Supporting the Reuse of Design Assets in ETO-Based Components—A Case Study from an Industrialised Post and Beam Building System

The ability to offer customisation has been considered as a competitive advantage for industrialised house building (IHB) companies. Product platform approaches have been acknowledged as one of the prominent ways to improve both internal and external efficiency. However, the use of traditional platform-based strategies does not suffice for the design of engineer-to-order (ETO)-based components in a building system. The purpose of this research is to test and evaluate how the reuse of design assets can be achieved by using a parametric modelling approach to support the design process of ETO-based components in a post and beam building system. This is an additional study using the design platform approach (DPA) that contributes to expanding the knowledge for designing ETO-based components. This research proposes a parametric design platform method developed by following an inductive approach based on the findings from a detailed study on bracket connection with a single case study in a Swedish multi-storey house building company. The proposed method offers flexibility in modelling ETO building components, facilitates design automation, and shows a 20-times improvement in the modelling process. This approach can be used in any building system with ETO-based components by identifying, formalising, and reusing connected design assets. A key finding is that the ETO components can be shifted towards configurable solutions to achieve platform-based design.

How could a work of architecture that is designed to evoke a Bilbao effect be designed sustainably and in accordance with Vitruvius’s principle?

<p>The economy of a region could potentially be enhanced if numerous travelers were attracted by the architecture, and it couldalso lead to improving the economy of the nation. This thesis considers three primary aspects which are Vitruvius’s principleand the relationship to “form follows function”, the sustainable design, and the Bilbao effect. Furthermore, Vitruvius’s principle has consisted of “the strength”, “the utility”, and “the beauty”, historically. In this thesis, the proposed building which is thecombination of museum, concert hall and accommodation is to fulfill those three primary aspects. However, many problemscould currently be identified in architecture. For instance, there has been fuzzy understanding of what architecture meansauthentically. In addition, while some complex architecture exists in the world, there are many different approaches to designit. As the methodology of this thesis-project, the concept which is to affect the proposed architecture will be determined. Inthis case, the meanings of the proposed site will be discovered. Subsequently, the experimentation of architectural forms willbe conducted with integrating the meanings into the forms. The forms created manually will be digitized by the software andthe plug-in, Rhinoceros and Grasshopper. Subsequent to the finalization of the architectural form, the environmental andbuilding-performance simulations will be executed by the other plug-ins, Honeybee and Ladybug. Besides the literature andprecedent review, the sustainable strategies will be specified, being based on the result of the simulations. Then, the architectural form will be customized with the necessary building components in order to become functional architecture as the developed design. As a result, the architecture which could potentially invoke a Bilbao effect with the sustainability and Vitruvius’s principle will be designed in this thesis. In the future, complex architecture which resembles Guggenheim MuseumBilbao will be able to be designed less difficultly, with integrating the sustainable aspect and the authentic architectural style.</p>

How could a work of architecture that is designed to evoke a Bilbao effect be designed sustainably and in accordance with Vitruvius’s principle?

<p>The economy of a region could potentially be enhanced if numerous travelers were attracted by the architecture, and it couldalso lead to improving the economy of the nation. This thesis considers three primary aspects which are Vitruvius’s principleand the relationship to “form follows function”, the sustainable design, and the Bilbao effect. Furthermore, Vitruvius’s principle has consisted of “the strength”, “the utility”, and “the beauty”, historically. In this thesis, the proposed building which is thecombination of museum, concert hall and accommodation is to fulfill those three primary aspects. However, many problemscould currently be identified in architecture. For instance, there has been fuzzy understanding of what architecture meansauthentically. In addition, while some complex architecture exists in the world, there are many different approaches to designit. As the methodology of this thesis-project, the concept which is to affect the proposed architecture will be determined. Inthis case, the meanings of the proposed site will be discovered. Subsequently, the experimentation of architectural forms willbe conducted with integrating the meanings into the forms. The forms created manually will be digitized by the software andthe plug-in, Rhinoceros and Grasshopper. Subsequent to the finalization of the architectural form, the environmental andbuilding-performance simulations will be executed by the other plug-ins, Honeybee and Ladybug. Besides the literature andprecedent review, the sustainable strategies will be specified, being based on the result of the simulations. Then, the architectural form will be customized with the necessary building components in order to become functional architecture as the developed design. As a result, the architecture which could potentially invoke a Bilbao effect with the sustainability and Vitruvius’s principle will be designed in this thesis. In the future, complex architecture which resembles Guggenheim MuseumBilbao will be able to be designed less difficultly, with integrating the sustainable aspect and the authentic architectural style.</p>

Materials research and development needs to enable efficient and electrified buildings

Because of the complexity of modern buildings—with many interconnected materials, components, and systems—fully electrifying buildings will require targeted R&D and efficient coordination across those material, component, and system levels. Because buildings that consume the smallest amount of energy are easier to electrify, energy efficiency is a crucial step toward fully electrified buildings. Materials advances will play an important role in both reducing the energy intensity of buildings and electrifying their remaining energy use. Materials are currently being explored, discovered, synthesized, evaluated, optimized, and implemented across many building components, including solid-state lighting; dynamic windows and opaque envelopes; cold climate heat pumps; thermal energy storage; heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC); refrigeration; non-vapor compression HVAC; and more. In this article, we review the current state-of-the-art of materials for various buildings end uses and discuss R&D challenges and opportunities for both efficiency and electrification. Graphical abstract

Radiant Conditioning Retrofitting for Residential Buildings

In order to achieve Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets, a majority of the existing residential building stock in Australia will require retrofitting in favour of energy-efficient solutions. This paper considers retrofitting for conditioning to be one of the most straightforward and offers the greatest potential to deliver significant comfort and energy-saving results. Radiant conditioning systems are not new, yet some game-changing innovations have taken place over the last decade that may require an entire paradigm shift in the manner we condition our buildings. The reiteration of the principle ‘thermally active systems’ suggests that our buildings need to accommodate these systems into the fabric of building components. However, extremely few products and/or innovative solutions for doing such seem to be provided by the industry. We seem incompetent with solutions that are not costing the Earth, insulating, lightweight, and offering an instant response time to conditioning. We still have the concept embedded in our minds that radiative systems consist of heavy ‘combat’ construction with time lags of a day or two and that they are very costly to implement, especially if we are to retrofit a project. The purpose of this paper is to rectify and change our understanding of radiant systems, namely through a review of the existing technology and its recent advancements. It intends to introduce the fact that radiant systems can become highly reactive, responsive, and thermally dynamic conditioning systems. Lightweight radiant systems can be 40% more energy-efficient than common air conditioners and can respond in less than 15 min rather than in the hours required of heavy radiant systems. Thus, an insulated, lightweight radiant system is ideal for retrofitting residential buildings. Furthermore, this paper supports and introduces various systems suited to retrofitting a residential building with hydronic radiant systems.

Comparison between Heat Flow Meter (HFM) and Thermometric (THM) Method for Building Wall Thermal Characterization: Latest Advances and Critical Review

It is well-known that on-site measurements are suitable for verifying the actual thermal performance of buildings. Performance assessed in situ, under actual thermal conditions, can substantially vary from the theoretical values. Therefore, experimental measurements are essential for better comprehending the thermal behavior of building components, by applying measurement systems and methods suitable to acquire data related to temperatures, heat flows and air speeds both related to the internal and external environments. These data can then be processed to compute performance indicators, such as the well-known thermal transmittance (U-value). This review aims at focusing on two experimental techniques: the widely used and standardized heat flow meter (HFM) method and the quite new thermometric (THM) method. Several scientific papers were analyzed to provide an overview on the latest advances related to these techniques, thus providing a focused critical review. This paper aims to be a valuable resource for academics and practitioners as it covers basic theory, in situ measurement equipment and criteria for sensor installation, errors, and new data post-processing methods.

Destruction Feature Extraction of Prefabricated Residential Building Components Based on BIM

In order to improve the damage feature extraction effect of prefabricated residential building components and improve the structural stability of prefabricated residential components, this paper applies BIM technology to the structural feature analysis of prefabricated residential components. Moreover, this paper adopts the simple superposition method and combines the first strength theory of material mechanics to derive the formula for calculating the cracking torque of prefabricated residential building components under compound torsion. In addition, based on the variable-angle space truss model, this paper uses a simple superposition method to derive the calculation formula for the ultimate torque of composite torsion of fabricated residential building components and applies it to the BIM fabricated residential model. Finally, this paper constructs an intelligent BIM prefabricated residential building construction damage characteristic monitoring system. Through experimental research, it can be seen that the intelligent BIM prefabricated residential building construction damage feature monitoring system proposed in this paper can monitor the damage characteristics of prefabricated residential building construction and can predict the evolution of subsequent building features.

BIM-enabled learning for building systems and technology

This paper presents a series of educational case studies for the BIM-enabled pedagogical approaches for learning building systems and technology in the early stages of architectural education and provides evidence-based arguments about the influence of BIM on the students’ learning processes. Using a dual-channel pedagogical framework the study employed an object-oriented ontological approach tightly integrated with the parameterization of building components and their behaviors. Students experienced a fully BIM-enhanced course for learning fundamental concepts of building systems and technology where the creation of parametric BIM models was the main vessel for comprehensive understanding. The results show significant conceptual and practical advantages of BIM-enabled learning as well as the observed challenges in an educational context. The study also suggests positive educational transformations due to carefully devised BIM-based pedagogical frameworks for the understanding of building systems through parametric thinking and modeling. Based on a grounded theory approach, the findings are synthesized in a theoretical learning model including the systemic relationships between building technology content and parametric BIM methodology.

The Modelling of Digital Twins Technology in the Construction Process of Prefabricated Buildings

In the process of building construction, traditional architectural design and construction methods take a long time. The built buildings perform poorly in terms of energy usage and energy conservation. The study expects to explore the potential safety hazards of prefabricated buildings during the construction process. On this basis, a modelling study of the construction process is carried out. The study uses Digital Twins (DTs) technology and prefabricated Building Information Modelling (BIM) to conduct in-depth modelling research on the building construction process. The prefabricated building construction system oriented to DTs technology can well solve the problems of structural damage and deformation in the production, transportation, and assembly process of building components. Especially in prefabricated buildings, it can monitor and accurately predict the damage of building components that may occur in the entire system due to structural problems and material problems in real time. Regarding the building information model, the study uses third-party software to transfer the assembly information to the network cloud to further realize the display of the BIM. The study shows that the maximum value of the effective risk cases selected is 130, and its effective rate is 100%; after processing the data, it is found that the initial value is always stable, and its value is 1; the extracted value is always changing, the maximum value is 0.86, and the minimum is 0.75. By this result, the conclusion is that DTs technology and BIM can effectively monitor the indicators of risk problems during the construction of prefabricated buildings and can further reduce potential safety hazards. Through building information modelling, the development of intelligent industrialization of building construction design and the in-depth study of construction modelling has practical application value.