Personal profile
Biography
I am an Assistant Professor at the School of Energy, Geoscience, Infrastructure and Society, Heriot-Watt University. My expertise includes the broad areas of quantity surveying, project management, megaprojects, system dynamics, and systems thinking. My educational qualifications are as follows:
- BSc (Hons) Quantity Surveying & Commercial Management (2012) - Liverpool John Moores University
- MSc Construction Project Management (2013) - Liverpool John Moores University
- MSc Quantity Surveying (2015) - Glasgow Caledonian University
- PhD Construction Management (2020) - Heriot-Watt University
- PGCert in Teaching and Learning (2023) - Heriot-Watt University
Roles & Responsibilities
My current role primarily involves the following responsibilities:
Teaching: BSc (Hons) Quantity Surveying/Construction Project Management programmes
- Courses - Cost Control Principles (Y1); Cost Modelling and Measurement (Y2); Measurement and Cost Evaluation (Y3); Shaping Tomorrow Together (Y1), Design Project (Y4); Construction Cost and Management (GA); Construction Cost and Informatics (GA); Quantification of Construction Costs (GA)
- Dissertation Supervision - BSc research dissertations and MSc integrated research projects
Administrative: BSc (Hons) Quantity Surveying/Construction Project Management programmes
- UG Admissions Tutor - I assist the UG recruitment teams on offers for potential applicants, planning and scheduling departmental open-day activities, liason with the marketing team on public outreach activities
- Year 01 Co-ordinator - I am involved in planning and scheduling departmental induction activities for new and returning students, student-staff co-ordination on Y1 student matters and feedback
- Athena Swan committee member - I co-lead action points 10 and 12 for increasing the female student numbers in CPM/QS
- Academic mentoring (PGCert PhDs and RAs) - Working with colleagues at Heriot-Watt Learning and Teaching Academy, I mentor 02 PhDs and 01 RA who are undertaking the PGCert in Learning and Teaching.
- LEAPS Global Impact Challenge - I work with the university Widening Participation team and visit schools around Edinburgh to conduct workshops to raise pupils’ aspirations about higher education.
Research interests
Research: I am interested in the areas of systems thinking and system dynamics for complex problems, megaprojects, and net-zero. My recent research focus has been on exploring the net-zero policy-related challenges for project professionals working on megaprojects and construction SMEs.
My research interests include:
- System dynamics and systems thinking for complex problems in the built environment
- Cost overruns in megaprojects
- Behavioural project management
- AI, digital twins, and blockchain in construction
- Net-zero carbon and delivery of megaprojects/major programmes
- Methodological developments in qualitative research
- Learning and teaching advancements in the built environment
Completed Research Projects:
- Principal investigator - Net-zero carbon and the project manager: readiness, challenges, and pathways for the delivery of carbon-free major projects - £5K Funded by the Association for Project Management (APM), UK. Link: https://www.apm.org.uk/resources/research/research-fund/are-we-ready-for-net-zero-in-project-management/
PhD/EngD Supervision (Ongoing):
- Baisil Varghese Oommen - Use of DNNs in construction cost estimating for main contracting organisations in the UAE
- Abubakar Bagudo Muhammad - Improving cost estimation of oil and gas decommissioning megaprojects using a RCF-Bayesian framework
- Abubakar Sadiq Tukur - Unveiling the dynamics of innovation integration in megaprojects
- Adedoyin Ibosiola - Environmental, social, and governance (ESG) policies for energy megaprojects in Nigeria
- Hayford Pittri - BIM-IoT-enabled Blockchains for embodied carbon tracking within the supply chains of construction projects
- Mohammed Adamu Duhu - Cost optimization of Nigerian oil and gas megaprojects
Research Group Contact Details
I am an affiliated member of the Gamification and Systems Thinking Lab led by Dr Agnessa Spanellis at the Business School, University of Edinburgh
Press Profile
The news feature article from my interview with Mr Andrew Baldwin from the Association for Project Management, UK, titled "Collaborate to succeed on net-zero, expert urges public and private sector" published on 08 May 2024.
External positions
Policy Council Member - UK Chapter of the System Dynamics Society
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
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SDG 4 Quality Education
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SDG 7 Affordable and Clean Energy
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SDG 8 Decent Work and Economic Growth
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SDG 9 Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
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SDG 11 Sustainable Cities and Communities
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SDG 12 Responsible Consumption and Production
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SDG 13 Climate Action
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SDG 17 Partnerships for the Goals
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Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
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BIM-IoT Enabled Blockchain Technology for Embodied Carbon Tracking Within the Supply Chain of Construction Projects: A Conceptual Framework
Pittri, H., Godawatte, G. A. G. R. & Forster, A. M., 31 Mar 2026, (E-pub ahead of print) In: Engineering Construction and Architectural Management. p. 1-26 26 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review
Open AccessFile3 Downloads (Pure) -
Blockchain-enabled construction supply chain management: a scientometric and content analysis of applications, barriers and future prospects
Pittri, H., Godawatte, G. A. G. R. & Forster, A. M., 17 Feb 2026, (E-pub ahead of print) In: Engineering Construction and Architectural Management. p. 1-23 23 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review
Open AccessFile1 Downloads (Pure) -
Embodied carbon tracking in the construction supply chain: phenomenological insights into challenges and strategies
Pittri, H., Godawatte, G. A. G. R. & Forster, A. M., 26 Jan 2026, (E-pub ahead of print) In: Construction Innovation: Information, Process, Management. p. 1-31 31 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile1 Link opens in a new tab Citation (Scopus)7 Downloads (Pure) -
ERP-Integrated Cost Value Reconciliation Automation in Construction Main Contracting Organizations Using a Hybrid Machine Learning Framework
Oommen, B. V., Godawatte, G. A. G. R. & Neilsen, Y., Mar 2026, In: Results in Engineering. 29, 109862.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile2 Downloads (Pure) -
Internet of Things in Construction Supply Chain Management: A Review of Applications, Challenges, Integration Pathways, and Future Directions
Pittri, H., Godawatte, G. A. G. R. & Forster, A. M., 29 Jan 2026, (E-pub ahead of print) In: Journal of Engineering, Design and Technology. p. 1-26 26 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review
Open AccessFile3 Link opens in a new tab Citations (Scopus)8 Downloads (Pure)