Construction Engineering Commons^™

Is Zero Net Energy 2020 Actually Attainable, Perceptions Of Various Professionals Effected, Michael Aldridge

Construction Management

California has created a mandate that will require all new residential buildings to become Zero Net Energy by 2020. Some are already doing it others don’t know what it means, and some don’t think it will be possible. Those that already do it are doing it without any extra cost. All that is required is, on average, a 4KW roof solar panel system. This is something that easy to install and only requires a little more planning during the design phase. There are many other things that a designer and builder can do to successfully reach ZNE including focus on …

Case Study: An Effective Model For Green Roofs In San Diego County, Charles Andrews Iii

Construction Management

Green roofs provide a myriad of environmental and financial benefits to a building and its owner. They can provide a pleasing outdoor aesthetic in an urban environment, as well as provide stormwater management and energy savings in an arid climate. California State University San Marcos completed a new University Student Union in 2014 that included a 2,540 square foot Live Roof system on its upper terrace. Supplier, contractor, and facilities team members were interviewed to analyze the success of the project from several viewpoints. The green roof was found to meet the University’s goals on aesthetic design, energy, and stormwater …

The Statistical Relevance And Effect Of Assuming Pessimistic Default Overall Thermal Transmittance Coefficients On Dwelling Energy Performance Certification Quality In Ireland, Ciara Ahern, Brian Norton, Bernard Enright

Articles

In the EU, Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) are issued for dwellings whenever they are constructed, sold or leased. Where requiring data would be prohibitively costly, nationally applicable default-values for the thermal transmittance coefficients of the building envelope are employed. Use of such worst case default U-values ensure that a poor dwelling does not attain a better energy rating than is merited. In the absence of empirical data in Ireland thermal-default U-values, as in many other EU member states, are determined by the type and date of construction and then prevailing building codes. Using 463,582 dwellings representing 32% of the total …

A New Take On Testing: Evaluating Design Systems In Response To The Recent Natural Disaster In Nepal, Jazmine L. Brown

Creative Activity and Research Day - CARD

In this thesis project I analyze the destruction of the 2015 earthquake in Nepal, specifically in the structural and architectural collapse. I have focused my research on the areas with greatest documented destruction and vulnerability, specifically Kathmandu and the settlements in the Middle Hills. The introduction of a new lateral testing mechanism can provided much needed information on the seismic strengths of vernacular construction methods.

De-Westernizing The Far East, Jericho K. Kakaio-Edwards

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Isolated by the Tibetan highlands which frame Yunnan’s northwest fringes, the ethnic minorities who call the region home live in rural settings ranging from rice-terraced fields to tropical forests; lifestyle unchanged for hundreds of years. However, with globalization causing an exposure to western standards of living, in conjunction with the country’s predisposition towards all things foreign, the people of Yunnan have begun forgoing generations of vernacular architecture in favor of modern materials and regionally defunct construction methods. Here, we will seek to address this foible of architectural development by offering theoretical construction methods for housing types found throughout the region, …

Glaze Station Expansion And Building, Nicholas M. Hunt, Seth J. Green

Celebration of Student Scholarship Poster Sessions Archive

No abstract provided.

Multidimensional Dialogue Through Architecture | An Exploration Of The Possible Dialogue Between Humans And Walls, Fengqi Li

Architecture Senior Theses

This thesis proposes that architectural design no longer has to be primarily static, but rather it can be dynamically responsive to multiple information streams and conditions.

Multidimensional Dialogue Through Architecture is developed from the understanding of human factors and ergonomics. The dispersed works on research and inference are different ways to explore the interaction between the discipline of architecture and the other fields, such as psychology, engineering, bio-mechanics, physiology, cognitive science, and anthropomorphic. Therefore, the purpose of this thesis is not to design a specific building that works perfectly in particular conditions but rather to use architectural elements to mediate …

The Renaissance Of The Railway | Towards A Global High-Speed System, Xiaoyu Li

Architecture Senior Theses

The railway has shown its unique character as a mode of transportation since its invention in Europe during the Industrial Revolution. In the beginning, its carrying capacity made it stand out, transforming human behavior, and stimulating economic productivity. During the 20th century, air travel, the railways, and long-distance road networks have shared the burden of human transportation - in many countries the car and plane have won out. In recent decade, however, new interest in the railway's potential has been generated as a result of the emergence of new technologies like high-speed rail and the maglev system. Greater speeds are …

Subtraction | Construction In Reverse, Sherina S. Zhang

Architecture Senior Theses

The life of a building does not begin at the creation of the new; it starts with the subtraction of the old. As the pace of technological development accelerates, buildings are erected and demolished at an unprecedented rate. Cities use their urban artifacts like skyscrapers, to portray economic and political prowess. For example, the ghost cities of China are relics of a burst financial bubble while Venezuelan ruling party elites name business towers after themselves as a show of power and prosperity. Many parts of the world today are now overbuilt with artifacts that decline into obsolescence. Demolition procedures erase …

Recognizing Construction Equipment Activities Using A Smartphone, David J. Engelhaupt

UCARE: Research Products

The purpose of this research is to develop a smartphone based system to continually analyze construction equipment activity (e.g. a skid loader moving forward, side-ways, or raising its bucket) using a variety of different sensors and give feedback to the equipment operator or the supervisor. Such a system could detect inefficiencies in construction operations and provide valuable information to project managers.

The results have demonstrated that DTW is effective at identifying typical rotation patterns. It has been less effective for slow rotations over long duration or very fast rotations with short durations. The accuracy of DTW is improved when the …

Construction Training Facility (Essu Philippines), Omar Ramirez

Architectural Engineering

The purpose of this project was to work hand in hand with engineers and construction managers from the non-profit organization Build Change in order to construct a training facility in the Philippines. The training facility would educate the locals how to build safer structures that would be more effective during earthquakes.

The focus of this report is to elaborate on the process of the project, the difficulties encountered, and the benefits of the overall project when completed.

Bs News May/June

Building Services Engineering

No abstract provided.

Green Building Rating Systems And The Role Of The Project Manager, Davis Ciprikis

Other Resources

Sustainable development has increased significantly over the last 10 years. Construction firms are adopting sustainable practices that come from both, internal and external drivers of the construction industry. In order to assess how sustainable a building is, a green building rating systems have been developed to provide a documented and systematic approach to sustainable construction practices. Amongst these rating systems are the Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Methods (BREEAM) introduced in the UK and the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) created in the USA. It has been noted that the project manager will have an important role to …

The Professional Constructor, Full Issue, Volume 40, Number 01

The Professional Constructor

No abstract provided.

The Function And Format Of Bills Of Quantities:An Irish Context, Tony Cunningham

Other Resources

The production of bills of quantities as a means of obtaining tenders has traditionally been viewed as a primary function of the quantity surveying profession.

This study investigates the function and format of bills of quantities in the Irish context. It explains the nature of bills, how they are compiled, and identifies the situations in which they may be used. The primary functions of the bill as a means of obtaining tenders and its status as a contract document are explored. The study also addresses particular aspects of the bill which may aid the effective management of construction projects for …

Ua66 Ogden College Of Science & Engineering Newsletter, Cheryl Stevens, Dean

Ogden College of Science & Engineering Publications

No abstract provided.

Thermal Mass Behaviour Of Concrete Panels Incorporating Phase Change Materials, Dervilla Niall, Roger West, Sarah Mccormack, Oliver Kinnane

Conference papers

Phase Change Materials (PCM) have been incorporated into a range of building envelope materials with varied success. This study investigates two different methods of combining concrete and phase change materials to form PCM/concrete composite panels. The first method involves adding microencapsulated paraffin to fresh concrete during the mixing process. The second method involves vacuum impregnating butyl stearate into lightweight aggregate which is then included in the concrete mix design. The primary aim of the study is to determine which method is the most effective way to improve the thermal mass characteristics of a concrete panel in the context of a …

Experimental Study On The Thermal Characteristics Of Micro Channel Separate Heat Pipe Respect To Different Filling Ratio, Li Ling, Quan Zhang, Yuebin Yu, Shuguang Liao, Zhengyong Sha

Durham School of Architectural Engineering and Construction: Faculty Publications

A micro channel separate heat pipe (MCSHP) that can use natural cold energy was developed to reduce the cooling energy consumptions of telecommunications stations (TSs). Experimental investigations of exploring the optimal refrigerant filling ratio of MCSHP under different outdoor conditions and flow rates were presented. R22 was used as the working fluid. Various refrigerant filling ratios were tested in an enthalpy difference laboratory (EDL) in order to determine the optimal thermal performance for the exterior space temperature range from 8 °C to 23 °C and the air volume flow rate range from 1712 m3/h to 2980 m3/h. In addition, transient …

Bs News March/April

Building Services Engineering

No abstract provided.

Spring 2016 - Volume 40, Number 1, Full Issue

The Professional Constructor

No abstract provided.

Strategies For Reducing The Environmental Impacts Of Construction, Jordan Moran

The Professional Constructor

Sustainable building is a complex goal to reach even for the most seasoned project managers. If theyfocus on the ideas to reduce, reuse, and recycle that goal becomes much more obtainable. The project manager mustset his expectations and priorities from the moment the contract is signed to navigate which routes are most possible toachieve given the project scope and delivery method. The key to success is to relay the long term benefits of sustainablebuilding on to the owner, and make them realize that up-front cost should take a back seat to life cycle. This will save theenvironment and the owner’s …

General Interest Articles, The Professional Constructor

The Professional Constructor

No abstract provided.

Contractor Feasibility In Providing Cost Segregation Studies From Detailed Estimates: A Case Study, Ben F. Bigelow, Jeremy Robinson, John Killingsworth

The Professional Constructor

Profit margins are tight for general contractors, averaging under 3% (Construction Financial Management Association). Further, competition for projects can be very fierce, so any opportunity for increased profit or a competitive advantage in bidding bears consideration by general contractors. Cost segregation studies represent such an opportunity but the feasibility of a general contractor providing them has not been studied. A cost segregation study allows a property owner to accelerate the depreciation of certain portions of a building thus reducing tax liability and increasing cash flow. Because the information needed for a cost segregation study can be found in a detailed …

A Framework For Analyzing Intraorganizational Congruence Of Safety Practices On Safety Performance – A Pilot Study Of Construction, Benjamin Hill, Mohammed S. Hashem M. Mehany, Richard J. Gebken

The Professional Constructor

Previous research has determined that improving employee congruence on organizational methods and goals leads to improved organizational performance. This research establishes a comprehensive framework of common and recommended safety practices that can be used for intraorganizational congruence data collection regarding safety practices. The research is also developing a method for congruence calculation and examine the congruence effect on the subcontractor’s safety performance metrics through a pilot study. The established framework identified and organized 170 practices under seven conceptual, safety-practice categories. The congruence analysis and the pilot study revealed several areas of high and low congruency along with significant correlations between …

Factors Of Employee Loyalty Among Construction Management Field Personnel, Estimators & Bim/Design Specialists: Insights For General Contractors, Colby Humphrey, Ben F. Bigelow

The Professional Constructor

Since 2008 construction employment has dropped considerably and has remained below 2007 levels, with construction management positions still about 14% down (U.S. Department of Labor 2015). Despite the boom currently occurring in the construction industry, general contractors (GCs) are finding it difficult to fill project management positions (AGC 2014), and construction firms expect these challenges to continue (Mutikani 2014). With greater demand for managers, retaining quality people is a paramount concern. Everyone knows the adage that “money talks”, but what can a GC do to engender loyalty besides just paying more? To explore that question and attempt to better understand …

Construction Industry Professionals Perception Of Project Management Certification In The Houston Texas Region, Lana K. Coble, Margaret D. Watson

The Professional Constructor

Individual construction design professionals are evaluated on their abilities by state licensing boards in all 50 states of North America. The construction industry has relied upon construction company licenses in 42% of the United States to ensure that buildings are constructed to local area codes. Current practices have created a credibility gap when comparing construction managers to design professionals. Only since the 1970s, have third party agencies led an effort to provide construction management professionals with a certification to establish baseline competencies. To date, research on construction manager certification has been minimal; therefore, this research attempts to contribute to needed …

Measuring Organizational Learning Success In Commercial Construction During Economic Recession, Evan Danforth, Justin Weidman, Clifton Farnsworth

The Professional Constructor

The method through which organizations collect and internalize knowledge, termed organizational learning, has been theorized to significantly influence company performance. Specifically, the speed and accuracy of knowledge transfer boasted by organizational learning proponents is thought to assist companies in dealing with, and even benefiting from, environmental changes such as economic volatility. This research studied the organizational learning of fifteen commercial construction companies in the southwestern United States during the 2008-2009 U.S. recession through semi-structured interviews. It was found that the companies that exhibited dramatically higher or lower levels of organizational learning generally experienced correspondingly higher or lower performance. The contribution …

Strategies For Reducing The Environmental Impacts Of Construction “Improving Erosion And Sedimentation Control Practices On Construction Projects”, Richard Pate Jr

The Professional Constructor

There are numerous potential impacts associated with constructing our built environment; one in particular is fresh on contractor’s minds around the country and that is the erosion and sedimentation of our waterways. In this essay, I explain why this issue has become such a pivotal discussion within construction and green building efforts, what strategies have recently become available for addressing these issues, and how their implementation will affect a project’s overall budget and schedule. The strategies I have chosen to discuss are silt fence tieback systems, polyacrylamide (PAM) flocculants, and unmanned aerial vehicle inspections.

Strategies For Reducing The Environmental Impacts Of Construction, Alex Stewar

The Professional Constructor

In order to carry out a successful and sustainable construction project, quality project planning isessential. In this paper, I will discuss how design and preconstruction are the most important parts of a sustainableconstruction project. The three main points will be about the importance of selling sustainability to the owner, choosingthe proper project delivery method to integrate team members, and planning for the future when designing the project.Finally, I will touch on how my own education through the Construction Science and Management program at ClemsonUniversity has prepared me for this new era of construction.

Peering In: Improving Existing Buildings With Colorful Increments, Daire Heneghan

Master's Theses

Existing office buildings’ embodied energy, history and culture offer something a newly constructed building cannot. On the other hand, new office buildings’ adoption of new technologies and building philosophies offer a range of sustainable efficiencies previously unavailable. Combining these efficiencies with elements that embrace human diversity and well- being offer the opportunity to not only mend our existing buildings’ deteriorating physical bodies but aid in creating workplaces that promote good physical and mental health.

This project provides recommendation on how an existing high-rise commercial building can incorporate a number of incremental improvements that continually evolve to meet rapidly changing market …