scholarly journals Between craft and regulations: experiences with the construction of two “super insulated” buildings in Norway

2017 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 59-70 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ruth Woods ◽  
Marius Støylen Korsnes
Keyword(s):  
Construction Industry ◽  
Building Materials ◽  
Energy Use ◽  
Material Structure ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Building Stock ◽  
Sustainable Building ◽  
Building Regulations ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Building Standards

Building regulations set standards that aim to reduce energy use and CO2 emissions, and thereby to support the development of a more sustainable building stock. The Norwegian government uses building regulations to influence the construction industry, and they directly affect how craftspeople from the industry apply their skills. Regulations are converging with understandings about sustainability, energy use, building materials, and comfort requirements that are circulating in society. In this paper, we investigate the negotiations between the meaning and value associated with the requirements for the material structure and the craftsperson’s role. Two houses in Central Norway are the starting point, where qualitative methods, primarily semi-structured interviews and observation, are used to gain insight into the craftsperson’s view of the Norwegian building regulations. The two houses represent two different building standards. A Passive House in Åfjord Municipality, completed in 2014, and ZEB Living Lab in Trondheim, a zero emission building (ZEB), completed in 2015. In Norway, the building regulations are reviewed every five years. In 2011, craftspeople were constructing buildings to the low-energy standard. This led to an increased focus on “super insulating” building techniques during period 2013-16 when the case studies took place. Starting with a craftsperson’s (in this case most often a carpenter’s) view of current and future building standards, this paper asks what implications the increasing demands for energy efficient and environmentally friendly buildings have on the role of the craftsperson and their application of skill. The paper shows that the construction industry bases much of its activity on Norwegian construction traditions and skill; and that this guides the development of new generations of buildings. The use of established skills and knowledge is both a strength and a challenge when dealing with a new set of building regulations. Skill is a resource to build upon, but it is also influenced by a conservativism that has difficulties getting beyond the extra time and costs associated with new regulations. It can therefore function as a barrier to the use of construction crafts to establish more sustainable building forms within the Norwegian market.

scholarly journals Integrated Evaluation of the Impediments to the Adoption of Coconut Palm Wood as a Sustainable Material for Building Construction

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (18) ◽  
pp. 7676 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mahmoud Sodangi ◽  
Zaheer Abbas Kazmi
Keyword(s):  
Construction Industry ◽  
Building Material ◽  
Building Materials ◽  
Matrix Multiplication ◽  
Green Building ◽  
Coconut Palm ◽  
Building Construction ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Sustainable Building ◽  
Governmental Institutions

Coconut palm wood is commonly regarded as a sustainable building material. Nonetheless, its adoption as a green building material by the construction industry is limited, particularly in West Africa. This paper analyses the impediments to the effective adoption of coconut palm wood in residential building construction. The research data was collected from literature reviews, expert-based surveys, and semi-structured interviews with specialists from the construction sector, African Timber Organization, governmental institutions related to forestry and construction, university professors, and researchers in the areas of sustainable building materials and construction. Thirteen crucial impediments were identified and an integrated evaluation of the impediments was conducted using the Interpretive Structural Modelling (ISM) technique to examine the hierarchical structure of the relations between the impediments. A further technique, Cross-impact Matrix Multiplication Applied to Classification (MICMAC), was used to categorize the impediments from a driving to driven perspective. This categorization provides a unique profile for the impediments, which is different from that of conventional evaluation techniques for evaluating impediments. The findings of this paper offer useful guide to practitioners and policy makers in formulating effective policies, regulations, and standards that will promote the development and wide adoption of coconut palm wood in the construction industry.

Low Embodied Energy Sustainable Building Materials and Technologies

2015 ◽  
Vol 650 ◽  
pp. 13-20
Author(s):  
Ashok Kumar ◽  
P.S. Chani ◽  
Rajesh Deoliya
Keyword(s):  
Construction Industry ◽  
Building Materials ◽  
Embodied Energy ◽  
Energy Materials ◽  
Sustainable Building ◽  
Comprehensive Literature Review ◽  
Construction Techniques ◽  
The World ◽  
New Buildings ◽  
Sustainable Building Materials

Construction industry is one of the largest consumers of the natural resources and responsible for substantial amount of CO2emission in the world. The purpose of this paper is to carry out comprehensive literature review on the low embodied energy materials and techniques used in the existing and / or new buildings in India. The paper also compares the conventional building materials and techniques, with alternative ones to assess their superiority. An investigation into the energy consumed by the building materials and techniques is computed to find out the embodied energy requirements to prove superiority of innovative construction techniques over traditional materials.

scholarly journals Sustainable Material Awareness, Belief and Readiness in Housing Development

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 88
Author(s):  
Kim Dung Thi Vu ◽  
Bao Ngoc Nguyen
Keyword(s):  
Construction Industry ◽  
Renewable Resources ◽  
Building Materials ◽  
Sustainable Building ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Managerial Implications ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Sustainable Materials ◽  
Future Work ◽  
Sustainable Building Materials

The construction industry is one of the industries accounting for a large proportion of Vietnam's overall GDP. It is also one of the least sustainable industries with extensive use of non-renewable resources. A study on the current situation of occupational awareness of sustainable building materials, identifying factors that prevent the diffusion of sustainable building materials is critical. The present study raised the theoretical basis of using sustainable building materials for the construction industry. Questionnaire data from 130 valid responses were used to carry out statistical analysis and make interpretation of results. The results indicate no significant difference between the two groups of respondents in awareness, belief, and readiness towards sustainable materials. The awareness and readiness levels are higher among construction practitioners who have experience. The present findings might suggest several courses of action to solve the problem of sustainable materials being overlooked. Our research suggests that it is essential for policymakers to encourage stakeholders to consider sustainability more seriously. The research findings have profound managerial implications that experienced practitioners might significantly impact the decision-making process in the realm of sustainable orientation. Future work should concentrate on integrating sustainable building materials into innovative and transformative practices in the construction industry. Keywords: sustainable materials; awareness; belief; readiness; Vietnam; construction industry

scholarly journals Architectural dimension of sustainability: Re-establishing the concept of recycling

Spatium ◽  
2017 ◽  
pp. 66-73 ◽  
Author(s):  
Milan Sijakovic ◽  
Tanja Bajic
Keyword(s):  
Construction Industry ◽  
Architectural Design ◽  
Energy Use ◽  
Sustainable Design ◽  
Radical Change ◽  
New Work ◽  
Existing Buildings ◽  
Land Loss ◽  
Building Stock ◽  
Waste Energy

Building related processes as water pollution, landfill waste, energy use and related emissions of global warming gases, material and land loss, are undisputable proofs of the devastating effects of the construction industry on our environment. Given that only a small percentage of a total building stock is made out of new work, it is not enough to develop strategies and principles for a sustainable design only for the new projects, but for the existing buildings as well. Therefore, it is essential that, through repurposing, we consider what can be done with what we already have if we are to significantly benefit sustainability agenda in the future. This research focuses on the concept of architectural recycling as a method for achieving sustainable architectural design. In the first place, two concepts, two extremes in dealing with existing buildings will be analysed: 1) preservation as radical stasis and 2) destruction as radical change. This analysis will enable the formulation of the concept of architectural recycling as the ?preservation through change?, viewed as a sustainable response to rapidly changing conditions. The elaboration of the concept of architectural recycling, as a key method for responding to the sustainability agenda, is the focus of this paper.

Status of lean construction implementation among small and medium building contractors (SMBCs) in Ghana

2020 ◽  
Vol 18 (6) ◽  
pp. 1691-1709
Author(s):  
Emmanuel Nsiah Ankomah ◽  
Joshua Ayarkwa ◽  
Kofi Agyekum
Keyword(s):  
Construction Industry ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Lean Construction ◽  
The Body ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Study Approach ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
The Status

Purpose The purpose of this study is to ascertain the extent to which the practices of small and medium building contractors (SMBCs) conform to lean construction (LC) principles. Ultimately, practical results encourage a discourse on the true potentials and challenges to the holistic uptake of LC principles in the Ghanaian construction industry. Design/methodology/approach This research is based on a qualitative case study approach. The data was obtained through face-to-face structured interviews. Findings Across the cases, it was realized that there is a low-level application of LC principles among SMBCs. There was no indication that lean concepts were used on a company-wide basis in the Ghanaian construction industry. Furthermore, the study revealed that the traditional wasteful approach to managing construction projects was still prevalent among the firms. Practical implications This paper uses the 4P model as a foundation for assessing the extent to which the practices of SMBCs conform to LC principles. Practically, the study also created a certain level of awareness among the SMBCs about LC, LC principles and the benefits of the application of these principles within organizations. Originality/value This study contributes to the body of knowledge as it uncovers the status of LC implementation among SMBCs in the Ghanaian construction industry. The findings that are presented in this paper can be used as a starting point to disseminate the research and practice of LC among SMBCs.

Reed as a Thermal Insulation Material: Experimental Characterisation of the Physical and Thermal Properties

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raphaele Malheiro ◽  
Adriana Ansolin ◽  
Christiane Guarnier ◽  
Jorge Fernandes ◽  
Lívia Cosentino ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Insulation ◽  
Thermal Performance ◽  
Carbon Emissions ◽  
Building Materials ◽  
Energy Use ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Insulation Material ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Building Stock ◽  
Thermal Insulation Material

The building sector plays a significant role in reducing global energy use and carbon emissions. In the European Union (EU), the building stock represents 40% of total energy use and in which cooling and heating systems represent over 50%. Portugal is one of the EU countries where the consequences of energy poverty are most evident due to the families' financial inability to adequately climate their homes. The reasons are several, but they are mainly linked to buildings' poor passive thermal performance, resulting from inadequate adaptation to the climatic context and reduced thermal insulation. Thus, it is necessary to develop solutions to increase buildings’ thermal performance and reduce their potential environmental impact, which arises mainly from the significant use of active systems. In this sense, natural building materials are a promising solution, reducing energy use and carbon emissions related to buildings. This research studies the potential use of reed found in Portugal (Arundo donax) as a thermal insulation material. Its physical characterisation and the influence of geometry configuration on its thermal performance are evaluated. Its durability was studied too. Reed stalks were used to carry out the physical and durability tests. A reed board (150 x 150 mm) was built, and its thermal performance was tested in a hotbox. According to the results, the characteristics of reeds found in Portugal make it suitable to be used as a building material. Furthermore, regardless of the configuration studied, the reeds have a satisfactory thermal performance to be used as thermal insulation, under the requirements defined by Portuguese thermal regulation, Re ≥ 0.30 (m2.oC)/W. There is a trend to the mould growth in the reed, but only under favourable conditions. Additionally, considering the abundance of reed throughout the Portuguese territory, this is an eco-friendly and low-cost option that gathers all requirements to be more used in the construction market.

scholarly journals The Transition to Improved Water-Related Energy Management: Enabling Contexts for Policy Innovation

Water ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 557 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amanda Binks ◽  
Brian Head ◽  
Paul Lant ◽  
Steven Kenway
Keyword(s):  
Energy Use ◽  
Residential Building ◽  
Institutional Entrepreneurship ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Related Energy ◽  
Transitions Theory ◽  
Household Water ◽  
Key Policy ◽  
New Perspective ◽  
Building Standards

We explored the potential for improved policy and regulation with a direct focus on household water-related energy (WRE) management in urban Victoria (Australia). Semi-structured interviews were employed to understand the perspectives of relevant actors within the existing institutional landscape. In this paper, questions about institutional and policy change are addressed through consideration of the literature on transitions management and institutional entrepreneurship. Key policy opportunities identified by the actors include consumer education and advocacy for behaviour change and technology adoption, and further development of residential building standards to improve the selection and layout of building services at the design phase. The work highlights medium-term opportunities to create an enabling environment for policy practitioners in Victoria to improve management of water-related energy use in households. The work provides an important new perspective on transitions theory in the field of integrated resources management.

Barriers to the use of sustainable materials in Australian building projects

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sheetal Gounder ◽  
Abid Hasan ◽  
Asheem Shrestha ◽  
Abbas Elmualim
Keyword(s):  
Construction Industry ◽  
Building Materials ◽  
Construction Materials ◽  
Building Projects ◽  
Sustainable Building ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Sustainable Materials ◽  
Main Barrier ◽  
Economic Considerations ◽  
Sustainable Building Materials

PurposeAlthough the adverse effects of construction activities on the environment and the need for sustainable construction practices are recognised in both research and practice, any significant shift in the selection and use of construction materials from the sustainability perspective has not taken place in many building projects. Still, conventional construction materials are widely used in building projects in both developed and developing countries. This study attempts to identify the main barriers to the use of sustainable materials in building projects in an advanced economy such as Australia.Design/methodology/approachThis study adopted a questionnaire survey approach to examine the main reasons behind the low usage of sustainable materials in building projects. Based on the relative importance index, exploratory factor analysis and multinomial logistic regression analysis, the study examined the main barrier measures and barrier factors to the use of sustainable materials in building projects.FindingsThe findings reveal that critical barriers to the use of sustainable materials are related to cost and profit considerations, the unwillingness of the key stakeholders to incorporate these materials into building projects, lack of incentives and government policies. The factor analysis reduced the critical barrier measures into three factors: techno-economic considerations, cost and delay concerns and resistance to use. Furthermore, multinomial regression analysis based on the extracted factors identified techno-economic considerations as the main barrier factor to the use of sustainable materials in building projects.Practical implicationsThe empirical results of this research can inform construction practitioners, organisations and policymakers on how to increase the use of sustainable building materials in the construction industry.Originality/valueIdentification of barriers to the use of sustainable building materials is a prerequisite to improve their uptake and use in the construction industry. The study fills a gap in the existing research on the use of sustainable materials in building projects in Australia.

Knowledge production and capabilities – their importance and challenges for construction organisations in China

2006 ◽  
Vol 1 (3) ◽  
pp. 304-321 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charles Egbu
Keyword(s):  
Construction Industry ◽  
Knowledge Production ◽  
Building Materials ◽  
Continuing Professional Development ◽  
Organisational Change ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Skilled Personnel ◽  
Training Programmes ◽  
The Uk

PurposeThis paper seeks to address the importance of knowledge production and capabilities for the construction industry; and the implications of the challenges associated with their effective exploitation for the construction industry in China.Design/methodology/approachA thorough review of extant literature and 31 detailed semi‐structured interviews with practitioners from 14 large, medium and small organisations in the UK construction industry. Content analysis was adopted as the analytical approach.FindingsThe main triggers of knowledge production in the construction industry are: the need to effectively deal with complex projects; the effective use of new, innovative building materials, systems, services; managing change (both project change and organisational change); coping with the uniqueness of projects; and managing team member interfaces (e.g. consultant‐contractor). Knowledge production is a complex process which can occur through a number of ways (e.g. formal research, reflective practice, transformation and combination of existing knowledge). Organisational culture influences knowledge production both positively and negatively.Originality/valueThis paper addresses the main ways in which knowledge production can benefit construction organisations and can impact positively to organisational innovations. It addresses the role of leadership and culture in knowledge production in organisations. Skilled and competent workforce is key in knowledge production, especially in addressing problem‐solving situations. Appropriate and focused training programmes (e.g. continuing professional development events, other short courses, in‐house programmes‐mentoring, coaching, and job rotation) are important in stimulating approaches for improved knowledge production in organisations. As shortages of skilled personnel are rife in construction in China, organisations need to take the issue of knowledge production more seriously.

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