Periodic refurbishment and reductions in national costs to sustain dwelling services

This paper uses a simulation model to make exploratory estimates of current and potential reductions in national costs to sustain dwelling services due to refurbishment. Data and parameters are based on a typical New Zealand dwelling of lightweight timber framed construction. Dwelling service years provided by a dwelling over one year adjusted for depreciation serve as a proxy for benefits. The costs to construct one dwelling and fractions thereof serve as a proxy for the costs of maintenance, refurbishment, replacement, and new construction. Current levels of refurbishment reduce national average costs to sustain dwelling services by a magnitude of 15%. Potential reductions in national costs are modest (5%) should the housing stock be stationary, but are negligible when the expansion rate of the housing stock is as high as 2.0% per year. A decline in the expansion rate of a housing stock has a greater impact on reducing national costs than an increase in the number of cycles of refurbishment.     

Development of a model to estimate the benefit‐cost ratio performance of housing

A simulation model based on classical population dynamics is developed to estimate the benefit‐cost ratio performance of different typologies of housing with the purpose of identifying potential reductions in the total costs and hence resources used to sustain housing. A typical New Zealand dwelling constructed of lightweight timber framing is used as an example. Dwellings within the simulation model undergo periodic cycles of refurbishment based on best practices. When the simulated housing stock expands at the rate of 1.5% per year, an annual expenditure equivalent to the costs to construct one dwelling sustains the services provided by 26.7 dwellings after adjustment for economic depreciation. This benefit‐cost ratio performance improves by 32.4% when the housing stock is stationary. Further improvements of 5.3% can be achieved by deferring refurbishment and accepting a higher level of economic depreciation of dwelling services. The results of all scenarios indicate that structural systems with a service life of only 50 years should not be used unless the costs of such systems are substantially less than the costs of traditional structural systems and that lightweight timber framed dwellings should not be sustained well beyond a service life of 90 years.     

The evidence of poor quality in high rise and medium rise housing units: a case study of mass housing projects in Turkey

Achievement of acceptable levels of quality in the construction industry has long been a problem. Great expenditures of time, money and resources are wasted each year due to inefficient or non-existent quality levels. The situation is even worse in the case of mass housing projects addressed to low and middle income groups. It is the scope of this paper to identify the type of deviations resulting in rework in mass housing projects. For this aim, a general knowledge concerning quality is given at first, and then some related issues like cost of quality and total quality management are discussed. Finally, the quality of mass housing projects in Turkey is examined. In order to achieve this objective, data have been derived from 500 cases in two mass housing regions by means of a questionnaire including 108 questions, and results of this survey were evaluated by t-test and the percentage values calculated by frequencies of the answers. It is concluded that the residents are not adequately satisfied by the quality of products/services provided by their housing units.     

Refurbishment management practices in the shipping and construction industries — lessons to be learned

The management of refurbishment work in both sectors is complex, highly specialized and contains elements of works which are unique to refurbishment and which are different from new work. Ship refurbishment clients are better informed and more knowledgeable about refurbishment processes and products than construction clients and are more involved in the planning and decision making process. The authors claim that there is very little evidence of formal or structured processes of managing risks and uncertainty in refurbishment, in both sectors, especially the quantification and evaluation of risks. There is also an urgent need for educators and refurbishment organizations to address the issue of under-provision of refurbishment management courses.     

Parameter prediction for cash flow forecasting models

The paper describes the application of the DHSS formula to 27 completed construction projects comprising four types - steel-framed low rise buildings, new build housing developments, housing refurbishment projects, and multi-house ‘pre-paint’ maintenance contracts. Application of the formula to individual projects indicates that the ‘best’ parameter values offer a ten-fold improvement over the published values based on project size. Similar results occur when using the best parameter values for other two parameter models.

Various approaches are considered in attempting to predict the best parameter values of the models based on known characteristics of the project. A multiple linear regression with project value, duration, and type independent variables is shown not to produce any significant improvement on standard DHSS formula predictions. However, a reduction in the number of independent variables by cross validation produces an approximately 25% improvement on standard DHSS formula forecasts outside the data base. Examination of the models derived from this analysis indicate the type of project to be of major importance.     

Refurbishment management: challenges and opportunities

The findings from this study involving feedback from refurbishment managers and organizations identify the challenges and opportunities facing the management of refurbishment works. For refurbishment contractors, survival will be contingent upon requisite skills, knowledge and competencies of their employees, as well as innovative processes, products, services, technologies and markets. The need for a structured approach to education and training for refurbishment management is argued as a vital component for refurbishment organizations. Les resultats de cette etude, qui donne l'avis des dirigeants d'entreprises charges des travaux de renovation, identifient les defis et les possibilites se presentant pour les chantiers de renovation. Pour les entrepreneurs charges de tels travaux, la survie dependra de la qualification, des connaissances et des competences requises de leur personnel, ainsi que des procedes innovants, des produits, services et marches. La necessite d'une demarche rationnelle en matiere d'instruction et de formation propres a la gestion de chantiers de renovation est consideree comme un element essentiel pour ces entreprises du batiment.     

Customer experience and product leadership

Commercial success is often measured by the growth of a company's value to its shareholders, management and employees and is founded on the achievement of three core capabilities or 'value vectors': products or service offering leadership; customer and market focus; and operational excellence. The article brings together customer and market focus with leadership in products and services and describes methods and tools that are being used by various electronics, engineering and telecoms companies. The VP model, experiential value proposition, and the steps and associated tools for the successful implementation of customer and user experience management.     

保障房社区公共服务满意度及影响因素研究——以南京市岱山保障房社区为例

从保障房社区居住主体的角度出发,综合考虑居民个体特征与主体认知变量,构建教育、医疗、交通、安全、环卫、社会保障、商业、文体、行政管理9类公共服务满意度的影响因素研究模型.采用有序Logistic回归方法探究各类公共服务满意度与自变量之间的关系,研究发现公共服务满意度受到性别、年龄、学历、职业、住户期望与软硬件质量感知水...     

GA-based decision support system for housing condition assessment and refurbishment strategies

Refurbishment work involves improvement, upgrading, renovation, retrofit, and repair of existing housing. With limited land usage and being aware of sustainability, the refurbishment market has faced increasing needs worldwide. During the long life cycle period of housing, most residents are undoubtedly faced with refurbishment requirements. However, it is not easy to make assessment and refurbishment related decisions due to the lack of knowledge and experience. This study presents Genetic algorithm-based on-line decision support system (DSS) to help residents easily conduct the housing condition assessment and offers optimal refurbishment actions considering the trade-off between cost and quality. Two refurbishment models are developed to explore the relationship among the life cycle cost, restoration cost and improved quality. The result reveals the proposed DSS solves the problems arising from asymmetric information and conflicting interests between residents and contractors, as well as improves traditional housing condition assessment to be more effective and efficient.     

Public Facilities in Public and Private Housing Projects in Dhaka,Bangladesh

Cities in developing countries are confronted with two conflicting problems. On the one hand, there is always an increasing demand for urban services and, on the other hand, the public sector responds poorly to the growing demand for such services. This articleexplores and compares the status of physical and environmental infrastructure and services provided in public and privately developed land and housing projects in Greater Dhaka, Bangladesh. The study made use of primary data gathered from April to June 2008. The findings indicate that although some households and developers are aware of the planning regulations which mandate infrastructure and services, this does not necessarily translate into compliance, particularly in privately developed housing projects. As a result, projects are usually developed with inadequate and unsatisfactory facilities. The analysis revealed that most physical and environmental infrastructure and services are either missing or unsatisfactory. These include narrow roads inconsistent with standard widths, little open space for social activities, few areas for childrens' playgrounds and poor waste management. The factors that explain the relatively low levels of physical environmental conditions in privately developed projects include an absence of inter-agency coordination, corruption, a lack of good governance, and political interference, along with disregard and apathy on the part of developers and buyers towards planning regulations. In the light of these findings, this article proposes stronger enforcement of planning regulations and more consistent monitoring by planning agencies to achieve better planned residential areas in Dhaka.     

Toward the digital water age: Survey and case studies of Australian water utility smart-metering programs

The role of ‘smart metering’ in demand management, customer service, labor optimization, and operational efficiency is becoming increasingly recognized by Australasian water utilities. The objectives of this paper are to provide a summary of the 2013 and 2014 surveys and in-depth interviews that were aimed at gauging the penetration of smart metering (SM) and intelligent water network (IWN) projects in Australian and New Zealand water utilities and to identify outputs and challenges faced subsequent to their implementation.The key insights are summarized as follows:• Smart meters and intelligent water networks are gaining momentum in Australasia, with at least 250,000 smart meters currently installed or planned for installation and 66% of the surveyed water businesses reporting projects underway or starting in the next 12 months.• Key business drivers were easier to quantify and justify on water system economics rather than customer engagement and satisfaction. There appears to be a business case for deployment of smart metering technology, particularly for utilities seeking to avoid costs by lowering operating costs, reducing wholesale bulk water purchases, and/or deferring augmentation of infrastructure.• Some utilities had well-advanced trials or operational rollouts, together with a similarly advanced understanding of the wider benefits of SM and IWN, while others were constrained by a lack of overall understanding and awareness of developing a business case, technology options, applications of data and the wider benefits of smart metering.• Each water utility should know and understand its business drivers and goals. The value of smart metering and the specific business case drivers are highly contextual to location (e.g., opportunities for cost avoidance). The social benefits of customer satisfaction, community acceptance, and improved customer engagement and trust were major ‘social’ drivers.• There is evidence that utilities are gaining an increased awareness of how digital metering and applying analytics of various data sets in near real-time, can benefit utility efficiency and customer service excellence. Aligned with data analytics was a clear focus towards the customer satisfaction (e.g. introducing web portals, leak alerts, two-way communications and customer consultation).• In the last 12 months there has been a doubling in the number of utilities that are pursuing intelligent water networks – the integration of intelligent devices including water meters, pressure sensors, meter data, into all relevant business processes and systems and using this information to guide strategy and investment.• As many respondents commented, there is an important need for an agreed upon and standardized set of definitions relating to smart-metering technology.     

Measuring housing effectiveness: A case study in customer evaluation

Effectiveness within housing as a publicly‐provided service has been neglected to a large extent with a concentration on needs assessment and probity of spending. Little attention is paid to the impact of housing services on the ultimate recipients—tenants. This paper, through a case study in the Northern Ireland Housing Executive, attempts to assess the usefulness of customer evaluation as one element of performance measurement The value of involving tenants is not only important in assessing the minutiae but also relevant at a strategic level. Participation is particularly germane in Northern Ireland where the ‘normal’ structure and process of political control over housing do not exist.     

Development of a customer satisfaction evaluation model for construction project management

Construction project management (CPM) is a technical-oriented service for construction project clients. Evaluating the performance of service providers is beneficial both to purchasers, enabling them to appraise the services received, and to providers, helping them to improve their services. However, no appraisal system for such services exists. This study developed a novel customer satisfaction evaluation model for CPM services that was developed using a questionnaire-based survey and statistical analysis. Test results show that the developed model is a feasible system. Research using this model reveals that CPM services in Taiwan are satisfactory with acceptable performance for clients. The developed model is a good reference for evaluating and assessing CPM performance.     

Electric services and building fires

This paper discusses various issues regarding the supply of electric power and building fires. The scope of the paper is limited to services, service entrances and power supply. Electrical fires involving customer property are rarely caused by electric services or supply problems but instead are usually caused by customer systems and equipment. Physical evidence of shorting or faulting of the service or service entrance is commonly found at fire scenes but seldom is evidence of fire cause.Those service-related problems which do create fire hazards involve the customer system, physical damage, lightning, or improper service voltage. Fire hazards created by the connected service typically willinvolve either lightning or improper service voltage. Electric utilities are responsible for the supply system and for power supply within the system voltage range. Customers are responsible for premises wiring systems.     

Integrating socio-environmental spatial information to support housing plans

The current challenge of promoting the sustainable provision of social housing for the global population requires an integrated evaluation of the infrastructure and service availability across a territory. Few applications are recognized for supporting social housing plans with spatial information, especially regarding the ability to provide room for new initiatives. The aim of this research is to propose a Social Housing Index (SHI) for integrating and quantifying urban spatial socio-environmental information to support social housing plans. To this end, data about land use and sectoral activities are integrated using a standardizing methodological framework. The SHI supports studies on location alternatives for new housing projects and the availability of infrastructure and services for the implemented housing complexes. The proposed index also harmonizes the development of housing plans by making different demands compatible for supporting urban sustainability.     

居住小区的策划

居住小区目标客户、房型和每套总价的开发定位,要得到消费者的认同,在激烈竞争的商海中创造市场优势,必须做好市场信息调查,信息的质量远比数量重要,尤其是对所在地区市场信息的分析和提升,突出小区建设的“亮点”、“异点”,创立一个与竞争对手不同的品牌形象,品牌是消费者可以信赖的质量和服务及由此折射出使用者的地位、身价。     

Impact of customer integration on project portfolio management and its success—Developing a conceptual framework

The growing number of company projects requires comprehensive management, project portfolio management (PPM), for strategic alignment and efficient use of resources. In parallel, companies face customers demanding higher value, and joint value creation with customers is considered a key success factor in the future. Project portfolios delivering products and services for customers implicate a link between PPM and an increased customer focus. Combining the research fields of marketing and PPM for the first time, this study proposes customer integration into PPM. I develop a framework describing the impact of customer integration into PPM on project portfolio success mediated through relationship value. Furthermore, the study describes relevant aspects for customer integration on the project portfolio level and identifies interfaces for cross-functional integration of a customer portfolio representative within the PPM process. The findings and limitations of this study are discussed, and further research is suggested.     

住房合作社对土耳其住房供应的贡献

在土耳其，从20世纪30年代中期开始，合作社就一直向其成员（股东）提供住房。房屋建造完成后，合作社成员对其住房拥有完全产权，合作社完成任务即告解散。与许多欧洲国家的合作社不同，土耳其的合作社并不建造用于租用的住房，因为立法并未规定住房合作社有相关责任。20世纪80年代的上半年，合作社提供的住房开始增多。在20世纪的最后20年，约1／4的新住房是由合作社建造的。地方和中央政府向合作社提供支持，形式包括在分配公共资金贷款、销售由地方政府或中央政府部门开发的土地方面优先考虑住房合作社，以及优先考虑向合作社的住房项目提供基础设施。公共部门提供的各类支持大多数包含政府补贴的形式。     

Social Cohesiveness of Disadvantaged Communities in Urban South Korea: The Impact of the Physical Environment

This paper examines the impact of the physical environment and residents' perception and use of the environment settings on the social cohesiveness of disadvantaged communities in South Korea. Multiple regression and qualitative analysis were applied based on the data collected in four public rental housing estates in Seoul accommodating the lowest income households. This paper argues that social cohesiveness could be operationalised in shared norms and trust, attachment to housing estate and social networking. It was found that the characteristics of social cohesiveness were different across the same type of public rental housing estates, and that this variance was partly due to the different conditions of the physical environment. It was also found that a more positive perception of the physical environment and the more frequent use of facilities generally enhanced community cohesiveness. Desirable land use mix and housing types around the housing estates, preferable community facilities, housing block design and more effective refurbishment programmes within the estates were recommended.     

Housing refurbishment contractors selection based on a hybrid fuzzy-QFD approach

With low demand for new construction, limited land usage, and being aware of sustainability, the refurbishment market has grown greatly and has become more in demand in the construction industry. Most refurbishment work, however, involves a high level of risk, uncertainty, and coordination, which are likely to cause asymmetric information between contractors and residents in a refurbishment process. Most private refurbishment contractor selections are usually based on word-of-mouth referrals that lack a systematic and objective assessment method. This study proposes a hybrid approach combining fuzzy set theory and quality function deployment (QFD) to establish a housing refurbishment contractor selection model. With this model, residents can select an optimal refurbishment contractor according to requirements. To test the effectiveness of the proposed model, a known multiple criteria decision-making method, PROMETHEE, is applied to compare the results of contractor selections. The result reveals that the proposed hybrid fuzzy-QFD approach can be expected to be successful and has potential for handling multiple criteria decision-making problems.