Space-centred information management approach to improve CAD-based healthcare building design

This study focuses on developing a space-centred CAD tool to enable designers to effectively manage and implement the information of design guidance information and user requirements during design processes, especially for the stages of design briefing and conceptual design. It aims to structure and store design guidance and user requirements for healthcare building design into a relational database, and link them to relevant space entities in design plans. The tool is developed on the platform of Autodesk Architecture Desktop (ADT). It also enables users to store and retrieve pictures associated with textual information, because pictures have been always used by designers as an effective medium to represent and deliver design information and knowledge. This can give users directly visual and more understandable perceptions of the design guidance. The tool is fully embedded with Autodesk AutoCAD systems to ensure the application of this tool being fully merged with CAD-based design process. A set of design guidance about Alzheimer clinic built environments are adopted as a sample to demonstrate and validate the tool. Moreover, the scenario of expanding this application to more broad areas has also been foreseen

Integrating BIM and New Rules of Measurement for Embodied energy and CO2 assessment

Embodied energy/CO2 computational models can help decision-makers choose appropriate technologies, building materials, systems and processes that minimize impacts on the environment. While existing models have been great in the assessment process, they often suffer from two main weaknesses. Firstly, models exist in silos and only fit for computing individual material type at any one time. Secondly, computational results obtained from most models are not aligned to standard measurement methods used in practice. In this study, a system that can automate the computation of embodied energy/CO2 of buildings and aligns the results to the UK New Rules of Measurement (NRM) has been proposed. The developed system was tested using case study houses with known dimensions. It allows the simultaneous determination of embodied energy/CO2 and cost and aligns the results to the UK NRM concepts. This is useful for simultaneously determining the environmental impact of building components and their corresponding costs

The use of a multi-attribute tool for evaluating accessibility in buildings : the AHP approach

Purpose – The purpose of this article is to develop a quantitative building accessibility assessment model for the construction industry. Design/methodology/approach – The building accessibility assessment criteria are incorporated in a hierarchy structure based on the relevant building regulations and British standards. The analytic hierarchy process (AHP) is employed to determine the priority of the accessibility criteria. A review of the application of AHP is included in the paper. Finally, a case scenario is used to illustrate the method. Findings – This paper provides a methodology to prioritize the building accessibility criteria and to indicate how well a building design meets accessibility requirements quantitatively. Practical limitations/implications – A model is advocated for use by accessibility consultants and building designers to establish a quantitative assessment for building accessibility. It can also be used in the development of accessibility assessment software. Originality/value – This paper presents a novel quantitative building accessibility assessment model

A roadmap for nD-enabled construction

nD modelling is a research topic that has started to gain momentum and interest worldwide. This roadmap is an update of the 2005 RICS paper series ‘nD modelling - a driver or enabler for construction improvement?’ (Lee et al, 2005). This paper accumulates the results of 5 workshops to produce a ‘roadmap’ of how nD modelling can help the design and construction industries to improve their performance, and is the result of an international effort to create a blueprint of the research and technology milestones that are necessary to achieve improved construction practice. The issues surrounding nD are not just technological, but are also cultural, educational and process related. The findings of all the workshops were clustered into themes and are presented as repertory grids in the final roadmap. Whilst this report highlights both the barriers and opportunities of implementing nD modelling in the construction industry, the roadmap presents a research agenda for the global uptake of nD modelling. It shows that the concentration of effort should be placed on the education and training activities to heighten the level of industry’s awareness of nD modelling, with the technology itself being of a lower importance. Although the use of building electronic product models is not widespread in the industry at the present time, its need is seen to be self evident

nD modelling - a driver or enabler for construction improvement?

The terms ‘nD modelling’ and ‘nD CAD’ are becoming escalating idioms associated with ICT-based (information communication technologies) building design; a concept which has been heightened by the £0.5 million funded 3D to nD modelling project at the University of Salford. An nD model is an extension of the building information model that incorporates multi-aspects of design information required at each stage of the lifecycle of a building facility. This paper will explore the concept of nD modelling, lay out the nD modelling opportunities and barriers for implementation within a business context, and conclude by examining whether it can be applied industry-wide or remain a PR tool for the big players in the industry. The issues surrounding nD-enabled construction are not just technological, but also and cultural, human and process related. The paper suggests that the nD modelling approach is ideal, but not achievable in the short term, largely due to the industry’s unwillingness to work together in an interdisciplinary way