The continually expanding use of plastic throughout our world, along with the considerable increase in agricultural productivity, has resulted in a worrying increase in global waste and related environmental problems. The reuse and replacement of plastic with biomaterials, as well as the recycling of agricultural waste, are key components of a strategy to reduce plastic waste. Agricultural waste is characterized as lignocellulosic materials that mainly consist of cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin. Saprobe fungi are able to convert agricultural waste into nutrients for their own growth and to facilitate the creation of mycelium-based composites (MBC) through bio-fabrication processes. Remarkably, different fungal species, substrates, and pressing and drying methods have resulted in varying chemical, mechanical, physical, and biological properties of the resulting composites that ultimately vary the functional aspects of the finished MBC. Over the last two decades, several innovative designs have produced a variety of MBC that can be applied across a range of industrial uses including in packaging and in the manufacturing of household items, furniture, and building materials that can replace foams, plastics, and wood products. Materials developed from MBC can be considered highly functional materials that offer renewable and biodegradable benefits as promising alternatives. Therefore, a better understanding of the beneficial properties of MBC is crucial for their potential applications in a variety of fields. Here, we have conducted a brief review of the current findings of relevant studies through an overview of recently published literature on MBC production and the physical, mechanical, chemical, and biological properties of these composites for use in innovative architecture, construction, and product designs. The advantages and disadvantages of various applications of mycelium-based materials (MBM) in various fields have been summarized. Finally, patent trends involving the use of MBM as a new and sustainable biomaterial have also been reviewed. The resulting knowledge can be used by researchers to develop and apply MBC in the form of eco-friendly materials in the future.

Many developing and newly industrialized countries lack the technical and management capabilities to undertake large and/or complex infrastructure projects. In an effort to more rapidly develop their infrastructure, economies and living standards, many have embarked on a series of international Technology Transfer (TT) initiatives within the construction and other industries. However, these initiatives have not immediately translated into enhanced capabilities and competitiveness within host country firms, resulting in a sustained reliance on foreign firms. In an attempt to improve rates of TT in developing countries, this article proposes a conceptual model for international TT that accommodates the numerous factors believed to impact on the processes effectiveness and derived outcomes. Utilizing the results from a questionnaire survey of 162 industry professionals from Thailand, an international TT model including the significant factors which impact on the TT process and the degree of value added from it, was formulated through exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. Moreover, the significance of direct and indirect interrelationships between model factors was determined through structural equation modeling. This model included four process enablers, namely, government influence, transferee characteristics, transferor characteristics and relationship building, and one outcome factor named TT value added. Building relationships (i.e. trust, understanding and communication) between the transferor and transferee was determined to be the key predictor of TT-induced value creation for the host construction sector.

Community Hospital in Thailand is a small-size hospital and available at a 'local level. Established by the Thai government some thirty years ago, the hospitals now find their facilities are unable to cope with increasing numbers of patients due to population growth. The re-furbishment of the old buildings in the hospital was needed in order to respond to these changes. Past extensions to the hospitals have focused more on form and function of the built environment rather than "needs" of the users (patients/family). However, research has shown that there are multiple aspects that affect a positive user experience in a hospital. This is especially true for the environmental aspect, which helps patients feel more comfortable and relaxed both mentally and physically when using community hospital services. There is a need therefore, to establish which of the environmental factors are important to a positive user experience. In this study, factors related to the built environment and their effect on the user experience were broadly categorized as Ambient Features, Architectural Features, Interior Design Features and Outdoor Environment Features. Each of these consisted of further sub-categories of importance to the user. Twenty users of Sara Phi Community Hospital were interviewed to determine what was important to them as users of the hospital. This hospital was chosen for convenience. The AHP model was used to establish a rank order of those factors considered important in determining user satisfaction. In-depth interview and questionnaires provided data for final analysis. The study found that Ambient Features had the highest impact score (0.343) followed by Architectural Features (0.260), Interior Design Features (0.224) and Outdoor Environment Features (0.173). The secondary factors that make up the main factors were ranked according to their weighted contribution to overall satisfaction. The paper discusses these factors with support for the respective rank. Suggestions are made for future development of this strategy of investigation

Experience-based co-design and post occupancy evaluation are two mechanisms adopted for future planning and design of built spaces. They share a common strategy in that they both require input from a prospective, or current, built environment user. In the case of healthcare spaces, these users include doctors, nurses, patients and family. However, obtaining relevant and useful information from these sources is problematic. The users lack any specific conceptual knowledge and skills required in the design process. Several authors have addressed this issue by asking the user to comment on specific healthcare environment variables. These variables are the results of prior evidence-based research. Based on the work of Van der Voort and Van Wegen (2005) the author has developed a survey questionnaire and user input procedure Waroonkun (2019) that addresses the functional elements of a healthcare, built environment (in this case, a cardiac health unit). The strength and impact of this method was its ability to tap into a broad functional view of the users' experience of a built environment. The results of the present study indicate using a POE based, structured assessment strategy provided a solid guideline for determining a wide range of design issues from a user perspective.

In an effort to more rapidly develop their infrastructure, economies and living standards, many newly industrialized countries, such as Thailand, have embarked on a series of international Technology Transfer (TT) initiatives within the construction and other industries. However, these initiatives have not immediately translated into enhanced capabilities and competitiveness within indigenous firms, resulting in a sustained reliance on foreign firms. With few clues as to why TT ventures have not created expected outcomes for the indigenous construction industry, newly industrialized countries lack direction on how to more rapidly diffuse best-practice technology. Management philosophies such as benchmarking and performance measurement have become essential activities for firms, across all industry sectors, to achieve continuous process improvement and maintain competitiveness in the global market. In an attempt to better diagnose the health of TT ventures and ultimately improve rates of TT, this paper promotes benchmarking as a tool for measuring baseline and future performance across a wide range of TT perspectives. Utilizing the results from a questionnaire survey of 162 industry professionals from Thailand, a TT performance measurement framework, consisting of eight diverse perspectives was formulated through exploratory factor analysis. These perspectives represent the enablers and outcomes of the TT process, namely: (1) technology characteristics; (2) government influence; (3) relationship building; (4) transferor characteristics; (5) transferee characteristics; (6) economic advancement; (7) knowledge advancement; and (8) project performance. The framework was utilized to provide a baseline benchmark index of TT performance in Thailand. A benchmark score of 70% was determined, implying that up to 2005, construction TT ventures in Thailand have been operating moderately to highly effectively/successfully. Moreover, the TT performance of individual transferor nationalities operating in Thailand was compared. The study provides some evidence that Japanese construction firms are not only the leading exporter of construction services to Thailand but also perform slightly higher across TT performance perspectives influenced by the transferor.