Architecture Commons^™

Exploring The Impact Of Design Professionals On The Energy Retrofit Of Dwellings In Ireland: A Qualitative Methodology, Olivia Golden

Conference papers

A qualitative approach was taken to investigate the role of design professionals in the energy retrofit of external wall insulation to dwellings in Ireland. The research method combines document analysis with semi structured interviews. Document analysis is used to both inform the questions for the interviews and for validation. The SEAI One Stop Shop grant scheme and PAS 2035 framework were selected for detailed document analysis to gain an understanding of the context in which design professionals are working in Ireland and compare it to the energy retrofit framework in the United Kingdom. This was investigated by mapping the data …

Information Management Plan - Organisational, Robert Moore

Tools

Information Management Plan – Organisational, is a support in a spreadsheet format that contains a number of client templates that ISO 19650 recommend the Employer/Client/Sanctioning authority should consider before starting a delivery project for an Asset.

Build Digital has created Industry templates to allow organisations work in accordance with ISO 19650. These templates start to address the information requirements in the ISO 19650 series of standards. The templates are also in accordance with CEN-TR17654-2021” Guideline for the implementation of Exchange Information Requirements (EIR)and BIM Execution Plans (BEP) on European level based on EN ISO 19650-1 and -2”. Aspects of the …

Project Information Standard – File Naming, Robert Moore

Tools

Project Information Standard – File Naming is a support in a spreadsheet format that contains a number of templates that give guidance on file naming in accordance with the Irish National Annexe to ISO 19650-2.

Build Digital has created Industry templates to allow organisations work in accordance with ISO 19650. These templates start to address the information requirements in the ISO 19650 series of standards. The templates are also in accordance with CEN-TR17654-2021” Guideline for the implementation of Exchange Information Requirements (EIR)and BIM Execution Plans (BEP) on European level based on EN ISO 19650-1 and -2”. Aspects of the Templates …

Information Management Plan – Appointing Party, Robert Moore

Tools

Information Management Plan – Appointing Party is a support in a spreadsheet format that contains a number of client templates that ISO 19650 recommend the Employer/Client/Sanctioning authority should consider when appointing a delivery team to a delivery project for an Asset.

Build Digital has created Industry templates to allow organisations work in accordance with ISO 19650. These templates start to address the information requirements in the ISO 19650 series of standards. The templates are also in accordance with CEN-TR17654-2021” Guideline for the implementation of Exchange Information Requirements (EIR)and BIM Execution Plans (BEP) on European level based on EN ISO 19650-1 …

International Information Management And Bim Best Practice Report, Ted Mckenna, Davitt Lamon

Reports

In order to inform the Digital Leadership and Cultural Change pillar of the Build Digital, a study of international best practice in digital adoption within the built environment sector globally was undertaken and is presented here-in. In order to identify key learnings for Ireland in the context of digital transformation, eight countries were included in this study, namely, Denmark, Finland, Netherlands, Germany, United Kingdom (UK), New Zealand, Australia and Singapore. These countries were selected for various reasons, including the level of digital maturity, the scale of the built environment sector and geographic spread. Key data for each country is included …

Sustainability And Circular Economy Horizon Scan And Needs Analysis, Sadaf Dalirazar, Mark Kelly, Derek Sinnott, James O'Donnell

Reports

The construction industry plays a crucial role in addressing the climate crisis as it is the largest global consumer of raw materials and contributes significantly to global energy consumption and emissions. Considering the world’s continuous population growth and the imperative to address infrastructure and housing demands the construction sector needs to adopt further sustainable strategies in its activities to reduce the pressure on natural resources. In addition, the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) sector is responsible for generating substantial amount of waste known as Construction and Demolition Waste (CDW), which is projected to increase due to the future construction developments. …

Information Management And Bim Standards And Supports Inventory, Ryan Dempsey, Barry Mcauley, David Burke

Tools

The Digital Standards pillar consists of industry experts who champion the benefits of common rules, guidelines, and workflows that facilitate the improvement of information flow and information management across asset life cycles. Digital standards provide a common language that can be translated to technical specifications enabling clients, designers, contractors, and facilities managers, irrespective of their preferred tools, to communicate efficiently and reduce cost, rework, and disputes. Working closely with the Digital Procurement and Digital Education and Training pillars, this pillar is developing and delivering Irish Information Management/BIM (Digital Construction) guidelines for the sector.

This report summarises existing digital construction standards, …

Digital Construction Annual Survey 2022 Report, Davitt Lamon, Ted Mckenna

Reports

The Annual Survey 2022 was conducted to assess the state of digital transformation in the Irish construction and built environment sector. This report presents the analysis of survey data, with a focus on implications for the Build Digital project and Build Digital’s five pillars: Digital Leadership & Cultural Change, Digital Standards, Digital Education & Training, Digital Procurement, and Sustainability & Circular Economy. Key findings from the survey indicated that a significant number of organisations have started their digital transformation journey, with many identifying themselves as proactive and possessing a clear business-focused strategy. However, a considerable cohort of respondents are keen …

Using Bim Technologies To Calculate And Visualise The Global Warming Potential Of Building Materials, Ryan Dempsey, Malachy Mathews Dr.

Conference Papers

The built environment has a significant potential to reduce carbon emissions and raw material consumption. Digitisation processes such as Building Information Modelling (BIM) and Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) can offer solutions to improve sustainability throughout the building’s life cycle for the decarbonisation of the industry. In Ireland, the Royal Institute of Architects Ireland (RIAI) launched the 2030 Climate Challenge in response to the climate emergency. This sets out a list of targets to meet before 2030 for carbon emissions within the built environment. This research aims to investigate if the application of BIM tools can be leveraged to automate Global …

An Investigation Into Ireland’S Bim Skills Gap, Guadalupe Centanni, Barry Mcauley

Conference Papers

The adoption of digital skills within the Irish AEC Sector has the potential to enhance efficiency and competitiveness among its stakeholders. Despite this opportunity, there is still a high demand for skilled BIM professionals, which cannot be currently met. To meet this skills demand and directly target future skills gaps within Ireland, several challenges must be addressed to facilitate broader BIM adoption. This paper focuses on addressing this gap by identifying steps to be followed to develop skilled professionals within BIM. This has been achieved by investigating the extent to which construction stakeholders in Ireland comprehend BIM and, examiningthe training …

Accelerating Bim Adoption In Ireland: A Ten-Year Review Of Cita Bim Gathering Proceedings, Alan Hore, Roger West, Barry Mcauley

Conference Papers

Digital construction interfaces have been studied extensively over the last few decades, with an ever-grow- ing catalogue of publications. The CitA BIM Gathering conferences have played a key role in bringing together the research and industry communities ina collaborative setting over the past decade in Ireland. In this paper the authors systematically review 10 years of papers published in the BIM Gathering pro- ceedings since the inaugural conference in 2013. A total of 175 papers involving over 200 authors have been reviewed and classified under the 2018 World Economic Forum (WEF) recommendations in respect to ac- celerating BIM adoption. The …

Industry Colloquium Report, Robert Moore

Reports

In the ever-evolving landscape of the construction industry, digital transformation has emerged as a pivotal force reshaping the way projects are conceived, executed, and delivered. This transformation, fuelled by cutting-edge technology and innovative practices, holds the promise of greater efficiency, sustainability, and collaboration within the construction sector.

This report offers a comprehensive summary of the Build Digital Project colloquium. It provides actionable insights and recommendations for clients, supply chain partners, and for prioritisation within the Build Digital Project pillars. As the industry partners seek to build a more efficient, sustainable, and collaborative construction sector, understanding and harnessing the invaluable insights …

Skills Matter – Up-Skilling Across Construction Stakeholders For Emerging Roles, Avril Behan, Paul Mccormack, Barry Mcauley

Conference Papers

The EU’s Climate Target Plan To 2030 (European Union 2020b) of achieving at least 55% reduction in Green House Gas emissions from 1990 levels, delivering towards a climate-neutral economy by 2050, requires systems-level change in the way we design, construct, and operate our built assets. Funding initiatives, such as co-ordinated by BUILD UP Skills, aim to deliver upskilling to the market but targets set by the European Skills Agenda may not be reached at current achievement levels. This paper presents the results of one completed and the progress of one ongoing Horizon 2020 funded project, BIMcert and ARISE, respectively. Learning …

Supporting The Delivery Of Information Management And Bim In Ireland: Learnings From Selected International Regions, Alan Hore, Ciaran Mcnally, Adekunle Qudus Adeleke, Wahib Saif

Reports

The Executive Summary introduction the report recommendations for Build Digital with respect to information management and the use of BIM as a critical vehicle of innovation to unlock improved project outcomes in construction.

Digital Education And Training Inventory, Ken Thomas, Joe Harrington, Robin Stubbs, Emily Shakespeare, Theresa Marie Greiwe

Tools

As the construction industry continues to evolve and increasingly embraces digitisation, an early-stage deliverable for Build Digital Project was to conduct a horizon scan of the opportunities available for those within the construction sector. A primary aim, therefore, is to provide a comprehensive inventory of educational and training provisions that exist within Ireland at present.

The resulting searchable inventory focuses on key educational sectors including Universities, Educational Training Boards (ETBS), Colleges of Further Education, Professional bodies and similar organisations.

Addressing Low Heat Pump Heating System Sales In The Uk, Ben Costelloe

Articles

The replacement of existing fossil fuel boilers with heat pumps is seen as a key measure in the decarbonisation of heating systems and addressing climate change. This policy however, is currently failing in many Western European states, particularly in the UK. The many reasons for this situation are examined. However, the age of UK housing stock and particularly the high number of dwellings built prior to the introduction of building insulation regulations in 1980, are key. To maintain the running cost of air source heat pumps competitive with those of the gas boilers they generally replace the heat pump lift …

Using Bim To Increase The Efficiency Of Energy-Driven Retrofitting Projects, Anne Grego, Shannon Chance, Barry Mcauley

Conference Papers

The building sector is responsible for nearly 40% of global energy consumption. Many existing buildings have poor thermal insulation and low energy performance, hindering sustainability goals. Energy-driven building retrofitting could address this issue and implementing Building Information Modelling (BIM) in retrofitting can reduce process time, costs, and waste associated with such undertakings. Yet, there is a lack of research and insufficient guidance for implementing BIM in energy-driven retrofitting. A BIM framework is presented to enhance decision-making processes during retrofitting. The aims of this study were to (1) identify BIM technologies and methodologies that could address existing barriers and improve efficiency …

Employment, Remuneration And Workplace Report 2023, Roisin Murphy Dr

Reports

This report follows the previously published “Employment Opportunities and Future Skills Requirements for Surveying Professionals, 2018-2021” in which a significant shortage of property, land and construction professionals was projected. The current research has been undertaken against a backdrop of economic uncertainty due largely to Brexit, Covid-19 and the war in Ukraine.

The Irish economy rebounded well following the Covid-19 pandemic with low unemployment, moderate economic growth and solid Exchequer balances forecast in the medium term. On the downside, price inflation, fueled by soaring energy costs, have resulted in interest rates rising for the first time in over a decade which …

How Can Visual Programing Be Used To Aid The Development Of A Structural Scheme Design Process Utilising Geometric Data Within An Architectural Revit Model?, Ed Carthy, Kieran Lakhera O'Shea

Reports

The early-stage structural scheme design of a building is a complex task requiring the collection of multiple information categories such as geometry, loading and materials. The collection and review of this information is traditionally conducted in a 2D environment. This is inefficient, time-consuming, and tedious. This paper provides a review of how structural engineers’ understanding and implementation of BIM has evolved significantly in recent years, validated by extant literature in areas such as BIM automation, visual programming, and structural optimisation in the structural engineering sector. Structural engineers are growing more aware that BIM provides a vast repository of data to …

The Suitability Of Demand-Controlled Sensor Based Ventilation Systems In Retrofit Dwellings - A Longitudinal Study., Seamus Harrington, Mark Mulville

Conference papers

A fabric-first approach to dwelling retrofit results in increased airtightness, therefore there is an obligation to ensure that the upgrades do not lead to poor indoor air quality (IAQ) resulting from inadequate ventilation. The sensor-based demand-controlled ventilation (SBDCV) under review seeks to provide fresh air for breathing and to dilute and exhaust pollutants and odours. This system modulates the ventilation rate over time based on relative humidity levels and/or presence detection and considers that the level of ventilation provided is sufficient to control the concentration of all other indoor air pollutants, including those that are not a result of human …

A Stereotomic Struggle, Jim Roche

Articles

Stone in architecture has “territorial and political implications” as its use and designation impact the human rights of the indigenous population. The craft of stereotomy is not just bequeathed from the Crusaders or more recent imperial colonists but has a diverse blended history that is deeply ingrained in Palestinian built culture. Such theses inform the experimental work of Elial and Yusef Anastas, two brother architects who operate from Bethlehem what they term a counter hegemonic practice with the stated aim of “decolonising architecture”.

What Impact Is Occupancy Behavior Having On The Energy Performance Gap Of A Cohort Of A Rated Dwellings?, Karl Mcgarry

Other resources

The use of energy asset ratings in the construction industry has been criticized in literature and in practice due to its apparent inaccuracies when compared to measured energy usage. In the Irish context the Dwelling Energy Assessment Procedure (DEAP), the asset rating tool has been the topic of many research papers of late with authors citing that in almost all cases the model is underestimating the energy usage of A rated dwellings. This point is of major concern due to A rated Building Energy Rating (BER) certificates now being minimum compliance with the building regulations for new build dwellings. The …

The Relationship Between Ventilation Rates In Schools And The Indoor Airborne Transmission Potential Of Covid-19, Seamus Harrington, Mark Mulville, Spyros Stravoravdis

Articles

The requirement for natural ventilation strategies in classrooms to perform in respect to both their inherent and adaptive capacity is necessary to mitigate the risk of transmission associated with infectious airborne pathogens such as COVID-19. This paper assesses the performance of ten classrooms considering (a) the designed versus actual ventilation capacity; (b) the probability of airborne disease transmission by unit time resulting from calculated ventilation rates and (c) the reduction of transmission risk associated with mask wearing by all occupants.

Monitored air changes per hour (ACH) range from 0.26–1.7, demonstrating that none of the classrooms meet designed ventilation rate whilst …

Critical Evaluation Of Time And Cost Of Terrestrial Laser Scanning For Construction Automated Qa Analysis, Joao Rocha, Davitt Lamon

Capstone Reports

Many governments agencies and private owners are demanding up-to-date information related to the current conditions of their facilities. Conventional QA is time-consuming and inefficient; thus, 3D terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) technology has been adopted due to the fast speed and high accuracy in acquiring data. Automated QA analysis can reduce the labour and time needed, reduce the costs, and improve the overall project efficiency. However, very few research efforts have been made to study the benefits of the automated QA analysis in a quantitative way. The process of the TLS-based geometric QA based in an automated data analysis process is …

A Review Of Current Construction Guidelines To Inform The Design Of Rammed Earth Houses In Seismically Active Zones, David Thompson, Charles Augarde, Juan Pablo Osorio

Articles

Sustainability in the materials we use for construction is a prime concern, focusing on reducing the embodied energy and carbon footprints of the materials used. The cement used in concrete products is responsible for a significant proportion of Man's CO2 emissions and its production requires substantial energy input, as do fired clay products. For this reason, products formed from unfired earthen materials are of increasing interest and the current challenges include devising means of robust design for strength and to address durability concerns. One form of earthen construction that employs an in-situ method is rammed earth, and it is a …

The Heat Is On: The Collaborations, Capacities, And Management Style Required For The Establishment And Sustainability Of Community-Owned Renewable Energy District Heating Systems In Austria, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Wales, And Scotland, Gerard Doyle

Articles

International reviews of countries’ progress at tackling climate change show that Ireland is making small levels of progress on tackling issues associated with climate change. This paper will highlight the pivotal role the State performs, both at national and local level, in creating the conditions essential for the establishment of community-owned renewable energy district heating systems. In particular, the State can provide funding for these initiatives to acquire the management and technical expertise essential for their establishment and maintenance. This paper will also examine a theoretical framework, referred to as capacity analysis, to explain the capacities that need to be …

Sustainable Development In The Surveying Profession, Roisin Murphy Dr

Reports

The built environment sector provides the homes, workplaces, amenities and infrastructure to support everyday activity, and is a key contributor to economic growth and employment, but also to emissions and resource use. Construction, land and property surveyors are engaged throughout the built environment lifecycle and therefore, are uniquely positioned to lead and accelerate the transformational change required to ensure a sustainable built environment. The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs) provide a blueprint exhibiting social, economic and environmental goals to be considered as a system of interrelated objectives. Attainment of the SDGs requires a global approach, which is entrenched in …

Tripping The Light Fantastic: Using Light-Based Techniques To Digitally Document Megalithic Architecture, Eimear Meegan, Maurice Murphy, Anthony Corns, Rob Shaw, Clíodhna Ní Lionáin, Garrett Keenaghan

Conference papers

This paper presents and discusses the preliminary results of a small scale visualisation project as part of which the low-cost LiDAR scanner that now comes as standard with the iPad Pro was used in conjunction with both the Arctec Leo structured light scanner and photogrammetric survey methods to record, analyse and present the recently excavated remains of a Neolithic passage tomb at Dowth Hall, Co, Meath, Ireland. It considers the ease and speed with which the small to medium scale structural components found here can be scanned or photographed, meshed, and textured using each approach and further explores whether the …

Determining Realistic U-Values To Substitute Default U-Values In Epc Database To Make More Representative; A Case-Study In Ireland., Kumar Raushan, Ciara Ahern, Brian Norton

Articles

Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) are the foremost source of information on the energy performance of the EU’s building stock. Inherent in all EPC methodologies are trade-offs between reproducibility, accuracy, assessor expertise and costs. During an assessment, where accurate building data acquisition would be excessively invasive or costly, nationally specified default values are used.

Default values are necessarily pessimistic to; avoid a better-than-merited rating, enable homeowners to know the advantage of energetic refurbishment, encourage homeowners to record upgrades informing EPCs, and propel assessors to seek-out information to provide an accurate rating.

This work reviews default U-value use across Europe and the …

A Bim+Blockchain Approach To Ensure Transparency In The Strategic Housing Development Planning System, Carlo Orani, Malachy Mathews Dr

Conference papers

The introduction of the fast-tracking housing regulations in Ireland has modified the dynamics in which democratic participation is deployed in planning decisions. The resulting planning process has favoured inequality phenomena and has strengthened the position of construction lobbies in large-scale developments. This paper enforces citizen engagement in the Strategic Housing Development (SHD) framework using Building Information Modelling (BIM) and blockchain technologies to build digital trust. Digital tools have enormous potential to deliver more transparent planning by establishing proven accountability for building permissions and promoting trusted interactions between citizens and local administrations. This study first describes all the reasoning underpinning the …