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Staff Profile

Dr John Kamara

Reader in Architectural Management

  • Email: john.kamara@ncl.ac.uk
  • Telephone: +44 (0) 191 208 8619
  • Address: School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape
    Architecture Building
    The Quadrangle
    Newcastle University
    Newcastle upon Tyne
    NE1 7RU
Background

Background

I am currently Reader in Architectural Management. Research interests and expertise are in:

Architectural informatics and management [capture, processing and representation of client requirements for building projects; the application of information and communication technologies (ICTs) and the development and adaptation of techniques and processes (e.g. concurrent engineering in construction, knowledge/information management) to facilitate collaboration and integration in the creation and management of buildings over their lifecycle

Change Futures in Buildings, Adaptable/Resilient Buildings, and Sustainable Construction i[how buildings change over time and the interrelated factors (e.g. social, economic and environmental) that trigger these changes; how these triggers change over time and what kinds of responses (design or otherwise) that are required to ensure and enhance the resilience and adaptability of the buildings of the future; the processes and outcomes for a sustainable built environment]

My teaching now focuses mostly on architectural practice and management.

Roles and Responsibilities

Associate Director of Architecture & Chair of Board of Examiners and PEC Committee (Architecture);

Degree Programme Director and Professional Studies Adviser (PSA):Postgraduate Diploma in Architectural Practice and Management (ARB/RIBA Part 3);

Member, HaSS Faculty Ethics Committee

Qualifications

BEng, MA, PhD, PgCAP, ICIOB, SFHEA

Memberships

Chartered Institute of Building 

Higher Education Academy

Honours and Awards

Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC)

Royal Academy of Engineering

Newcastle Institute for Sustainability

Google Scholar

Research

Research Themes and Scholarly Interests

Architectural Informatics and Management with respect to the capture, processing and representation of client requirements for building projects; the application of information and communication technologies (ICTs) and the development and adaptation of techniques and processes (e.g. concurrent engineering in construction, knowledge/information management) to facilitate collaboration and integration in the creation and management of buildings over their lifecycle: Current interests and research in this area include:

  • the impacts in early project decisions on project outcomes (beyond cost, time and quality) and in the development of client requirements oriented project process (e.g. in BIM);
  • the feed in of design/construction information into facilities management; 
  • redefining the concept of building performance (to go beyond just thermal/energy performance); 
  • the capture of as-built information in a BIM environment;
  • reflective practice (learning from doing and from buildings through post-occupancy evaluation)

Change Futures in Buildings, Adaptable/Resilient Buildings, and Sustainable Construction in relation to how buildings change over time and the interrelated factors (e.g. social, economic and environmental) that trigger these changes; how these triggers change over time and what kinds of responses (design or otherwise) that are required to ensure and enhance the resilience and adaptability of the buildings of the future; the processes and outcomes for a sustainable built environment. Current interests include:

  • building adaptability for sustainability
  • understanding how the interrelationships between the components of the built environment system affect the resilience and adaptability of buildings
  • developing analytical models for interactively analysing the interrelationships between different built environment systems
  • development of an adaptability rating system for buildings

Postgraduate Supervision

Completed Research Students

  1. C. Y. Makun (PhD), A study into the effect of indoor air temperature on the thermal comfort, health and performance of users in selected naturally ventilated schools in Nigeria (Dec 2019)
  2. O. Akin (PhD), Community participation and infrastructure development: a case study of Akure City, Nigeria (Oct, 2016)
  3. R Agha (PhD), The role of intelligent systems in traditional courtyard houses in Bagdad, Iraq (Aug 2016).
  4. S. Tarhuni (PhD), An investigation into the management of knowledge in a historic building conservation organisation in Tripoli, Libya (Nov 2013).
  5. A. Abdelrehim (PhD), Developing of a decision support system for resolving conflicts in environmentally sensitive areas (Nov 2012).
  6. I. Okpanum (PhD), The role of design guidelines for A&E healthcare facilities in South Africa (Feb 2011).
  7. Y Chen (PhD), Using mobile computing for construction site information management (Feb 2008).
  8. R Fieldson (PhD), A framework for sustainability in UK retail architecture (Jul 2007).
  9. W AlHalabi (PhD), Overcrowding in the Holy Mosque of Makkah (Dec 2006).
  10. M Grifa (PhD), The construction industry in Libya, with particular reference to operations in Tripoli (Jul 2006).
  11. S. Shaaban (PhD), A user-centric approach for the development and evaluation of a visual interface to online information in the construction industry (Nov 2004).
  12. H. Sikazwe (MPhil), Applicability of work flow management in the construction design office (Dec 2002).

Current PhD Students

1.     R Mahmoud (PhD) An investigation into the use of building energy performance simulation tools at the early design stage in UK Practice (Post Viva Corrections)

2.     M Alfelali (PhD) The conservation of historical buildings in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, 1955-2018 (Submitted, awaiting viva)

3.     H Nojoum (PhD) The influence of occupant behaviour on the predicted calculation of computer-based energy simulation tools... (Expected submission - Dec 2022)

4.     O Adeboje (PhD) Application of Lean Design principles in Nigeria (Expected submission - Sept 2024)

5.   J Marshall (PhD) Robust Architectural Detailing (Expected submission - Sept 2024)

6.   W Albasyouni (PhD) Development of framework for Risk Assessment of Construction Projects in Egypt using Failure Mode and Effect Analysis (FMEA) (Expected submission - Sept 2025)

Interested Areas for Supervision

Architectural Informatics and Management

Resilience and Adaptability of Buildings

Project development and management (e.g. briefing, procurement)

Knowledge and information management

Reflective Practice and Post-Occupancy Evaluation

General area of the use of ICT in architecture/construction, particularly in the early stages of a project
Design Management and Quality
User perspectives on the use of ICT
Development of improved business processes for construction operations (e.g. workflow modelling, process modelling, information modelling)

Building Information Modelling (BIM)
Intelligent buildings
Sustainable Design and Construction

Esteem Indicators

Member, EPSRC Peer Review College

Guest Editor, Special Issue on Sustainable Constriction, and Building Resilience and Adaptability for Sustainability, Sustainability (MDPI Open Access Journal) (https://www.mdpi.com/journal/sustainability/special_issues/construction_building_sus)

Guest Editor, Special Issue on Building Adaptability, International Journal of Building Pathology and Adaptation, Vol 35, No 4 (http://www.emeraldinsight.com/toc/ijbpa/35/4)

Member, Editorial Board, Electronic Journal of Information Technology in Construction (ITCON) (www.itcon.org)
Guest Editor, ITCon special Issue on Architectural Informatics, 2006 (www.itcon.org)

Member, Editorial Review Board, Engineering, Construction and Architectural Engineering (ECAM) Journal

Member, Editorial Board, Architectural Engineering and Design Management Journal
Coordinator, CIB (International Council for Building Research and Innovation) Task Group (TG33) on Collaborative Engineering (2003-2007)
Reviewer for EPSRC research proposals, and several journals and conferences

Google Scholar

Teaching

Undergraduate Teaching

ARC3014 Professional Practice and Management

Contributions to: ARC3020 (Introduction to Architecture); ARC3060 (Dissertation Studies)

Postgraduate Teaching

ARC7068 Service Delivery and Practice Management

ARC7069 Legal Framework and Building Procurement

ARC7070 Professional Development and Reflection

Publications