Biography
Dr Graeme Larsen is the Associate Dean of Sustainability at the University College of Estate Management (UCEM), UK.
Graeme’s career path has followed four distinct phases. Initially working for large international contracting companies as site and then project manager. Thereafter, Graeme returned to academia undertaking a PhD in Innovation in the Construction Sector. A research fellowship followed on the £1.5 million EPSRC Big Ideas project looking into sustained competitiveness of firms. The third phase saw independent research, leadership and teaching culminating in Graeme becoming Associate Professor. During this phase Graeme held key roles including the Director of the PhD programme for 8 years, then Research Group Lead before finally taking on the role of Director of MSc programmes.
In 2021 Graeme moved to UCEM, becoming part of the team to fulfil their vision of becoming the ‘Centre of Excellence for Built Environment Education’. Initially, Graeme took the role of Research Centre Lead before becoming Associate Dean of Sustainability. Organisationally, Graeme’s focus is on balancing relevance and rigour within teaching and research, developing strategic and operational capabilities for sustainability and programme creation. Graeme has developed his academic citizenship through research publications, research funding and international roles in the CIB, CIOB and CIRIA.
Appointments
Graeme holds the position of Visiting Professor of Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RIMT) University, Melbourne, Australia.
Graeme holds the strategic international role within the prestigious International Council for Research and Innovation in Building and Construction (CIB), as coordinator for ‘Working Group 65 – Organization and Management in Construction’.
Organizing committee member for International Council for Research and Innovation in Building and Construction (CIB) Tri-Annual World Building Congress – Melbourne 2022.
Scientific review committee for International Council for Research and Innovation in Building and Construction (CIB) Tri-Annual World Building Congress – Melbourne 2022.
Editorial Board Member to Journal of Building Engineering, Elsevier Journal.
Scientific referee for key journals within my field including – Construction Management and Economics, Engineering Project Organization Journal, Engineering Construction and Architectural Management, Journal of Construction Procurement and IT in Construction.
Scientific Review Committee for the Annual Association of Researchers in Construction Management (ARCOM) Conference.
Scientific Review Committee for the Annual WABER Conference in Africa.
Reviewer of book proposals and published books for Oxford University Press and Taylor and Francis Group.
Qualifications
Memberships
Teaching interests include innovation uptake, sustainability, theory and research methods, project management.
Graeme’s research interests have previously focussed upon developing sustainable sports venues focussing upon briefing and energy use strategies. Current interests include multilevel sustainability, wellbeing, technologies for sustainability (exoskeletons), change and innovation uptake. Graeme has supervised 10 PhD projects to successful completion.
Research Funding
TSBE – Low Zero Carbon Motorsport Circuits: Silverstone Circuit for the Future. (2013). Principal Investigator, (total fEC £216,000, including contribution from industry partner of £40,000).
‘Beckets Project’ – Focused upon long term strategic briefing £108,000
‘Stowe Project’ – Focused upon low energy consumption through different use £108,000
Future proofing and employee capabilities: A scoping exercise. Co-investigator. 2012 (£6,200) (Consultancy Partner LaFarge Aggregates, France).
EPSRC DTG PhD Studentship. Principal Investigator. 2014 (£32,000)
EPSRC DTG PhD Studentship. Principal Investigator. 2011 (£64,000)
Ridge and Partners LLP 2012 (open in-kind)
Chartered Institute of Building 2009 in-kind contribution (equivalent £15,000)
Atkins International 2009 in-kind contribution (equivalent £30,000)
Graeme sits on CIRIA’s Process and Technology committee.
Publications
- Larsen, G. D. (2018) Sustained Innovation uptake in Construction. Chapter 18. In: Dixon, T., Connoughton, J. and Green, S. D. (Ed) Sustainable Futures in the Built Environment to 2050. Wiley-Blackwell.
- Larsen, G. D. (2015) Innovation diffusion across firms. Chapter 8. In: Ørstavik, F., A. Dainty, and Abbott, C. (Ed) Perspectives on Construction Innovation. Wiley-Blackwell.
- Larsen, G. D. (2003) Informal communication networks and the diffusion of innovations in UK construction projects. In: Anumba, C. J. (Ed.), Innovative Developments in Architecture, Engineering and Construction, Loughborough. Millpress 503-514.
- Ballesteros-Pérez, P., Sanz-Ablanedo, E., Soetanto, R., Gonzalez-Cruz, M. C., Larsen, G. D. and Cerezo-Narvaez, A. (2020) On the duration and cost variability of construction activities: an empirical study. Construction Engineering and Management. 146 (1) org/10.1061/(ASCE) CO.1943-7862.0001739
- Ulutas-Duman, D., Green, S. D. and Larsen, G. D. (2019) Competitive strategy of Turkish contractors: on the role of narrative infrastructure. Construction Management and Economics. 37 (7) 367-383.
- Ballesteros-Perez, P., Larsen, G. D. and Gonzalez-Cruz, M. C. (2018) Do projects really end late? On the shortcomings of classical scheduling techniques. Journal of Teaching and Science Education. 8 (1) 17-33.
- Ansari, S., Larsen, G. D. and Shao, L. (2018) Identifying energy saving opportunities for multi-use venues. Future Cities and Environment. 4 (1) 1–12.
- Boyd, P., Larsen, G. D. and Schweber, L. (2015) Perspectives on the specification of building integrated photovoltaic technology in construction projects. Construction Management and Economics. 33 (5) 349-360.
- Larsen, G. D. and Whyte, J. (2013) Design for safe construction: Voices from the construction site. Construction Management and Economics – Special Issue on Occupational Health and Safety. 31 (6) 675-690.
- Larsen, G. D. (2011) Understanding the Early Stages of the Innovation Diffusion Process: Awareness, Influence and Communication Networks. Construction Management and Economics. 29 (10) 987-1002.
– The above paper won the prestigious Chartered Institute of Building’s Premier Award at the annual International Research and Innovation Awards 2012
– The paper and achievement above then became the subject of a professional interview article by the internationally leading ‘Construction Research and Innovation’ journal for practitioners with over 43,000 subscribers from around the world - Green, S. D., Kao, C, and Larsen, G. D., (2010) Contextualist Research: Iterating between Methods while following an Empirically Grounded Approach. ASCE Journal of Construction Engineering and Management – Special Issue on Research Methodologies. 136 (1) 117-126.
- Kao, C., Larsen, G. D., and Green, S. D., (2009) Emergent Discourses of Construction Competitiveness: Localised Learning and Embeddedness. Construction Management and Economics – Special Issue on Informality and Emergence in Construction. 27 (10) 1005-1017.
- Larsen, G. D., Kao, C and Green, S. D., (2008) Partnering in Flight: from being to becoming. Journal of Construction Procurement – Special Issue on Building Across Borders. 14 (1) 35-50.
- Green, S. D., Harty, C. F., Elmualim, A, A., Larsen, G. D. and Kao, C., (2008) On the Discourse of Construction Competitiveness, Building Research and Information. 36 (5) 426-435.
- Green, S. D., Larsen, G. D. and Kao, C. C., (2008) Competitive strategy revisited: contested concepts and dynamic capabilities, Construction Management and Economics, 26 (1) 63-78.
- Larsen, G. D. (2005) Horses for Courses: Relating Innovation Diffusion Concepts to the Stages of the Diffusion Process. Construction Management and Economics, 23 (8) 787-792.
- Larsen, G. D. and Ballal, T. M. A. (2005) The Diffusion of Innovations within a UKCI context: An explanatory framework. Construction Management and Economics, 23 (1), 81-91.
- Larsen, G. D. (2022) The uptake of exoskeletons and how they will become stabilized: a social construction of technology approach. CIB World Building Congress, Melbourne (in print).
- Larsen G. D. and Leicht, R. (2019) Driving’ Innovation in Construction Organizations: A comparative case study of the design and construction of motor racing venues, Engineering Project Organization Society – A Challenge Summit. Vail, Colorado, USA. June.
- Larsen, G.D. and Hollely, N. (2019) Challenging the rhetoric of construction briefing: Insights from an F1 sports. 10th Nordic Conference on Construction Economics and Organization. 7-8 May 2019 in Tallinn, Estonia.
- Ulutas-Duman, D, Green, S. D. and Larsen, G. D. (2017) Competitive strategy and the role of narrative infrastructure: the case of Turkish contractors. Proceedings 33rd Annual ARCOM Conference, 3-5 September 2017, Association of Researchers in Construction Management, Sept. Cambridge.
– The above paper won the annual Paul Townsend Commemorative Award 2017.
- Boyd, P., and Larsen, G. D. (2017) The uptake of BIPV within a project environment: the practicalities of integrating solar technologies into the building projects. International Conference on Advanced Building Skins. Bern Switzerland.
- Ansari, S, Shao, L, and Larsen G. D. (2017) Identifying energy savings opportunities for a multi-use venue building. International Conference on Sustainable Energy Technologies. July. Bologna, Italy.
- Ansari, S., Shao, L., Larsen, G. (2017) Lightening the load: analysing energy performance in multi-use venue buildings. 7th Annual TSBE Conference, UoR.
- Larsen, G. D. (2016) Mapping and understanding stakeholders within a niche market: Lessons from F1 circuits around the world. Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors Annual International Research Conference. COBRA. Toronto, Canada.
- Ansari, S., Shao, L., Larsen, G. (2015) Developing an energy management strategy for a multi-use venue building. 5th Annual TSBE EngD Conference, UoR.
- Boyd, P., Larsen, G. D. and Schweber, L. (2014) Perspectives on the specification of Building Integrated Photovoltaic (BIPV) technology in construction projects. In:Raiden, A (Ed.) and Aboagye-Nimo, E (Ed.), Proceedings 30th Annual ARCOM Conference, 1-3 September 2014, Portsmouth, UK, Association of Researchers in Construction Management, 153–162.
– The above paper won the prestigious annual Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors Sustainability Award 2014
- Dania, A. A., Larsen, G. D. and Ewart, I. J. (2014) Sustainable construction: Exploring the capabilities of Nigerian construction firms. In:Raiden, A (Ed.) and Aboagye-Nimo, E (Ed.), Proceedings 30th Annual ARCOM Conference, 1-3 September 2014, Portsmouth, UK, Association of Researchers in Construction Management, 3–12.
- Maradza, E., Whyte, J. and Larsen, G. D. (2014) Interactive learning in UK construction practice: examining the role of BIM process standards. In:Raiden, A (Ed.) and Aboagye-Nimo, E (Ed.), Proceedings 30th Annual ARCOM Conference, 1-3 September 2014, Portsmouth, UK, Association of Researchers in Construction Management, 613–22.
- Ansari, S., Shao, L., Larsen, G. (2014) Energy monitoring and management for a developing UK motorsport venue. 5th Annual TSBE EngD Conference, UoR.
- Maradza, E., Whyte, J. and Larsen, G. D. (2014) Embedding digital design collaboration technologies with common process standards: implications for the design work coordination practices. Construction Research Congress, Georgia Institute of Technology, May 19-21 Atlanta, GA, USA.
- Guo, G., Larsen, G. D., and Whyte, J. (2013) Digital interaction patterns on construction projects: a study of dynamic approval processes, CIB W78 2013 – 30thInternational Conference on Applications of IT in the AEC Industry, September 9-12, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.
- Dania, A., Larsen, G. D. and Yao, R. (2013) Mainstreaming Sustainable Construction: Case Studies of an Indigenous and Multinational Construction Firm in Nigeria. Engineering Project Organization’s Conference/ PhD Doctoral Consortium, Winter Park, Colorado, United States, July 7th to 11th.
- Dania, A., Larsen, G. D. and Yao, R. (2013) Sustainable Construction in Nigeria: Understanding Firm Level Perspectives. Sustainable Building and Construction Conference, University of Coventry, UK, July, 37-46.
- Amakali T. R., Cook G. and Larsen G. D. (2012) Striving for inclusive design in the built environment: Learning strategy adopted by policy implementers at Local Authorities in England In: Smith, S.D. (Ed) Procs 28th Annual ARCOM Conference, 3-5 September 2012, Edinburgh, UK, Association of Researchers in Construction Management, 285-294.
- Larsen, G. D., Phau, F.T.T., and Kao, C. (2012) Understanding the long term success of UK construction firms: the extent and role of ‘hidden’ corporate social responsibility. Joint CIB WO70, WO92 & TG72 International Conference on Facilities Management, Procurement Systems and Public Private Partnership. January, Cape Town, South Africa.
- Larsen, G. D. (2011) The diffusion of innovations across business units: Using organizational memory as a fresh perspective. In: Organization Science 17th Winter Conference, 10-14 February 2011, Colorado, USA.
- Larsen, G. D. and Harty, C. F. (2009) Regulations and innovations across the UK Construction sector: Social shaping in action. In: Atkin, B (Ed.) Nordic Conference on Construction Economics and Organisation. June. Iceland. Vol. 1, 3-12.
- Larsen, G. D., Green, S. D. and Kao, C. (2009) Re-configuring an Organisations Capabilities: A view from the Construction Sector. In: Organization Science 15th Winter Conference, 3-8 February 2009, Colorado, USA.
- Kao, C. C., Green, S. D. and Larsen, G. D. (2008) Enacting competitiveness: an empirical investigation. In: CIB Joint International Symposium, 15-17 November 2008, Dubai. CIB.
- Kao, C. and Larsen, G. D. (2007) Clients and Contractors: Relationships in Developing New Procurement. In: London, K (Ed.) WO92 Conference on Procurement Systems. New South Wales. CIB.
- Goodier, C. I, Soetanto, R, Dainty, A, Larsen, G. D. and Fleming, A. (2007) Sustained competitiveness in UK construction: a multi-disciplinary approach. In: CIB World Building Conference – construction for development. South Africa. CIB.
- Larsen, G. D., Green, S. D. and Kao, C. (2007) Constructing Strategy: Practitioners, Practices and Practice. In: CIB World Building Conference – construction for development. South Africa. CIB.
- Larsen, G. D., Kao, C., Soetanto, R. and Goodier, C. (2006) Understanding the past, present and future of procurement. In: McDermott, P (Ed.) WO92 Conference on Procurement Systems. Salford. CIB. 340-347.
- Elmualim, A, A., Green, S. D., Larsen, G. D, and Kao, C (2006) Discourse of Construction Competitiveness: Material Consequences and Localised Resistance. International Conference: ‘Sustainable Development through Culture and Innovation’. Nov. Dubai. CIB. 446-456.
- Larsen, G. D, Green, S. D., Kao, C. and Elmualim, A. A. (2006) Sustained Competitiveness: polarized perspectives and the search for the middle ground. In: Pietroforte, P, (Ed) Joint International Symposium of CIB Working Commissions. Rome. CIB.
- Kao, C., Green, S. D., Larsen, G. D and Elmualim, A. A (2006) Toward a Dynamic Capability Perspective of Competitiveness in the UK Construction Industry. In: Pietroforte, P, (Ed) Joint International Symposium of CIB Working Commissions. Rome. CIB.
- Larsen, G. D. (2006) Innovation and Regulation: a socio-technical perspective. In: Wong, F and Baldwin, A (Eds.) BEAR International Conference on Building Education and Research, Hong Kong. 89.
- Larsen, G. D. (2005) Innovation Diffusion in the UK Construction Industry: The introduction of an awareness threshold level concept. In: Sariyildiz, S and Tuncer, B (Eds.), Innovative Developments in Architecture, Engineering and Construction, Holland. Optima Grafische Communicatie. 959-966.
- Larsen, G. D. (2003) Informal communication networks and the diffusion of innovations in UK construction projects: A research design. In: Aouad, G and Ruddock, L. (Ed.), 3rd International Post-Graduate Research Conference in the Built and Human Environment. Lisbon. University of Salford. 387-398.
- Larsen, G. D. (2010) Management of Construction Projects by Graham Winch. Book Review, Construction Management and Economics. 28 (10) 1115-1116.
- Larsen, G. D. (2013) Research in Construction Management and Engineering: Proceedings from the 12th SCME Doctoral Research Conference. UoR.
- Larsen, G. D. (2020) How will exoskeletons change construction. Construction Manager. Sept. 42-43. Chartered Institute of Building.
- Larsen, G. D. and Hughes, W. (2012) Revolutionary Road: Innovative procurement methods for sustainable motorsport facilities. Professional Motorsport Circuit. (Winter Issue) 34-38.
– Building upon my strategic relationship and research projects with Silverstone F1 circuit, Apex Circuit Design, Populous Architects and Ridge LLP.
- Sweet, R. (2013) How innovation really spreads. Construction Research and Innovation. 3 (4) 30-31. Chartered Institute of Building.
– The interview article draws upon my 2011 award winning journal paper
