Research information: Under political scrutiny - Swedish building and construction research

The implications of proposed radical policy changes to building research in Sweden are examined by Ulf Sandstrom of Linkoping University and Jan Eriksson of the Royal Institute of Technology. The historical context of different funding mechanisms and political expectations provides a background to the current debate in Sweden over the future of the Swedish Building Research Council. The authors question the validity of the radical governmental reduction of R&D funding. Evidence suggests that collaborative funding would not maintain the current wide porfolio of R&D projects nor provide adequate knowledge production.     

Users-orientated evaluation of building information model in the Chinese construction industry

In the last decade, building information modelling (BIM) has emerged as one of the most powerful dynamic decision-making tools throughout a project lifecycle, as its encapsulated information synchronises with construction practices. Many reports indicate that BIM has entered the mainstream use in some countries. However, BIM has experienced slow and limited spread adoption in other countries. We propose a comprehensive research model to examine the factors that influence the adoption of BIM. The model draws on technology acceptance model and innovation diffusion theory and is validated using survey data from the construction industry in China. The findings demonstrate that attitude, technological, and organisational dimensions indirectly affect the actual use of BIM through perceived usefulness (PU) and perceived ease of use (PEU), with PU and PEU being the primary determinants of BIM adoption. Furthermore, a striking finding was the positive influence of the attitude dimension on the actual use of BIM.     

Corporate volunteering in the construction industry: motivations,costs and benefits

Corporate volunteering is a growing global phenomenon. Despite the size and significance of the construction industry, there has been no research into corporate volunteering in this sector which presents special challenges around its highly transitionary, temporary, regulated and project-based culture. To address this gap in knowledge and to answer the need for more scholarship and sector-specific insights in this field, the motives, benefits and costs of corporate volunteering for construction businesses and the volunteers that work for them are explored. Through an in-depth single case study of one of the UK’s largest construction industry corporate volunteering programmes, it is shown that at an individual level, it is not always altruism that motives people to volunteer. Volunteers in construction are also motivated by other factors such as loyalty to their organization, profession and industry, relational/networking opportunities and the reinforcement of technical skills and personal satisfaction derived from helping others which is not normally afforded in work. At a business level the main benefits of volunteering are reputational advantage, recruitment and new skills and access to new knowledge and capabilities. Conceptually, the results indicate that systems theory, empowerment theory, life span theory and social exchange theory would be useful theoretical lenses to take research in this new area of corporate social responsibility forward. It is concluded that further research is needed into different types of volunteering programmes and whether individual benefits experienced by volunteers translate into commercial benefits for the organizations involved.     

建筑施工中环境的影响及对策

针对建筑施工对环境污染时间短、范围小及多样性的特点,探讨了目前建筑企业在施工过程中存在的扬尘、噪声、光污染、水污染等问题,提出了有针对性的减少和消除污染的对策,以确保建筑施工过程的环境质量。     

Dual dynamics: Project-based institutional work and subfield differences in the Dutch construction industry

This article examines how actors use relational institutional work in inter-organizational projects (IOPs) to mobilize key stakeholders from two loosely coupled subfields with the aim to institutionalize a new project delivery method with new underlying practices. In our longitudinal case study in a project-based business, in this case the Dutch construction industry, we identified three types of relational institutional work: awareness creation, selective networking, and coalition building. We found that institutional work was relatively effective in the co-supplier subfield and less effective in the architectural subfield. We explain this by zooming in on the differences between these two subfields on three interrelated dimensions that manifested themselves in institutional IOPs: nature of activities, social positions, and coopetition. Our study connects the literature on IOPs with developments in institutional theory and further advances the institutional project management literature.     

Product modeling standards for the building and construction industry: past,present and future

For the past ten years most sectors of industry have been developing standards for the electronic sharing and exchange of product model data. While several related industries, such as automotive and shipbuilding manufacturing have been relatively successful in integrating electronic product models into their operations, the building and construction industry, continues to lag behind in this development. In order for the building and construction industry to meet the challenges of the future, the development of a product modeling standard that enables sharing, storing and exchanging project information electronically is essential. The paper discusses the rationale behind this assertion and includes a discussion of the industry requirements for the development of a product modeling standard. The paper elaborates on the results of the standardization efforts of the past and present, followed by an analysis of the current development situation. Finally, personal views are expressed regarding future development in the area of information exchange.     

建筑行业中绿色建筑理念的融入

在可持续发展成为社会共识和能源危机全球化的社会背景下,绿色建筑在建筑行业受到了全社会成员的重视,随着各国绿色建筑评价体系的不断深化,我国也颁布了《绿色建筑评价标准》(GB/T 50378—2014)。本文对绿色建筑在建筑设计、建筑施工、质量监管方面提出相关建议。     

An evaluation of construction time performance in the building industry

Building industries in many countries have been increasingly recognising the need for more efficient and timely completion of projects. Often, a number of unexpected problems and changes from original design arise during the construction phase, leading to cost and time overruns. Therefore, exploring the reasons for delay is one of the prerequisites of keeping the cost within budget and of good construction time performance. The primary objective of this paper is to identify the principal factors responsible for delays in the Hong Kong building industry, and determine their relative importance as perceived by different participant groups. A questionnaire survey, based on 83 previously identified delay factors, grouped into eight major factor categories, was conducted in early 1995. Responses from 78 construction personnel — from client, consultant and contractor organisations — suggest a strong consistency in perception between clients and consultants, for example as to the importance of the “poor site management and supervision” delay factor and the “contractor-related” delay factor category. However, there was a substantial disagreement between consultants and contractors, as well as between clients and contractors, in respect of the rankings of both the individual factors and the factor categories. Suggestions are given for more effective project management based on the observations. The results of this survey also provide a foundation for further research towards the development of an envisaged “construction time” prediction model for local building projects.     

论我国建筑业绿色建材的使用

伴随着我国社会主义市场经济的不断深入发展,以及人民生活水平的不断提高,我国建筑业取得了长足的进步,人们对建筑材料的要求也越来越高。传统形式的建材已经难以满足人们对自身健康,以及日常生活的需要,在建筑过程中使用绿色建材已成为当前亟待解决的重要课题。基于这一现状,笔者就我国当前建筑业中绿色建材的使用问题进行深入分析论述。文章首先阐述了绿色建材在建筑业中的重要作用,继而分析了我国建筑业目前所使用的绿色建材现状,然后提出了我国建筑业绿色建材使用的未来趋势,最后对全文进行了总结,希望能够为我国当前建筑业绿色建材的使用和发展提供一点可借鉴之处。     

Information modelling in the construction industry: The information engineering approach

Modelling of knowledge in the construction industry is a cumbersome task because of the large amount of data involved and the lack of automated information-modelling tools. Adoption of a method and an automated CASE (Computer-Aided Software Engineering) tool could eliminate many problems encountered in the development of information systems in the construction industry. In particular, this approach may help to assess the information requirements and define strategies for such information systems. The Information Engineering Method (IEM) is introduced to illustrate hoar the conceptual models may be improved by using this method. Additionally Texas Instruments' Information Engineering Facility (IEF?) CASE tool is described to illustrate the advantages of automating such a method. The introduction of conceptual modelling in the construction industry using data and process models should lead to a better structuring of information. This should result in the development of well defined and structured, not ad hoc, applications. This conceptual modelling approach using information engineering is currently being used at the University of Salford to study the potential development of an integrated database (design, procurement and management of construction) for the construction industry. The case study describes the information analysis phase of the procurement process included towards the end of this paper.     

关于信息管理和信息系统专业建设的几点想法

就信息管理和信息系统专业在专业设置的迫切性、专业培养目标、专业课程体系的设置和对专业教师的要求等方面进行了有益的探讨,并对专业建设提出了若干建议。     

信息技术在建筑施工管理中的运用

介绍了建筑施工管理中信息技术发挥的重要作用,从信息技术应用的熟练度、信息技术的应用优势、信息设备更新不及时等方面,分析了建筑施工管理中信息技术运用存在的问题,并对信息技术在建筑施工管理中的具体应用进行了阐述,从而提高建筑企业的市场竞争力。     

谈施工组织设计在建筑工程施工中的作用

介绍了施工组织设计在建筑工程中的作用,对施工组织设计编制的原则、作用、编制分类及施工实施策略等进行了分析,提出在目前的市场经济条件下,施工组织设计已成为建筑工程施工招投标阶段和组织施工必备的文件。     

The causes and costs of defects in construction: A study of seven building projects

To perform rational defect prevention, it is necessary to have knowledge about defects, their causes and associated costs. The purpose of the study presented here is to stimulate improvements by indicating where preventive measures are most effective as well as how to perform them. A study of defects in construction was performed during the period 1986–1990. A new and deeper study has been performed by the same research group during 1994–1996. Seven building projects have each been monitored during a 6 month-period. Observers spent 8 h a day at the site analysing and describing defects occurring. A total of 2879 defects have been collected and fully described, including their root causes. Formal interviews with 92 key persons have been made.     

信息化管理在建筑施工项目中的应用

从经济效益、技术手段和工程应用上对建筑施工项目信息化管理的巨大优势作了阐述，并总结了建立高质量的建筑施工项目信息化管理系统的一般步骤。     

绿色建筑与建筑业可持续发展的思考

建筑工程活动耗费大量的自然资源和能源,是典型的高能耗行业,碳排放量巨大。在碳中和战略下,绿色建筑是未来的必然选择,是实现建筑业可持续发展的前提。基于此,从经济、环保、健康、舒适的角度,结合国内外前沿技术和施工经验,阐述了绿色建筑对建筑业可持续发展的意义,分析了绿色建筑的发展现状和特征,提出了绿色建筑可持续的对策。     

Research information: The role of emotional factors in building disputation

The role of emotional factors in building disputes has received scant attention from authors in the field. R. J. Bonwick and V. M. Watts review the factors as they pertain to the participants in the dispute and discusses the key role of the relationship between contractor and client.     

英国咨询工程师在建筑业中的角色和职责

本文作者结合在英国咨询业的工作经验,概述了英国工程咨询业的现状,从合约、职责、工程安全和专业资质四个方面,对英国咨询工程师的角色进行了介绍和分析,并对我国建设业的发展提出了一些建议.     

工业建筑大空间框架平台支模设计与施工

针对工业建筑大空间框架平台支模容易出现安全失稳问题,介绍了一种采用钢管脚手架支模的设计和施工方法,并提出施工时应注意脚手架的节点构造问题。通过实例表明该方法安全可靠,对今后的同类工程施工有借鉴意义。     

SOA4BIM: Putting the building and construction industry in the Single European Information Space

The Single European Electronic Market (SEEM) is expected to stimulate the take-up of eBusiness in Europe, increasing the competitiveness of SMEs through advanced eBusiness process models and tools, by offering to companies a model for modernizing work organization that allows them to face changing markets with an effective use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). However, the Building and Construction industry (B&C) has its ICT fragmented, having in the Building Information Model (BIM) paradigm a vehicle to address this problem. Interfacing with BIM brings another layer of complexity, mostly due to the heterogeneity of the systems and applications that need to interface with it. Thus, the adoption of a cluster of proper services in the Web that can offer in a unique way the functionalities needed for the adoption of BIM, is essential. The implementation of BIM under the Cloud Computing paradigm holds the promise of accelerating the B&C industry to achieve the Single Electronic Market. After presenting the vision for a Single European Electronic Market, and the expectation of the B&C sector to be integrated in a universal information space, this paper proposes the SOA4BIM framework as a cloud of services that enables universal access to the BIM paradigm by any system, application, or end user on the web.