Design thinking and the precautionary principle : development of a theoretical model complementing preventive judgment for design for sustainability enriched through a study of architectural competitions adopting LEED

Cette thèse contribue à une théorie générale de la conception du projet. S’inscrivant dans une demande marquée par les enjeux du développement durable, l’objectif principal de cette recherche est la contribution d’un modèle théorique de la conception permettant de mieux situer l’utilisation des outils et des normes d’évaluation de la durabilité d’un projet. Les principes fondamentaux de ces instruments normatifs sont analysés selon quatre dimensions : ontologique, méthodologique, épistémologique et téléologique. Les indicateurs de certains effets contre-productifs reliés, en particulier, à la mise en compte de ces normes confirment la nécessité d’une théorie du jugement qualitatif. Notre hypothèse principale prend appui sur le cadre conceptuel offert par la notion de « principe de précaution » dont les premières formulations remontent du début des années 1970, et qui avaient précisément pour objectif de remédier aux défaillances des outils et méthodes d’évaluation scientifique traditionnelles. La thèse est divisée en cinq parties. Commençant par une revue historique des modèles classiques des théories de la conception (design thinking) elle se concentre sur l’évolution des modalités de prise en compte de la durabilité. Dans cette perspective, on constate que les théories de la « conception verte » (green design) datant du début des années 1960 ou encore, les théories de la « conception écologique » (ecological design) datant des années 1970 et 1980, ont finalement convergé avec les récentes théories de la «conception durable» (sustainable design) à partir du début des années 1990. Les différentes approches du « principe de précaution » sont ensuite examinées sous l’angle de la question de la durabilité du projet. Les standards d’évaluation des risques sont comparés aux approches utilisant le principe de précaution, révélant certaines limites lors de la conception d’un projet. Un premier modèle théorique de la conception intégrant les principales dimensions du principe de précaution est ainsi esquissé. Ce modèle propose une vision globale permettant de juger un projet intégrant des principes de développement durable et se présente comme une alternative aux approches traditionnelles d’évaluation des risques, à la fois déterministes et instrumentales. L’hypothèse du principe de précaution est dès lors proposée et examinée dans le contexte spécifique du projet architectural. Cette exploration débute par une présentation de la notion classique de «prudence» telle qu’elle fut historiquement utilisée pour guider le jugement architectural. Qu’en est-il par conséquent des défis présentés par le jugement des projets d’architecture dans la montée en puissance des méthodes d’évaluation standardisées (ex. Leadership Energy and Environmental Design; LEED) ? La thèse propose une réinterprétation de la théorie de la conception telle que proposée par Donald A. Schön comme une façon de prendre en compte les outils d’évaluation tels que LEED. Cet exercice révèle cependant un obstacle épistémologique qui devra être pris en compte dans une reformulation du modèle. En accord avec l’épistémologie constructiviste, un nouveau modèle théorique est alors confronté à l’étude et l’illustration de trois concours d'architecture canadienne contemporains ayant adopté la méthode d'évaluation de la durabilité normalisée par LEED. Une série préliminaire de «tensions» est identifiée dans le processus de la conception et du jugement des projets. Ces tensions sont ensuite catégorisées dans leurs homologues conceptuels, construits à l’intersection du principe de précaution et des théories de la conception. Ces tensions se divisent en quatre catégories : (1) conceptualisation - analogique/logique; (2) incertitude - épistémologique/méthodologique; (3) comparabilité - interprétation/analytique, et (4) proposition - universalité/ pertinence contextuelle. Ces tensions conceptuelles sont considérées comme autant de vecteurs entrant en corrélation avec le modèle théorique qu’elles contribuent à enrichir sans pour autant constituer des validations au sens positiviste du terme. Ces confrontations au réel permettent de mieux définir l’obstacle épistémologique identifié précédemment. Cette thèse met donc en évidence les impacts généralement sous-estimés, des normalisations environnementales sur le processus de conception et de jugement des projets. Elle prend pour exemple, de façon non restrictive, l’examen de concours d'architecture canadiens pour bâtiments publics. La conclusion souligne la nécessité d'une nouvelle forme de « prudence réflexive » ainsi qu’une utilisation plus critique des outils actuels d’évaluation de la durabilité. Elle appelle une instrumentalisation fondée sur l'intégration globale, plutôt que sur l'opposition des approches environnementales.

Design, Development & Performance Evaluation of an Anechoic Chamber for

The design, erection and evalution procedures for it microwave anechuic chamber competed at Cochin University for antenna studies are presented the chamber has an average reflectivity level of - 32 dB on at X-band frequencies, and it i, comparable to international standards.

Design Techniques for Sigmadelta based ADC for Wireless Applications

Analog-to digital Converters (ADC) have an important impact on the overall performance of signal processing system. This research is to explore efficient techniques for the design of sigma-delta ADC,specially for multi-standard wireless tranceivers. In particular, the aim is to develop novel models and algorithms to address this problem and to implement software tools which are avle to assist the designer's decisions in the system-level exploration phase. To this end, this thesis presents a framework of techniques to design sigma-delta analog to digital converters.A2-2-2 reconfigurable sigma-delta modulator is proposed which can meet the design specifications of the three wireless communication standards namely GSM,WCDMA and WLAN. A sigma-delta modulator design tool is developed using the Graphical User Interface Development Environment (GUIDE) In MATLAB.Genetic Algorithm(GA) based search method is introduced to find the optimum value of the scaling coefficients and to maximize the dynamic range in a sigma-delta modulator.

Decimation Filter Design Toolbox for Multi-Standard Wireless Transceivers using MATLAB.

The demand for new telecommunication services requiring higher capacities, data rates and different operating modes have motivated the development of new generation multi-standard wireless transceivers. A multi-standard design often involves extensive system level analysis and architectural partitioning, typically requiring extensive calculations. In this research, a decimation filter design tool for wireless communication standards consisting of GSM, WCDMA, WLANa, WLANb, WLANg and WiMAX is developed in MATLAB® using GUIDE environment for visual analysis. The user can select a required wireless communication standard, and obtain the corresponding multistage decimation filter implementation using this toolbox. The toolbox helps the user or design engineer to perform a quick design and analysis of decimation filter for multiple standards without doing extensive calculation of the underlying methods.

A Triple-Mode Feed-Forward Sigma-Delta Modulator Design For Gsm / Wcdma / Wlan Applications

This paper presents a cascaded 2-2-2 reconfigurable sigma-delta modulator that can handle GSM, WCDMA and WLAN standards. The modulator makes use of a low-distortion swing suppression topology which is highly suitable for wide band applications. In GSM mode, only the first stage (2nd order Σ-Δ ADC) is turned on to achieve 88dB dynamic range with oversampling ratio of 160 for a bandwidth of 200KHz; in WCDMA mode a 2-2 cascaded structure (4th order) is turned on with 1-bit in the first stage and 2-bit in the second stage to achieve 74 dB dynamic range with oversampling ratio of 16 for a bandwidth of 2MHz and a 2-2-2 cascaded MASH architecture with a 4-bit in the last stage to achieve a dynamic range of 58dB for a bandwidth of 20MHz. The novelty lies in the fact that unused blocks of second and third stages can be switched off taking into considerations like power consumption. The modulator is designed in TSMC 0.18um CMOS technology and operates at 1.8 supply voltage.

User interface standards for expert systems: are they appropriate?

In recent years there has been a growing debate over whether or not standards should be produced for user system interfaces. Those in favor of standardization argue that standards in this area will result in more usable systems, while those against argue that standardization is neither practical nor desirable. The present paper reviews both sides of this debate in relation to expert systems. It argues that in many areas guidelines are more appropriate than standards for user interface design.

The children that time forgot: Reframing housing standards to incorporate children's needs

This paper presents the findings from a recent study funded by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation examining the housing and neighbourhood needs of 44 visually impaired children. Our research found that disabled people’s needs have been too narrowly based on ‘accessibility’ criteria, which do not take into account the health and safety issues so important for children. Indeed, the home environment is the main site of accidental death or injury for young children under 4 years, and children from low income families are particularly susceptible to burns, scalds, falls, swallowing foreign objects or poisonous substances within it (CRDU 1994). As disabled children are statistically more likely to be in low income families, this places them at high risk. If ‘accessibility’ is to be reconceived as design for usability throughout the lifecourse, this challenges us to move beyond the pragmatic but limited application of design prescriptions for disabled people as a separate and adult group, and to re-think all of the dimensions of the housing quality framework in the light of this expanded approach.

Regulation and innovation: Rethinking 'inclusive' housing design

The Lifetime Homes (LTH) concept initiated in 1989 by the Helen Hamlyn Trust, and subsequently promoted by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, emerged at a point when there was growing awareness of the decline of both private and public sector housing quality, especially in relation to floorspace standards (Karn & Sheridan, 1994). LTH were intended to offset the concerns of first, the house buying public of the appearance and affordability of homes suitable for successive generations, second, the private house building industry of the cost and marketability of incorporating 'inclusive' design features, and third, Registered Social Landlords (RSLs), who had to balance cost constraints with addressing the needs of a growing number of households with older and/or disabled people. Approved Document Part M of the building regulations was extended in 1999, from public buildings to private dwellings, and currently requires that all new housing meet minimal 'visitability' criteria. Indeed, although the signs are that Part M will be incrementally extended to comprise LTH principles, the paper argues that in their existing form they are insufficient to act as a key component of the government's 'new agenda for British housing'. This paper therefore explores how they might usefully be expanded from an approach, largely based on compromise, to one that inspires innovative, flexible and inclusive house forms, which also challenge design conventions.

From CAD to virtual reality: modelling approaches, data exchange and interactive 3D building design tools

Virtual reality has the potential to improve visualisation of building design and construction, but its implementation in the industry has yet to reach maturity. Present day translation of building data to virtual reality is often unidirectional and unsatisfactory. Three different approaches to the creation of models are identified and described in this paper. Consideration is given to the potential of both advances in computer-aided design and the emerging standards for data exchange to facilitate an integrated use of virtual reality. Commonalities and differences between computer-aided design and virtual reality packages are reviewed, and trials of current system, are described. The trials have been conducted to explore the technical issues related to the integrated use of CAD and virtual environments within the house building sector of the construction industry and to investigate the practical use of the new technology.

Knowledge-based design cost estimation through extending industry foundation classes

In order to overcome divergence of estimation with the same data, the proposed digital costing process adopts an integrated design of information system to design the process knowledge and costing system together. By employing and extending a widely used international standard, industry foundation classes, the system can provide an integrated process which can harvest information and knowledge of current quantity surveying practice of costing method and data. Knowledge of quantification is encoded from literatures, motivation case and standards. It can reduce the time consumption of current manual practice. The further development will represent the pricing process in a Bayesian Network based knowledge representation approach. The hybrid types of knowledge representation can produce a reliable estimation for construction project. In a practical term, the knowledge management of quantity surveying can improve the system of construction estimation. The theoretical significance of this study lies in the fact that its content and conclusion make it possible to develop an automatic estimation system based on hybrid knowledge representation approach.

Interactive learning in UK construction practice: examining the role of BIM process standards

From a construction innovation systems perspective, firms acquire knowledge from suppliers, clients, universities and institutional environment. Building information modelling (BIM) involves these firms using new process standards. To understand the implications on interactive learning using BIM process standards, a case study is conducted with the UK operations of a multinational construction firm. Data is drawn from: a) two workshops involving the firm and a wider industry group, b) observations of practice in the BIM core team and in three ongoing projects, c) 12 semi-structured interviews; and d) secondary publications. The firm uses a set of BIM process standards (IFC, PAS 1192, Uniclass, COBie) in its construction activities. It is also involved in a pilot to implement the COBie standard, supported by technical and management standards for BIM, such as Uniclass and PAS1192. Analyses suggest that such BIM process standards unconsciously shapes the firm's internal and external interactive learning processes. Internally standards allow engineers to learn from each through visualising 3D information and talking around designs with operatives to address problems during construction. Externally, the firm participates in trial and pilot projects involving other construction firms, government agencies, universities and suppliers to learn about the standard and access knowledge to solve its specific design problems. Through its BIM manager, the firm provides feedback to standards developers and information technology suppliers. The research contributes by articulating how BIM process standards unconsciously change interactive learning processes in construction practice. Further research could investigate these findings in the wider UK construction innovation system.

MOLES3: implementing an ISO standards driven data catalogue

ISO19156 Observations and Measurements (O&M) provides a standardised framework for organising information about the collection of information about the environment. Here we describe the implementation of a specialisation of O&M for environmental data, the Metadata Objects for Linking Environmental Sciences (MOLES3). MOLES3 provides support for organising information about data, and for user navigation around data holdings. The implementation described here, “CEDA-MOLES”, also supports data management functions for the Centre for Environmental Data Archival, CEDA. The previous iteration of MOLES (MOLES2) saw active use over five years, being replaced by CEDA-MOLES in late 2014. During that period important lessons were learnt both about the information needed, as well as how to design and maintain the necessary information systems. In this paper we review the problems encountered in MOLES2; how and why CEDA-MOLES was developed and engineered; the migration of information holdings from MOLES2 to CEDA-MOLES; and, finally, provide an early assessment of MOLES3 (as implemented in CEDA-MOLES) and its limitations. Key drivers for the MOLES3 development included the necessity for improved data provenance, for further structured information to support ISO19115 discovery metadata export (for EU INSPIRE compliance), and to provide appropriate fixed landing pages for Digital Object Identifiers (DOIs) in the presence of evolving datasets. Key lessons learned included the importance of minimising information structure in free text fields, and the necessity to support as much agility in the information infrastructure as possible without compromising on maintainability both by those using the systems internally and externally (e.g. citing in to the information infrastructure), and those responsible for the systems themselves. The migration itself needed to ensure continuity of service and traceability of archived assets.

Clarke's alpha, beta and zero components: A possible approach for the conceptual design of instrumentation compatible with IEEE Std. 1459-2000

The paper explains the conceptual design of instrumentation that measures electric quantities defined in the trial-use Std. 1459-2000. It is shown how the Instantaneous-Space-Phasor (ISP) approach, based on α, β, 0 components, can be used to monitor electric energy flow, evaluate the utilization of transmission line and quantify the level of harmonic pollution injected by nonlinear loads.

Quality management and competitiveness: the diffusion of the ISO 9000 standards in Latin America and recommendations for government strategies

Includes bibliography