VIRTUAL London.

Abstract

The burgeoning discourse on smart cities prioritizes technological advancements, often neglecting the human element. This research delves into a hidden threat impacting city builders: moral injury, a psychological consequence of ethical transgressions. While prevalent in medicine and the military with a significant amount of literature, there is a paucity of literature in the construction industry, indicating its presence in design and construction remains largely unexplored. A preliminary survey revealed that a surprising 90% of construction professionals lack awareness of the term, despite their exposure to ethically challenging situations and potentially risky events. This study aims to bridge this knowledge gap by employing a mixed-methods approach. This approach will combine a comprehensive literature review on moral injury in psychology, medical, and military fields as a theoretical framework for investigating the challenge in the construction industry. With a customized questionnaire targeting construction low skilled workers randomly selected across major construction sites in Port Harcourt. Direct observation with check list facilities data collection with strategy to minimize bias. By exploratory data analysis on the gathered data utilized the Plan-Analyze-Construct-Execute (PACE) framework with Python, incorporating statistical testing. Findings, conclusions, and recommendations are derived from the analysis and communicated with data visualisations, including photographs. By raising awareness, informing policy and practice, and fostering interdisciplinary dialogue, this research seeks to unlock a more ethical and innovative future for construction. This previously unexplored area holds significant implications for academics and professionals alike, potentially leading to solutions that ensure the well-being of those building our future cities and safeguard the integrity of the built environment itself. Keywords: Moral Injury, Policy ,City, Construction