Saudi Arabia aims to build a sustainable and diversified economy by 2030. The automotive industry presents a key opportunity to achieve these goals through localization and the adoption of Industry 4.0 technologies. This research analyzes the impact of a developed localized production model for the automotive industry. The model promotes economic sustainability through domestic manufacturing, job creation and reduced oil dependence; environmental sustainability via the Industry 4.0 approach, which enhances customization, and social sustainability by developing human capital, transferring advanced technologies and stimulating job creation, thereby balancing the three spheres of sustainability. To attain the aim of the research, data were collected from 106 Saudi automobile companies. For the data collection, a questionnaire was designed, and authentication was performed according to the average level of use of Industry 4.0 and analysis of the level of implementation of the developed localized production model for the automotive industry of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The results shows that large automobile companies in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia are employing the developed localized production model more than medium and smaller automobile companies, and as a result of this model employment, automobile companies’ customer satisfaction through customization and revenue has improved in an agile and lean manner.

Saudi Arabia vision-2030 is mainly focused on industrialization to reduce reliance on oil revenue. Localized Manufacturing (LM) concept, which has gained its importance worldwide in this fast-changing technological world to meet customers’ unique needs of 21^st century. Now-a-days, manufacturing industry is shifting from standard product development to customized product development keeping in view the growing unique customer-’s needs. The research objective of this research was to maximize LM Application in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to meet unique customers’ needs. Automobile industry was selected to apply Industry 4.0 technologies i.e., 3D Printing/Additive manufacturing. The specifications, fulfilling the customer’s unique needs have been incorporated to manufacture the desired part by 3D printing/additive manufacturing. Data was collected from Saudi automobiles customers regarding their unique needs on a particular automobile part. Using the Product Design and Development methodology by Ulrich et al data was collected, analysed and as a result of data analysis, a model for maximization of localized manufacturing was developed for implementation of LM technique. Results shows that using Industry 4.0 concept, customers’ unique needs can be satisfied and fulfilled in less time and it will be more economical as compared to standard/conventional manufacturing/production methods. Based on the results of this research a model for maximization of localized manufacturing is developed utilizing Industry 4.0 technique

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigate the challenges hindering the adoption of lean management (LM) practices in mechanical, electrical and plumbing (MEP) projects in Pakistan, and to propose a framework for enhancing sustainability outcomes. Design/methodology/approach: A mixed-methods approach was used, combining questionnaire surveys and semistructured interviews with professionals registered with the Pakistan Engineering Council and the Pakistan Council of Architects and Town Planners. By adopting mixed-methods approach, quantitative findings provide generalizable patterns, and qualitative expert interviews are used to interpret, contextualize and explain these statistical relationships. Integration occurs at the interpretation stage, where interview insights are triangulated with survey outcomes to enhance validity and contextual depth. Findings: The study identifies key obstacles to LM implementation, including limited awareness, reliance on traditional practices, resistance to change and outdated documentation. It shows a significant link between stakeholders’ knowledge of lean and its successful use in MEP projects. Research limitations/implications: The research is limited to MEP projects within the Pakistani construction industry. Future studies could broaden the scope by exploring cross-country comparisons or integrating lean with digital tools. Practical implications: The proposed framework provides actionable insights for policymakers, contractors and project managers by emphasizing the need to formally integrate lean practices into contractual processes to optimize resource utilization and improve project delivery performance in MEP projects. Social implications: By enhancing efficiency and sustainability in MEP operations, the study contributes to improve industry practices that can benefit economically and support sustainable development goals. Originality/value: To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this research is one of the first to look at the challenges of implementing lean in MEP projects in Pakistan. It offers theoretical and practical insights that encourage sustainable construction.

Highway construction projects are known for their propensity to consume enormous quantities of materials and their susceptibility to generate considerable waste. Adequate research has been conducted on identifying the causes of waste produced in building projects, however, there are limited studies available on identifying causative factors for highway projects. This study aims to identify and evaluate the causes and factors of waste generated on highway projects using a literature review and questionnaire survey technique. Causes leading to waste in highway projects were identified from the literature as well as from highway construction experts. Subsequently, quantitative data were collected from 127 highway construction professionals using a Likert Scale questionnaire survey, which was ranked using the Relative Importance Index (RII) and further analyzed by using a very robust Factor Analysis (FA) technique. RII results highlight the most significant causes of waste in highway construction, while FA suggests the main factors contributing to the waste in highway projects. The top five most significant causes of waste revealed by this study were: (1) mistakes of surveyors, (2) faulty drawings, (3) incompetence of quantity surveyors, (4) faulty/substandard work, and (5) poor workers’ skills, whereas the seven waste factor groups evaluated by the study were: (1) design, (2) storage, (3) survey, (4) workers, (5) waste management, (6) site management, and (7) external. This study further suggested waste management and mitigation strategies for highway construction projects corresponding to each factor group. This is a novel study on waste generation in highway projects in Pakistan and will assist academia and industry practitioners in understanding and controlling construction waste generation in highway projects during various stages of project execution.

Natural nanofibers are widely used in the field of medicine, but the low strength of these nanofibers is one of the major concerns. A number of factors, importantly the composition, affect the strength of natural nanofibers. The purpose of the current study is to ascertain the effect of the composition of natural nanofibers on the strength of hybrid composites formed using these nanofibers. Hybrid composites formed using 32% volume glass fibre with optimized volume fraction of 0.5% of pure Cellulose Acetate (CA), and 0.5% CA + Hemp Seed (HS) for this study to carry out the analysis. Hybrid composites were produced with vacuum-assisted resin transfer molding (VARTM) by collecting natural nanofibers, produced using the electrospinning process, over glass fiber mats. The electrospinning process was carried out with 12 kV, 10 cm tip to the collector gap, and 12% concentration of the solution. The tensile strength of the hybrid composites was measured using the universal testing machine (UTM). The results showed that the diameter of the electrospun nanofiber varied between 50 and 1400 nm and was affected by solution concentration, voltage, tip-to-collector distance, flow rate, and inclusion of HS in CA. The inclusion of HS in CA, for all compositions, decreased the fiber diameter and caused the formation of beads prominently at higher concentrations. Hybrid composites formed from nanofibers produced using CA and HS showed higher elastic modulus (232 MPa) and tensile strength (20.4 GPa) as compared with nanofibers produced using CA only (elastic modulus = 110 MPa and 13.7 GPa).

The intensifying global energy demand necessitates a transition toward sustainable energy systems, amplifying the need for effective Energy Management System (EMS) software tools for planning, simulation, and decision-making. Existing studies largely offer descriptive comparisons of EMS tools, with limited attention to the relationships among their key characteristics. This study addresses that gap through a data-driven, user-centered evaluation framework. It assesses the perceived importance and interdependencies of eleven key dimensions of EMS software tools, based on a cross-sectional survey of 75 respondents with relevant academic and professional experience. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA). Economic Analysis Capability, Real-World Application, and Computational Capacity emerged as the most critical dimensions, with strong Bonferroni-corrected associations among computational performance, usability, and practical applicability. EFA identified three latent dimensions comprising of performance and usability integration, technical and analytical capability, and system configuration flexibility explaining 72% of total variance. The findings suggest that EMS tools perceived as effective require a balanced integration of computational strength, usability, economic evaluation, and real-world applicability. By moving beyond descriptive comparisons toward a statistically grounded, relational evaluation framework, this study offers practical insights for EMS tool selection and future development for sustainable energy applications.