The global Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry is known as a
highly
pollution-producing industry, where it is imperative to use building materials with a
relatively low pollution footprint. The industry often lacks a structured and systematic
way of
making decisions, which generates waste throughout the project lifecycle, resulting in
increased
cost, delayed project completion time, onsite safety hazards, and overall reduction of
productivity.
Our lab investigates sustainable construction materials to
minimize negative
environmental impacts associated with construction activities. In addition, we work on
engineering decision support systems to create transparency and shared rationale among
the
construction project stakeholders to provide conclusions in selecting one specific
alternative that
ensures certain advantages over the others.
The lab is directed by Dr. Shafayet Ahmed in the Department of Civil and Construction
Engineering at Western Michigan University College of Engineering and Applied
Sciences.