Building Information Modelling [BIM] for energy efficiency in housing refurbishments

Building Information modelling offers potential process and delivery improvements throughout the lifecycle of built assets. However, there is limited research in the use of BIM for energy efficiency in housing refurbishments. The UK has over 300,000 solid wall homes with very poor energy efficiency. A BIM based solution for the retrofit of solid wall housing using lean and collaborative improvement techniques will offer a cost effective, comprehensive solution that is less disruptive, reduces waste and increases accuracy, leading to high quality outcomes. The aim of this research is to develop a BIM based protocol supporting development of 'what if' scenarios in housing retrofits for high efficiency thermal improvements, aiming to reduce costs and disruption for users. The paper presents a literature review on the topic and discusses the research method for the research project (S-IMPLER)

Framework for E-business design based on enterprise architecture

O ecosistema da economia digital fornece inúmeras pesquisas e modelos conceituais que visam a descriçao do padrão da adoção de tecnologia digital de diversas empresas. No entanto, de acordo com estudos existentes, percebemos que estão faltando modelos de referência de e-business para as pequenas e médias empresas (PME), que apoiem a concepção e adoção de negócios digitais adaptáveis às tecnologias. Com base na literatura e ferramentas relacionadas existentes, exploramos uma abordagem adaptativa e independente de tecnologia para propor um modelo de referência de conceção de ebusiness para PMEs em diversos contextos de negócios, baseada em arquitetura empresarial. A nossa proposta integra técnicas de gestão comuns e a prática de arquitectura empresarial, com vista a apoiar os decisores das PME na concepção e implementação de e-business. A prosposta compreende três principais facetas inter-relacionadas, partindo da 1) anáise situacional para a determinação dos fatores motivadores e barreiras do ambiente do negócio; seguida pela 2) avaliação da prontidão da PME com base na existencia de estratégia digital, catalogo de motivatores e propostas de modelos de negócios, e culminando com 3) a faceta de implementação com base em arquitetetura de e-business. Sendo que as duas ultimas facetas formam os componentes chave do perfil da PME. Ademais, incorporase a quarta faceta de arquitetura de soluções de e-business, seleção e aplicação baseados no ambiente das PMEs. No estudo assumimos uma abordagem prática, propondo e demonstrando a aplicação de ferramentas que apoiam o processo de concepção no contexto real de negócio para as diferentas facetas do nosso modeloThrough the digital industry and economy, we find countless researches providing conceptual models aiming to depict digital technology adoption by different businesses. However, according to existing studies, we found that SMEs lack an e-business reference modelling framework that supports the design and adoption of digital-enabled business models. Therefore, we exploit an adaptive and technology-independent approach to propose an Enterprise Architecture (EA) based e-business reference modelling framework for SMEs in diverse business contexts. Our framework comprises mainly of three interrelated building blocks, starting with the 1) situational analysis to determine the motivating factors for change and barriers of the business environment; followed by SMEs profiling. The SMEs profiling embodies the 2) SMEs’ readiness depiction based on the existence of digital strategy, digital-value drivers’ catalogue, and business models proposals; and culminates with the 3) description of the implementation based on e-business architecture. In addition, a fourth building block is incorporated into the framework for eBusiness solutions architecture, selection, and deployment into the current SMEs' business context. In this study, we assume a practical approach, proposing and demonstrating the application of tools that support the conception of an SMEs´ e-business in the business context in all the different facets of our framewor

Enterprise modelling framework for dynamic and complex business environment: socio-technical systems perspective

The modern business environment is characterised by dynamism and ambiguity. The causes include global economic change, rapid change requirements, shortened development life cycles and the increasing complexity of information technology and information systems (IT/IS). However, enterprises have been seen as socio-technical systems. The dynamic complex business environment cannot be understood without intensive modelling and simulation. Nevertheless, there is no single description of reality, which has been seen as relative to its context and point of view. Human perception is considered an important determinant for the subjectivist view of reality. Many scholars working in the socio-technical systems and enterprise modelling domains have conceived the holistic sociotechnical systems analysis and design possible using a limited number of procedural and modelling approaches. For instance, the ETHICS and Human-centred design approaches of socio-technical analysis and design, goal-oriented and process-oriented modelling of enterprise modelling perspectives, and the Zachman and DoDAF enterprise architecture frameworks all have limitations that can be improved upon, which have been significantly explained in this thesis. [Continues.

Existing Practices of Building Information Modeling (BIM) Implementation in the Public Sector

The Government of Malaysia has taken a proactive action by implementing the strategic ICT-driven or ICT-enabled transformation programmes and ICT plays a critical role in ensuring their efficient and effective implementation. However regardless the efforts, the implementation of BIM in Malaysia mostly on the private sector driven and it is still between BIM level 0 and BIM level 1. As many of countries across the globe have shown great interest and their public sector plays an important role in leading the market towards BIM adoption, the Government of Malaysia and its agencies by capitalising the existing hard and soft-infrastructures in Malaysia should play significant roles to help in stimulate BIM technology in Malaysia to be comparable with other developed countries. This paper through literature review aims to establish a clear understanding about the global BIM implementation in the public sector, to determine the public sector readiness to adopt BIM in Malaysia and to investigate the potential of BIM implementation within the public sector. In addition, suggestions on the focus of the other research papers on BIM implementation within the public sector will be included

Analysis of Portugal´s macroenvironment in the view of digital transformation of smes using the peste framework - exploration of technological factors

The digital transformation has revolutionized entire sectors in recent years. Yet, SMEs struggle to successfully implement such profound organizational transformations, endangering their competitiveness in the long term. Scholars study internal, company-related factors almost exclusively, whereas external factors are sparsely considered. Therefore, this thesis applies the PESTE framework to investigate external factors affecting the digital transformation of Portuguese SMEs. The following section explores technological factors (knowledge transfer and digital infrastructure and connectivity) in Portugal, analyzing the external environment on SMEs' digital transformation. Based on these findings, recommendations were developed, including interdisciplinary data collection processes, innovation hubs, tailored training, and trust seal

Monitoring and Information Alignment in Pursuit of an IoT-Enabled Self-Sustainable Interoperability

To remain competitive with big corporations, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) often need to be more dynamic, adapt to new business situations, react faster, and thereby survive in today‘s global economy. To do so, SMEs normally seek to create consortiums, thus gaining access to new and more opportunities. However, this strategy may also lead to complications. Due to the different sources of enterprise models and semantics, organizations are experiencing difficulties in seamlessly exchanging vital information via electronic means. In their attempt to address this issue, most seek to achieve interoperability by establishing peer-to-peer mappings with different business partners, or by using neutral data standards to regulate communications in optimized networks. Moreover, systems are more and more dynamic, frequently changing to answer new customer‘s requirements, causing new interoperability problems and a reduction of efficiency. Another situation that is constantly changing is the devices used in the enterprises, as the Enterprise Information Systems, devices are used to register internal data, and to be used to monitor several aspects. These devices are constantly changing, following the evolution and growth of the market. So, it is important to monitor these devices and doing a model representation of them. This dissertation proposes a self-sustainable interoperable framework to monitor existing enterprise information systems and their devices, monitor the device/enterprise network for changes and automatically detecting model changes. With this, network harmonization disruptions are detected in a timely way, and possible solutions are suggested to regain the interoperable status, thus enhancing robustness for reaching sustainability of business networks along time

Re-Engineering Complex Legacy Systems at NASA

The Flight Production Process (FPP) Re-engineering project has established a Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) methodology and the technological infrastructure for the design and development of a reference, product-line architecture as well as an integrated workflow model for the Mission Operations System (MOS) for human space exploration missions at NASA Johnson Space Center. The design and architectural artifacts have been developed based on the expertise and knowledge of numerous Subject Matter Experts (SMEs). The technological infrastructure developed by the FPP Re-engineering project has enabled the structured collection and integration of this knowledge and further provides simulation and analysis capabilities for optimization purposes. A key strength of this strategy has been the judicious combination of COTS products with custom coding. The lean management approach that has led to the success of this project is based on having a strong vision for the whole lifecycle of the project and its progress over time, a goal-based design and development approach, a small team of highly specialized people in areas that are critical to the project, and an interactive approach for infusing new technologies into existing processes. This project, which has had a relatively small amount of funding, is on the cutting edge with respect to the utilization of model-based design and systems engineering. An overarching challenge that was overcome by this project was to convince upper management of the needs and merits of giving up more conventional design methodologies (such as paper-based documents and unwieldy and unstructured flow diagrams and schedules) in favor of advanced model-based systems engineering approaches