Construction Process Improvement

The construction process has come under intense scrutiny in recent times and this is set to continue as building owners and users demand better value for money from a more sustainable built environment. The construction sector's actors are responding to the challenges implicit in this drive for greater competitiveness and social responsibility. New forms of procurement, innovation programmes, knowledge management, CAD-supported processes, predictive and diagnostic tools, and many more initiatives are helping to transform the sector. Construction Process Improvement showcases 21 examples of how directed efforts are being taken to raise productivity and quality, reduce waste and costs, and provide more certain and durable products for the sector's customers. Each example is the subject of a closely coupled collaborative project in which answers are being sought on matters of strategic importance to companies. The chapters that describe and discuss these projects balance state-of-the-art reviews with details of the work being undertaken and, in many cases, the results that are being implemented within the companies. Construction Process Improvement deals with issues that matter to best practice companies and researchers in industry and universities. It covers, amongst other topics, modularisation for manufactured housing, life cycle methods in housing, commercial buildings and services installations, tools and techniques for performance prediction and diagnostics, coordination of design and production processes, novel use of traditional materials, new forms of procurement and the role of innovation, public private partnerships, partnering structures, learning organisations, management of major refurbishment, management information systems, TQM and continuous improvement, CAAD methodology, tools and 4-D CAD, and facilities management. This book analyses the way forward for improving the construction process, in particular the links between research and development and industrial competitiveness. The implementation of new methods and thinking in companies is examined and important advice for senior managers and researchers is offered.

Table of Contents:
Preface xi Acknowledgement xiii Contributors xv 1 Introduction 1 Brian Atkin, Jan Borgbrant & Per-Erik Josephson Recognising the importance of process 1 Creating an effective response 1 Balancing concern for the product with the process 2 The process to be improved 3 Aims of this book 5 Topics addressed 6 Scope and content 7 2 Modularisation in the Customisation of Manufactured Housing 15 Carina Johansson Introduction 15 State-of-the-art review 16 Research project 25 Research results and industrial impact 27 Conclusions 28 References 29 3 Application of Integrated Life Cycle Design to Housing 31 Mats Öberg Introduction 31 State-of-the-art review 32 Research project 37 Case study: research results and impact 38 Conclusions 41 References 41 4 Life Cycle Costs of Commercial Buildings – a Case Study 44 Eva Sterner Introduction 44 Methodological considerations 45 Case study description 46 Energy conservation 48 Life cycle cost analyses 50 Conclusions 54 References 55 5 A Life Cycle Cost Approach to Optimising Indoor Climate Systems 56 Dennis Johansson & Anders Svensson Introduction 56 State-of-the-art review 56 Research project 62 Research results and industrial impact 64 Conclusions 65 References 66 6 Performance Indicators as a Tool for Decisions in the Construction Process 68 Veronica Yverås Introduction 68 State-of-the-art review 68 Research project 74 Research results and industrial impact 77 Conclusions 79 References 80 7 Reducing the Risk of Failure in Performance within Buildings 82 Stephen Burke Introduction 82 State-of-the-art review 82 Research project 89 Research results and industrial impact 90 Conclusions 91 References 91 8 Physical Status of Existing Buildings and their Components with the Emphasis on Future Emissions 93 Torbjörn Hall Introduction 93 State-of-the-art review 94 Research project 101 Research results and industrial impact 103 Conclusions 104 References 104 9 Co-ordination of the Design and Building Process for Optimal Building Performance 106 Niklas Sörensen Introduction 106 State-of-the-art review 107 Research project 111 Conclusions 115 References 116 10 New Concrete Materials Technology for Competitive Construction 118 Markus Peterson Introduction 118 State-of-the-art review 118 Research project 124 Research results and industrial impact 125 Conclusions 127 References 127 11 Competitiveness in the Context of Procurement 130 Fredrik Malmberg Introduction 130 State-of-the-art review 131 Research project 140 Conclusions 141 References 141 12 Encouraging Innovation through New Approaches to Procurement 143 Kristian Widén Introduction 143 State-of-the-art review 143 Research project 149 Research results and industrial impact 150 Conclusions 151 References 151 13 Public-Private Partnerships – Conditions for Innovation and Project Success 154 Roine Leiringer Introduction 154 State-of-the-art review 155 Research project 160 Research results and industrial impact 163 Conclusions 165 References 166 14 Pros and Cons in Partnering Structures 168 Anna Rhodin Introduction 168 State-of-the-art review 168 Research project 176 Research results and industrial impact 178 Conclusions 180 References 180 15 Importance of the Project Team to the Creation of Learning Within and Between Construction Projects 183 Fredrik Anheim Introduction 183 State-of-the-art review 184 Research project 188 Research results and industrial impact 190 Conclusions 192 References 193 16 Refurbishment of Commercial Buildings: the Relationship between the Project and its Context 195 Åsa Engwall Introduction 195 Theoretical framework 196 The case study of Oxenstiernan 201 Discussion and conclusions 208 References 209 17 Improving Project Efficiency through Process Transparency in Management Information Systems 211 Christian Lindfors Introduction 211 State-of-the-art review 212 Research project 221 Conclusions 222 References 223 18 Improvement Processes in Construction Companies 225 Peter Samuelsson Introduction 225 State-of-the-art review 226 Research project 230 Research results and industrial impact 232 Conclusions 237 References 238 19 Design Research and the Records of Architectural Design: Expanding the Foundations of Design Tool Development 240 Robert Fekete Introduction 240 State-of-the-art review 240 Conclusions 253 References 253 20 Communicating Project Concepts and Creating Decision Support from CAAD 255 Jan Henrichsén Introduction 255 State-of-the-art review 255 Research project 260 Research results and industrial impact 264 Conclusions 264 References 265 21 Using 4D CAD in the Design and Management of Vertical Extensions to Existing Buildings 266 Susan Bergsten Introduction 266 State-of-the-art review 267 Research project 274 Research results and industrial impact 275 Conclusions 275 References 276 22 Importance of Architectural Attributes in Facilities Management 278 Ulf Nordwall Introduction 278 State-of-the-art review 279 Research project 285 Research results 287 Conclusions 290 References 290 23 Conclusions 292 Brian Atkin, Jan Borgbrant & Per-Erik Josephson Ways forward to construction process improvement 292 Index 299

About the Author :
Brian Atkin PhD, MPhil, BSc, FRICS, FCIOB, his achievements span the disciplines of project management, construction management and facility management. As a member of British Standards Institutions FM Advisory Group and FM Technical Committee, he is well-placed to advise on current best practices and emerging trends in facility management. He has served on other advisory groups and steering committees covering standards, innovation, competitiveness and information technology (including BIM), and is actively involved in learning and business development for major corporations.

Review :
I found the chapter on learning organisations in project teams particularly stimulating. The book would be especially useful to post graduate and final year undergraduate students looking for useful advice on a vast range of research methodologies, as well as examining the topics in some detail. Chris Hill Ms PGD MCIOB MCMI ILTM