D1.1: Best practices and existing shortcomings
Summary
The strategic objective of WP1 is to develop a main process framework as well as detailed guidelines for self-inspection and self-instruction techniques during construction, refurbishment, commissioning and maintenance process. The first step in that direction (Task 1.1) deals with the process methodologies for new construction, refurbishment and maintenance with the focus on prefab-based new and retrofitted buildings.
This deliverable, based on the results achieved in the first year of activities implemented in WP1, focuses on three main issues which have been dealt with in three different sections:
- a common definition and understanding of the design and construction process aimed to propose an appropriate and innovative self-inspection procedures able to evaluate the building quality in each task and sub-task;
- the implementation of criteria for: a) classifying the building system according to the scopes of INSITER; b) analysing the most frequent errors committed during the construction phase of the process; c) establishing a set of “Key Performance Indicators”;
- an overview of available standards and guidelines dealing with condition assessment and quality inspection norms.
Design and construction process
Since INSITER aims to investigate on the existing quality gaps and energy performance gaps between design and realisation, an in-depth analysis on the design and construction process is required to define:
- how the building process can be subdivided in phases;
- which are the most common construction errors of buildings made with prefabricated components;
- in which phases do the most frequent errors occur.
Definition of a common approach for subdividing the design and building process in phases – analysing activities and actors – requires the choice of a common model.
The 2013 edition of the RIBA Plan of Work (PoW) can be considerd the most important European reference in this field; the leading advantages of the RIBA PoW are represented by the fact that it is clear, simple, implementable, flexible and integrates sustainable design concepts. The negative aspects depend on its “design oriented” approach, which does not consider in detail the construction and manufacturing building stages.
Nonetheless, it has been assumed that the RIBA PoW can work as a good reference basis for INSITER research project to develop a methodology aimed at:
- reducing the construction errors and times;
- maintaining the estimated construction-manufacturing costs;
- avoiding or at least minimizing the existing gap between the designed energy performance and the actual building behaviour
The report proposes a model for the building design and construction process that is organised in six main tasks.
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