Pushpitha Kalutara

Dr. Pushpitha Kalutara serves as Head of Course for Built Environment at Central Queensland University's School of Engineering and Technology, holding a PhD in Civil Engineering from RMIT University. With over 17 years of post-graduate experience spanning academia and industry, he maintains active roles as Principal Supervisor for multiple PhD candidates and reviewer for the Journal of Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management.

Education:

• BEng (Civil Engineering) - University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka
• PhD (Civil Engineering) - RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia

His research focuses on integrating digital solutions with sustainable practices in construction, particularly advancing Building Information Modelling (BIM) for facility management, developing lean procurement frameworks, and pioneering suicide prevention through architectural design. Recent publications demonstrate a shift toward mental health applications in built environments, with significant work on social-spatial design interventions for suicide prevention alongside traditional expertise in asset management and structural health monitoring.

Key research trends: Analysis of 15 most recent publications reveals dual trajectories - ongoing development of decision-making frameworks for sustainable community building management (using AHP and neuro-fuzzy systems), and emerging focus on mental health applications in construction (suicide prevention design, industry mental health interventions). His work consistently bridges Australian industry needs with academic research, particularly for councils and infrastructure operators.

Awards:

• Post Graduate Research Award by Engineers Australia and National Asset Management Council (2013)
• Australian Postgraduate Award Industry (APAI) by ARC Industry Linkage Scheme (2010)

Dr. Kalutara actively supervises multiple PhD candidates including projects on construction industry suicide prevention frameworks, AI impacts on road construction project management, and counterterrorism design for critical infrastructure. His industry collaborations span Victorian local councils, Municipal Association of Victoria, and major construction firms. Professional software expertise includes SAP, Revit, AutoCAD, and statistical tools like SPSS and MATLAB for construction analytics.