MISBE 2011

09:00 General Paper Session W65/W55 Management and economics for sustainable design and construction
Chair: Stuart Green

09:00 15 mins	ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION COSTS, TOOLS TOWARDS TERRITORIAL SUSTAINABILITY Garcia-Erviti Federico, Valverde Luis Ramon Abstract: This paper is presented in CIB: Management and Innovation Sustainable Built Enviroment 2011, as the study and analysis of the residential model of a rural area from the Iberian Peninsula, specifically applied to the case of the province of Cáceres, in the autonomous region of Extremadura, in Spain. This region, with an eminent rural nature and economic resources traditionally linked to the development of the land, and, specifically, to activities such as livestock breeding and agriculture, has suffered a strong emigration of the population, since the 60’s, towards the most powerful city centres, generally provincial capitals and specifically the capital of the State (Madrid). For years repopulation policies were carried out (such as the Badajoz Plan) reinventing towns out of nowhere, which did not achieve the expected success, maybe because of the lack of roots before the new, maybe because of the roughness of the agricultural and stockbreeding tasks faced with the opportunities in the city. As a result, in the end of the 80’s many towns were practically deserted. In this context, Extremadura became one of the most depressed areas in Spain in the 80’s, therefore being one of the least developed areas in Europe, up to the moment when the entrance in the EU and its help policies started to point at the beginning of a stimulating process of the territorial economy. Following this boost, the autonomous government of Extremadura started helping the promotion of housing in the rural area through a substantial economic help with non-recoverable funds (18.000 EUR) and providing the technical service of the private project commission and the actions management. As a previous condition the property developer –self-developer– is required to hold the ownership of the site and the stay in the dwelling for at least 10 years; the technical conditions of the building are notably regulated, with a limitation of the maximum surface (95 m2 usable) and a list of specifications for the finishing. However, there is freedom in the program, and in general, in the architectural design as opposed to other figures supervised by the administration, such as state subsidized housing, whose design is more restricted. This building typology has achieved an important success during the last fifteen years within this territorial scope, with about 2.800 dwellings, fully occupied, promoted from 2001 to 2008. All this makes this public initiative an interesting answer to the socioeconomic problems of the rural environment, specifically in Extremadura, which has produced an occupation of the territory more polycentrist and a distribution of the natural resources more sustainable. In this context the paper intends to analyse the characterization of this type of dwelling whose success has been the freedom of design and the suitability to the rural environment, so changeable within the different areas of the autonomous region. It is intended to analyse which are the variables of the architectural design that have an influence on the construction cost in an environment of limited economic resources, since the dimensions and qualities of the built product are marked by the subvention’s administrative process. To this end, from a database made up of building projects whose real costs are known, it is intended to establish the links of the different parameters studied through the corresponding functions of statistical analysis. With this study we intend to determine quickly the real cost of construction through the development of a parameterization mathematical model, which will allow to anticipate with rigor and accuracy the economic investment to do with a double purpose: on the one hand, the autodeveloper of the dwelling will be able to control the financing process and, on the other hand, it will make easier for the acting administration to carry out a help policy more suitable for each case. One of the main objectives of this process is constituted by the possibility of establishing, independently of the type of dwelling (subsidized or not), those design variables of higher economic importance, so as to keep an economic control of these parameters, generally geometrical and typological, from the very start of the project. And, in general, a higher optimization of resources in the construction of dwellings in the rural environment from their design is intended. Finally, this study will allow the Administration to carry out a sustainable policy of development in the rural environment of Extremadura, by counting with a better knowledge of the construction costs for this type of dwelling, whose success is important in the process of anchoring the population to the territory.
09:15 15 mins	EXPLORING THE BUSINESS CASE FOR MORE ADAPTABLE BUILDINGS: LESSONS FROM CASE STUDIES James Pinder, Rob Schmidt, Alistair Gibb, Jim Saker Abstract: This paper explores the business case for designing more adaptable buildings, an issue that has, for the most part, been overlooked in the literature. It reviews some of the existing literature on adaptability and discusses the drivers for and barriers to designing buildings that are more adaptable. In doing so, it draws upon lessons from the developing market for ‘greener’ or more sustainable buildings. The costs and benefits of designing more adaptable buildings are explored through a workshop with industry stakeholders and illustrated with evidence from case studies. The findings of this research highlight the circumstances that would need to change, in terms of industry mindsets and market conditions, in order for adaptable buildings to become more widespread.
09:30 15 mins	MICROGENERATION TECHNOLOGIES IN NEW BUILD HOUSING: TECHNOLOGICAL TRAJECTORIES AND USER EXPERIENCES Tim Lees, Martin Sexton Abstract: Keywords: Housing, microgeneration technologies, technological innovation systems, technological trajectories, ABSTRACT The UK has set a target for a reduction in CO2 emissions by 80% by 2050 compared to 1990 levels (HM Government, 2008). The domestic sector accounts for 25% of UK emissions from the generation of heat and electricity for homes (DEFRA, 2008). For this sector to move to a low-carbon path, it will need to transform the environmental performance of housing. The transformation will require system-wide innovation and change comprising new technologies, new markets and new institutional supporting systems. The supply of new homes to the UK housing stock will have a cumulative impact on the ability of the domestic sector to contribute to the 2050 carbon reduction target. There is an urgent research need to better understand, therefore, steer this system innovation. The ongoing research project reported on here contributes to this need by addressing the impact of the growing raft of environmental regulations on the UK housing development sector through a technological innovation system (TIS) approach. A broad view is taken of environmental regulations being one part of the institutional context that collectively structure socio-technical interactions and economic transactions through reframing and steering firm behaviour and economic activity in the housing development sector. The primary focus is on microgeneration technology (MGT) field within this sector. The research recognises that the challenge of integrating MGTs is not merely a technical one for housing developers; rather, it has significant technical, social and economic implications for housing developers and their supply chains, as well as for home buyers. The research aims to develop a more nuanced, socio-technical system perspective which seeks to understand the interplay of microgeneration solutions with other system components, such as the interests of market actors to produce them, knowledge needed to integrate them into housing designs and, user practices which fit technical functions. The research has two related phases. Initially, through a web-based survey and follow-up semi-structured interviews, the work seeks to identify the scale and scope of the microgeneration technologies (MGTs) currently being used by housing developers and to better understand why particular MGTs are becoming dominant (or not) in the new house build sector. The second phase will explore homeowners’ actual day-to-day experience of and attitudes towards different types of MGTs in their homes. The paper concludes with a detailing of future research directions and supporting fieldwork which will be undertaken in this research project.
09:45 15 mins	THE ENERGY PERFORMANCE OF OFFICE BUILDINGS THROUGHOUT THEIR BUILDING PROCESS Bram Entrop, Geert Dewulf Abstract: Many innovative techniques and policy measures have been introduced to reduce energy consumption. Despite the high ambitions and societal pressures, the adoption rate of energy measures in office buildings is still low. Using adoption theories this paper provides a framework to analyse the adoption process of energy saving techniques in building processes. This framework is used to analyse the design and building processes of four Dutch office buildings. In these processes the roles of the stakeholders, in relation to the adoption of energy measures, are identified during every phase of the building projects. It enables us to better understand by which means certain stakeholders can exert influence on adopting or rejecting certain energy concepts and measures. The complex network of temporary relationships among stakeholders makes it hard to turn high ambitions into a broad adoption of multiple energy techniques, which can lower the energy use or which make use of renewable sources.
10:00 15 mins	MODEL OF ECONOMIC JUSTIFICATION OF CONSTRUCTIONS' RENOVATION Saso Kovacec, Igor Psunder, Mirko Psunder Abstract: In the life cycle of constructions we often cope with the problem if it is economic justificated to renovate certain construction. On the market we meet growing problem of older constructions which are more and more neglected and unkept. This is the consequence of high number of new apartments and other constructions. General crisis has also an influence on negligence and has forced owners of constructions to economize and consequently at negligence of older constructions what brings to diladaptation. This will also happen to new constructions because owners act too less responsible or economic, therefore the reason of diladaptation is the lack of knowledge of owners. They do not know how to take care of constructions and how to maintain them regularly and when to sanitate them. By originating the damages are often connected high cost which means that the issue of preventing diladaptation is important not only from the view of security and aesthetic but also from the view of national economies and sustainable development. Only with maintenance we ensure further exploitative ability of constructions where it is necessary to execute the renovations at the basis of previous reasons’ finding of beginning of damages and condition of damaged construction. For each construction separately it is necessary to find out costs, risks and advantages of existing constructions’ renovations fundamentally or advantages of new building. Built constructions as fixed property represent important issue of national wealthy of society or country because the aim of each country is to keep functional ability of its fixed property as long as possible which is only possible with suitable relation to fixed property and with good husbandry. Thus we are developing multicriteria decisive model of economic justification of renovation or substitutional building. In this paper we will represent the model of economic justification of constructions’ renovation. We have researched existing multicriteria decisive models and on this basis we decided for new model which will help at deciding whether it is economically justificated to renovate certain construction. In this model were also included criteria which reduce the value of construction: physical deterioration, functional obsolescence and economic obsolescence. Physical deterioration is the consequence of exploitation and damages of the construction or fixed property. Each part which is exploitated or damaged can be curable or incurable. Functional obsolescence means that something in or on the construction or fixed property obsolete or it is not appropriate for usage any more. Economic obsolescence means obsolete because of location or environment, which is caused by reasons which are out of construction’s area. In the model is also included profit of the construction at the business constructions while at the non-business construction there is no profit. Therefore it can be expected higher profit at the renovated construction than at unrestored construction. Model does not include constructions which are inscribed in the register of cultural inheritance which means that are certain architectural changes allowed only on the basis of very reasonable causes and on the basis of fundamental studies where it is necessary to check existing possibilities. Basic guidance at the regular maintenance and investments in the object of cultural inheritance is keeping the genuineness – authenticity. Thus we have to renovate that kind of objects, as a rule not regarding on the costs. Built constructions as fixed property represent important issue of national wealthy of society or country because the aim of each country is to keep functional ability of its fixed property as long as possible which is only possible with suitable relation to fixed property and with good husbandry. Model gives appropriate results which are very helpful at taking decisions whether to renovate the construction or not and therefore appropriate keep manage. Proposed model was checked in the real situations and we have got positive results in connection with using the model of economic justification of constructions' renovation in practice.
10:15 15 mins	REDESIGN – UPGRADING THE BUILDING STOCK TO MEET (NEW) USER DEMANDS Hilde Remoy, Theo van der Voordt Abstract: Abstract: Financial and real estate crises and “new ways of working” reduce the need for office space. As a consequence, office markets become replacement markets without a quantitative need for new office buildings: new buildings drive out bad buildings. In the Netherlands, currently 14% of the office space is vacant, of which 60% is redundant or obsolete. Office users, guided by the government, consider sustainable office space important for their image and status. Besides they want to be accommodated in high quality buildings that fit with their current and future need for space, taking into account expected shrinkage or further development and expansion. Quite often, new office developments were the response to these demands. Public opinion and emerging governmental awareness of sustainability oppose the construction of new office buildings in locations with a high vacancy level, while office users, real estate developers and investors crave for new office developments. Can redesign of existing office buildings answer to the demand for new sustainable office space? In former research we have revealed that location and building characteristics have a strong influence on office users’ preferences and decisions to move to other buildings. Knowledge about these characteristics is important when determining the potential future use of the existing office stock. Based on foregoing research, we propose new use of existing office buildings and delve into the measures that need to be taken in order to adapt existing buildings to new use.
10:30 15 mins	RETROFITTING COMMERCIAL OFFICE BUILDINGS FOR SUSTAINABILITY: TENANTS’ EXPECTATIONS AND EXPERIENCES Evonne Miller, Laurie Buys Abstract: Introduction Buildings, which account for approximately half of all annual energy and greenhouse gas emissions, are an important target area for any strategy addressing climate change. Whilst new commercial buildings increasingly address sustainability considerations, incorporating green technology in the refurbishment process of older buildings presents many technical, financial and social challenges. This research explores the social dimension, focussing on the perspectives of commercial office building tenants. Methodology Semi-structured in-depth interviews with seven residents and neighbours of a large case-study building under-going green refurbishment in Melbourne, Australia. Built in 1979, the 7,008m2 'B' grade building consists of 11 upper levels of office accommodation, ground floor retail, and a basement area leased as a licensed restaurant. After refurbishment, which included the installation of chilled water pumps, solar water heating, waterless urinals, insulation, disabled toilets, and automatic dimming lights, it was expected that the environmental performance of the building would move from a non-existent zero ABGR (Australian Building Greenhouse Rating) star rating to 3.5 stars, with a 40% reduction in water consumption and 20% reduction in energy consumption. Interviews were transcribed, with responses analysed using a thematic approach, identifying categories, themes and patterns. Results Commercial property tenants are on a journey to sustainability - they are interested and willing to engage in discussions about sustainability initiatives, but the process, costs and benefits need to be clear. Critically, whilst sustainability was an essential and non-negotiable criterion in building selection for government and larger corporate tenants, sustainability was not yet a core business value for smaller organisations – whilst they could see it as an emerging issue, they wanted detailed cost-benefit analyses, pay-back calculations of proposed technologies and, ideally, wished they could trial the technology first-hand in some way Although extremely interested in learning more, most participants reported relatively minimal knowledge of specific sustainability features, designs or products. In discussions about different sustainable technologies (e.g., waterless urinals, green-rated carpets), participants frequently commented that they knew little about the technology, had not heard of it or were not sure exactly how it worked. Whilst participants viewed sustainable commercial buildings as the future, they had varied expectations about the fate of existing older buildings – most felt that they would have to be retrofitted at some point to meet market expectations and predicted the emergence of a ‘non-sustainability discount’ for residing in a building without sustainable features. Discussion This research offers a beginning point for understanding the difficulty of integrating green technology in older commercial buildings. Tenants currently have limited understandings of technology and potential building performance outcomes, which ultimately could impede the implementation of sustainable initiatives in older buildings. Whilst the commercial property market is interested in learning about sustainability in the built environment, the findings highlight the importance of developing a strong business case, communication and transition plan for implementing sustainability retrofits in existing commercial buildings.
10:45 15 mins	MODELLING OF FACTORS IMPACTING ADOPTION OF PRECAST CONCRETE SYSTEMS Tanut Waroonkun Abstract: Abstract Technology in construction adopting Prefabricated Elements can be recognised as “Precast Concrete System”, in Western Countries, this system has been widely used in constructing Bridges, Office Buildings and Residential buildings. A Precast concrete construction system provides the advantages of construction effectiveness, high levels of quality control, saving of construction time, minimisation of skilled labour, reduced manpower requirement on site, and saving in formwork requirements when compared with the traditional construction method (cast in place). In Thailand, Cast in Place is the traditional construction system that has been mostly used till now. Precast Concrete Slab is only a part of prefabricated elements that is used widely in Thailand. Adopting of fully precast concrete systems are only a few parties in the Thai construction market. However, many factors have an impact on the adopting of precast concrete system. This paper is the primary study stage to present and analyse a conceptual model that accommodate the numerous factors impact on the adoption process effectiveness. The results from 160 construction industry professionals in Thailand are presented and the significant factors which impact on the adoption of precast concrete system have been determined through the numerous statistical analysis. The paper concludes with the refine conceptual model of the adoption of precast concrete elements and system.