Expert: Arshad Khan - 10/3/2009

Question
QUESTION: Hi sir

this is last year in B.Sc Civil Engineering in Bahrain. I am looking for a nice topic for my senior project/thesis/dissertation. Can you help me with this? I am particularly interested in Management and Economics topics. Moreover I also have a deep interest in Psychology! So basically I am looking for a topic which integrates all these areas....

I thought about the following topics:

1. "Using and implementing six sigma in construction industry"
2. "Impact of BIM on construction economics/costs"
3. "Impact of Green Building Design on Construction Costs"
4. "Impact of Macroeconomic Fluctuations on Construction Projects in Bahrain between 1959 and 2009"


But no previous research has been done on any of these topics so I don't have a clue how to get started!

So please can you guide me here? Also please suggest me any other good topic you can think of.

Thanks!

ANSWER: Hi Othman,

I would recommend that you go for subject 3 (Green Building Costs) as that is very topical at the moment and there is a lot of material available for your research, such as:

www.cap-e.com/ewebeditpro/items/O59F3481.pdf

http://www.ciwmb.ca.gov/greenbuilding/Design/costissues.htm

http://www.nrdc.org/buildinggreen/factsheets/cost.asp

http://www.pca.state.mn.us/oea/greenbuilding/cost.cfm

http://www.urbangreencouncil.org/advocacy/cost-study.html

http://www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CategoryID=19

http://www.esoul.gohsphere.com/default.aspx

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Sir, thanks for the prompt reply. Thats indeed very very helpful! I would surely discuss this topic with my academic supervisor. I also need your help in guiding me how to get started. I know the first step is the Literature Review where I am required to read all the material and researches available. But what do I do next? Taking up a case study and comparing its cost with normal material versus green materials? I wonder.

Again thanks for your reply! Looking forward to hear from you soon.

Answer
Hi Othman,

Yes, you have the correct approach. For case studies, you could use the Bahrain WTC (with the wind turbines) and maybe another green building from Dubai. For the Bahrain WTC, you can contact the marketing department of Atkins, the architectural and engineering consultants, and they may be able to also give you info about a case study in Dubai.