lanka. Further, majority of professionals use integrating style often to handle conflicts among themselves, and they use avoiding style very rarely to handle the conflicts among themselves except for relationship conflicts. However, to handle relationship conflicts, professionals use dominating style as the last option. The study would assist the industry practitioners to identify their personnel conflict handling style and the outcome of using each style with their supervisors when handling conflicts during the precontract stage.