Building “with the systems” vs. building “in the system” of IMS open technology of prefabricated construction: challenges for new “infill” industry for massive housing retrofitting

Post-war industrialized housing between 1955 and 1985 in Belgrade and its special form of integrated prefabrication has been analyzed with a strong interest in transformation capacity of industrialized building model (IBM) on different technical levels. Research field is massive housing up to 23 floors, 400 dwellings per building and different housing layouts—to be evaluated for potential retrofitting at the dwelling level. IBM for massive housing built with IMS construction technology represents an integration of systems’ components into hierarchy assemblies by simple joints. IMS Building Technology by IMS Institute is the system for high-rise structures with prefabricated elements of the skeleton. In order to assess the current situation regarding the selection and implementation of energy savings measures and the role of industrialized technology in supporting the rehabilitation of post-war housing in Belgrade—building configuration model and IMS construction technology has been analyzed, providing in-depth information on the way building components and systems are put together into IBM. In which way retrofit may be approached? IBM is represented with graph model (GM) diagram to describe a number of value-added processes according to independent systems/components and flexible connections. This paper highlights the technological aspects of “open” prefabrication industry and building with the systems that should be assessed in the future retrofitting of massive housing based on industrialization and energy efficiency. The paper proposes an IBM that provides concrete description of massive housing buildings, the requirements for information to be provided to approving refurbishment processes. The research also addresses both: challenges as well as opportunities for advancing Building Information Modeling (BIM) standards in off-site re-construction of massive housing with new “infill” industry.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

A New Affordable Masonry System Based on Unfired Clay Sandwich Panel

Nowadays, construction is one of the main sectors that produces waste and consume more materials and energy, so there is a growing need for alternative construction technologies that allow us to modify this situation. In this context, this paper presents the development of an innovative proposal for an industrialized outdoor enclosure. This solution is based on a constructive system with prefabricated insulated sandwich panels, produced on the basis of a new eco-efficient composite material, based on raw stabilized clay. In this way, it is possible, prioritize environmental issues to significantly reduce the environmental impact generated during the manufacture of the piece. The use in the construction of buildings material such as stabilized raw clay can be an alternative to achieve buildings of nearly zero energy consumption. They are known both from a thermal comfort and ability to regulate temperature and humidity, as well as being materials that contain much less embodied energy. This study is a comparative analysis of building systems, as well, as a serie of selected patent systems and copyrighted materials. On the other hand, it also analyzes their enforcement against the values established by the Spanish building code

Important Criteria For Industrialized Building Systems From The Prespectives Of Major Project Partcipants

The revolution in the building industry has resulted in many new building systems being introduced. Consequently, the principal project participants are often faced with decision involving the selection of an appropriate building system. Hence, the research presented in the study focuses on the importance of criteria in selecting the most appropriate building system. It also presents a proposed evaluation model that serves as a guideline for professionals in the industry to perform an initial feasibility study on the selection of industrialized building system.Based on the literature search, the relevant criteria were grouped into six categories: Project Objectives Criteria, Project Characteristics Criteria, Project Constraint Criteria, Technical Oriented Criteria, Performance Oriented Criteria, and Resources Oriented Criteria. The importances of these criteria were identified through a mailed questionnaire, which was employed as the research methodology. From the importance or priorities of criteria obtained from the questionnaire survey, the relationship of criteria among principal project participants was a.'1alyzed. It has found that the criteria among Clients, Architects, and Engineers are strongly correlated, except the criteria of Contractor. In addition, it has also been found that the criteria among principal project participants are independent from methods of construction, methods of contracting and types of project. The proposed evaluation model is set up based on the Analytical Hierarchy Procedure, which enables to set up complex problems involving attributes, subattributes, sub-subattributes, and so on, in an orderly, structured manner. Beside organizing the tangible and intangible decision criteria in a systematic manner, it also provides a structured yet relatively simple solution to the decision-making problems related to selection of an appropriate building system for implementation. As a result of the research, there will be documented sources of information for the selection of an appropriate building system. Moreover, the selection of an appropriate building system can be performed in a systematic and effective method

Contributing factors of steel formwork usage in Malaysian construction industry: Housing scheme

Construction is one of an important industry in Malaysian economic towards the realization of developed and industrialized country.Urgent needs housing units for low-income groups is exacerbated by loss of interest in the local workforce to work because of the industry's 3-D syndrome namely difficult, dirty and dangerous. In line with this, Industrialized Building Systems has been given a new life to promote systematic construction housing process and to reduce the dependency of foreign workers. The objective of this paper is to identify the contributing factors of selecting concrete steel form-work system in housing construction industry.A quantitative research approach has been adopted for this study requiring the development of a questionnaire survey.From the result analysis, it confirmed that the most significant are speed of construction, available of company capital, building height, scale of project, building shape and type of building

"China's Energy Dilemma"

PRC's energy dependence is growing and has become a major concern for both economic and national security policymakers in that country. The ambitious goal of modernization of the economy along the lines of the other newly industrialized economies(NIEs) of Asia has succeeded only too well, and it is difficult to reorient economic priorities. If examined rigorously, such an economic strategic assumption can be seen to entail the goal of creating further technological capabilities. In particular, China seems to be firmly committed to the creation of a largely self-sustaining innovation system as part of a knowledge-based economy of the future . Such innovation systems, called positive feedback loop innovation systems or POLIS have been created by advanced countries, and NIEs such as South Korea and Taiwan are proceeding to create these as well. But this will add to its energy burden and further dependence on the US as the power which controls the key sea lanes. Only a strategic reorientation to building a self-sustaining POLIS and appropriate regional cooperation institutions can lead to the way out of the current dilemma for China.

Golden Rice: A Case Study in Intellectual Property Management and International Capacity Building

The authors examine the management of risks associated with intellectual property linked to agri-biotech products, with emphasis on the international movement of agri-biotech intellectual property from industrialized to developing nations

Application of 3d architectural drawing for historical analysis of industrialized building systems

La condición tridimensional de la construcción edificatoria precisa del uso del dibujo en 3D como la mejor herramienta de proyecto y transmisión de conocimientos técnicos y formales. El objetivo de esta comunicación es mostrar la aplicación de la expresión gráfica en 3D en un análisis histórico sobre la evolución de la envolvente industrializada en arquitectura, identificando sus principales condicionantes técnicos y constructivos. El estudio compara la evolución del uso de sistemas constructivos industrializados mediante un análisis gráfico de las soluciones constructivas más destacables. La metodología empleada se basa en la identificación y estudio de determinados sistemas constructivos industrializados compuestos por materiales ligeros así como de obras de arquitectura representativas por su influencia en la evolución de la envolvente arquitectónica en la segunda mitad del siglo XX. La representación gráfica en 3D ayuda a comparar las obras analizadas desde aspectos tecnológicos y formales, constatándose la utilidad del dibujo asistido por ordenador en el análisis constructivo realizado. En conclusión, el uso del dibujo arquitectónico en 3D contribuye, por la mejor comprensión de las características espaciales de las soluciones constructivas, al análisis de las propiedades materiales y funcionales de los sistemas constructivos industrializados y su aplicación al diseño arquitectónico, ayudando a perfeccionar su conocimiento e incrementando la calidad constructiva y compromiso social de las propuestas arquitectónicas.The three-dimensional condition in building construction requires the use of 3D drawing as the most effective project and technical and formal knowledge transfer tool. The aim of this paper is to show the application of 3D graphic expression in a historical analysis of the evolution of industrialized enclosure in architecture, identifying its main technical and construction requirements. The study compares the evolution of the use of industrialized building systems using a graphical analysis of the most outstanding construction solutions. The methodology used is based on the identification and study of certain industrialized building systems composed of light materials as well as works of architecture representative for its influence on the evolution of architectural enclosure in the second half of the twentieth century. The 3D graphical representation helps to compare the works analyzed from technical and formal aspects, proving the usefulness of computer assisted drawing in the constructive analysis done. In conclusion, the use of 3D architectural design contributes, due to a better understanding of the spatial characteristics of constructive solutions, to the analysis of material and functional properties of industrialized building systems and its application to the architectural design, helping to improve their knowledge and increasing construction quality and social commitment of the architectural proposals

Culture industries in old industrialized regions: a successful strategy for innovative regional development?

The proposed paper adresses the contribution of culture and culture industries to regional development in old industrialized regions. The need for innovative regional development strategies in these regions is high, because traditional stragies have not been successful. But how to arrange and build up innovation in a milieu, which as a rule, is not innovative? It is difficult to promote innovative milieus in old industrialised regions. Bottom-up approaches to benefit from endogenous potentials are difficult to build up in regions, which are dominated by actors, who are not innovative in general. Discussions about innovative regional development strategies and systems focuss on the analysis of the socio-economic field, the organisation and perspectives of regional economies, building up regional cluster as a concentration of innovative economic activities or questions of regional governance. I suggest to add the promotion of culture industries to this appoach. Culture in an old industrialized region: a contradiction? The paper will argue that regional promotion strategies strengthening the culture industries need to focus on a long-term and regionally orientated perspective. Key recommendations for implementing process-orientated strategies should be; the integration of the culture industries as an action field in regional development concepts; the exploration of existing culture industries profiles; the development of ideas and projects; the formulation of flagship-projects (e.g. the new Guggenheim-Museum in Bilbao) to act as a catalyst; the development of a communication network to link important actors. It will be difficult, even for old industrialized regions, to focus only on the development of endogenous potentials, e.g. the culture industries, which can only be one part of a whole regional development strategy. Exogenous support, in form of financial public support by the nation state, the funds of the European Union and the regional policies, has to concentrate on and develop regional 'networking' in these regions. Culture industries can function as one part of an holistic regional approach.

The four food systems in developing countries and the challenges of modern supply chain inclusion for organic small-holders

To promote developmental objectives, such as growth, food security and improvement of the livelihoods of the rural poor, a greater understanding of the four food systems prevalent in the South is of great importance. Inclusion of small-holder farmers into the various food systems depends to a large extent on the capacity of the intermediaries and their ability to cope with both internal as well as external constraints while linking farmers to the agro-supply chains. The greater discrepancy between the intermediary’s own social and human capital resource base as well as the supporting resource environment, and the level of requirements demanded from agro-food systems; the greater constraints the stakeholders along the supply chain will encounter and the more difficult the inclusion of small-holder farmers will be