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ItemGuidelines to integrate life cycle assessment in building design(Georgia Institute of Technology, 2009-11-17) Joshi, SurabhiAs the architecture and construction industry places an increased emphasis on sustainability, building researchers are seeking more comprehensive methods to evaluate and reduce a building's environmental impacts. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) has emerged as one of the most capable tools to aid in this assessment. Presently there are no guiding principles for the use of LCA in the building industry. This thesis aims to provide guidelines to help architects utilize LCA methodology as part of the design process. This study reviews a number of previously-completed whole-building LCA case-studies to understand different LCA scenarios of use in the building industry. In addition, a set of North American and international LCA tools were evaluated for their utility in different scenarios. The state of research was assessed to find answers to some critical issues concerning LCA. Based on these analyses, a number of scenarios of use of LCA were identified and a set of guidelines was proposed to conduct LCA for buildings. It was concluded that the present use of LCA is limited due to limited tool capabilities, deficient databases and lack of a building-specific methodology. The study recognizes these limitations and recommends specific research opportunities for future researchers. However, it is concluded that approximate LCA results obtained from the tools available today can be useful in informing design-decisions, keeping in mind the lack of precision in the results.
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ItemReal-Time Adaptive Systems for Building Envelopes(Georgia Institute of Technology, 2007-11-15) Deo, VishwadeepThe thesis attempts to investigate the issues pertaining to design, fabrication and application of real-time adaptive systems for building envelopes, and to answer questions raised by the idea of motion in architecture. The thesis uses the Solar Decathlon Competition as a platform to base all the research and consequently to verify their applications. Photo-voltaic (PV) panels and shading devices are two different components of Georgia Institute of Technology s the Solar Decathlon House, located above the roof, that are based on the concept of Homeostasis or self-regulated optimization. For the PV panels, the objective is to optimize energy production, by controlling their movement to track the changing position of Sun, whereas, the objective for the shading devices is to reduce heating or cooling loads by controlling the position of shading devices, thus controlling direct and diffused heat gains through the roof. To achieve this adaptive feature, it required three layers of operations. First was the design of the mechanics of movement, which tried to achieve the required motion for the PV panels and shading devices by using minimum components and parameters. Second was the design of the individual parts that are consistent with the overall concept of the House. And finally, the third layer is the design of controls that automates the motion of the PV panels and Shading Devices, using a set of sensors that actuate the attached motors. As a final product, there is an attempt to integrate the precision and material efficiency of digital fabrication with the self-regulated optimization of the roof components.
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ItemVirtual World: Observe, Interact & Simulate(Georgia Institute of Technology, 2007-07-10) Phor, PallaviThis thesis researches the potential for using Virtual Worlds as an advanced environment for interaction and simulation besides observation. Tables, matrices and scenarios have been developed to illustrate upfront, the route that can be taken to develop an advanced virtual environment. The paper attempts to build a dialogue for designers, to gauge the requirements of a client and thereby propose a schedule of deliverable, time and cost, in a pre-project phase.
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ItemA Project Planning Guide for Healthcare Facility Owners(Georgia Institute of Technology, 2007-04-09) Walrath, Bryan JamesAccording to a recent study, about 30 percent of U.S. real estate projects are canceled midstream, while more than half run up to 190 percent over budget and 220 percent over the initial time estimate. The reasons for this are manifold but poor decisions during the initiation and early planning of the project can be pointed to as main causes. Most poor decisions stem from lack of information, bad judgment, and lack of communication and transparency between what the client expects and what the project team can deliver. Proper project planning procedures and methods will lead to proper contingency planning, management of partner relationships and contracts, management of dynamic change and associated risks that can, and most probably will, occur in the course of the project. The role of the owner cannot be overstated in all of these targets. Historically, the owners of healthcare facilities have a once in a lifetime involvement in the planning, design and construction (or major renovation) of their facility. The interaction with planners, public bodies, architects, engineers, and other entities is a daunting prospect for which an owner will seek help from specialized firms that represent the owner. This guide may serve as a healthcare project planning guide for owners, and in particular CEOs, to navigate the process. It will prepare the owner to recognize the major tasks and decision steps throughout project planning, while keeping the focus on the desired outcome. Any owner should recognize that the slogan: if you dont know what you want, you will not get what you need is as true today as it ever was. This guide will include research, best practices from industry experts, and a case study on the New Orleans public healthcare planning process post-Hurricane Katrina.
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ItemThe use of formal methods for decision making in the planning phase of healthcare facilities(Georgia Institute of Technology, 2007-04-09) Lima, Clarissa Sucupira AndradeThe Pre-Project Phase of building construction manages the communication between client organization, user groups and designers. Disconnects and miscommunication in this phase may result in a product that does not fulfill the expectations of the parties involved. It is expected that the adoption of more formal methods can streamline the communication and improve its precision. Based on a literature review, a triage of methods is introduced: (a) a method for initial criteria management, supported by the EcoProP software (developed by VTT in Finland); (b) a method to rationalize and manage criteria in relation to the design organizational instruments, supported by the QFD ProP software (developed by VTT in Finland); (c) a method that supports multi criteria decision making, supported by a range of commercially available software tools. In order to assess the effectiveness of these tools they have been applied in the specific case of Pre-Project Phase of a healthcare facility. A Case Study on a concrete discrete decision problem is dealt with. It concerns the choice between a central medication room and patient room dispenser closets (also known as Nurservers). The Nurservers Case Study is used to evaluate the applicability of the proposed criteria gathering, ranking and decision methods in the Pre-Project Phases daily practices. The claim that these rational methods increase efficiency, precision and satisfaction of the parties involved in this phase is investigated. The thesis evaluates how the introduction of rational methods benefits the communication between stakeholders.
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ItemWeb hosted management of projects in architecture, engineering and construction(Georgia Institute of Technology, 2000-05) Schwarzüller, Gerhard