A Few Considerations on Structural and Logical Composition in Specification Theories

Over the last 20 years a large number of automata-based specification theories have been proposed for modeling of discrete,real-time and probabilistic systems. We have observed a lot of shared algebraic structure between these formalisms. In this short abstract, we collect results of our work in progress on describing and systematizing the algebraic assumptions in specification theories.Comment: In Proceedings FIT 2010, arXiv:1101.426

The impact of procurement methods on delivering environmentally sensitive buildings

In the UK, new building regulations (‘Part L2006’) to reduce energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions within the built environment came into force in 2006. It is now mandatory that all new built and refurbished buildings demonstrate compliance with ‘Target Carbon Emissions Rates’ in the design phase. This has prompted some interesting questions concerning their procurement. Under traditional UK procurement arrangements, designs are, in theory, completed before the contractor becomes involved. However, there has been a significant increase in the use of Design-and-Build procurement: a system which actively supports concurrency in design, procurement and construction. Under such arrangements, the design of environmentally sensitive buildings may be seen as a challenging task, as the iterations required are at odds with the contractor’s incentive to avoid delays and extra cost. This has prompted a preliminary investigation into the opportunities and limitations afforded by different procurement methods for delivering environmentally sensitive buildings. Although these issues are fairly ubiquitous throughout the various building elements, the particular focus was on façade design and construction. Data collection was by structured questionnaire and interviews carried out with large construction companies, architectural practices and building performance consultants. There was a consensus that Part L2006 has major implications for procurement and that compliance is a major step change. A new and indispensable bidding document, the ‘Building Energy Model’, will emerge and in its absence most contractors would decline invitations to bid. There will be an impact on procurement, probably in the form of an extension of the use of ‘novation’. Design-and-Build contractors will ‘freeze’ designs earlier, and forgo the potential for later value engineering in order to avoid risks, which they see as significant. Finally, despite the industry’s ‘fear’ of Part L2006, the regulation has already created a welcome by-product in the form of a clear increase in collaborative work among design and construction teams

Strengthening Construction Management in the Rural Rehab Line of Business

The Five Key ObservationsObservation#1: Rural rehab success emanated from positive thinking and persistent implementationObservation #2: Almost every RHRO would benefit from a substantial increase in the per unit funding available, especially in light of the forthcoming HUD HOME requirement to establish written rehab standards in ten subcategories.Observation #3: A smartphone and tablet with 20 to 40 apps is the rehab specialist's Swiss Army knife. They are our, GPS, calculator, spec writer, office lifeline in case of danger, camera, clock, cost estimator calendar and a hundred other single-purpose but very important uses.Observation #4: NeighborWorks® Rural Initiative could provide a clearinghouse for success techniques targeted to rural rehab. Each month it might focus on a specific aspect of rehab management; inspection checklists in January, green specs in February, feasibility checklist in March, contractor qualification questionnaires in April and so on.Observation #5: Even with most components of in-house contractor success formula in place, per the Statistic Research Institute 53% of construction firms go out of business with in the first 4 years. It remains a very risky model that requires significant; funding, staff experience, administrative support and risk tolerance.Three Rehab Production Models And Their AlternativesThis middle section restates the introduction and methodology and offers a detailed review of the Traditional Rehab Specialist, Construction Management Of Subcontractor and the In-House General Contractor production models .for each model the article provides: definition and staffing pattern, design roles and tasks for each major player, benefits and challenges, alternative models and finally recommendations for successful implementationFocus TopicsDuring our interview process, three ideas surfaced that were best served with a mini discussion of the topic rather than being embedded in the already large middle section.The three topics are; software and technology, management of community relations – marketing and quality control, and budget solution

Roles in construction projects: analysis and terminology

Standard form contracts are typically developed through a negotiated consensus, unless they are proffered by one specific interest group. Previously published plans of work and other descriptions of the processes in construction projects tend to focus on operational issues, or they tend to be prepared from the point of view of one or other of the dominant interest groups. Legal practice in the UK permits those who draft contracts to define their terms as they choose. There are no definitive rulings from the courts that give an indication as to the detailed responsibilities of project participants. The science of terminology offers useful guidance for discovering and describing terms and their meanings in their practical context, but has never been used for defining terms for responsibilities of participants in the construction project management process. Organizational analysis enables the management task to be deconstructed into its elemental parts in order that effective organizational structures can be developed. Organizational mapping offers a useful technique for reducing text-based descriptions of project management roles and responsibilities to a comparable basis. Research was carried out by means of a desk study, detailed analysis of nine plans of work and focus groups representing all aspects of the construction industry. No published plan of work offers definitive guidance. There is an enormous amount of variety in the way that terms are used for identifying responsibilities of project participants. A catalogue of concepts and terms (a “Terminology”) has been compiled and indexed to enable those who draft contracts to choose the most appropriate titles for project participants. The purpose of this terminology is to enable the selection and justification of appropriate terms in order to help define roles. The terminology brings an unprecedented clarity to the description of roles and responsibilities in construction projects and, as such, will be helpful for anyone seeking to assemble a team and specify roles for project participants

Project for the analysis of technology transfer

The special task of preparing technology transfer profiles during the first six months of 1971 produced two major results: refining a new method for identifying and describing technology transfer activities, and generating practical insights into a number of issues associated with transfer programs

Behavioral types in programming languages

A recent trend in programming language research is to use behav- ioral type theory to ensure various correctness properties of large- scale, communication-intensive systems. Behavioral types encompass concepts such as interfaces, communication protocols, contracts, and choreography. The successful application of behavioral types requires a solid understanding of several practical aspects, from their represen- tation in a concrete programming language, to their integration with other programming constructs such as methods and functions, to de- sign and monitoring methodologies that take behaviors into account. This survey provides an overview of the state of the art of these aspects, which we summarize as the pragmatics of behavioral types