Strategic development of the built environment through international construction, quality and productivity management

This thesis presents a coherent, sustained and substantial contribution to the advancement of knowledge or application of knowledge or both in the field of construction management and economics. More specifically, this thesis outlines the strategic development of the built environment through lessons from international construction, quality and productivity management. The strategic role of construction in economic development is emphasized. It describes the contributions transnational construction firms made towards modern-day construction project management practices globally. It establishes the relationship between construction quality and economic development and fosters a better understanding of total quality management and quality management systems in enhancing construction industry performance. Additionally, it prescribes lessons from the manufacturing industry for construction productivity and identifies the amount of carbon emissions reduced through lean construction management practices to alleviate the generally adverse effects of the built environment on global climate change. It highlights the need for integrated management systems to enhance quality and productivity for sustainable development in the built environment. The thesis is an account of how the built environment has evolved, leveraging on lessons from international construction, quality and productivity management for improvements over the past two decades

Influence of energy-use scenarios in Life-Cycle Analysis of renovation projects with Building-Integrated Photovoltaics – Investigation through two case studies in Neuchâtel (Switzerland)

Since tomorrow’s cities are already largely built, and as many of their buildings – with a low level of energy performance – will still be standing in 2050, urban renewal processes play an essential role towards the sustainable development of European cities. In this context, Building-Integrated Photovoltaic (BIPV) systems can potentially provide a crucial response for achieving long-term carbon targets. Functioning both as envelope material and on-site electricity generator, they can simultaneously reduce the use of fossil fuels and greenhouse gas emissions. Focusing on the architectural design, this paper presents the results of a multi-criteria evaluation in terms of Life-Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Cost (LCC) of different renovation and energy-use scenarios. The goal is to identify which strategies can allow to achieve the ambitious targets for the 2050 horizon by integrating into the design process: 1) Passive strategies, to improve the envelope through low-embodied energy materials and construction systems; 2) BIPV strategies, using innovative photovoltaic products as a new material for façades and roofs; and 3) Active strategies, adapting HVAC systems to improve the efficiency of the BIPV installation and reducing the dependence on the feed-in-tariffs to ensure the profitability of investments. An emphasis is placed on testing the impact of a proposed selection process of BIPV surfaces in order to maximise self-consumption and self-sufficiency, evaluating the effect of electricity storage systems with and without the possibility of injecting the overproduction into the grid. Our methodology and results are presented through the comparison of two real case studies in Neuchâtel (Switzerland). Proposing a new approach to address renovation projects of existing buildings in the urban context towards Low Carbon Buildings, the outcomes provide architects and engineers with advanced BIPV renovation strategies depending on the building typology, the architectural design goals and the level of intervention

The use of building simulation within an architectural practice

This paper documents the development and implementation and use of simulation within an architectural practice and reports how its use facilitates the practice's commitment to Sustainable Design