After two decades of privatization of building maintenance service in government hospitals in Malaysia, evidence of under-maintained hospital buildings suggests a need to raise the level of hospital maintenance service delivery. This study identified the critical success factors to enhance the value outcomes of hospital maintenance service. A total of 66 questionnaire survey responses from maintenance personnel in public hospitals were analyzed using the Importance-Performance Matrix Analysis (IPMA) in the SmartPLS3.0 software. The Importance versus the Performance of value-based practices was mapped to identify the critical areas that require greater considerations to improve maintenance service delivery. The findings revealed four critical success factors: Responsive to Needs, Integrated Service Solutions, Innovative Improved Practices, and Value for Money. These practices were found to be the impetus that can bring significant enhancement to hospital building maintenance service delivery. Although the findings are based on data derived from public hospitals in Malaysia, the outcomes are applicable to private hospitals both in and outside of Malaysia.

Public hospital buildings in Malaysia have been facing problems and have become subjects of public criticisms due to poor building maintenance practices. A value-based approach which integrates and assimilates the concepts of value can be applied to mitigate maintenance problems in hospital buildings. This study evaluated the causal relationships between value factors and value outcomes of building maintenance in public hospitals in Malaysia. A total of 66 samples were collected via an online questionnaire survey. Analysis was performed using partial least square structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). Our results reveal that value-adding practices and value co-creation have a positive influence on value outcomes in hospitals. The findings, however, do not support the relationships between factors of user involvement and value outcomes, which merit further investigation. This study concludes that value-adding practice has the strongest impact on value outcomes. Thus, maintenance service providers should assimilate these practices in their services to enhance performance. In addition, the findings also justify the requirement for collaborative working arrangements for value co-creation of building maintenance.

In recent years, the soaring prices of heritage properties in Georgetown, Penang have gained the attention of practitioners and investors. The practitioners claim that the prices of heritage properties within the core and buffer zones in Georgetown have increased more than 300% since the city was recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2008. Such heritage properties containing historical or art elements that lead to forming a diversified portfolio could exert a low correlation of returns with conventional assets. In addition, rehabilitation of heritage properties requires high restoration costs and conversion fees. Despite the above claims, there is an absence of empirical studies relating to heritage investability, particularly to prove whether the heritage properties are truly worth investing in. Thus, this study incorporates a self-developed heritage properties Index (PIHPI_HR) into the conventional investment portfolio for assessing diversification effects. This study has collected 853 units of transacted properties for constructing a 10-year price index (PIHPI_HR). Subsequently, its diversification effect was examined through the Efficient Frontier (EF), derived from the Modern Portfolio Theory (MPT). The findings have proven the optimization of the conventional portfolio by enabling investments in heritage properties where the return is higher than other investment assets at the same risk level. This study also unveiled the price movement of heritage properties together with their investment value, which is deemed to be useful for institutional investors and the public to formulate sustainable investment strategies in the future.

Purpose: This study examines the persistent gap between building information modelling (BIM) education and industry expectations in the construction sector, focusing on how curriculum design, institutional readiness and industry demands interact. Malaysia is used as a representative context to explore challenges common to emerging economies. Design/methodology/approach: A qualitative research design was adopted, involving semi-structured interviews with 16 participants from academia and industry. Thematic analysis was guided by the technology acceptance model (TAM) and diffusion of innovations (DOI) theory to explore behavioural and institutional dimensions of BIM curriculum adoption. Findings: Four key themes emerged: (1) curriculum gaps and pedagogical limitations, (2) industry expectations and graduate readiness, (3) institutional and behavioural barriers to BIM integration and (4) drivers and enablers of reform. The findings reveal that BIM is often taught as a standalone software skill, with limited focus on process integration, collaboration or real-world project workflows. Misalignment in expectations between academia and industry is compounded by curriculum rigidity, uneven staff capacity and limited stakeholder engagement. Originality/value: This study contributes to the global discourse on digital construction education by integrating TAM and DOI to explain multi-level barriers to BIM curriculum alignment. While grounded in the Malaysian context, the findings offer transferable insights for other developing economies seeking to reform construction education in line with industry needs.