Matthew Pilgrim, Dino Bouchlaghem, Dennis Loveday and Michael Holmes
Construction is by its nature a data‐rich domain. It is also a competitive market with historically low profit margins. One step towards improving design efficiency is to develop…
Abstract
Construction is by its nature a data‐rich domain. It is also a competitive market with historically low profit margins. One step towards improving design efficiency is to develop techniques to examine and interpret construction related data. To achieve any significant improvement it is necessary to focus on a given sub‐domain of engineering data. This paper focuses on analysis data, in particular building performance analysis data. This data, generated by performing an analysis of a building or its elements, may be used more efficiently and effectively by improving its visual representation. This is illustrated in this paper by three applications developed to improve the representation of specific building analysis datasets. Each exemplifies a structured and innovative approach to the development of applications used to enable engineers to dedicate more resources to understanding the results of their analyses.
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Tristan Williams, Dino Bouchlaghem, Dennis Loveday and Charlie Law
Client satisfaction is a key element of repeat business and for securing future work in the construction industry. There are areas still in need of improvement for contractors;…
Abstract
Purpose
Client satisfaction is a key element of repeat business and for securing future work in the construction industry. There are areas still in need of improvement for contractors; these areas include the handover process to clients and the subsequent aftercare and organisational learning. Post‐occupancy evaluation (POE) offers an opportunity for a holistic perspective towards continual improvement in construction. While the challenges of POE have been well documented in the design phase, the role of the principal contractor in this area has been under‐researched. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the role of the contractor in the POE process and to identify good practice in improving the building environment for the end users.
Design/methodology/approach
The research comprised a comprehensive review of current literature with a focus on existing practices. The review highlighted a need for further research into contractor involvement in POE in the UK construction industry. An electronic questionnaire survey was produced and distributed to the United Kingdom Contractors Group. Subsequent semi‐structured interviews were conducted with willing participants from the survey, to further investigate the responses to the survey.
Findings
The key findings from the research highlighted the lack of contractor involvement in POE and insufficient knowledge on how or when to conduct POE on a project. Many of the barriers to POE identified by previous research are not applicable to contractor involvement in POE. The majority of construction professionals believe that POE is time intensive and that there is difficulty in interpreting the information collected from POE. Dissemination of information internally and externally has the potential to offer significant value to organisational and individual development of all stakeholders involved in the process.
Practical implications
The findings are likely to be of interest to designer's facilities management professionals and those involved in construction. Contractors should view POE as a business opportunity to improve the end output for the client and end‐users and not as another expensive problem.
Originality/value
This paper addresses the perceptions of POE within the major UK contractor group. It identifies relevant barriers to POE in the construction process and highlights the lack of POE penetration into the wider construction industry. The research has highlighted that POE has the potential to improve contractor performance and add value to end users of new projects. It has identified that previous research has focused on consultant‐led research as opposed to contractor‐led.
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Farid Fouchal, Tarek M. Hassan and Dennis L. Loveday
The purpose of this paper is to report on a geometrical integration methodology that can be used to organise some types of these systems. Most multipath delivery systems, such as…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to report on a geometrical integration methodology that can be used to organise some types of these systems. Most multipath delivery systems, such as Building Services (BSs), are arbitrarily distributed with no known solution to reduce the complexity in the way channels are arranged.
Design/methodology/approach
Integration for optimal functionality through reduction of geometrical complexity is achieved by understanding the elements of complexity within current practices; identifying commonalities between the various components which can be used for integration; performing an axiomatic design to resolve design complications; adopting theory of inventive problem-solving for methodology and process development towards optimal functionality; and generating a mathematical solution to inform digital modelling of optimal design. The study takes into account thermophysical and electromagnetic interactions between utilities and uses novel mathematical manipulations based on designing a manifold of spherical and cylindrical geometries joined using Bezier surfaces.
Findings
Once a solution was reached, computer-aided design (CAD) iterations were undertaken for channelling six BSs into a single unit. The outcome was concentric cylindrical–spherical shells superimposed with spacings of typically few millimetres to deliver/distribute the utilities. It is applied to bring together BSs into a single trunking system at minimal, yet appropriate, proximal distances, and it allows distribution of any number of services in any direction. Physical prototypes were produced and initial testing of their performance (reported elsewhere) has been encouraging.
Originality/value
A design methodology for integrating arbitrary distributed paths/conduits. The approach could be incorporated into CAD tools as a design feature to facilitate integration of multipath delivery systems.
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Government appointed and sponsored committees of every description—select, ad hoc, advisory, inquiry—such a prominent feature of the public scene since the last War, are…
Abstract
Government appointed and sponsored committees of every description—select, ad hoc, advisory, inquiry—such a prominent feature of the public scene since the last War, are understandable, even acceptable, reflect the urgency of the times in which we live. In the gathering gloom of more recent twilight years, they have flourished inordinately, especially in the socio‐political field, where most of their researches have been conducted. Usually embellished with the name of the figure‐head chairman, almost always expensively financed, they have one thing in common—an enormous output of words, telling us much of what we already know. So much of it seems dull, meaningless jargon, reflecting attitudes rather than sound, general principles.
Examines the seventeenth published year of the ITCRR. Runs the whole gamut of textile innovation, research and testing, some of which investigates hitherto untouched aspects…
Abstract
Examines the seventeenth published year of the ITCRR. Runs the whole gamut of textile innovation, research and testing, some of which investigates hitherto untouched aspects. Subjects discussed include cotton fabric processing, asbestos substitutes, textile adjuncts to cardiovascular surgery, wet textile processes, hand evaluation, nanotechnology, thermoplastic composites, robotic ironing, protective clothing (agricultural and industrial), ecological aspects of fibre properties – to name but a few! There would appear to be no limit to the future potential for textile applications.
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Presents data from two surveys and arguments in favour of a restructuring of the police service, in general, and police training in particular. Contends that to keep up with an…
Abstract
Presents data from two surveys and arguments in favour of a restructuring of the police service, in general, and police training in particular. Contends that to keep up with an ever‐changing world, the police has to become more versatile itself, without losing sight of its core functions: protection and security provision. These objectives can only be achieved by a police force that cooperates intensively with the people, i.e. relies on a community‐oriented approach to policing, and one whose members have been provided throughout their training with problem‐solving skills and techniques and have developed a high degree of self‐motivation. Suggests that in the current social and economic climate there is an urgent need for such reforms, best achieved through international cooperation.
In Chapter 1, a broad overview of the scope of entrepreneurialism in policing and criminal contexts which are broadly positive in nature was developed. In Chapter 2, the scrutiny…
Abstract
In Chapter 1, a broad overview of the scope of entrepreneurialism in policing and criminal contexts which are broadly positive in nature was developed. In Chapter 2, the scrutiny to cover socio-cultural and organisational barriers to the implementation of entrepreneurial policing are extended. These include police culture, organisational traits such as ‘Machismo’ and ‘Conformism’, the restrictive nature of the police rank structure, the military model of policing, bureaucracy, risk-aversion, anti-entrepreneurialism, anti-intellectualism, the ‘Maverick’ stereotype, and the ‘Questioning Constable’. Many of these elements are of a negative nature and inhibit the implementation of entrepreneurial policing and practices. Also the entrepreneurial organisation and issues such as privatisation, commercialisation, innovation, and technology which also inhibit entrepreneurialism in policing contexts, but which also offer significant opportunities, are considered.