Collective Self-Organised (CSO) housing projects are an emerging trend in Europe. In these projects communities engage in co-design throughout the process. Little knowledge exists that can support... Show More

Collective Self-Organised (CSO) housing projects are an emerging trend in Europe. In these projects communities engage in co-design throughout the process. Little knowledge exists that can support CSOs with the process of managing their projects by using state-of-the-art building information (BI) technologies. The authors introduce a BI supported CSO housing design process that can support CSOs through all stages in the design process, from early conceptual location planning through to selection of interior finishing. They illustrate the project using a demonstrative illustration of a CSO housing design process. The paper will concentrate on the development of innovative Collaborative Design Technology (CDT) solutions. The tools will be demonstrated on the basis of an illustrative demonstration case in which the CSO-process is combined with an IFD (Industrial, Flexible and Durable) building system. The particular advantages for architectural design practice will be highlighted throughout and gaps in the literature addressed.

In recent times, energy performance assessment has gained a legislative imperative in that it constitutes an indispensable criterion for preparing Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs).... Show More

In recent times, energy performance assessment has gained a legislative imperative in that it constitutes an indispensable criterion for preparing Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs). Accordingly, production of EPC which is heralded by energy audits and simulations using BIM software programs heavily depends on data accuracy. Whereas, there have been several studies on Building Information Modelling (BIM) and Building Management System (BMS) autonomously, peer reviewed literature on both regimes in concert, remain unavailable or perhaps emerging; thus, constituting a gap in the use of BIM for energy analysis. Against this background, a university administrative building with a Gross Floor Area (GFA) of 2353.91m2 has been the object of a comprehensive energy performance assessment. The principal aim being to use data collected from BMS readings to assess the building's energy performance, produce its EPC and highlight energy conservation strategies that will improve the building's productivity without compromising occupants' comfort. This study therefore attempts to put the teeming theoretical efforts on BIM in energy management into a practical perspective.

Understanding how occupants manage their energy use in homes and how their behaviour influence household energy consumption in domestic environments has been challenging. There seems to be several... Show More

Understanding how occupants manage their energy use in homes and how their behaviour influence household energy consumption in domestic environments has been challenging. There seems to be several major factors contributing towards achieving optimal performance in designing, constructing and maintaining a sustainable home using Building Information Modelling (BIM) based approaches. This study focuses on investigating the relationship between user behaviour and energy consumption through the in-depth analysis of energy usage patterns collected from a selected affordable terraced house in Prestwick, Scotland, as an initial attempt towards the future integration with BIM systems. For the purpose of this feasibility study, indoor temperature, relative humidity and CO2 sensors, as well as a gas-electricity-water utility monitor were installed in the selected home occupied by a working class nuclear household. The study encompasses the analyses of energy usage patterns in their daily life. It is confirmed that domestic energy consumption is affected by the occupants' presence and behaviour. Moreover, this paper discusses a possibility that the energy prediction approach taken in this study could work alongside BIM systems applied for housing suppliers' design decision-making on the delivery of energy efficient homes of the future.

Offsite Timber Construction has the potential to deliver important benefits for the housing sector, but there are obstacles that prevent a more widespread adoption. The advent of Building... Show More

Offsite Timber Construction has the potential to deliver important benefits for the housing sector, but there are obstacles that prevent a more widespread adoption. The advent of Building Information Modelling (BIM) has the potential to address many of these, improving the process and enhancing the end product. The paper identifies the key aspects of offsite timber construction in which BIM can play a significant role, and describes the immediate benefits that can be derived from applying BIM to those, with an emphasis on the UK market. The respective limitations are identified and discussed. The issue of financial viability is addressed and suggestions are made about how research and government initiatives can provide support for those. Finally, the need for a mid-term paradigm shift in BIM is identified, moving towards a more open and extensible strategy for construction that can respond to the expanded needs of Offsite Timber Construction.