Timothy Olawumi
timothy olawumi

Dr Timothy Olawumi MRICS. FHEA. MGBCN. MHKGBC. AHKIPM

Lecturer

Biography

Dr. Timothy Olawumi is a Lecturer (Assistant Prof.) at the School of Computing, Engineering, and the Built Environment, Edinburgh Napier University, United Kingdom. He is an RICS Chartered Member, a member of the Hong Kong Green Building Council, the Green Building Council of Nigeria (GBCN), BIM Africa, the Hong Kong Institute of Project Management, and a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. He also sits on the GBCN's Research and Development Board.

🥇Research Interests and Awards

Timothy's research interests are generally interdisciplinary and centred mainly on sustainable construction and informatics, with a view to addressing sustainability and construction project challenges relating to the built environment using/developing novel technological solutions. It emphasises the application of technologies (Building Information Modelling [BIM], Industry 4.0 [AI, big data, blockchain, cloud-based systems], GIS, RFID, and the like) and data-driven techniques in construction management and engineering issues. Timothy's research interests include construction management, green buildings and sustainability, blockchain and AI in construction, BIM, modular integrated construction/offsite construction, sustainable construction and informatics, supply chain management, and digital engineering.

He has an excellent track record of highly-cited peer-reviewed research publications and has authored over 65 papers (3205+ citations [h-index: 27; i10-index: 39]) — consisting of journal papers (45+), book chapters (3), technical reports, and conference papers (10+) as of March 2024. When taking all the publications of Dr. Olawumi into account, his over 3000 citations gathered so far place him within the top 1% percentile of scholars in the "Engineering" and "Environment/Ecology" research fields, according to Clarivate Analytics (Web of Science) ESI ranking. More so, four (4) of his published papers are listed as a Top 1% "Highly Cited Paper" in the field of Engineering—Web of Science Core Collection, and another nine (9) journal papers are categorised as "Hot Paper" and within the top 2-10% of various research categories.

His publications' high citation rates and readership, ranking in the top 3% on ResearchGate, validate the significance, impact, and influence of his research.

He is a recipient of multiple prestigious and international awards in recognition of his outstanding contributions and sustained national and international acclaim.
🠶Dr Olawumi is ranked among the world's top 2% most-cited scientists by Elsevier BV and Stanford University.
🠶He is recognised as one of the "Top 25 Outstanding Scientists" globally in the field of sustainability (across disciplines) by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF).
🠶Other awards include ⦁ HKIPM Project Management Achievement Awards in December 2022 (Research Project category). ⦁ Research Excellence Award of the BIM Africa Innovation Awards 2021 (out of the 289 nominations received) in November 2021; and ⦁ awards from the Australian Institute of Building in 2019 and the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB HK) in 2018.

He has also secured highly competitive grant funding from the Research Grant Council (RGC Hong Kong) and the Chinese National Engineering Research Centre, including recent funding from the HKRGC (2022-2024) as a Co-I. Also, he secured a HK$60,000 (Hong Kong Dollars) grant from the Hong Kong Institute of Surveyors (HKIS) to produce a textbook for publication in 2024, which demonstrates part of his extensive work in research-led knowledge dissemination.


✅External Roles and Leadership

Timothy is on the Editorial Board of 6 reputable international journals, four of which are SCI-indexed (Web of Science)—including a Springer Nature journal, Frontiers in Built Environment, Advances in Civil Engineering (Wiley) & Heliyon Engineering (Elsevier)—contributing to the advancement of knowledge.

Moreover, Timothy is a member of the EPSRC Peer Review College and serves as a grant assessor—he has reviewed research funding applications for key funding agencies such as UK Research & Innovation (UKRI)— AHRC, EPSRC, & MRC, as well as the UKRI Future Leaders Fellowships.
He is an active reviewer for 55 international and renowned journals, of which 43 are SCI-indexed (Publons). He has also served as an external PhD examiner at top-ranked universities in Australia and South Africa.

Timothy is dedicated to promoting public engagement with science and knowledge transfer within and beyond academic boundaries. He has extensive experience in professional development, leadership, learning, and talent development.
His active participation in events such as the UK Construction Carbon Talk Show, QS Academy Seminars, Women Academics in Construction Webinars, Research Bootcamps, and similar events has facilitated knowledge exchange, boosted audience engagement, surpassed attendees expectations, and tackled critical academic and industry challenges.

Additionally, he has engaged in industry research with BIMAfrica, contributing to the inaugural "Africa BIM Report." He is actively involved in two significant and impactful national projects with GBCN: the development of a carbon database and a green building rating system.


⭐Career History

Timothy has taken up positions at the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and the Department of Building and Real Estate at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong — where he conducted major impactful research centred on sustainable construction, modular integrated construction, and blockchain. Also, he has worked as an academic and professional in Nigeria at the Federal University of Technology Akure and some local and multi-national construction companies. More so, he has worked on some projects in Nigeria, including a US$4 million World Bank-funded bridge construction and highway rehabilitation project.

He obtained a PhD in Construction Engineering and Management from the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (QS World University ranking #65). His doctoral thesis was rated "Excellent"—the highest rating possible—by the board of examiners.

With a blend of academic and industry experience, Timothy excels in leading and delivering educational programs, including taught, blended, and online courses at various academic levels in the UK and internationally. At Edinburgh Napier, he leads the strategic development and delivery of a suite of undergraduate (including graduate apprenticeship) and postgraduate modules.


He is open to research collaborations and industry consultations. He welcomes applications and is available to supervise potential PhD students in his research areas and broader topics related to the built environment.

NAPIER Profile Page: https://napier-repository.worktribe.com/person/2803159/timothy-olawumi

News

Esteem

Advisory panels and expert committees or witness

  • Academic Peer, Quality Panel Community - Edinburgh Napier University
  • QS Ranking Advisor of International Universities
  • Committe Member, Research & Development Team. Green Building Council Nigeria (GBCN)
  • Panel and Planning Committee Member - WRITETOLEAD 1.0. Organised by YQSF and the Nigerian Institute of Quantity Surveyors (NIQS)
  • BIMAfrica - Development and delivery of the first BIM report for Africa - "African BIM Report 2020"
  • BIMAfrica Research and Development Committee
  • Review and amendments of the Building and Engineering Standard of Measurement (BESMM 4) of the Nigerian Institute of Quantity Surveyors (NIQS)

 

Conference Organising Activity

  • Review Panel - 12th Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) Conference
  • Session Chair for Building Information Modelling (BIM) - RICS COBRA 2018 conference
  • Committee Member - the Hong Kong Construction Industry Council (CIC) & CIBSC Technical Workshop
  • HKIPM Delegate to the 3rd International BIM Awards cum Conference of the buildingSMART International (Hong Kong)
  • Technical Committee Member - Joint International Conference co-organized by the Federal University of Technology Akure, Nigeria and De-Montfort University, UK
  • Organizing and Programme Committee Member - NIQS 2-Day National Seminar

 

Editorial Activity

  • Guest Editor of Special Issue 'Value-added Circularity: Beyond Construction and Demolition Waste Management'. Frontiers in Built Environment
  • Guest Editor of Special Issue - 'Information Technologies in Construction: Present Status and Future Trends'. Buildings MDPI
  • Editorial Board Member - Frontiers in Built Environment
  • Lead Editor of Special Issue - 'Digitalizing and greening the built environment'. Frontiers in Built Environment
  • Editorial Board Member - Advances in Civil Engineering
  • Editorial Board Member - Journal of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering

 

Fellowships and Awards

  • Top 1% percentile of Scholars globally in "Engineering" and "Environment/Ecology" Research Areas. Ranked by Clarivate Analytics (Web of Science) ESI ranking.
  • World’s Top 2% most-cited Scientist. As ranked by Elsevier BV and Standford University, USA
  • Fellow, Higher Education Academy (FHEA)
  • Recognised as one of the 'Top 25 Outstanding Scientists' globally in the field of Sustainability - German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). (Oct 2022)
  • Recipient of the 'Research Excellence Award' - BIM Africa Innovation Awards 2021 (Nov 2). (Awarded out of the 289 nominations received).
  • Hong Kong Institute of Surveyors (HKIS) Book Sponsorship [2021-2023]
  • 'Professional Excellence Merit Award' - Australian Institute of Building [2019]
  • 'Outstanding Paper Awards 2018 (Gold Award)' - Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB HK)
  • 3 Outstanding Reviewer Awards (Elsevier)

 

Grant Reviewer

  • EPSRC Peer Review College

 

Invited Speaker

  • Invited Keynote Speaker: "How to succeed in scholarship and grants application" - Empowerment Series 4: Research Applications. Young Professional Forum. (April 2024)
  • Invited Keynote Speaker: "How does BIM facilitate Carbon Reduction during Construction Projects?" Construction Carbon Talk. YORhub TalkShow. United Kingdom. (June 2022)
  • Invited Keynote Speaker: "Getting Published in High Impact Journals: Salient Tips". Women Academics in Construction (WAiC) Webinar. (Sept. 2022)
  • Invited Keynote Speaker: "Research Writing & Reporting". Art 'n' Science of Writing Ethical Research (AnSWER). A research writing bootcamp for students. Organised by the Nigerian Institute of Quantity Surveyors (NIQS) and YQSF Diaspora. (Oct 2022)
  • Invited Keynote Speaker: "Communication in Research". Young Adults Skill Acquisition - BootCamp 1.0 - Research Development. South Carolina, USA. (February 2022)
  • Invited Keynote Speaker: "Dynamic Career Planning: Exploring Opportunities and Dealing with Challenges in Global Uncertainties" - Learning Forum. ANSHK, Hong Kong (April 2022)
  • Invited Keynote Speaker: QS Academy National Event - "Green Building and the Quantity Surveyor". [Organised by QS Academy and the Nigerian Institute of Quantity Surveyors. (October 2021)
  • Resource Person: Tsinghua University, Beijing - CIBSC Conference and Academic Exchange. Sponsored under the "Thousand Talents Plan" of the Ministry of Education, China. January 2018

 

Membership of Professional Body

  • Professional Member - Green Building Council Nigeria (GBCN)
  • Chartered Surveyor (MRICS) - Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors
  • Member - Hong Kong Green Building Council
  • Member - BIMAfrica
  • Member - BuildingSMART International
  • Associate Member - Hong Kong Institute of Project Management

 

Public/Community Engagement

  • Team Member and Mentor for the S.P.A.C.E 2024 Programme
  • Co-Founder - Nigerian Researchers in Europe (NRiE). Mentoring research students (MPhil/PhD) and Coordinating Proposal Writeup for EU Horizon project bids
  • Co-Chair. "Peculiar Youth Fellowship". Edinburgh, UK.
  • Field Officer (Volunteering) - sensitised, triggered, and monitored 54 local communities in Bekwarra LGA (Nigeria) on their open defecation free (ODF) status.

 

Research Degree External Examining

  • External PhD examiner at the Durban University of Technology, South Africa. PhD Topic: "Integrated Model for Enhancing Value Management Performance in the Construction Industry"
  • External PhD examiner at the University of Melbourne, AUSTRALIA. PhD Topic: "Improving Demolition Waste Management by Developing a Building Information Modelling (BIM)-based Sustainability Assessment Framework"

 

Reviewing

  • Journal Reviewer: Humanities & Social Sciences Communications
  • Journal Reviewer: Business Strategy and the Environment
  • Journal Reviewer: Energy and Built Environment
  • Invited Judge for the NIQS WRITETOLEAD 1.0. Student Research Writing Competition and Awards
  • Reviewer for a Book Proposal & Manuscript for a Publisher - World Scientific Publishing Co Pte Ltd
  • Journal Reviewer: IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management
  • Journal Reviewer: IEEE Systems Journal
  • Special Issue Proposal Reviewer. Advances in Civil Engineering. May 2022
  • Special Issue Proposal Reviewer. Advances in Civil Engineering. March 2022
  • Journal Reviewer: Buildings
  • Reviewer: Construction Industry Development Board Postgraduate Research Conference
  • Journal Reviewer: Frontiers in Public Health
  • Journal Reviewer: Computers in Industry
  • Journal Reviewer: Journal of Computational Design and Engineering
  • Journal Reviewer: Project Management Journal
  • Journal Reviewer: Science of the Total Environment
  • Journal Reviewer: Open Engineering
  • Journal Reviewer: Sustainability
  • Journal Reviewer: Advances in Fuzzy Systems
  • Special Issue Proposal Reviewer. Advances in Civil Engineering
  • Journal Reviewer: Automation in Construction
  • Journal Reviewer: Frontiers in Built Environment
  • Journal Reviewer: Architectural Science Review
  • Journal Reviewer: Canadian Journal of Civil Engineering
  • Journal Reviewer: Education Research International
  • Journal Reviewer: Intelligent Buildings International
  • Journal Reviewer: Journal of King Saud University - Engineering Sciences
  • Journal Reviewer: The Open Construction and Building Technology Journal
  • Journal Reviewer: International Journal of Operational Research
  • Journal Reviewer: International Journal of Real Estate Studies
  • Journal Reviewer: International Journal of Public Administration
  • Journal Reviewer: Architectural Engineering and Design Management
  • Journal Reviewer: Air Quality, Atmosphere and Health
  • Journal Reviewer: Business & Society
  • Journal Reviewer: Ecological Economics
  • Journal Reviewer: Environmental and Sustainability Indicators
  • Journal Reviewer: Heliyon
  • Journal Reviewer: International Journal of Construction Management
  • Journal Reviewer: Environment, Development and Sustainability
  • Journal Reviewer: Housing Studies
  • Journal Reviewer: Advances in Civil Engineering
  • Journal Reviewer: Journal of Construction Engineering and Management - ASCE
  • Journal Reviewer: Journal of Building Engineering
  • Journal Reviewer: Journal of Engineering, Design and Technology
  • Journal Reviewer: Sustainable Production and Consumption
  • Journal Reviewer: The Quantity Surveyor
  • Journal Reviewer: Journal of Civil Engineering and Management
  • Journal Reviewer: Building Research & Information
  • Journal Reviewer: Environmental Engineering and Management Journal
  • Journal Reviewer: Scientometrics
  • Journal Reviewer: Journal of Cleaner Production
  • Journal Reviewer: Journal of Construction Project Management and Innovation
  • Journal Reviewer: Journal of Environmental Pollution and Control
  • Journal Reviewer: Sociology International Journal
  • Journal Reviewer: Sustainable Cities and Society
  • 3 Outstanding Reviewer Awards (Elsevier)
  • Journal Reviewer: Built Environment Project and Asset Management
  • Journal Reviewer: Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management
  • Journal Reviewer: Journal of Construction in Developing Countries
  • Journal Reviewer: Journal of Cost Analysis and Parametrics

 

Date


56 results

Framework for the UK Construction Industry Transition to Net Zero Design: A Delphi Techniques and Structural Equation Model Approach

Journal Article
Osunsanmi, T. O., Gillies-Denning, E., Khaddour, L., Olawumi, T. O., & Moobela, C. (in press)
Framework for the UK Construction Industry Transition to Net Zero Design: A Delphi Techniques and Structural Equation Model Approach. International journal of construction management, https://doi.org/10.1080/15623599.2024.2337143
The shift towards net zero design for the construction industry poses complex challenges, which can be likened to a three-headed hydra embodying energy, water, and carbon emis...

Perceived barriers to implementing building information modeling in Iranian Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs): a Delphi survey of construction experts

Journal Article
Sarvari, H., Asaadsamani, P., Olawumi, T. O., Chan, D. W., Rashidi, A., & Beer, M. (in press)
Perceived barriers to implementing building information modeling in Iranian Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs): a Delphi survey of construction experts. Architectural Engineering and Design Management, https://doi.org/10.1080/17452007.2024.2329687
Building information modeling (BIM) is a disruptive information technology tool in the construction sector. Although this technology had a significant impact on the manufactur...

A Review of the Benefits of Automation and Robotic Application in Building Construction

Conference Proceeding
Ejidike, C. C., Mewomo, M. C., Olawumi, T. O., & Esangbedo, O. P. (2024)
A Review of the Benefits of Automation and Robotic Application in Building Construction. In Y. Turkan, J. Louis, F. Leite, & S. Ergan (Eds.), Computing in Civil Engineering 2023: Data, Sensing, and Analytics (796-803). https://doi.org/10.1061/9780784485224.096
Globally, building construction is complex and advanced in performance. The improvement of the economy and social benefits of building delivery depends critically on applying ...

Critical factors that influence lean premise design implementation: a case of Hong Kong high-rise buildings

Journal Article
Lam, E. W., Chan, A. P., Olawumi, T. O., Wong, I., & Kazeem, K. O. (in press)
Critical factors that influence lean premise design implementation: a case of Hong Kong high-rise buildings. Architectural Engineering and Design Management, https://doi.org/10.1080/17452007.2024.2302416
When a building design fails to meet the end-user's needs after construction, it is considered faulty. Faulty designs often lead to renovation, demolition, and material waste....

Sustainability concepts in global high-rise residential buildings: a scientometric and systematic review

Journal Article
Lam, E. W., Chan, A. P., Olawumi, T. O., Wong, I., & Kazeem, K. O. (2024)
Sustainability concepts in global high-rise residential buildings: a scientometric and systematic review. Smart and Sustainable Built Environment, 13(2), 425-443. https://doi.org/10.1108/sasbe-04-2023-0094
Purpose Sustainability has been the subject of several scientific investigations. Many researchers in the construction industry have also examined a range of sustainability-re...

Facilitators and benefits of implementing lean premise design: A case of Hong Kong high-rise buildings

Journal Article
Lam, E. W., Chan, A. P., Olawumi, T. O., Wong, I., & Kazeem, K. O. (2023)
Facilitators and benefits of implementing lean premise design: A case of Hong Kong high-rise buildings. Journal of Building Engineering, 80, Article 108013. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jobe.2023.108013
Defective design, poor stakeholder participation, and a mismatch between design provisions and end-user requirements cause most building construction waste. However, lean buil...

Global Application of Digital Twins and Virtual Reality in the Construction Industry: A Systematic Literature Review

Book Chapter
Kazeem, K. O., Olawumi, T. O., & Fernando, N. (in press)
Global Application of Digital Twins and Virtual Reality in the Construction Industry: A Systematic Literature Review. In Innovations, Disruptions, and Future Trends in the Global Construction Industry. Taylor & Francis
When compared to a computer-generated environment with scenes and objects that appear real, virtual reality (VR) immerses the user in their surroundings. A DT is a virtual mod...

Modelling the drivers of data science techniques for real estate professionals in the fourth industrial revolution era

Journal Article
Osunsanmi, T., Olawumi, T. O., Smith, A., Jaradat, S., Aigbavboa, C., Aliu, J., …Oyeyipo, O. (2024)
Modelling the drivers of data science techniques for real estate professionals in the fourth industrial revolution era. Property Management, https://doi.org/10.1108/PM-05-2022-0034
Purpose The study aims to develop a model that supports the application of data science techniques for real estate professionals in the fourth industrial revolution (4IR) era....

Assessment of symmetries and asymmetries on barriers to circular economy adoption in the construction industry towards zero waste: A survey of international experts

Journal Article
Oluleye, B. I., Chan, D. W., Olawumi, T. O., & Saka, A. B. (2023)
Assessment of symmetries and asymmetries on barriers to circular economy adoption in the construction industry towards zero waste: A survey of international experts. Building and Environment, 228, Article 109885. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2022.109885
This study evaluates simultaneously the symmetries and asymmetries on the classification of barriers to circular economy (CE) adoption in the building construction industry (B...

Developing a hybrid risk assessment method for prioritizing the critical risks of temporary accommodation sites after destructive earthquakes

Journal Article
Dabiri, M., Sarvari, H., Chan, D. W., & Olawumi, T. O. (2022)
Developing a hybrid risk assessment method for prioritizing the critical risks of temporary accommodation sites after destructive earthquakes. Habitat International, 128, Article 102667. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.habitatint.2022.102667
One of the most critical challenges in preventive planning and disaster management is the multitudinous uncertainties involved in decision-making. Previous studies showed the ...

Pre-Napier Funded Projects

  • A Conceptual methodology for Life Cycle carbon assessment using BIM and Digital Twin technology in building projects. Research and Innovation Starter Grant. Funder: Edinburgh Napier University, UK.
  • Co-I: Cloud-Based system to facilitate End-Users Oriented Design (EOD) for effective sustainability practices in high-rise residential buildings. Funder: Research Grants Council (RGC) of Hong Kong. (started: Jan 2022 - Mar 2024)
  • Book research grant of HK$60,000 to write and co-author a textbook titled "Sustainability Practices and BIM in the Built Environment." Funder: Hong Kong Institute of Surveyors (HKIS) - (ongoing)
  • Co:I - Application of Blockchain Technology to sustainable supply chain management: A case for MiC projects. Funder: Chinese National Engineering Research Centre for Steel Construction (CNERC)
  • Research Grants Council (HK) and the Sustainable City Lab - Hong Kong Polytechnic University.

Non-Napier PhD or MSc by Research supervisions

  • PhD Co-supervision at Durban University of Technology, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. (World ranking: THE 501–600th)
  • 23 MSc supervisions completed to date (inclusive of Napier).