Kathryn Davies

Toward a Learning-Styles Profile of Construction Students: Results from New Zealand

The purpose of this research was to identify a group learning-styles profile for construction students. The identification of a discipline-specific student learning-styles profile has important implications for college instructors. Such a profile aids educators in designing classroom teaching strategies. Individual learning-styles profiles were obtained from 153 construction students in New Zealand using the Productivity Environmental Productivity Survey (PEPS). These data were aggregated, and six PEPS factors were considered significant as the basis for a construction student learning-styles profile. The identified preferred learning-styles of construction students in New Zealand based on these six factors appear to have strong similarities to preferences of construction students in the United States and Hong Kong. The proposed group profile for construction students supports earlier calls for activity-based classroom teaching strategies using peer learning with a high degree of instructor monitoring. Construction students also appear to want highly structured course content and assignments that are presented graphically with little text.

Making friends with Frankenstein: hybrid practice in BIM

Purpose Although the potential of Building Information Modelling (BIM) to generate process and performance improvement in the construction industry has been widely documented, very few projects operate in a wholly BIM environment. The purpose of this paper is to explore the factors that lead to hybrid practice in BIM across disciplines or project stages, and accommodations that must be reached within BIM project frameworks to allow for it. Design/methodology/approach In-depth semi-structured interviews were carried out with 38 BIM specialists from Australia and New Zealand, representing a variety of construction industry disciplines and roles. Data on current practice and experiences in BIM were analysed using a thematic approach within a qualitative framework. Findings Hybrid BIM practice is shown to be a common experience for practitioners in New Zealand and Australia. It is presented as a valid model of BIM adoption; both as a development stage in the process towards more complete BIM implementation, and also as an adoption model in its own right. Research limitations/implications The paper is based on data from New Zealand and Australia, which are currently developing BIM markets. Although surveys have demonstrated many similarities in BIM adoption processes internationally, results may be less applicable to more mature markets. Practical implications The paper suggests that instead of regarding hybrid BIM negatively as an unsuccessful implementation, companies should seek to identify and manage the causes and effects of hybridisation in order to improve project outcomes. Originality/value This paper addresses the management of transitional stages of BIM implementation, which is often overlooked in research.

Practice vs. Prescription - An Examination of the Defined Roles in the NZ BIM Handbook

The emergence of formal BIM-specialist roles was one of the earliest and more obvious changes to industry practice resulting from the introduction of BIM, but literature suggests that the scope of tasks and responsibilities within such a role remains poorly defined. Following the lead of earlier international guides and handbooks, the recently developed New Zealand BIM Handbook provides a definition of the key roles required for successful BIM implementation in a project. A set of minimum responsibilities are prescribed for project, discipline and technical elements of each BIM-specialist role. This Handbook, however, is now being introduced into an industry in which BIM practice has been evolving over several years in a far less structured manner. In order to identify current practice within such roles, New Zealand BIM specialists across a range of disciplines were interviewed. The resulting analysis examines the prescribed roles and responsibilities, as set out in the Handbook, in the light of existing practice. The discussion encompasses skill sets, role development, reporting and accountability, and the background and training of specialists. Differences in practice between disciplines are identified, and wider concerns over the career trajectory of the BIM specialist are discussed.

Baby steps with BIM – learning to walk the talk

Although there is a great deal of enthusiasm reported for companies to adopt BIM for improved project outcomes and industry productivity, the process of developing BIM expertise is not always an easy one. Project teams frequently come together with a very wide range of knowledge and differing levels of enthusiasm for taking on a BIM OexperimentO. This paper details the BIM implementation process on two New Zealand projects undertaking BIM with largely inexperienced teams. Interviews were carried out with practitioners involved in the projects, who were largely OBIM positiveO. Their narratives present an optimistic view of the BIM intentions, while still being realistic about problems that emerged. Issues for future consideration are identified. Most revolve around team communication factors and the importance of open and constructive relationships with all parties.

Overheating in Auckland homes: testing and interventions in full-scale and simulated houses

ABSTRACT New Zealand dwellings have thermal conditions managed with relatively light regulation. No minimum airtightness standards exist and historical increases in required insulation levels aimed to reduce winter heating energy consumption. A consequence of this policy is an increased potential for overheating in summer. There has been a steady increase in the use of heat pumps, risking heating energy savings being outweighed by cooling energy increases. Internal temperatures and humidity were monitored in the living spaces of three unoccupied, transportable houses over all four seasons of the Auckland climate. The houses are located on the same site and are of identical construction, apart from selected interventions which were tested to explore their potential to mitigate overheating. Results indicate that overheating can be extreme and long lasting. High internal temperatures are very closely connected with solar gains. Internal temperatures reached 32°C in autumn. Roof space temperatures reached 51°C in summertime. Interventions resulted in modest improvements and an airtight construction provided a small thermal benefit. A thermal model for the houses was developed using EnergyPlus and compared with actual measurements and the interventions. Early results point to the further need to reduce solar gain, increase roof-space ventilation and increase mass, where feasible.