Christopher Amoah | Sustainable Construction | Research Excellence Award

Published on by Architecture Engineers

Dr. Christopher Amoah | Sustainable Construction | Research Excellence Award

Senior Lecturer | University of the Free State | South Africa

Christopher Amoah is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Quantity Surveying and Construction Management at the University of the Free State, specialising in construction management, sustainable housing, project management and public procurement. With extensive professional experience as a construction project manager, valuer and consultant, he has led major projects, supervised multidisciplinary teams and contributed to departmental leadership through policy development, programme coordination and accreditation activities. His research focuses on sustainable housing delivery, infrastructure management, procurement systems, construction risk and technology adoption, reflected in numerous peer-reviewed publications, book chapters, conference papers and successful postgraduate supervisions. He actively collaborates with scholars across Africa, serves as an external examiner and moderator for several universities, and undertakes significant editorial and peer-review duties for international journals and conferences. His scholarly contributions have earned recognitions including an NRF C2 rating, institutional research excellence awards, conference commendations and a best paper award at a global congress, supported by service on editorial boards, accreditation panels and academic committees. His research impact includes 459 citations, 54 publications and an h-index of 11.

Profiles: Scopus | ORCID | Google Scholar

Featured Publications

1. A.S. Mohammed, C. Amoah, I. Bala Abdulai, A. Timothy Oluwafemi, J. Abbas, Examining gender disparities in pre-service teachers’ satisfaction levels across educational facilities. Facilities, 2025, 43(5/6), 320–346.

2. C. Amoah, L. Le Roux, Students’ challenges with online remote teaching and learning in South Africa. Int. J. Constr. Educ. Res., 2025, 21(4), 533–553.

3. A.S. Mohammed, C. Amoah, J. Abbas, S. Naayif, Facilities managers vs. mosque management committees: evaluating the need for professional facilities management in mosque operations. Facilities, 2025, 43(5/6), 363–396.

4. C. Amoah, F. Simpeh, Implementation challenges of COVID-19 safety measures at construction sites in South Africa. J. Facilities Manag., 19(1), 111–128.

5. J. du Plessis, C. Amoah, Factors hindering the use of unmanned aerial vehicles for construction project monitoring. Discover Appl. Sci., 2025, 7(7), 782.

Christopher Amoah’s work advances sustainable construction practices, improves public procurement systems, and strengthens infrastructure management frameworks that directly support societal well-being and equitable development. His research provides evidence-based solutions that enhance housing quality. He envisions a future where sustainable, resilient and socially responsive infrastructure drives global progress and inclusive growth.

Jorge Emanuel Ramalho da Fonseca | Seismic Assessment | Best Researcher Award

Published on by Architecture Engineers

Dr. Jorge Emanuel Ramalho da Fonseca | Seismic Assessment | Best Researcher Award

Researcher | University of Aveiro | Portugal

Jorge Emanuel Ramalho da Fonseca is a Civil Engineer and Research Fellow at the University of Aveiro, specializing in the conservation, rehabilitation, and structural assessment of historic and traditional buildings. His professional experience spans advanced laboratory testing, field investigations, and the development of innovative systems for in-situ and cyclic testing of masonry, timber, and reinforced concrete elements. As part of several national and international projects, including Be+Earth, SPARCS, URBSIS, SEISMIC-V, SafEarth, and SHS-Multirisk, he has contributed to the design and testing of earthquake- and hurricane-resilient housing solutions and to the mechanical characterization of Portuguese masonry through flat-jack and full-scale wall tests. His research focuses on sustainable rehabilitation, seismic strengthening, and experimental methodologies for heritage structures, reflected in multiple high-impact publications in journals such as Applied Sciences, Construction and Building Materials, and the International Journal of Architectural Heritage. A member of the Portuguese Engineers Association and the Portuguese Association for Urban Rehabilitation and Heritage Protection, he actively participates in scientific collaborations within the CERIS-Aveiro research unit. He has also contributed to event organization and training initiatives supported by UNESCO and the University of Aveiro, promoting knowledge transfer in heritage conservation. His dedication to advancing experimental research, technical innovation, and sustainable preservation of built heritage positions him as an emerging leader in structural rehabilitation and seismic risk mitigation. His research impact includes 79 citations, 13 publications, and an h-index of 4.

Profiles: Scopus | ORCID | Google Scholar

1. Fonseca J., Costa A., Rodrigues H., Characterization of Portuguese Masonry Walls: Insights from Flat-Jack Tests. Int. J. Archit. Heritage, 2025, 1–34.

2. Ascensão G., Pereira J., Fonseca J., Costa A., Ferreira V.M., Paiva H., Reviving heritage with contemporary solutions for adobe wall rehabilitation. Constr. Build. Mater., 2025, 458, 139557.

3. Di Gregorio L., Costa A., Tavares A., Rodrigues H., Fonseca J., Guimarães G., Comprehensive Design Process of CEB-Reinforced Masonry Panels for Earthquake and Hurricane-Resilient Houses. Buildings, 2025, 15 (17), 3242.

4. Fonseca J., Rodrigues H., Costa A., Mechanical characterization of masonry walls through the application of in-situ flat-jack tests. Research Summit 2024 – Book of Abstracts, 2024.

5. Di Gregorio L., Costa A., Rodrigues H., Fonseca J., Tavares A., Development of a System for Cyclic Shear Tests on Full-Scale Walls. Appl. Sci., 2023, 13 (13), 7498.

Dr. Jorge Emanuel Ramalho da Fonseca’s research advances the sustainable preservation and seismic resilience of historic and traditional buildings, bridging scientific innovation with heritage protection. His experimental methods and engineering solutions enhance global practices in structural safety, cultural conservation, and resilient urban development.