Setting up a research question for determining the research methodology

This paper presents an approach to determine a research question that would enable design researchers to fix their research question as early as possible. It supports Yin’s recommendation that a researcher must determine the research question first because it will guide him or her on the appropriate research approach. The author has developed three main constructs for the formation of a research question—the “how”, the “what” and the “who”—that would lead researchers to develop the subsequent research objectives. They, in turn, will guide the researchers to formulate their sub-research questions, and the appropriate research strategies. The author hopes that this approach will assist novice researchers in unraveling a preliminary design research approach very early on. Hence, it allows the researchers more time to refine their research methodologies upon further literature review

Mitigating environmental characteristics with integrated design and automated construction approaches for AQH development

Industrialised Building Systems (IBS) implementation requires a systemic operational approach from conceptual design to implementation. In doing so, ensuring the movement of knowledge amongst the team members for a timely and within the budget implementation is a major concern because it impacts the long-term sustainability of the completed project. This study attempts to relate recent international findings to the Malaysian context, which recommended the need to look at the life span of property projects and proposing the development of tools and methodologies that could mitigate the knowledge-loss phenomenon. It found some similarities between housing development projects in USA with those of the local public projects. At the conclusion of this paper, it supports the recommendation for a systemic review of the local IBS delivery process by integrating 3D-CAD modelling during the housing development design process. The systemic IBS process is expected to promote a seamless transition towards 4D technology in the building phase

Enhancing cognition by understanding knowledge flow characteristics during design collaboration

Organization researchers cannot fit the complex property development workflow processes with Galbraith’s information processing design theory, hence undermining attempts to ensure knowledge flow in complex multidisciplinary design collaborations. This survey paper summarizes recently completed studies at Stanford University on knowledge flows that affect organizational performance. The studies found that knowledge flows in functional knowledge areas differ from those in tacit knowledge areas. Future research will lead to the development of a knowledge management system for sustainable property development that considers the different dominant knowledge types during different design phases

Identifying affordable quality housing components for developing a smart growth model

Smart growth development entails retracting the city, hence attempting to house low-income residents at new affordable housing facilities within a metropolitan area. This paper introduces the Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) as an alternative funding source for developing affordable housing projects. This paper presents affordable housing and smart growth elements from two selected tax credit programs in the United States. It compares these elements with the Malaysian commitments in Agenda 21 and recommends the Malaysian Point System that supports both affordable housing and smart growth requirements. It presents nine affordable housing and eleven smart growth elements that the proposed Malaysian LIHTC supports. The model includes four additional elements that Malaysia has committed to fulfill its Agenda 21. The proposed model can become an alternative solution for housing developers in Malaysia who cannot rely on government subsidies to develop affordable quality housing for the growing nation

The adoption of software process improvement (SPI) program in the construction industry

Integrating the design process and automating the construction process are called for in the Industrialised Building System (IBS) Roadmap 2003-2010 and the Construction Industry Master Plan (CIMP) 2006-2015. Hence, the industry needs to improve the construction delivery process by having as many processes utilizing advanced IT/ICT technologies. With a goal of producing zero product failure and meeting the users’ requirement satisfaction, this is an initial study into automating the construction tasks by studying a systematic process management commonly used for software implementation. We present a feasibility study on the use of a Software Process Improvement (SPI) Program in an IT organization—assuming that the construction organization will become an implementer of computer-integrated procedures in the future. Based on a case study conducted at a local IT software company, it documents the implementation of a SPI program to improve the internal software process development. The study uses the Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI) from Software Engineering Institute as SPI framework and IDEAL model-SPI life cycle model for executing and managing SPI program. Results show that the SPI Program model is successful in terms of the IT organization increasing its work productivity, high end-user product satisfaction and reduction of software defects. The paper concludes with discussions on how we can bridge computer science approach into the construction industry, thereby contributing to the development of future theoretical and application methodologies towards applying IT/ICT initiatives in the local construction industry

Utilising building information modelling (BIM) for implementation of sustainable resort development in Maldives

Ineffective collaboration within project participants during building process is causing poor implementation co-ordination for sustainable development of resort projects in the Maldives. Attainment of acceptable level of quality in the construction industry has long been a problem. Utilisation of (Building Information Modelling) BIM for implementation co-ordination during building process in Maldives and the implications on two selected projects was studied. The conditions (planning errors, design errors, amendments due to design errors, misinterpretation of drawings, use of 3D models, discontinuation of information, construction practicality, onsite errors, use of prefabrication, amendments due to construction errors and time extensions) identified from the projects were related to its phenomenon of the study to increase quality and productivity while decreasing cost and duration. BIM will improve implementation co-ordination by increasing construction productivity and prefabrication with less rework on site. Innovation in planning and implementation will contribute to make Maldives build a sustainable, eco-friendly construction industry. Effective collaboration will improve implementation co-ordination and integration through BIM during building process with innovative planning in the Maldives, hence improve construction industry and develop sustainable resort projects

Impacts of adding knowledge flow to an activity‑based framework for conceptual design phase on performance of building projects

The construction industry suffers from an incomplete knowledge flow that leads to overrun cost and time. A considerable portion of this problem is attributable to the design stage which is a tacit knowledge-dominated area. Since knowledge tacitness results in an incomplete knowledge flow, we posit that adding the knowledge flows beside the workflow of the architectural conceptual design phase can attenuate both the overrunning cost and time. In order to fulfill such an objective, we integrated the Nissen multidimensional model – the knowledge flow theory for the enterprise life cycle – with Macmillan’s framework – the conceptual design framework – to test whether or not adding the knowledge flow to the conceptual design work flow could attenuate the cost and time overrunning. This paper elaborates on the process of validation testing by means of Simvision. Analysis of the results reveals that specifying the entity of the required knowledge during the conceptual design phase could reduce the cost and time overruns

Peoples evaluation towards media facade as new urban landmarks at night

This paper attempts to help designers to turn a building into media facade as an attractive landmark for people’s urban night life. The literature survey points towards being dynamic and interactive with observers as the two quality dimensions for implementing this emerging lighting technology. Based on a survey of eleven selected media facades using video films to 250 students and staff at a public university, results identified twelve attributes for these two qualities. However, item analysis and exploratory factor analysis of the results determined only ten attributes actually support people’s attention towards media facade. The attributes of unique landmark, different nocturnal appearance, dynamic colour, informative lighting, artistic lighting performance, on going process, and dynamic advertisement could be categorized under the visual quality dimension. On the other hand, attributes of covert interaction, overt interaction, and predesigned interaction could be categorized under the interactive quality dimension. This study contributes in prioritizing visual qualities for guiding the attractiveness of buildings’ appearances at night, hence enabling the creation of new dynamic urban spaces when designing buildings

Identifying supportive daytime lighting characteristics for enhancing individuals’ psychophysiological wellbeing in windowless workshop in tropical Malaysia

Inappropriate architectural lighting exposures in workplaces are causing light-induced health and performance-related problems among healthy, urban individuals. This paper presents part one of an integrated tropical architectural lighting design framework for improving dayshift individuals’ psychophysiological wellbeing in windowless workplace in Malaysia. The paper discusses five architectural lighting factors, namely intensity, spectrum, timing, duration, spatial distribution. The daytime lighting characteristics that influence individuals’ psychophysiological wellbeing indicators (IPWI) were analysed. Findings indicated a dearth of literature in the lighting characteristics to support IPWI in the tropics, as evidence was predominantly from seasonal climate contexts. This motivated a critical discussion on the lighting factors and recommendations of alternative design consideration for a tropical Asian context. Potential daytime architectural lighting characteristics likely to support dayshift IPWI in windowless workplace in tropical Malaysia were also recommended for further investigations. These recommendations in the framework are expected to facilitate healthier windowless workplace design in Malaysia