THE DEVELOPMENT OF GREEN-BUILDING PROJECTS: OPTIMIZATION OF THE PROJECT-MANAGEMENT PROCESSES THROUGH THE LEAN APPROACH

As the world becomes aware of its limited resources it is increasingly important to consider the development of buildings which could respond to the requirements of sustainability. During the last decades the development of the so-called green buildings has been gaining momentum through the implementation of appropriate reference standards, new technologies, innovative design strategies and processes. Such changes introduced new challenges for all subjects involved and, most of all, the need of working with new technologies and services through fully-integrated processes. Designers are also affected by such issue and, within this scope, project management plays a key role for the optimization of the design-project development. This research analyzes the design process of four case-study projects from the project management perspective taking into consideration all sustainability-related tasks and activities that negatively affected the project design development. A new methodology was created in order to analyze the design process and evaluate the effect of detected project-management issues under three main independent variables related to costs, time and sustainability. The research makes full use of the Lean approach to classify the issues, or wastes, experienced during the different design processes and to identify possible solutions for the process optimization. The four case studies are referred to four real projects developed in different European countries under the LEED and BREEAM reference standards. More specifically the four projects are: - One nursing-home located Northern Italy certified under the LEED reference standard. - One school-complex located in Northern Italy certified under the LEED reference standard. - One office building located in Barcelona (Spain) certified under the LEED reference standard. - One office building located in South-East of Spain certified under the BREEAM reference standard. The final scope of the research is to develop a methodology for the analysis of the green-building design processes from the project management perspective in order to identify the problems occurred, optimize the process and provide a tool to prevent unnecessary wastes of money, time and sustainability features.Cada vez mas el mundo toma consciencia de que la disponibilidad de recursos naturales es limitada y el desarrollo de edificios sostenibles se está convirtiendo en una necesidad. Durante las últimas decadas el desarrollo de edificios sostenibles ha sido impulsada por el desarrollo de protocolos especificos, nuevas tecnologias, diseños y procesos inovadores. Dichos cambios han implicado nuevos retos para todos los sujetos involucrados y, sobretodo, la necesidad de operar con nuevas technologías y servicios a través de procesos integrados. Los proyectistas también quedan afectados por dichos cambios y el project management juega un papel imprescindible de cara a la optimización de procesos de diseño integrados. Esta investigación analiza el proceso de diseño de cuatro casos de studio desde el punto de vista del project management enfocando la atención en las actividades relacionadas con la sostenibilidad que afectaron negativamente el desarrollo de los procesos. Se desarrolla una nueva metodología para analizar el proceso de diseño y evaluar los efectos de eventuales fallos experimentados durante los procesos de project management desde la perspectiva de tres variables independientes relacionadas con: costes, tiempos y sostenibilidad. La investigación implementa los conceptos de la metodología Lean para la clasificación de los fallos, o desperdicios, occurridos durante el desarrollo de los varios procesos y para identificar posibles soluciones de cara a la optimización del proceso. Los cuatro casos de estudio están relacionados a cuatro proyectos reales desarrollados en diferentes estados Europeos a través de los protocolos LEED y BREEAM. Mas en detalle los proyectos son - Una residencia para mayores ubicada en Italia del Norte y certificada a través del protocolo LEED. - Un complejo escolar ubicado en Italia del Norte y certificado a través del protocolo LEED. - Un edificio para oficinas ubicado en Barcelona (España) y certificado a través del protocolo LEED. - Un edificio para oficinas ubicado en el Sureste de España y certificado a través del protocolo BREEAM. El objetivo final de la presente investigación es el desarrollo de una nueva metodología para el análisis de los procesos de diseño para edificios sostenibles desde el punto de vista del project management para identificar los problemas occurridos, optimizar el proceso y proporcionar una herramienta a los futuros técnicos para prevenir el desperdicio de dinero, tiempo y caracteristicas de sostenibilidad.Cada vegada més el món té una major consciència que la disponibilitat de recursos naturals és limitada i el desenvolupament d'edificis sostenibles s'està convertint en una necessitat. Durant les últimes dècades el desenvolupament d'edificis sostenibles ha estat impulsat pel desenvolupament de protocols específics, noves tecnologies, dissenys i processos innovadors. Aquests canvis han implicat nous reptes per a tots els subjectes involucrats i, sobretot, la necessitat d'operar amb noves tecnologies i serveis a través de processos integrats. Els projectistes també queden afectats per aquests canvis i el project management juga un paper imprescindible de cara a l'optimització de processos de disseny integrats. Esta investigació analitza el procés de disseny de quatre casos d' estudi des del punt de vista del project management fixant l'atenció en les activitats relacionades amb la sostenibilitat que van afectar negativament el desenvolupament dels processos. Es va a desenvolupar una nova metodologia per analitzar el procés de disseny i avaluar els efectes d'eventuals errors experimentats durant els processos de project management des de la perspectiva de tres variables independents relacionades como son: costos, temps i sostenibilitat. La investigació implementa els conceptes de la metodologia Lean per a la classificació dels errors, o deixalles, aparegudes durant el desenvolupament dels diversos processos, per identificar possibles solucions de cara a l'optimització dels processos. Els quatre casos d'estudi estan relacionats a quatre projectes reals desenvolupats en diferents estats Europeus a través dels protocols LEED i BREEAM: - Una residència per a gent major situada a Itàlia del Nord i certificada mitjançant el protocol LEED. - Un complex escolar situat a Itàlia del Nord i certificat a través del protocol LEED. - Un edifici per a oficines situat a Barcelona (Espanya) i certificat a través del protocol LEED. - Un edifici per a oficines situat en el Sud Este d'Espanya i certificat a través del protocol BREEAM. L'objectiu final de la present investigació és el desenvolupament d'una nova metodologia per a l'anàlisi dels processos de disseny en edificis sostenibles des del punt de vista del project management, per identificar els problemes possibles, optimitzar els processos i proporcionar una eina als futurs tècnics per prevenir el malbaratament de diners, temps i característiques de sostenibilitat.Orsi, A. (2017). THE DEVELOPMENT OF GREEN-BUILDING PROJECTS: OPTIMIZATION OF THE PROJECT-MANAGEMENT PROCESSES THROUGH THE LEAN APPROACH [Tesis doctoral no publicada]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/89098TESI

Statistical analysis on experimental calibration data for flowmeters in pressure pipes

This paper shows a statistical analysis on experimental calibration data for flowmeters (i.e.: electromagnetic, ultrasonic, turbine flowmeters) in pressure pipes. The experimental calibration data set consists of the whole archive of the calibration tests carried out on 246 flowmeters from January 2001 to October 2015 at Settore Portate of Laboratorio di Idraulica "G. Fantoli" of Politecnico di Milano, that is accredited as LAT 104 for a flow range between 3 l/s and 80 l/s, with a certified Calibration and Measurement Capability (CMC) - formerly known as Best Measurement Capability (BMC) - equal to 0.2%. The data set is split into three subsets, respectively consisting in: 94 electromagnetic, 83 ultrasonic and 69 turbine flowmeters; each subset is analysed separately from the others, but then a final comparison is carried out. In particular, the main focus of the statistical analysis is the correction C, that is the difference between the flow rate Q measured by the calibration facility (through the accredited procedures and the certified reference specimen) minus the flow rate QMcontemporarily recorded by the flowmeter under calibration, expressed as a percentage of the same QM

Optimization of Green Building Design Processes: Case Studies within the European Union

[EN] Green buildings have recently become a key aspect of the construction field and bring along a renovation of the whole industry chain. Such changes introduce new challenges for all subjects involved, and designers are also a ected by such issues, especially for the development of projects based on international green building standards. Within this scope, project management plays a key role in the optimization of the design phase. This research analyzes the design process of international projects fromthe project management perspective through a multiple case study approach, considering the sustainability-related tasks that negatively a ect the project design development under two types of contractual approaches: Design-Build and Design-Bid-Build. It aims to identify whether the Design-Build or Design-Bid-Build process is the best solution for developing green building projects. Two case studies in Italy and two case studies in Spain are analyzed, and the e ects of the project management issues are evaluated under three di erent points of view: Time, cost, and level of sustainability of the building. A poorly planned process for the achievement of the various green building features of the project can impact the project schedule and the budget, whereas, a poorly managed project could also negatively impact its green building features. Finally, this research also highlights the positive relationship between process integration and green building design development.Orsi, A.; Guillén Guillamón, IE.; Pellicer, E. (2020). Optimization of Green Building Design Processes: Case Studies within the European Union. Sustainability. 12(6):1-16. https://doi.org/10.3390/su1206227611612

The capability of Motorways of the Sea of being competitive against road transport. The case of the Italian mainland and Sicily

The paper deals with a quantitative analysis on the competitiveness of intermodal transport, based on Motorways of the Sea (MoS), in comparison with all-road transport. This analysis is applied to MoS routes connecting the Italian mainland with Sicily. The study involves: a detailed intermodal network model which compares monetary costs and travel times from all relevant origins in the mainland to all relevant destinations in Sicily; and a survey carried out at some representative trucking Wrms operating to/from Sicily. The aim of the interviews has been: on one side to make a comparison between the theoretical and actual mode of transport and routes taken, and in case they are different, to understand the reasons of the discrepancy; on the other side to determine what are the main aspects taken into account by trucking companies in their modal choice, in order to understand how the competiveness of MoS against road transport can be improved. The results of the analysis show that the modal choice is affected by several elements: monetary costs and travel times; reliability of MoS routes; availability of MoS routes; MoS routes frequencies; but it resulted from the interviews that monetary costs and travel times are the most important factors considered by trucking companies in the modal and route choice. This study has also shown that an improvement of MoS routes on the Italian Adriatic side is necessary: actually, a strong reason for which in Italy MoS trafWc is still a small percentage of road trafWc is the low number of MoS routes currently in operation and their low frequency. This analysis could help decision makers, and maritime operators, to efWciently invest in the improvement of MoS routes. Moreover, this analysis, developed for an Italian case study, can be applied to other European and Mediterranean scenarios

OPTIMIZATION OF GREEN-BUILDING DESIGN PROCESSES - CASE STUDY

The development of a green-building project following a specific reference standard such as LEED, brings new conditions and restrains for all subjects involved in the process. Such changes affect technicians, owners, bureaucracy and also the management tasks either during design or construction phases.  Within this scope, project management plays a key role for the optimization of the design-project development. This research analyzes the design process of a single case-study project from the project management perspective, taking into consideration all the activities that negatively affected the project design development. The project selected for the scope of the research is a new school complex located in Northern Italy currently pursuing the LEED Gold certification with a project cost of 13,2 million Euros. A new methodology was created in order to analyze the project and evaluate the effects of detected project-management issues under three different points of view: costs, time and building sustainability. Such “issues” were identified by researchers on the basis of the LEAN-definition of “waste”. The scope of the research is to develop and test a methodology for the optimization of the project management processes during the development of a LEED building design in Europe through the detection and evaluation of process wastes. The results showed that project management issues related to green-building tasks affect considerably the cost, schedule and sustainability of the project design and vice versa, the accuracy of the project management tasks affect the sustainability features of the final building design

Case Study

The development of a green-building project following a specific reference standard such as LEED, brings new conditions and restrains for all subjects involved in the process. Such changes affect technicians, owners, bureaucracy and also the management tasks either during design or construction phases. Within this scope, project management plays a key role for the optimization of the design-project development. This research analyzes the design process of a single case-study project from the project management perspective, taking into consideration all the activities that negatively affected the project design development. The project selected for the scope of the research is a new school complex located in Northern Italy currently pursuing the LEED Gold certification with a project cost of 13,2 million Euros. A new methodology was created in order to analyze the project and evaluate the effects of detected project-management issues under three different points of view: costs, time and building sustainability. Such “issues” were identified by researchers on the basis of the LEAN-definition of “waste”. The scope of the research is to develop and test a methodology for the optimization of the project management processes during the development of a LEED building design in Europe through the detection and evaluation of process wastes. The results showed that project management issues related to green-building tasks affect considerably the cost, schedule and sustainability of the project design and vice versa, the accuracy of the project management tasks affect the sustainability features of the final building design

Improving Green Building Project Management Processes through the Lean Approach

[EN] Question: Using a Lean approach to classify issues, or wastes, experienced during the different design processes, what sustainability-related activities affect the project design development stage. Purpose: The objective of this paper is to create a new lean-based approach to analyze the design process and quantify the negative effect of detected project-management issues on the project's main resources, categorized through three different variables: costs, time and sustainability. Research Method: The research makes full use of a Lean approach intended as a standardized method to identify project wastes, classify the issues experienced during the different design processes and ultimately propose possible solutions for process optimization. The Lean approach was used as the basis to study four case studies wherein real projects were developed in different European countries under the LEED and BREEAM reference standards. The projects were analyzed against a set of guidelines developed by the Researchers with the aim of avoiding the replication of such issues in future projects. The analysis took into consideration all sustainability-related activities that affected the project design development. Findings: By identifying and estimating the effects of each issue on the project variables, researchers could rank their negative impact on the project budget, schedule and level of sustainability. The ranking allowed isolating which issues, or categories of issues, had the worst impact on the overall project from both qualitative and quantitative points of view. These research goals were achieved through the implementation of the Lean method and philosophy. Limitations: Among the main challenges related to time-variance analysis. Estimating the delay of single activities impact was sometimes difficult and ambiguous because it relied on other activities for which dependency could not be calculated. Limitations related to cost-variance analysis involved indirect costs that were difficult to estimate because they were neither related to any written document nor any formal activity or event of the project. The present research takes into consideration only four case-study projects and therefore the related conclusions cannot be generalized for all building projects. Implications: Applying the ranking of the issues identifies to a real project development with limited resources, it would be possible to highlight which problems should be addressed first in order to avoid, or at least limit, their negative impact on the project establishing a set of guidelines for future projects. Value for authors: This study sets the basis for several other research studies in relationship with green-building developments and lean approach.Orsi, A.; Abdelhamid, TS.; Pellicer, E.; Guillén Guillamón, IE. (2021). Improving Green Building Project Management Processes through the Lean Approach. Lean Construction Journal. 2021:156-179. http://hdl.handle.net/10251/190602156179202

Healthcare Associated Infections. educational intervention by "Adult Learning" in an Italian teaching hospital

An educational intervention for HAI prevention based on a combination of training, motivation and subsequent application in the current clinical practice in an Italian teaching hospital

Recurrent transient global amnesia as presenting symptoms of CADASIL

Despite transient global amnesia is considered unusual in Cerebral autosomal dominant arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy (CADASIL) and causal relation is still unclear, this report suggests to consider CADASIL in those patients with recurrent transient global amnesia, especially when MRI shows multifocal hyperintensities affecting the cerebral white matter or when it is followed by cognitive decline