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Qamar Ayoubi

Qamar Ayoubi Headshot

Areas of interest

  • Impact of climate change on construction workers’ health, safety, and wellbeing.
  • Multidisciplinary approaches towards creating an environmentally and socially sustainable built environment.
  • Managing the relationship between design, management, and on-site completion.
  • The socio-economic impact of the construction industry.
  • Integration of innovative construction technologies into working practices.

Research projects

Mitigating the effects of rising temperatures on construction labourers’ health and wellbeing in the UK.

Severe heatwaves in the United Kingdom, underscored by current climate projections, have increased interest in heat-related hazards for the workforce. This research project seeks to contribute to academic knowledge by exploring the physiological and psychological implications of heat stress on construction labour in the context of the UK construction industry. The research draws on academic findings from warmer climates and labour-intensive industries susceptible to heat stress. It identifies a need to examine whether the UK construction industry is prepared for climate change and if sufficient efforts, both in the industry and in policy, are being made to manage risks to vulnerable workers. The project is of value to the industry, academia, and policymakers interested in alleviating the impact of rising temperatures on construction labourers and establishing practicable solutions to safeguard their well-being.

Background

I hold a BSc in Architecture from the University of Reading and an MSc with Distinction in Project Management from the University of Reading. My MSc dissertation investigated the relationship between design and construction in minimising waste from construction projects which developed a challenges and opportunities analysis for collaborative waste management methods in the UK construction industry and received the School of the Built Environment Award for best dissertation and the CIOB Certificate of Excellence 2022.

With professional experience in both architecture and construction project management, I have a special interest in the interdisciplinary nature of the construction industry and the practical implications of the multifaceted nature of the industry on the built environment. This has led to me developing research interests in: 1. The social and economic nature of the construction industry and its impact on industry professionals, labourers, and end users. 2. Environmentally and socially sustainable approaches to construction. 3. Managing the relationship between the commercial nature of the industry and the social nature of construction sites.

Publications

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