Building the Future: Innovation, Sustainability, and Collaboration in Construction

Molusiwa Stephan Ramabodu is an Associate Professor, current and previous Head of the Departments of Construction Management and Quantity Surveying at Durban University of Technology and University of Johannesburg in South Africa. He is a professional registered quantity surveyor by the South African Council for the Quantity Surveying Profession and the first black president of the Association of South African Quantity Surveyors. He holds a PhD in Quantity Surveying from the University of the Free State in South Africa. As a prolific researcher, he has published several journal and conference papers and his research focus areas include: sustainable construction, construction robotics, procurement systems and professionalization in the built environment that reflect his commitment to both scholarly excellence and practical industry impact. His remarkable achievements both in academia and practice include, among others: contribution towards national policy and industry development through partnerships with bodies such as the Construction Industry Development Board, Construction Education and Training Agency and the Council for the Built Environment in South Africa; and signing of Memoranda of Understanding with Makerere University in Uganda and the University of Valladolid in Spain to foster international research collaboration and academic exchange. His career is defined by leadership, innovation and a passion for advancing construction education and practice in Africa and beyond.

Clinton Aigbavboa is a Professor, a distinguished scholar with over 18 years of experience in the Built Environment and Construction sectors, is a Professor of Sustainable Construction Digitalisation & Construction Industry Research at the University of Johannesburg. He holds a PhD in Engineering Management, a Master’s in Construction Management, and certifications in Good Governance and Artificial Intelligence from MIT. He has authored 27 research books, co-authored 6 edited books, and published over 1000 accredited journal articles and conference papers. As Director of the Sustainable Human Settlement and Construction Research Centre and Acting Director of the South Africa Research Chair for Sustainable Construction Management, Prof. Aigbavboa has graduated over 200 Master’s and 84 PhD students. His research interests include Construction 4.0, smart cities, sustainable human development, and digitalisation in construction. Prof. Aigbavboa’s extensive expertise, leadership roles, and prolific publication record make him ideally suited to author the Transforming the Built Environment: A Guide to Modular Construction Methodologies book.

Samuel H.P. Chikafalimani has a PhD in Real Estate from the University of Pretoria and is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Construction Management and Quantity Surveying at Durban University of Technology in South Africa. Professionally, he is a registered property valuer with the South African Council for the Property Valuers Profession and has vast industry experience in real estate / property which he obtained as a practitioner in government and private sectors. He has authored and co-authored several journal and conference papers. His research interests include: property valuation, property development, property economics, property finance and investment, property / facilities management and property education, among others. He has also participated in international and local research collaboration projects, academic exchange programmes and community engagement projects.