Proposal of a tiered conceptual framework for sustainable design and planning of large-scale development projects in the metropolitan context

The overwhelming threat posed by climate change means that increasingly, emphasis is being placed on the need to integrate sustainability considerations into all areas of policy making, planning and development. Actors in the built environment are progressively considering environmental and social issues alongside functional and economic aspects of development projects. However, to date in Australia and internationally, there have been few practical examples of integrated applications of sustainability principles in the built environment across design, planning, construction, operation and de-construction phases. Notable initiatives have tended to be narrow in scope, focusing on either mitigation or adaptation strategies. Integrated considerations of impacts from component and building scales to city and regional scales and across physical and socio-economic dimensions are urgently needed, particularly for long-life major infrastructure projects. This paper proposes a conceptual framework based on the principal that early intervention is the most cost-effective and efficient means of implementing effective strategies for mitigation and adaptation. A Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) approach is forwarded as an umbrella analytical framework, assembled from analytical methods which are strategically ‘tiered’ to inform different stages of the planning and decision-making process. Techniques such as Ecological footprint, Life cycle costing and Risk analysis may be applied to integrate sustainable design, construction and planning considerations which address both mitigation and adaptation dimensions, results of each analysis ultimately being collated into the overall SEA. This integrated conceptual framework for sustainable, resilient and cost-effective infrastructure development will in practice be applied to assess selected case-studies of major development projects in Australia, focusing on the area of stadium development. Practically applied and timed accordingly, the framework would allow assessments to be targeted towards appropriate decision making levels and enable better decision-making and more efficient resource allocation for major infrastructure development projects.

The contribution of Building Information Modelling (BIM) to Green Building Design and Assessment in Abu Dhabi "ESTIDAMA"

Estidama is a mandatory Green Building code in Abu Dhabi by which the compliance of building design is being assessed. This paper examines the current design and assessment approaches for Green Buildings to identify the reasons that lead to delay defects and it investigates a new approach for improvement. The available literature provides a realistic understanding to the problems and shows the road to some potential solutions. The identified problems were mainly attributed to the manual assessment with too much human interference. The piled documents with limited resources left the assessment system too slow to handle the whole projects within the greater Abu Dhabi engendering high risk of the commitment to review mistakes. Therefore, this paper investigates the potentiality of automating several stages via the use of Building Information Modeling (BIM) into the assessment process. Different experienced participants from all aspects within the construction industry were interviewed to contribute to the research. Also, a close question questionnaire was distributed to examine the current practice in Abu Dhabi to compare it with the initial findings. The findings point out significant requirements to adopt BIM in the assessment process, such as the availability of proper contracts form to shape the relationship between BIM parties and the readiness of the current system. Hence, the authors suggest a new model that integrates BIM capabilities within the system to accelerate the process and reduce human involvement.

Time, Cost, and Environmental Impact Analysis for Sustainable Design at Multiple Building Levels

Construction projects are complex endeavors that require the involvement of different professional disciplines in order to meet various project objectives that are often conflicting. The level of complexity and the multi-objective nature of construction projects lend themselves to collaborative design and construction such as integrated project delivery (IPD), in which relevant disciplines work together during project conception, design and construction. Traditionally, the main objectives of construction projects have been to build in the least amount of time with the lowest cost possible, thus the inherent and well-established relationship between cost and time has been the focus of many studies. The importance of being able to effectively model relationships among multiple objectives in building construction has been emphasized in a wide range of research. In general, the trade-off relationship between time and cost is well understood and there is ample research on the subject. However, despite sustainable building designs, relationships between time and environmental impact, as well as cost and environmental impact, have not been fully investigated. The objectives of this research were mainly to analyze and identify relationships of time, cost, and environmental impact, in terms of CO2 emissions, at different levels of a building: material level, component level, and building level, at the pre-use phase, including manufacturing and construction, and the relationships of life cycle cost and life cycle CO2 emissions at the usage phase. Additionally, this research aimed to develop a robust simulation-based multi-objective decision-support tool, called SimulEICon, which took construction data uncertainty into account, and was capable of incorporating life cycle assessment information to the decision-making process. The findings of this research supported the trade-off relationship between time and cost at different building levels. Moreover, the time and CO2 emissions relationship presented trade-off behavior at the pre-use phase. The results of the relationship between cost and CO2 emissions were interestingly proportional at the pre-use phase. The same pattern continually presented after the construction to the usage phase. Understanding the relationships between those objectives is a key in successfully planning and designing environmentally sustainable construction projects.

Development of new vocational training modules on sustainable buildings maintenance and refurbishment

This article presents the methodology and main results obtained in Spain within the FORMAR project, a European-funded project under the Leonardo Da Vinci scheme (Lifelong Learning Programme), whose main goal is to jointly develop training resources and modules to improve the skills on sustainability issues of buildings maintenance and refurbishment workers, in three different European countries: Spain, Portugal (Project Coordinator) and France. The Units of Short-term Training (UST) developed within this project are focused on the VET of carpenters, painters, bricklayers, building technicians and installers of solar panels, and a transversal unit containing basic concepts on sustainable construction and nearly Zero Energy Buildings (n-ZEB) is also developed. In parallel, clients’ guides for the aforementioned professionals are also implemented to improve the information provided to clients and owners in order to support the procurement decisions regarding building products and materials. Therefore, the project provides an opportunity to exchange experiences between organizations of these three European countries, as the UST will be developed simultaneously in each of them, exploring opportunities for training, guidance and exchange of experience. Even though the UST will have a common structure and contents, they will be slightly different in each country to adapt them to the different specific training needs and regulations of Spain, Portugal and France. This paper details, as a case study, the development process of the UST for carpenters and building technicians in Spain, including the analysis of needs and existing training materials, the main contents developed and the evaluation and testing process of the UST, which involves the active participation of several stakeholders of this sector as well as a classroom testing to obtain the students’ feedback.

Sustainable subdivisions – energy efficient design

Australia’s current pattern of residential development is resulting in urban sprawl and highlights the necessity for development to be more sustainable to avoid unnecessary demand on natural resources and to prevent environmental degradation and to safeguard the environment for future generations. This report summarises the results from a series of cases studies that examined the link between sub-divisional layout and dwelling energy efficiency, the possibility for a lot-rating tool and the potential for on site electricity generation.

Final report : task 4 : waste minimisation in construction

The Regenerating Construction Project for the CRC for Construction Innovation aims to assist in the delivery of demonstrably superior ‘green’ buildings. Components of the project address eco-efficient redesign, achieving a smaller ecological footprint, enhancing indoor environment and minimising waste in design and construction. The refurbishment of Council House 1 for Melbourne City Council provides an opportunity to develop and demonstrate tools that will be of use for commercial building refurbishment generally. It is hoped that the refurbishment will act as an exemplar project to demonstrate environmentally friendly possibilities for office building refurbishment.

Sustainable subdivisions : energy-efficient design report to industry

This report summarises the findings from the Sustainable Subdivisions: Energy-Efficient Design project. As new energy-efficiency regulations are developed, there will be a significant demand for information on available assessment tools for rating energy-efficient dwellings, and subdivisional issues such as orientation and solar access will become increasingly important. There will also be increased pressure for products that deliver energy efficiency, such as solar technology, glazing systems, insulation and low-energy building products and materials. The objectives of the Sustainable Subdivisions: Energy-Efficient Design project were to:

The power of a single prototype : sustainable fashion textile design and the prevention of carcinogenic melanoma

Is there a role for prototyping (sketching, pattern making and sampling) in addressing real world problems of sustainability (People, Profit, and Planet), in this case social/healthcare issues, through fashion and textiles research? Skin cancer and related illnesses are a major cause of disfigurement and death in New Zealand and Australia where the rates of Melanoma, a serious form of skin cancer, are four times higher than in the Northern Hemisphere regions of USA, UK and Canada (IARC, 1992). In 2007, AUT University (Auckland University of Technology) Fashion Department and the Health Promotion Department of Cancer Society - Auckland Division (CSA) developed a prototype hat aimed at exploring a barrier type solution to prevent facial and neck skin damage. This is a paradigm shift from the usual medical research model. This paper provides an overview of the project and examines how a fashion prototype has been used to communicate emergent social, environmental, personal, physiological and technological concerns to the trans-disciplinary research team. The authors consider how the design of a product can enhance and support sustainable design practice while contributing a potential solution to an ongoing health issue. Analysis of this case study provides an insight into prototyping in fashion and textiles design, user engagement and the importance of requirements analysis in relation to sustainable development. The analysis and a successful outcome of the final prototype have provided a gateway to future collaborative research and product development.

The design and testing of a daylighting device : optimising the energy and optical performance of Australian commercial buildings

The effective daylighting of multistorey commercial building interiors poses an interesting problem for designers in Australia’s tropical and subtropical context. Given that a building exterior receives adequate sun and skylight as dictated by location-specific factors such as weather, siting and external obstructions; then the availability of daylight throughout its interior is dependant on certain building characteristics: the distance from a window façade (room depth), ceiling or window head height, window size and the visible transmittance of daylighting apertures. The daylighting of general stock, multistorey commercial buildings is made difficult by their design limitations with respect to some of these characteristics. The admission of daylight to these interiors is usually exclusively by vertical windows. Using conventional glazing, such windows can only admit sun and skylight to a depth of approximately 2 times the window height. This penetration depth is typically much less than the depth of the office interiors, so that core areas of these buildings receive little or no daylight. This issue is particularly relevant where deep, open plan office layouts prevail. The resulting interior daylight pattern is a relatively narrow perimeter zone bathed in (sometimes too intense) light, contrasted with a poorly daylit core zone. The broad luminance range this may present to a building occupant’s visual field can be a source of discomfort glare. Furthermore, the need in most tropical and subtropical regions to restrict solar heat gains to building interiors for much of the year has resulted in the widespread use of heavily tinted or reflective glazing on commercial building façades. This strategy reduces the amount of solar radiation admitted to the interior, thereby decreasing daylight levels proportionately throughout. However this technique does little to improve the way light is distributed throughout the office space. Where clear skies dominate weather conditions, at different times of day or year direct sunlight may pass unobstructed through vertical windows causing disability or discomfort glare for building occupants and as such, its admission to an interior must be appropriately controlled. Any daylighting system to be applied to multistorey commercial buildings must consider these design obstacles, and attempt to improve the distribution of daylight throughout these deep, sidelit office spaces without causing glare conditions. The research described in this thesis delineates first the design optimisation and then the actual prototyping and manufacture process of a daylighting device to be applied to such multistorey buildings in tropical and subtropical environments.

Implementing value management as a decision-making tool in the design stages of design and build construction projects : a methodology for improved cost optimization

Value Management (VM) has been proven to provide a structured framework, together with other supporting tools and techniques, that facilitate effective decision-making in many types of projects, thus achieving ‘best value’ for clients. One of the major success factors of VM in achieving better project objectives for clients is through the provision of beneficial input by multi-disciplinary team members being involved in critical decision-making discussions during the early stage of construction projects. This paper describes a doctoral research proposal based on the application of VM in design and build construction projects, especially focusing on the design stage. The research aims to study the effects of implementing VM in design and build construction projects, in particular how well the methodology addresses issues related to cost overruns resulting from poor coordination and overlooking of critical constructability issues amongst team members in construction projects in Malaysia. It is proposed that through contractors’ early involvement during the design stage, combined with the use of the VM methodology, particularly as a decision-making tool, better optimization of construction cost can be achieved, thus promoting more efficient and effective constructability. The main methods used in this research involve a thorough literature study, semi-structured interviews, and a survey of major stakeholders, a detailed case study and a VM workshop and focus group discussions involving construction professionals in order to explore and possibly develop a framework and a specific methodology for the facilitating successful application of VM within design and build construction projects.

Preface : rethinking sustainable development : urban management, engineering, and design

In an atmosphere where civilization is progressing and becoming more aware of the consequences of careless development decisions, rethinking sustainable development - particularly sustainable urban and infrastructure development - has become an inevitable necessity. ------ ----- Rethinking Sustainable Development: Urban Management, Engineering, and Design considers the role of urban, regional and infrastructure planning in achieving sustainable urban and infrastructure development, providing insights into overcoming the consequences of unsustainable development. This companion volume to Sustainable Urban and Regional Infrastructure: Technology, Planning and Management, overviews all aspects of sustainable urban and infrastructure development.

Diversity interventions for a socially sustainable construction industry

Major construction sites in Australia have an above average presence of ethnic minorities. These groups and the interfaces between them require effective management in order to meet the social imperatives of sustainable design and construction. A survey of 1155 workers and 204 managers on Sydney construction sites respectively, found a significant level of normalisation of negative forms of cross cultural interaction. Yet it was also found that anti-racism programs are not currently a management priority and that they generally lack sophisticated community relations aspects. This paper presents the results of a desk-top study of leading global companies within and outside the construction sector which have won international awards and recognition for their cultural diversity strategies. A key insight is that the companies profiled see diversity as a key resource and as an opportunity rather than a risk which is best harnessed through long-term and on-going commitment of senior management. These leading companies also recognise that cultural diversity strategies operate at three levels - in terms of its relationship with its own workforce; its relationship with its clients and; its relationships with the communities in which it operates - and if properly managed it can be a source of competitive advantage.

Developing sustainable housing through building utilities and transport innovation

Sustainability concerns every citizen. Housing affordability and sustainable solutions are being highlighted in research and practice in many parts of the world. This paper discusses the development of a Commuter Energy and Building Utilities System (CEBUS) in sustainable housing projects as a means of bridging the gap between current median house pricing and target affordable house pricing for low income earners. Similar scales of sustainable housing development cannot be achieved through independent application of current best practice methods in ecologically sustainable development strategies or transit oriented development master plans. This paper presents the initial stage of research on first capital and ongoing utilities and transport cost savings available from these sustainable design methods. It also outlines further research and development of a CEBUS Dynamic Simulation Model and Conceptual Framework for the Australian property development and construction industry.

Quality management system and construction performance

This paper discusses the level of effectiveness of quality principles and quality management system implementation and the relationship with performance of ISO9000 certified Indonesian contractors. It also discusses the statistical relationship between quality management systems (QMSs) and key performance indicators (KPIs) amongst a large sample of Indonesian construction companies. Data collected is from questionnaire surveys involving Quality Managers, Managers, and Project and Site Engineers representing 77 different companies. Results indicate that even though some contractors have not yet effectively implemented an effective QMS, most of the KPIs of respondent companies are still at the level of high performance. The statistical results show that the relationship between variables of ISO9000 QMS principles and contractors’ KPIs is significant. These results suggest that an increment in the implementation level of QMS principles can increase KPIs, however that much effort is still required for Indonesian contractors to fully effectively implement QMS principles and thus substantially improve performance against KPIs.