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- Moving from production to services: a built environment cluster frameworkPublication . Carassus, Jean; Andersson, Niclas; Kaklauskas, Arturas; Lopes, Jorge; Manseau, André; Ruddock, Les; Valence, Gerard deThe construction industry is no longer focused on providing a single product — i.e. a building or a physical infrastructure, but a variety of services and improvement to the human environment. Major trends such as Performance-based Building as well as Sustainable Build Environment are calling for major changes. These changes mean additional roles for the industry as well as the need for new indicators to measure its performance and its economic impact. This paper proposes a new approach based on the development of a framework for the analysis of the entire construction and property sector — the ‘built environment cluster’. It extends the analysis of an international study based on nine countries—Australia, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Lithuania, Portugal, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. The need for improving statistical data is stressed particularly in the context of enlarging the scope of the industry. This new approach provides an excellent starting point for developing new performance indicators that will take into account the changing nature of the industry, for an integrative perspective providing a basis for strategic management, for studying sustainable development in construction and for understanding innovation processes and changes. A comprehensive perspective of the industry performance is crucial for policy initiatives as well as for strategic analysis for firms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of International Journal of Strategic Property Management is the property of International Journal of Strategic Property Management and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
- Reabilitação de edifícios. Está o meio técnico preparado para o desafio?Publication . Oliveira, Rui; Sousa, Hipólito; Lopes, JorgeA reabilitação de edifícios, parece estar a tornar-se uma área estratégica de construção em Portugal, não só pela progressiva consciência da necessidade de abrandar a realização de obra nova, como também pela necessidade de privilegiar a reabilitação do parque edificado existente. A presente tendência de actuação na requalificação dos edifícios antigos demonstra que é necessário alterarmetodologias de intervenção. Para tal é necessário constribuir como medidas de carácter legislativo, com efeito dinamizador do sector.
- Improving housing quality as a marketing strategyPublication . Fernandes, Sílvia; Teixeira, J. Cardoso; Lopes, JorgeProspective housing clients in Portugal face up a marked lack of information on the characteristics of housing products, which most often turn out to be very different of their expectations. This lack of information does not allow them to relate adequately quality and cost. Furthermore, housing products are not adequately differentiated owing to an inefficient approach to the market from the part of different actors in the property sector, which makes difficult the understanding of the true needs and wishes of the client. Nowadays, in a highly competitive housing market, it is increasingly needed to weigh the quality of supply, for housing investment is one of the most important decisions of the Portuguese households. Due to the fact that competition on that market is almost exclusively based on price, there is a need for change in the culture of the housing sector that would promote adequate strategies of marketing and quality. This research project has as the main aim to develop a support tool for the construction enterprises in the housing sector in order to improve the value of their products/services and, to a certain extent, the competitiveness of the sector. The model, which is specifically developed for the town of Bragança, is based on information collected from users in newly occupied housing. It was done through the use of a questionnaire- survey conducted on respondents from fourteen multi-family housing, which were built by four contractors/developers.
- Improving housing quality as a marketing strategyPublication . Fernandes, Sílvia; Teixeira, José M. Cardoso; Lopes, JorgeProspective housing clients in Portugal face up a marked lack of information on the characteristics of housing products, which most often turn out to be very different to their expectations. This lack of information does not allow them to relate quality and cost adequately. Furthermore, housing products are not adequately differentiated owing to an inefficient approach to the market from the part of different actors in the property sector, which makes the understanding of the true needs and wishes of the client difficult. Nowadays, in a highly competitive housing market, it is increasingly necessary to weigh the quality of supply, for housing investment is one of the most important decisions of the Portuguese households. Due to the fact that competition in that market is almost exclusively based on price, there is a need for change in the culture of the housing sector that would promote adequate strategies of marketing and quality. The main aim of this research project is to develop a support tool for the construction enterprises in the housing sector in order to improve the value of their products/services and, to a certain extent, the competitiveness of the sector. The model, which is specifically developed for the town of Bragança, is based on information collected from users of newly occupied housing. It was done through the use of a questionnaire- survey conducted on respondents from fourteen mu/ti-fami/y residences, which were built by four different contractors/developers
- É a imagem empresarial de Cabo Verde um espelho do seu potencial de desenvolvimento económico e social?Publication . Lopes, Jorge; Balsa, Carlos; Nunes, AlcinaO desenvolvimento sustentado de uma economia passa pela sua capacidade de atrair investimentos que, ao criarem empresas, geram emprego e riqueza. Recorrendo a indicadores internacionais de atractividade empresarial – que incluem indicadores de empreendedorismo, inovação, burocracia e corrupção e os tradicionais indicadores de crescimento e desenvolvimento económico – vai tentar perceber-se qual a relação entre a imagem empresarial que o mundo associa a Cabo Verde e o seu potencial de crescimento e desenvolvimento. Pretende-se, ainda, perceber como a imagem empresarial de Cabo Verde, no mundo, pode influenciar o sucesso das grandes opções estratégicas de desenvolvimento preconizadas para Cabo Verde e, em especial, a opção de promoção da capacidade empreendedora, da competitividade e do crescimento e do alargamento da actividade produtiva.
- Characterisation of the portuguese R&M construction market: a special focus on heritage buildingsPublication . Oliveira, Rui; Sousa, Hipólito; Lopes, JorgeThe rehabilitation of heritage buildings is an important aspect in the safeguard and upgrading of the local environment, and contributes to the diversification of suppy in the property market. However, the contribution of the R&M segment to the total construction markek in Portugal is almost insignificant when compared to the other countries of the European Union. This study is part of a wider research project that investigates the different technological aspects of intervention in heritage buildings and their contribution to the development of the local property market. The data and information used in this study stem from Euroconstruct Report, and from a case study consisting of 57 heritage projects submitted to the government department responsible for the approval and listing of these buildings. Preliminary result show that the technology used in heritage buildings is similar to that adopted in new buildings, which seems to be incosistent with a conservation technique that safeguard the built heritage. This study also shows that policy measures to enhance the R&M market have been recently implemented. However, other initiatives are needed, including a clarification of the role of different actors, in order to tackle the constarints and specifics of the R&M market.
- Energetic rehabilitation in buildings: cost-effective solutions to minimise thermal bridgingPublication . Abreu, Maria Isabel; Lopes, JorgeNowadays, the energetic rehabilitation of buildings constitutes an increasing concern of national and international bodies, as a result of a strategic policy towards energy efficiency. In Portugal, one of the most current problems in buildings is thermal bridging. This is a significant source of heat building loss. The prevention of these types of pathologies is essential, for there are an enormous number of existing buildings that reveal such problems and therefore require rehabilitation. New building regulations on thermal behaviour and energy efficiency were recently enacted by the Portuguese Government, following the European Union Directive 2002/91/CE. To cope with the prescriptions of the new regulations, a better thermal quality in the building envelope is required. The rehabilitation of buildings is becoming a great issue. This study is part of wider research to investigate cost-effective constructive solutions of rehabilitation for the improvement of envelope thermal behaviour. From the results of previous studies which characterized the most current and problematic envelope zones, a simulation computer program was used to test the behaviour of several different solutions in order to minimise pathologies caused by thermal bridging. Preliminary results show that it is possible to get adequate solutions that fit harmoniously with the architecture of façades and with decoration of the internal spaces. Further studies will be needed to provide construction designers and builders with appropriate solutions to make the rehabilitation process even easier.
- Investment in construction and economic growth: a long-term perspectivePublication . Lopes, JorgeThe role of construction in economic growth and development has been addressed by various writers and international bodies, many of whom have focused in developing countries (Turin, 1973; World Bank, 1984; Wells, 1986; Bon, 1990). Bon (1992), analysed the changing role of the construction sector at various stages of economic development and presented a development pattern for the industry based on the stage of development of a country’s economy. The main aspects of the proposition were that, in the early stages of the economic development, the share of construction in gross domestic product (GDP) increases but ultimately decreases in industrially advanced countries. Turin and Wells, using cross-country comparisons, both found an association between construction investment and economic growth. That finding was consistent with the classical approach in growth theory in which physical capital formation is the main engine of economic growth and development. In the aftermath of the !979-980 oil-shock and the international financial crisis that followed in 1981, most of Sub- Saharan African countries experienced until the mid-1990s a decreasing growth in per capita national income, despite heavy investment in construction and other physical capital over the preceding decade.
- The construction sector and economic development: the 'Bon curve'Publication . Ruddock, Les; Lopes, JorgeThe complexities of the relationship between a country’s level of construction activity and its stage of economic development are considerable. Studies over the last three decades, based on macroeconomic analysis, have attempted to model the relationship but have usually been hampered by problems of data quality and availability. Nevertheless, paradigms have emerged (usually based on Keynesian philosophy), which are concerned with the dynamics of construction activity as an agent in the promotion of economic growth in economies at different stages of development. One such is the ‘Bon curve’. An examination of the data issues of attempting to assess the validity of the proposition is made and then the role of the construction sector in highly developed economies is considered.