Dr Alex Torku

About

I am a lecturer in Construction Management at the Department of Civil Engineering, Surveying and Construction Management at Kingston University. I completed my PhD in Construction Engineering and Management at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. I hold an MSc in Construction Project Management (with distinction) from Heriot-Watt University, UK and a BSc in Quantity Surveying and Construction Economics (first class honours) from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana where I also worked within the construction industry. Prior to joining Kingston University, I worked as a Research Associate and Teaching Assistant at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University and Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana.

My research is situated within the interdisciplinary domains of construction management, built environment, ageing population (environmental gerontology), human-centric sensing (e.g., behavioural, physiological, and cognitive markers), data science and spatial analysis. Specifically, my research focuses on expanding the reach and generalisation of evidence-based interventions to manage human-centric construction dynamics and human-infrastructure interface. I employ state-of-the-art sensing technologies, person-centred, community-based participatory research, and policy-level approaches to inform decision-making outcomes in smart age-friendly cities, communities, and workplaces towards improving equity and inclusivity for ageing persons within the construction industry and the built environment infrastructure.

Academic responsibilities

Lecturer in Construction Management

Qualifications

  • PhD in Construction Engineering and Management, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong
  • MSc in Construction Project Management, Heriot-Watt University, UK
  • BSc (Hons) in Quantity Surveying and Construction Economics, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana

Teaching and learning

Research

Research Interest

  • Human-Centric Construction, Infrastructure, and Urban Management
  • Construction and Built Environment Informatics
  • Environmental Gerontology
  • Age-friendly Cities, Communities and Workplaces
  • Human-Environment Interaction
  • Construction Innovation Management and Diffusion
  • Smart Sensing and Wearable Technologies
  • Data Science (Data Mining, Machine Learning and Statistical Analysis) and Spatial Analysis

Publications

Number of items: 16.

Article

Torku, Alex, Chan, Albert P.C., Yung, Esther H.K. and Seo, JoonOh (2022) Detecting stressful older adults-environment interactions to improve neighbourhood mobility : a multimodal physiological sensing, machine learning, and risk hotspot analysis-based approach. Building and Environment, p. 109533. ISSN (print) 0360-1323 (Epub Ahead of Print)

Torku, Alex, Chan, Albert P. C., Yung, Esther H. K., Seo, JoonOh and Antwi-Afari, Maxwell F. (2022) Wearable sensing and mining of the informativeness of older adults : physiological, behavioral, and cognitive responses to detect demanding environmental conditions. Environment and Behavior, ISSN (print) 0013-9165 (Epub Ahead of Print)

Torku, Alex, Chan, Albert P.C., Yung, Esther H.K. and Seo, JoonOh (2021) The influence of urban visuospatial configuration on older adults' stress : a wearable physiological-perceived stress sensing and data mining based-approach. Building and Environment, 206, p. 108298. ISSN (print) 0360-1323

Torku, Alex, Chan, Albert Ping Chuen and Yung, Esther Hiu Kwan (2021) Age-friendly cities and communities : a review and future directions. Ageing and Society, 41(10), pp. 2242-2279. ISSN (print) 0144-686X

Tetteh, Mershack O., Chan, Albert P. C., Darko, Amos, Torku, Alex and Nani, Gabriel (2021) Critical barriers to international construction joint ventures success : multiexpert views and contextual disparities. Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, 147(8), ISSN (print) 0733-9364

Torku, Alex, Chan, Albert P.C. and Yung, Esther H.K. (2021) Implementation of age-friendly initiatives in smart cities : probing the barriers through a systematic review. Built Environment Project and Asset Management, 11(3), pp. 412-426. ISSN (print) 2044-124X

Owusu-Manu, D., Torku, A., Pärn, E., Addy, M.N. and Edwards, D.J. (2017) An empirical assessment of innovation practices of quantity surveying firms in Ghana. Journal of Construction Project Management and Innovation, 7(Supp 1), pp. 1843-1858. ISSN (print) 2223-7852

Conference or Workshop Item

Torku, Alex, Chan, Albert P. C., Yung, Esther H. K. and Seo, JoonOh (2022) Older pedestrians’ physiological reactions are indicative of stressful and non-stressful urban built environment conditions. In: 6th Healthy City Design 2022 (HCD 2022) International Congress; 10-11 Oct 2022, Royal College of Physicians, London, U.K..

Antwi-Afari, M.F., Li, H., Webb, D.J., Anwer, S., Seo, S., Park, K.S. and Torku, A. (2021) Automated recognition of construction workers’ physical fatigue based on foot plantar patterns captured from a wearable insole pressure system. In: West Africa Built Environment Research (WABER) 2021 Conference; 09-11 Aug 2021, Accra, Ghana.

Torku, Alex, Chan, Albert Ping Chuen, Yung, Esther Hiu Kwan, Seo, JoonOh and Yang, Jackie Yang (2021) Neural signatures of older adults as indicators of the age-friendliness of the built environment. In: American Real Estate Society (ARES) Virtual Meeting 2021; 17-21 Mar 2021, Las Vegas, U.S. (Held online). (Unpublished)

Torku, Alex (2021) An elderly-centric sensing approach to assessing and detecting built environment barriers to improve the age-friendliness of cities and communities. In: American Real Estate Society (ARES) Virtual Meeting 2021; 17-21 Mar 2021, Las Vegas, U.S. (Held online). (Unpublished)

Torku, Alex, Bayrak, Turker, Ogunlana, Stephen, Chan, Albert Ping Chuen, Darko, Amos and Owusu-Manu, De-Graft (2020) Impact of construction work environment on quality of life of ageing workforce. In: Joint International Council for Research and Innovation in Building and Construction (CIB) W099 & TG59 International Web-Conference 2020 : Good Health, Wellbeing & Decent Work; 10 Sep 2020, Glasgow, U.K. (Held online).

Torku, Alex, Bayrak, Turker, Ogunlana, Stephen, Chan, Albert Ping Chuen and Owusu-Manu, De-Graft (2019) Are the ageing workforce satisfied with the construction work environment? In: CITC-11 : 11th International Conference on Construction in the 21st Century; 09-11 Sep 2019, London, U.K..

Torku, Alex, Chan, Albert Ping Chuen and Yung, Esther Hiu Kwan (2019) The status of age-friendly community research. In: CIB World Building Congress 2019 – 'Constructing Smart Cities'; 17-21 Jun 2019, Hong Kong, China.

Torku, A., Owusu-Manu, D., Pärn, E., Addy, N.M. and Edwards, D.J. (2017) Innovate to compete : an empirical assessment of measures to enhance innovation adoption in Ghanaian quantity surveying firms. In: 6th International Conference on Infrastructure Development in Africa; 14-16 Apr 2017, Kumasi, Ghana.

Torku, Alex, Owusu-Manu, De-Graft, Pärn, Erika, Addy, Michael Nii and Edwards, David J. (2017) Impedance to innovation practices in the Ghanaian construction industry consultancy services : the perspective of quantity surveying firms. In: CITC-9 : Ninth International Conference on Construction in the 21st Century (CITC-9); 05-07 Mar 2017, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

This list was generated on Wed Sep 13 07:16:19 2023 BST.