Evaluating the Success of Project Management Information Systems’ Comprehensive Planning in Industrialized Building Systems

The main reason for the failure of most of management information systems is referred to the problems that arise from management factors and strategic components, expectations, complexity, and risks. Finally, the main applicable proposal is giving importance by managers and analysts to the fit between organization and its information system as well as giving attention to training categories in implementation of information system, preparing financial supports and human resource in design, implementation, and development of information system, strengthening progressive factors, and weakening restrictive factors in organization by management to design or develop the system and finally, preparing organizational infrastructures to implement information system. Introduction of an information system has a strong managerial, organizational, and technological impact on industrial building methods. One of the objectives of this study was to identify and introduce key success factors of Project Management Information Systems (PMIS) in Industrialized Building Systems (IBS). The results of hypotheses showed that all dimensions of PMIS influence the performance of projects. But in the second phase of the study, sub-factors were classified using hierarchical analysis approach. This classification helps managers to identify the most important factors and obtain better results concentrating on the main factors compared with using PMIS

Awareness and prevalence of industrialized building system (IBS) in Iran

The introduction of modern technologies and development of building systems has influenced a fundamental transformation in many aspects of construction industry. However, still in major parts of building projects, conventional methods are being used in Iran. Traditional methods cause many problems such as project prolongation, low economic efficiency, too much stuff, and low quality of products. These shortcomings are more tangible in large-scale housing projects that require a vast domain of constructions; therefore, transformation from the current conventional building systems to the industrialized building systems (IBS) is needed more than ever. In order to this transformation it is vital that first the perceptions of the industry on these issues are adequately studied in this research. According to the lack of strategic plans and effective measures to promote IBS at country level, in addition to introducing the level of awareness and familiarity to IBS technical knowledge, the prevalence of both IBS components implementation and using IBS in different type of projects in Iran conducted. A Likert based questionnaire was designed according to the level of awareness and the prevalence of IBS was evaluated applying the mean index and average ranking method. Consistent with this study, only 2% of respondents are fully familiar with IBS and approximately 95% of respondents does not have acceptable awareness of this construction method. The average index of prefabricated components prevalence in Iran is 2.72 and sandwich panel is the most prevalent IBS components by mean index of 3.42. In other side, the estimation of the mean index of IBS method prevalence in different types of projects in Iran is 2.69 and marine structures are the most prevalent project type that is performed using IBS with the mean index of 3.89. Accordingly, the results indicate that the prevalence of IBS in terms of components and types of projects is not at significant level. This research examines the key suggestions to encourage IBS usage in Iran and the mandatory use of prefabricated systems by government is the best solution for IBS promotion by mean index of 3.96. This paper provides an overview of IBS current state in Iran. Clearly, this awareness will prompt construction industry practitioners to a deeper exchange of ideas and promoting IBS in the future

Development of a social sustainability model in industrial building system

Industrialization of building systems is a key country-level strategy toward sustainable development. Due to sustainability international concerns, the concept of Industrial Building System (IBS) has received significant attention toward sustainable construction in Malaysia. Therefore, the transformation from traditional construction methods to the sustainable IBS methods is crucial for the country. In this regard, a control mechanism of building systems is necessary to monitor the economic, environmental and social aspects of sustainability. The previous researches indicate the social dimension as the fundamental part of sustainability has received far less attention. To date, despite growing researches on IBS and sustainability, there is no social sustainable framework and model in IBS at the country level. Therefore, this research proposes to develop a social sustainability model in IBS and advances the concept of social sustainability by presenting an applicable framework which is approved through Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA). Based on this framework the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) was implemented to determine the most suitable social sustainability model in building systems. In compare with the social sustainability factors ranking obtained from AHP model, variety of ranking methods has been investigated to assess the priority of IBS social sustainability factors. Then, a hybrid model, using AHP and Neural Network (NN) methods, is developed to assess IBS Social Sustainability Power Ratio (SSPR). The result from this hybrid model shows SSPR is 0.7212 which is categorized in acceptable level. Nevertheless IBS as a primary step towards sustainable construction must perform careful planning to upgrade its social sustainability factors. The result suggests that development of IBS need to be more concentrated toward social sustainability. The presented social sustainability hybrid model can use as an assessment and a guideline within IBS supply chain players

Multistage Optimization toward a Nearly Net Zero Energy Building Due to Climate Change

Climate change is one of the major problems of the planet. The atmosphere is overloaded with carbon dioxide caused by fossil fuels that are burned for energy. Almost 40 percent of the total energy worldwide is used by the building sector, which comes from non-renewable sources and contributes up to 30% of annual greenhouse gas emissions globally. The building sector in Iran accounts for 33.8% of Iran’s total energy usage. Within the building sector, the energy consumption of Iranian educational buildings is 2.5 times higher than educational buildings in developed countries. One of the most effective ways of reducing global energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions is retrofitting existing buildings. This study aims to investigate whether a particular energy-optimized design under the present climate conditions would respond effectively to future climate change. This can help designers make a better decision on an optimal model, which can remain optimal over the years based on climate change. For methodological purposes, multistage optimization was used to retrofit an existing educational building. Specifically, the non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm (NSGA-II) was chosen to minimize the cooling and heating load, as well as consider investment costs for present and future weather files, using the jEPlus tool. Furthermore, the TOPSIS method was used to identify the best set of retrofit measures. For this purpose, a four-story educational building in Tehran was modeled on Design Builder software v7.0.0.116 as a case study to provide a better understanding for researchers of how to effectively retrofit a building to achieve a nearly zero energy building considering climate change. The results show that the optimized solution for the present weather file does not remain the optimized solution in 2080. Moreover, it is shown that to have an optimized building in regard to future weather files, the model should be designed for the future weather conditions. This study shows that if the building becomes optimized using the present weather file the total energy consumption will be reduced by 65.14% and 86.18% if using the future weather file. These two figures are obtained by implementing active and passive measures and show the priority of using the future weather file for designers. Using PV panels also, this building is capable of becoming a nearly net zero building, which would produce about 90% of its own energy demands

Multistage Optimization toward a Nearly Net Zero Energy Building Due to Climate Change

Climate change is one of the major problems of the planet. The atmosphere is overloaded with carbon dioxide caused by fossil fuels that are burned for energy. Almost 40 percent of the total energy worldwide is used by the building sector, which comes from non-renewable sources and contributes up to 30% of annual greenhouse gas emissions globally. The building sector in Iran accounts for 33.8% of Iran’s total energy usage. Within the building sector, the energy consumption of Iranian educational buildings is 2.5 times higher than educational buildings in developed countries. One of the most effective ways of reducing global energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions is retrofitting existing buildings. This study aims to investigate whether a particular energy-optimized design under the present climate conditions would respond effectively to future climate change. This can help designers make a better decision on an optimal model, which can remain optimal over the years based on climate change. For methodological purposes, multistage optimization was used to retrofit an existing educational building. Specifically, the non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm (NSGA-II) was chosen to minimize the cooling and heating load, as well as consider investment costs for present and future weather files, using the jEPlus tool. Furthermore, the TOPSIS method was used to identify the best set of retrofit measures. For this purpose, a four-story educational building in Tehran was modeled on Design Builder software v7.0.0.116 as a case study to provide a better understanding for researchers of how to effectively retrofit a building to achieve a nearly zero energy building considering climate change. The results show that the optimized solution for the present weather file does not remain the optimized solution in 2080. Moreover, it is shown that to have an optimized building in regard to future weather files, the model should be designed for the future weather conditions. This study shows that if the building becomes optimized using the present weather file the total energy consumption will be reduced by 65.14% and 86.18% if using the future weather file. These two figures are obtained by implementing active and passive measures and show the priority of using the future weather file for designers. Using PV panels also, this building is capable of becoming a nearly net zero building, which would produce about 90% of its own energy demands

Selecting of cementing material in green lightweight concrete with Oil Palm Shell (OPS)

Floating urbanization could be the subject of a green flood mitigation strategy. The main part of any floating house is the buoyant part, which is made from concrete pontoons. Aggregates play the most important role in making concrete a lightweight material. Oil Palm Shell (OPS) is an agricultural waste material, which is widely available in South East Asia. This study tries to select the best cementing material from waste and produced pozzolans, to improve the specifications of green lightweight concrete with Oil Palm Shell (OPS), using decision-making methods. The decision making model was conducted by the application of a Fuzzy Preference Selection Index (PSI). Quantitative data was obtained from laboratory testing, which was translated into fuzzy functions, and qualitative data was obtained through verbal interviews. Silica Fume (SF) contributed the best performance of all pozzolans, with a 25% replacement in green lightweight concrete, with Oil Palm Shell (OPS)