Barry J. Gledson

Rapid LEED evaluation performed with BIM based sustainability analysis on a virtual construction project

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to examine the feasibility of using 3D simulation transfer processes to streamline the environmental assessment of buildings that have been designed digitally using building information modelling (BIM). The case study presented relates to a competition (“Build Qatar Live”) in which one of the winning team’s objectives was to create a smart process for assessing the design against the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) criteria. The experience indicated that a rapid, concurrent and efficient LEED evaluation was possible within the BIM process. The study presents technological approaches that can be adopted within the BIM environment to simplify the environmental assessments and embrace practices that reduce environmental and ecological impacts. Design/methodology/approach – The methodology encompassed an overview of how rapid high-value data exchange occurs within BIM to achieve a sustainable building design as part of an international design competi...

Hybrid project delivery processes observed in constructor BIM innovation adoption

Purpose Exploratory research was undertaken focusing upon an innovation adoption decision taken by a regional UK division of a large international contracting organisation implementing building information modelling (BIM) into their project delivery processes. The purpose of this paper was to gain new insights through observations of the process and analysis of the views of employees about organisational BIM adoption during the implementation stage of the innovation-decision process. Design/methodology/approach Case study research was performed focussing on initial BIM projects delivered by an early adopter organisation. Observations and semi-structured interviews were used as part of a data collection strategy, and an iterative research approach was adopted. Findings During implementation stages of BIM innovation adoption, organisations may have to make use of hybrid project delivery methods on initial adopter projects while also working concomitantly with existing systems, processes and personnel not yet ready to adapt to BIM methodology. Originality/value The work captures previously unseen phenomena of how such an organisation and its staff have adapted to BIM innovation adoption during a programme of organisational change. The identification of hybrid project delivery processes has generated further implications for practice and research into the effectiveness of construction production information management.

Towards green building performance evaluation using asset information modelling

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide a unique conceptual framework for integrated asset management strategy that includes making use of available facility assessment methods and tools such as BREEAM In-Use, and Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED); and highlights proposes areas of commonality between these and the use of as-built Building Information Modelling, that ultimately becomes the Asset Information Model (AIM). This framework will consider the emerging requirements for the capture of Building Performance Attribute Data (BPAD), and how these can be managed in order to assist with effective post-construction building performance evaluation. Design/methodology/approach – A review of the current process relevant to the development of as-built BIMs and AIMs was undertaken which included a discussion of BIM standards and of the COBie process. This was combined with data provided by industry practitioners. This led to the concept of BPADs being developed, to be used within ex...

The adoption of 4D BIM in the UK construction industry: an innovation diffusion approach

British construction industry KPI data collected over recent years shows a trend in projects exceeding their time schedules. In 2013, the UK Government set a target for projects timeframes to reduce by 50 per cent. Proposed interventions included more rapid project delivery processes, and consistent improvements to construction delivery predictions, deployed within the framework of 4D Building Information Modelling (BIM). The purpose of this paper is to use Rogers’ Innovation Diffusion theory as a basis to investigate how this adoption has taken place.,In total, 97 construction planning practitioners were surveyed to measure 4D BIM innovation take-up over time. Classic innovation diffusion research methods were adopted.,Results indicated an increasing rate of 4D BIM adoption and reveal a time lag between awareness and first use that is characteristic of this type of innovation.,Use of a non-probability sampling strategy prevents the results being generalisable to the wider construction population. Future research directions and methods are suggested, including qualitative investigations into decision-making processes around 4D BIM, and case studies exploring the consequences of 4D BIM adoption.,Recommendations of how to facilitate the adoption of 4D BIM innovation are proposed, which identify the critical aspects of system compatibility and safe trialling of the innovation.,This paper reinforces 4D BIM as an innovation and records its actual UK industry adoption rate using an accepted diffusion research method. By focusing on UK industry-wide diffusion the work also stands apart from more typical research efforts that limit innovation diffusion exploration to individual organisations.

The efficient scheduling of resources in engineering construction projects: reflections on a case study from Iran

A particular problem for productivity in engineering construction projects is poor front-end planning, in particular, the lack of attention to resource-loaded schedules. In such projects, resources are highly specific and constrained, resulting in conflicts that can compromise planned durations and add cost. There are many techniques available for mitigating these conflicts. These have been extensively reported and compared in the literature and some have been adopted into commercially available computerized scheduling packages that are used by most major contractors. Project managers normally have access only to the techniques offered by the software that their organizations happen to use. In the reported case, a heuristic algorithm developed by academics was implemented and tested against a well-known standard software scheduling tool on the construction of a combined-cycle power plant in Iran. When results were compared, the performance of the manually applied algorithm was found to be superior in its ability to provide acceptable time–cost trade-offs. The underlying argument is twofold. First, that deficiencies in planning (particularly the reconciliation of resource constraints with completion targets) are responsible for poor productivity in engineering construction projects. Second, as improved techniques for optimizing ‘resource-loaded’ schedules are continually being sought and devised, they should be made available to project managers; and the best way for this to happen is for them to be incorporated into commercially available project management software.

Exploring organisational attributes affecting the innovativeness of UK SMEs

Purpose The UK construction sector of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) has received criticism for a perceived lack of desire to innovate. Previous research has identified attributes such as company size and levels of research and development expenditure as being significant and causal variables determining this response. The purpose of this study was to further explore organisational attributes that determine innovation likeliness within construction SMEs. Design/methodology/approach Web-based questionnaires were administered to 101 construction professionals. Responses from large companies and SMEs were compared, and data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistical methods. Findings The findings indicate that SMEs do implement a substantial amount of innovation to improve profitability. Both organisational maturity and in-house design capability were found to impact SME innovativeness. Originality/value The study provides further evidence that the UK construction SME sector is evolving away from traditional to more innovative practices.

Analysing the Technical and Behavioural Shifts of Social Housing Tenants Following the Retrofitting of External Wall Insulation

Environmental, economic and social issues present local housing associations with many challenges in terms of management of their existing housing stock. Multiple problems arise from poorly insulated properties, and the twin foci of this research regards the performance of residential external wall insulation (EWI), and identifying the additional benefits that EWI provides to social housing tenants,, which are uncovered through means of behavioural and technical monitoring. The research process generated two sets of data points per household relating to the start and the end of the study and comparative analysis techniques are used to identify changes in user behaviours. Qualitative and quantitative data were collected using survey methods that explored environmental knowledge, attitudes, beliefs and everyday behaviours with regard to energy consumption and use. Additional data capture involved temperature logging, meter reading, thermal imaging and the analysis of energy meter readings to monitor changes in usage in the pre and post stages of retrofitting EWI. The results of this study identify changes in the technical performance of the properties and benefits in the well-being and behaviour of the tenants.

Use of Simulation Through BIM-Enabled Virtual Projects to Enhance Learning and Soft Employability Skills in Architectural Technology Education

Traditional teacher-led methods in higher education such as the customary use of lectures can result in passive learning behaviour being adopted by students. Academic theorists consider alternative approaches that encourage active learning more desirable. This chapter reports on the use of a simulated virtual project designed to introduce project-based learning into the classroom environment. Over a 2-day duration, several pairs of second year undergraduate Architectural Technology students developed competing designs across multiple predetermined work stages. Starting from an initial strategy briefing, students were able to rapidly progress through to a more developed design stage because of the use of BIM technology and processes. Data were collected from participants to measure perceptions of the various areas of learning and skills development that had occurred because of their participation in the virtual project. Findings indicate that students believe they had gained greater depth of subject understanding and developed a range of personal, interpersonal, self-management, and initiative and delivery skills. The conclusion is that further introduction of project-based learning via simulation using virtual projects could be of high value across a range of built environment programmes taught across the higher education sector.