Economic and Environmental Assessment on Implementing Solar Renewable Energy Systems in Spanish Residential Homes

In Europe, buildings are responsible for more than one third of the total final energy demands and greenhouse gas emissions. In the last twenty years, the European Union has published a succession of energy performance of building directives to define and ensure the fulfilment of a series of objectives regarding greenhouse gas emissions, energy consumption, energy efficiency and energy generation from renewable sources in buildings. For its part, Spain is adapting its legal framework, transposing these directives with the aim of achieving greater energy efficiency and sustainability for buildings. Under this context, an energy, economic and environmental assessment is performed to analyze the impact of these regulatory changes on a single-family home including a photovoltaic installation for self-consumption with surpluses and/or a solar thermal installation for domestic hot water supply, located in each one of the eight thousand one hundred thirty-one municipalities that make up Spain. The energy behavior of the original house is compared with that obtained after it is updated with these new facilities. The transient system simulation tool is used for the energy study. The results show that the European objectives are far exceeded. The energy savings achieved range from 67% to 126%, carbon dioxide emissions decrease by 42% to 100% and energy bills are reduced in cost by 32% to 81%. The findings of this work can be used by policymakers as guidelines for the development of national strategic plans and financial incentives for the promotion of small-scale residential photovoltaic and solar thermal applications, as well as by designers, supervisors, managers and developers to include them in their projects

Traceability of Intra- and Interpersonal Skills: From Education to Labor Market

Both educators and employers agree there is a growing gap between competences that labor market expects from its new employees and skills they own. Literature review holds that a set of nontechnical, professional abilities and intra- and interpersonal attitudes are required to close this gap and indicates that more training of soft skills is needed to access employment and success in work life. Although these skills are theoretically included in educational stages, project management approach can be incorporated to improve students and new employees’ practical curricula. The methodology consists of the critical review of the competency frameworks established by the DeSeCo and Tuning projects, confronting them against the requirements currently demanded by labor market, based on the reports of Deloitte, PwC, EY, and KPMG, to detect inconsistencies between educational and professional stages and check if project management standards, by PMI and IPMA, cover them. Compiling these weaknesses, actions can be established aimed at solving them, based on project management proposals. The incorporation of project management concepts into educational stages, especially the vision by competences, contributes to improve the employability by highlighting those transverse but essential skills that lead to versatile and successful professionals. To achieve this, it is necessary to care for human competences

Training Competences in Industrial Risk Prevention with Lego® Serious Play®: A Case Study

This paper proposes the use of the Lego® Serious Play® (LSP) methodology as a facilitating tool for the introduction of competences for Industrial Risk Prevention by engineering students from the industrial branch (electrical, electronic, mechanical and technological engineering), presenting the results obtained in the Universities of Cadiz and Seville in the academic years 2017–2019. Current Spanish legislation does not reserve any special legal attribution, nor does it require specific competence in occupational risk prevention for the regulated profession of a technical industrial engineer (Order CIN 351:2009), and only does so in a generic way for that of an industrial engineer (Order CIN 311:2009). However, these universities consider the training in occupational health and safety for these future graduates as an essential objective in order to develop them for their careers in the industry. The approach is based on a series of challenges proposed (risk assessments, safety inspections, accident investigations and fire protection measures, among others), thanks to the use of “gamification” dynamics with Lego® Serious Play®. In order to carry the training out, a set of specific variables (industrial sector, legal and regulatory framework, business organization and production system), and transversal ones (leadership, teamwork, critical thinking and communication), are incorporated. Through group models, it is possible to identify dangerous situations, establish causes, share and discuss alternative proposals and analyze the economic, environmental and organizational impact of the technical solutions studied, as well as take the appropriate decisions, in a creative, stimulating, inclusive and innovative context. In this way, the theoretical knowledge which is acquired is applied to improve safety and health at work and foster the prevention of occupational risks, promoting the commitment, effort, motivation and proactive participation of the student teams.Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities / European Social Fund: Ramón y Cajal contract (RYC-2017-22222

The Relationship between Building Agents in the Context of Integrated Project Management: A Prospective Analysis

The increasing complexity of building projects, with high quality standards, integrated technologies and strong management restrictions, demands the intervention of numerous and diverse specialists. This requires an intense leadership, organization and coordination effort. However, building regulations, such as the Spanish Law on Building Management (LOE) 38/1999, only formally consider developers, project designers, project and work supervisors, quality control entities, construction companies, owners and final users as building agents. However, these categories are insufficient to represent the interests of all the stakeholders. The purpose of this paper is to carry out an analysis of the agents that are currently part of the entire building process. If their relationship of influence and dependence, as well as their alignment with the overall objectives of the project are studied, potential convergences, divergences, agreements and disagreements can be established. To do this, the authors conducted a prospective analysis through the MACTOR (Matrix of Alliances and Conflicts: Tactics, Objectives and Recommendations) strategic planning simulation tool, for which the rules of the Delphi technique were applied and a consultation with technical experts, both professionals and academics, was held. The research provides insight to assess the power relationships between the building agents, as well as to measure the alignment of objectives with their interests. Results show that, in the context of integrated project management (IPM), the influence of technical agents is reduced by limiting their functions to those marked by their regulatory framework, allowing them to focus on their legal powers, and the room for manoeuvre of the professional agents, who are subject to systematized monitoring and control, is also reduced. The prospective analysis also highlights the importance of defining the scope from its early stages, as well as the need to reach multilateral agreements based on the other two main constraints: time and cost.All authors acknowledge the help received by the research group TEP-955 from the PAIDI (Junta de Andalucia, Spain). The first and last authors acknowledge the help received by the research project PIN-0053-2019 by the Fundacion Publica Andaluza Progreso y Salud (Junta de Andalucia, Spain)

The Influence of Knowledge on Managing Risk for the Success in Complex Construction Projects: The IPMA Approach

[EN] Organizations undertaking construction projects often deal with uncertainty and complexity. Risks include a wide range of occurrences that can lead to project failure. However, these difficulties may be minimized if risks are properly managed. In addition, knowledge management may emerge as a key element in facing unforeseen events and detecting the actions that are working well in other projects. In this context, this study intends to demonstrate the influence of managing organizational knowledge on risk management and the impact of both on the success of projects and associated businesses. To this end, a questionnaire was distributed among construction technicians, practitioners and managers in order to assess the importance of factors managing knowledge and risk and of success criteria. Thanks to the participation of almost four hundred respondents, cause-and-effect relationships are characterized by means of structural equation modeling, statistically confirming them. The specific links between the knowledge-management projects and the skills and abilities to face risks provided by the International Project Management Association (IPMA) standards, with a relation of 0.892 out of 1, justify the 75.1% of the success of the venture. These findings prove that the application of IPMA proposals enhances the required knowledge that leads to improved completion and delivery of complex construction projects in risky environments.All authors acknowledge the help received by the research group TEP-955 from the PAIDI (Junta de Andalucia, Spain).Cerezo-Narváez, A.; Pastor-Fernández, A.; Otero-Mateo, M.; Ballesteros-Pérez, P. (2022). The Influence of Knowledge on Managing Risk for the Success in Complex Construction Projects: The IPMA Approach. Sustainability. 14(15):1-30. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14159711130141

Requirements for the Preliminary Design of Innovative Temporary Edge Protection Systems (TEPS) for Construction Works

At present, it is striking that a large percentage of occupational accidents in the construction sector are still caused by falls from height. Therefore, curbing the severe personal, social and economic consequences of these events is not only a commitment but an obligation for all stakeholders in the construction sector. After a review of current fall protection systems on construction sites, the purpose of this study is to establish the preliminary requirements for the design, development and prototyping of a new system which can be used as an auxiliary means to prevent occupational accidents in the construction sector caused by fall hazards at height. Based on the design science research (DSR) methodology, this paper tests the capability of alternative materials (metals, plastics and composites) to withstand the loads required by the regulatory standard UNE-EN 13374:2013+A1:2019 and looks at the improvements they can offer. The results obtained enable new metals and composite materials to be put forward, based on their suitability to the parameters of the risks of falling from height, ensuring that the greatest number of potential situations are addressed. Then, the needs to be satisfied and requirements to be met are listed, prioritised and considered for new temporary edge protection systems (TEPS). Next, the attributes that increase user satisfaction and/or reduce user dissatisfaction are filtered by means of a Kano model, which is applied thanks to the responses of construction designers, coordinators and supervisors. Once these questions are solved, an analytic hierarchy process (AHP) is performed by a focus group, weighing the Kano contributions and ranking the materials to be selected for the preliminary design of innovative TEPS for construction works. After considering safety, ergonomics, adaptability, sustainability, efficiency, manufacturability and flexibility criteria, the basis for the design of a new temporary edge protection system is establishe

From requirements agreement to changes integration: keys for not failing in construction projects

En el periodo 2008-2015, la industria española de la construcción cae en una profunda crisis, que pierde dos tercios de sus empresas, reduce drásticamente su producción, prescinde de la mayoría de sus trabajadores y disminuye su contribución al producto interior bruto español a menos de la mitad. Al mismo tiempo, en 2015 menos de un tercio de los proyectos de la industria mundial de la construcción terminan sin sobrecostes y sólo una cuarta parte lo hace a tiempo. Ambas circunstancias invitan a investigar sobre cómo adquirir competencias en gestión de proyectos para los agentes implicados en los procesos constructivos, con el fin de mejorar su desempeño, evitando su fracaso. El alcance del proyecto es la primera de las dimensiones del éxito, por su carácter globalizador y su importancia predictiva, así como por su importancia táctica frente a los cambios. En este contexto, la norma ISO 21500 reúne las condiciones ideales para ser utilizada como referencia para modelar un sistema de gestión del alcance del proyecto que mejore el desempeño de los proyectos de construcción, mediante la adopción de medidas para evitar el desvío del alcance, en cualquiera de sus variantes. A través del análisis y crítica de la literatura, se recogen aquellas características relacionadas con la gestión del alcance y las relacionadas con el éxito que generan mayor acuerdo. Entre las características preseleccionadas, se recopilan las consideradas por la literatura como factores críticos de éxito. A continuación, a partir de un cuestionario realizado a profesionales del sector de la construcción en España, se calcula el grado de importancia de cada factor y, por último, se establece una ecuación estructural de éxito.In the period 2008-2015, Spanish construction industry falls into a deep crisis, that loses two-thirds of its companies, drastically reduces its production, misses the majority of it workers, and decreases its contribution to Spanish gross domestic product to less than half. At the same time, in 2015 less than a third of projects in the worldwide construction industry end without overruns and only a quarter do so on time. Both circumstances invite to research about how to acquire competencies in project management for involved agents in the construction processes, in order to improve their performance, avoiding their failure. Project scope is the first of success dimensions, due to its globalizing nature and predictive significance, as well as for its tactical importance against changes. In this context, ISO 21500 standard meets the ideal conditions to be used as reference to model a system for project scope management that improves the construction projects performance, by adopting measures to prevent scope creep, in any of variants. Through analysis and critique of literature, those characteristics related to scope management and those related to success that generate the greatest agreement are collected. Among pre-selected features, those considered by literature as critical success factors are compiled. Then, based on a questionnaire given to construction industry professionals in Spain, the degree of importance of each factor is calculated and, finally, a structural equation model is proposed, in which it is confirmed that projects scope management decisively influences organizations sustained success

Influence of scope management in construction industry projects

En el periodo comprendido entre 2008 y 2015, la industria de la construcción en España cae en una profunda crisis, que hace desaparecer dos terceras partes de sus empresas, reducir drásticamente su producción, perder la gran mayoría de sus trabajadores y ver disminuida su contribución al producto interior bruto hasta menos de la mitad. Asimismo, en 2015 y a nivel mundial, menos de un tercio de los proyectos del sector de la construcción, finalizan sin sobrecostes y sólo la cuarta parte, lo hacen a tiempo. Ambas circunstancias invitan a investigar en la adquisición de competencias en dirección de proyectos para los agentes intervinientes en los procesos constructivos, con el objeto de mejorar su rendimiento, evitando su fracaso. La gestión del alcance de los proyectos, se presenta como la primera de las dimensiones de éxito, por su naturaleza globalizadora y significancia predictiva, así como por su importancia táctica frente a los cambios. En este contexto, el estándar ISO 21500 reúne las condiciones ideales para servir de referencia para modelizar un sistema de gestión del alcance que mejore las prestaciones de los proyectos, adoptando medidas que eviten su corrupción, en cualquiera de sus variantes. Mediante análisis y crítica de la literatura, se recopilan aquellas características relacionadas con la gestión del alcance y aquellos criterios relacionados con el éxito que mayor consenso generan. De entre las características y criterios preseleccionados, se recopilan aquellos considerados por la literatura como factores críticos de éxito. Seguidamente, a partir de una encuesta realizada a profesionales del sector de la construcción en España, se barema el grado de importancia otorgado a cada uno de los factores y, finalmente, se plantea un modelo de ecuaciones estructurales, en el que se confirma que la gestión del alcance de los proyectos influye decisivamente en el éxito sostenido de las organizaciones.Departamento de Ingeniería Mecánica y Diseño Industrial y Grupo de Investigación TEP955- Ingeniería y Tecnología para la Prevención de Riesgos Laborales (INTELPREV), de la Universidad de Cádi

Determination of Requirements for the Improvement of Occupational Safety in the Cleaning of Vertical Tanks of Petroleum Products

Since the beginning of the second industrial revolution, the use of tanks for the storage of petroleum products ensured the permanent supply of equipment that depended on fossil fuel derived from petroleum, either for direct consumption or as an element for power generation. For correct operation, periodic cleaning of these confined spaces was required, being a common practice for the direct exposure of operators to explosive atmospheres. Currently, there are many industries that keep this kind of deposit, and cleaning works are considered of high occupational risk. In this context, the question arises as to whether human–machine collaboration thanks to the technologies that compose Industry 5.0 can mitigate these risks while generating a sustainable balance by optimizing costs and protecting the environment. In the present work, the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) method is used to prioritize the requirements that should be compiled to establish safe protocols in tank cleaning works, solving the multi-criteria problem. Results prove that a couple of alternatives improve the working conditions of the people involved in this process: the chemical cleaning and the robotic cleaning, which approximately accounts for two thirds of the decision. These requirements are aligned with the Industry 5.0 paradigm, encouraging the use of robots for high-risk processes, and influencing human behavior. In addition, cost reduction is achieved without compromising on quality of service or delivery schedule, thus enabling a circular economy that promotes occupational safety in company policies

Trends of Digital Transformation in the Shipbuilding Sector

The new paradigms of Industry 4.0 force all the industrial sectors to face a deep digital transformation in order to be on the edge in a competitive and globalized scenario. Following this trend, the shipbuilding industry has to establish its own path to adapt itself to the digital era. This chapter aims to explore this challenge and give an outlook on the multiple transformative technologies that are involved. For that reason, a case of study is presented as a starting point, in which the digital technologies that can be applied are easily recognized. A social network analysis (SNA) is developed among these key enabling technologies (KETs), in order to stress their correlations and links. As a result, artificial intelligence (AI) can be highlighted as a support to the other technologies, such as vertical integration of naval production systems (e.g., connectivity, Internet of things, collaborative robotics, etc.), horizontal integration of value networks (e.g., cybersecurity, diversification, etc.), and life cycle reengineering (e.g., drones, 3D printing (3DP), virtual and augmented reality, remote sensing networks, robotics, etc.)