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Michel Chaaya

Michel Chaaya photo

CPEng, FIEAust, BE, ME(Res), PhD
Adjunct A/ Prof
PMGP Group




School of Civil Engineering, Level 3, CASE Room
Phone: +61 2 90366384
Fax: +61 2 9351 3343
Email:







Research interests & current/recent research projects

Dr Chaaya is globally known for his expertise in business development, project management and construction management. He is currently the Director of Business Development for a project and facility management technology company in Australia leading the emerging fields of Total Infrastructure Facility Management (TIFM) and Enterprise Information management (EIM).

His expertise and research in Environmental Sustainability Assessment and Green Building extends to service organisations at many levels (Achieving carbon footprint goals, manage environmental sustainability certifications, identify areas for improvements, operation within a “green” environment for Ethics, Marketing or global purposes).

Dr Chaaya is also a Fellow of the Institution of engineers Australia and a Director of an independent consultancy services assisting commodity traders in sourcing global projects. He has a wealth of work experience in Sydney, the Middle East and in Africa. Dr Chaaya has been involved with The University of Sydney since 1995. He is an Adjunct Associate Professor in the faculty of engineering and information technologies. He has published in International Journals like the Journal of Construction Engineering and Management and the Journal of Management in Engineering, ASCE. Dr Chaaya speaks 3 languages: English, French and Arabic.

Areas of research interests include: Environmental Sustainability Assessment, Green Building, TIFM and EIM, Innovation in Project Management, Construction Management, Risk Management, Design Management, ICT, Strategic Delivery of Change, Global Project Management, and Professional Practice in Engineering Management.



Some of his latest Research Projects include:

  • The Design of an Advanced Risk & Change Management (AR&CM) Framework for Application throughout the Lifecycle of a Construction Project
  • Contractor Assessment Model Expert System (CAMES) for Contractor Selection in Construction Projects
    Design and Development of a Social-Skills In Project, Engineering and Management (SSIPEM) Model
  • Development of an Innovative Life Cycle Critical Success Factors Model for PPPs in Australia
  • Design of the Advanced Risk Framework and Its Application to the Construction Industry
  • Development and Implementation of an Australian Construction Contractor Expert Selection System Model
  • An Investigation into the Efficiency of Project Alliancing and the Design and Development of
    the Alliance Contract Decision Model (ACDM)
  • The Design and Development of a Decision Evaluation Framework for Foreign Investment in
    the Mining Industry
  • Influence of Cost and Quality Management on Material Selection in Green Buildings
  • Developing & Managing Innovation in residential construction projects – A systematic Approach
  • Performance enhancement of commercial projects through the integration of a risk and change management system
  • Influence of Material selection on cost and Quality Management in Green Buildings
  • ERF Application To Commercial Construction Projects During The Planning Phase
  • Project alliancing and development of a decision model on single v multiple total outturn cost approaches to alliancing
  • Lack of Social Skills in PM and Civil Engineering
  • The development and implementation of process models to manage foreign investments in Australian resources and commodities
  • CSF implications on life-cycle project management of PPPs in Australia
  • Contractors selections criteria and processes
  • Implementing Islamic Finance in Australia: Opportunities, Impediments, and Procedures for establishing an Islamic fund
  • Risk assessment for project managers in the Australian property market
  • An empirical study of risk allocation of Public-Private Partnership infrastructure projects in Australia
  • A proposal of a technical innovation platform for Australian construction companies
  • An investigation of innovative project management information systems in the NSW construction industry
  • GFC impact on the Australian construction industry: A change management model proposal
  • Sustainable and conscious innovation – a construction industry survey
  • The Application of Occupational Health & Safety Management Systems In Complex Projects
  • Collaboration of stakeholders in the construction industry: the use of information technology in project management
  • Collaborative On-line Communication - Email versus Web-enabled Project Management
  • Management of OH&S: An in-depth investigation into the application of current practices and policies in the NSW construction Industry
  • The Use of Dynamic Simulation Modelling in High-Rise Construction

Selected publications

  • Chaaya M., (2011). “Strategic Value of Adapting technology with Environmental Sustainability”
    Australian National Construction Review, Engineering News, OCT 2011, pp. 14,15.
  • Chaaya M., (2010). “Special Feature: Public Private Partnerships”
    Australian National Construction, Major project Review, OCT 2010, pp. 162-163.
  • Chaaya M., (2010). “Ground-breaking Intelligent Expert System (IES) to model risk allocation.”
    Business China Magazine, Vol.9, pp. 193.
  • Chaaya M., (2005). “Unique Project Management Graduate Programme”
    Information Age Magazine, Australian Computer Society, Feb/March 2005, pp. 43-44.
  • Chaaya M., and Jaafari A. (2001). “Cognisance of Visual Design management in life Cycle Project management.”
    Journal of Management in Engineering, ASCE, Jan/Feb 2001 Vol.127 No1, pp. 66-75.
  • Jaafari A., Manivong K. and Chaaya, M. (2001). “VIRCON: An Interactive System for Teaching Construction Management”.
    Journal of Construction Engineering and Management. ASCE, Jan/Feb 2001 Vol.17 No1, pp 49-57.
  • Chaaya M., and Jaafari, A. (2000). “Managing information within a globally integrated project environment”.
    15th world congress on project management, 22-25 May 2000, London, England.
  • Jaafari A., Manivong K. and Chaaya, M. (2000). “The story of VIRCON in simulating and teaching construction management.”
    International conference on construction information technology, INCITE 2000, 17-18 January 2000, Hong Kong.
  • Chaaya M., and Jaafari, A. (2000). “Collaboration and integration of project life cycle design information using IT systems.”
    International conference on construction information technology, INCITE 2000, 17-18 January 2000, Hong Kong.
  • Manivong K and Chaaya, M (1999). “Life Cycle Project Management: A Strategic Alliance Approach.”
    Conference of the international research network on organizing by projects Sydney: 9-12 January 2000, pp. 221-229.
  • Chaaya M (1999). “The need for a visual decision model in life cycle project management.”
    National Conference of the Australian Institute of PM, 24-27 October 1999, MELBOURNE Australia, pp 81-88.
  • Chaaya M., and Jaafari, A. (1999). “Integrated Design Management within a Life Cycle Project Management Paradigm.” Second International Conference on Construction Process Re-engineering CPR-99, 12 - 13 July 1999, Sydney Australia. Faculty of Built Environment, The University of New South Wales, pp. 279 - 290.
  • Jonaidi M, Chaaya M, Ansourian P (1998). "Cylindrical shells subjected to vertical edge deformation and internal pressure". Proceedings, Thin-Walled Structures: Research and Development, Singapore, pp. 613-620.

Teaching and Learning

Teaching Duties

  • CIVL4814 Project Planning and Tendering
  • PMGT5888 Global Project Management
  • PMGT5871 Project Process Planning and Control
  • CIVL3812 Project Appraisal
  • ENGG5204 Professional Practice in Engineering Management

Professional Service and Memberships

  • 2005 Fellow of the Institution of Engineering Australia, FIEAust
  • 1992 Member of the Civil Engineering College, Australia
  • 1992 Member of the Institution of Engineering Australia, CPEng, MIEAust
  • 1991 Holder of a Builder’s License, NSW, Australia
  • 1990 Member of the Institution of Engineers, Beirut, Lebanon