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- Choreographing network-based influences on the homeowners’ decision journey about energy-related renovationsPublication . Abreu, Maria Isabel; Oliveira, Rui; Lopes, JorgeCommunity engagement with the energy efficiency in housing is seen as a very challenging strategy that governments need to prioritize for climate agenda. Recent studies shed light on the underlying influences of some networks of actors in the homeowners’ decision to improve the energy-efficiency of their homes. Understanding the accurate role that both social and professional networks within communities play among homeowners seems to be paramount for energy policies enlargement and effectiveness. In a network level perspective, interpersonal communication, which has so far been undervalued, appears to be an influential mode of trust and information to energy-related activities. An exploratory research has been carried out in order to gain a sense about the whole chain in action between the above mentioned actors as agents of change. Semi-structured in-depth interviews with different Portuguese stakeholders involved in the renovation journey of owner occupied single-family houses were conducted. The findings signpost that interpersonal networks play a trustworthy and beneficial source of information along the entire renovation decision-making journey. In general, these interpersonal connections are conveyed in the social network activating the homeowners’ willingness to renovate, being a reliable channel for peer learning, guiding homeowners in the selection of professionals and acting also as an evaluative judgement tool to assess these same professionals in their technical advice. The results strengthen the view that the sense of neighbourliness, proximity and cooperation between citizens engaged in energy issues could pave the way to empower these utmost interpersonal networks which can have positive effects to encouraging house energy improvements.
- A model for construction sector development in middle-income sub-saharan african countriesPublication . Lopes, Jorge; Banaitienė, NerijaBuildings and other constructed facilities form the essential framework of a country's physical and economic infrastructure. Construction serves as a key capital input to production, driving economic growth and wealth generation. This impact can be particularly transformative in low -to -middle -income countries. Physical infrastructure, including construction, is a powerful engine of economic growth and is closely related to national economic performance. However, not all studies agree with the commonly held belief that construction investment has a positive impact on economic growth, particularly concerning the amount of investment and the relationship between construction investment and economic growth. So far, cross-country studies dealing with the construction sector -economic growth relationship have used indicators of national output and construction that are not strictly comparable between countries. This article reviews the main strands of the literature on the role that the construction sector plays in the national economy and economic development. It also uses novel data drawn from the "capital file" of the PENN World Table (version 10.1) to assess the development pattern of the construction sector in two groups of sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries on the middle -income status of economic development, for the period between 1990 and 2019. The study reveals that construction shares, measured as the proportion of gross fixed capital formation attributable to construction in the gross domestic product, revolve around a norm determined by the level of built assets preceding the reference period. The results of the study could have policy implications for the economic sustainability of the construction industry in SSA.
- Atualizações de revisão de preços comparada com custos reais de mercados dos materiais: estudo de casoPublication . Oliveira, Rui; Lopes, Jorge; Abreu, Maria IsabelO controlo de custos de empreitadas envolve maior rigor, exigindo metodologias e gestão cada vez mais ajustada às respetivas obras. Os consideráveis aumentos de custos de materiais, promovido pela atual conjuntura de mercado global, exigem tomadas de decisão ajustadas à realidade. A revisão de preços aplicável às empreitadas tem em consideração a atualização de preços com base nos índices atualizados de materiais, mão-de-obra e de equipamentos, onde por vezes não compensam a efetiva real subida desses preços. A recente legislação que alterou o regime aplicável da revisão de preços contempla a possibilidade de os interessados apresentarem correção ou alteração do regime de revisão de preços, quando a apresentada esteja desajustada às especificidades da empreitada ou quando a mesma seja omissa no caderno de encargos. O artigo envolve casos de simulação real de uma obra onde foi aplicada revisão de preços, fazendo-se comparações entre a compensação retribuída ao empreiteiro atendendo ao preço de determinados materiais na data considerada base de cálculo, e comparando com a efetiva inflação desses materiais, sob a forma de diferentes cenários com base na recente legislação. Este estudo demonstra, que mantendo as fórmulas que servem de base ao cálculo da revisão de preços, é possível o empreiteiro ter retribuições que podem ser suficientes para compensar as eventuais subidas de preços de mercado, sem aplicar outras modalidades, podendo os problemas de gestão ter outras causas. Em oposição determinados ajustamentos da fórmula tipo de revisão de preços pode revelar retribuições superiores aos custos reais de mercado dos materiais.
- Some refurbishment particularities: an older building case studyPublication . Oliveira, Rui; Lopes, Jorge; Abreu, Maria IsabelPortugal has many old buildings with historical and cultural values in advanced degradation. Many of them have an architectural interest, special values and some other characteristics with interest to preserve, which contribute to keeping the building originality and singularity. These building could be retrofitted for new facilities of uses increasing the levels of comfort similar to new buildings. However, all project management of that kind of buildings is more specific, complex and requires special knowledge in the management of the particularities of their work, even other factors related with misunderstandings, inheritance problems, and many others. This research describes a case study that involves the surveying of constraints and other problems concerning the retrofitting works of an old building located in Montesinho village (Bragança-Portugal). In their retrofitting works were applied some parameters of the “Retrofitting management system for buildings located in consolidated urban areas” to support the project design and the building existential particularities. Besides, the management system considers regulations obliged, sustainable practices and possible constraints particularities for that old building case study's project management. The results show constraints, problems, but also solutions application to solve and reduce them, being a contribution to many other old buildings with similar retrofitting needs.
- Use of building information modeling in building management retrofitting projects: case studiesPublication . Pinto, Rodrigo; Oliveira, Rui; Lopes, JorgeThe retrofitting works of buildings is a different practice of the new construction works, involving the previous characterization of the existing elements and their conservation conditions. All existing data collection, project analysis and project management might be in a dimension where non-digital handling is a difficulty factor for the project. That could contribute losing important data related to technical support and for stakeholder’s decision. The Building Information Modelling (BIM) technologies are known to be an excellent choice handling information for new projects. However, its usage and potential in retrofitting works may remain unknown or not utilized for several reasons. The main goal of this research is to determine, using SWOT analysis tool, for the various phases of building retrofitting projects connected to the potential of BIM. In addition, it is expected to determine whether this technology is a feasible solution for these cases and what constraints are involved. Through data collection in design phase and interviews after the research and BIM analysis, three different retrofitting works case studies were analysed. At the same time of the BIM analysis, SWOT methodology was applied aiming to understand the reasoning, constraints and to identify opportunities. The BIM methodology was applied to three design projects studied in 3D and 4D spheres. The 3D analysis aimed to detect incompatibilities among the various disciplines of the projects and information related to the existing elements. The 4D analysis consisted in associating all the building elements with the construction-scheduling plan in order to analyse the activities sequencing behaviour. The use of BIM prove the existence of several flaws and incompatibilities between the different projects disciplines of each building studied, which being difficult to detect them without this uses. These failures generate problems in the construction phase, whose interviews expect demystify. On the other hand, BIM application at an early stage of the project leads to the resolution of some of these problems that arise posteriorly.
- Planning and management of agriculture warehouse conversion project: a case studyPublication . Oliveira, Rui; Abreu, Maria Isabel; Lopes, JorgeO Planeamento é uma atividade crucial para o sucesso de um projeto. Os imprevistos acontecem mesmo utilizando técnicas de planeamento ajustadas à realidade, exigindo experiência na gestão de obra e de tomadas de decisão acertadas no momento certo. O estudo de caso objeto de descrição neste artigo envolve o planeamento estudado em fase de projeto recorrendo a quantidades de trabalhos, rendimentos de trabalhos, estimativa de equipas e de prazos, bem como o consequente encadeamento de diferentes tarefas, numa obra de adaptação de um edifício de apoio agrícola numa Capela dedicada à Santíssima Trindade. Atendendo às diferentes perspectivas de planeamento recorreu-se a entrevistas de opinião de 5 empreiteiros, conhecendo-se a partir do seu contributo o tempo estimado de execução da obra, e numa outra vertente foi calculado o prazo da obra com base no cálculo de rendimentos. Estas diferentes abordagens de planeamento permitiram com maior rigor aferir o prazo limite imposto para a obra. Apesar de o projeto envolver complexidade técnica sobretudo na coordenação de diferentes especialidades e áreas técnicas específicas, tais como trabalhos de subempreitadas e sua articulação com trabalhos de escultura, constatou-se em obra que as decisões ponderadas em projeto foram acertadas, bem geridas e com riscos controlados. A eliminação de erros do projeto, gestão antecipada de imprevistos, redução de constrangimentos e de divergências nos desvios em obra, permitiram o cumprimento do prazo previsto em projeto de apenas 57 dias, comparando-se os resultados dos diferentes cenários de planeamento estudados com o ocorrido na realidade.
- Methodologies for estimating the built environment stock: an overviewPublication . Lopes, Jorge; Oliveira, Rui; Abreu, Maria IsabelThe role of the construction sector in the process of economic growth and development is well recognized in the literature. However, in the most advanced industrial economies, as well as emerging economies, the construction industry is no longer focused on providing a single service, i.e., a building or physical infrastructure, but on a variety of services and improvement of human and natural environments. Built capital stock is a major component of any country’s produced fixed capital as designated in the System of National Accounts (SNA) of the United Nations. According to several writers, the knowledge of reliable data of building and other construction assets of a specific country or region is a crucial element for the long-term management of these assets. This paper presents an overview of the Perpetual Inventory Method (PIM) used for estimating capital stock and some methodologic issues regarding the measures of construction investment and of built capital stock. Additionally, based on the results of an earlier work, estimates of the Cape Verde’s built capital stock for the year 2014 are presented. The level of the of the built capital stock of a specific country and its impact on the development pattern of the construction industry is a suggestion for further studies.
- Sustainability perspective to support decision making in structural retrofitting of buildings: a case studyPublication . Oliveira, Rui; Lopes, Jorge; Abreu, Maria IsabelThe reuse of existing materials in buildings can give a contribution to sustainable practices such as a balance in embodied energy, water, and emission reduction. However, it is not always possible to maintain the existing structural materials because some different technical variables could hamper their usability, namely seismic reinforcement needs, fire safety protection, conservation state, and new legal requirements. The paper follows a case study approach for assessing the technical and environmental performances of structural options for old building retrofitting works. All structural options were analyzed through the results of several categories of environmental impact. Some parameters of a retrofitting management system were also used to frame in a comprehensive way the technical constraints pertaining to building retrofitting works. The structural option choice was taken by the owner with the contribution of the design team and the construction manager of the construction project as well as the results of interviews with other construction professionals, considering the variables related to technical suitability and environmental impact. The results of the study show that the steel structure is the solution that best addresses the technical constraints of the building retrofit works and minimizes environmental impact. The results of the study also suggest that the consideration of other variables other than the technical ones can contribute to the effective functioning of the renovation subsegment of the building market. Some suggestions for further studies to enhance the results of this work are put forward.
- Use of building informatin modeling in building management retrofitting projects: case studiesPublication . Pinto, Rodrigo; Oliveira, Rui; Lopes, Jorge; Abreu, Maria IsabelThe retrofitting works of buildings is a different practice of the new construction works, involving the previous characterization of the existing elements and their conservation conditions. All existing data collection, project analysis and project management might be in a dimension where non-digital handling is a difficulty factor for the project. That could contribute losing important data related to technical support and for stakeholder’s decision. The Building Information Modelling (BIM) technologies are known to be an excellent choice handling information for new projects. However, its usage and potential in retrofitting works may remain unknown or not utilized for several reasons. The main goal of this research is to determine, using SWOT analysis tool, for the various phases of building retrofitting projects connected to the potential of BIM. In addition, it is expected to determine whether this technology is a feasible solution for these cases and what constraints are involved. Through data collection in design phase and interviews after the research and BIM analysis, three different retrofitting works case studies were analysed. At the same time of the BIM analysis, SWOT methodology was applied aiming to understand the reasoning, constraints and to identify opportunities. The BIM methodology was applied to three design projects studied in 3D and 4D spheres. The 3D analysis aimed to detect incompatibilities among the various disciplines of the projects and information related to the existing elements. The 4D analysis consisted in associating all the building elements with the construction-scheduling plan in order to analyse the activities sequencing behaviour. The use of BIM prove the existence of several flaws and incompatibilities between the different projects disciplines of each building studied, which being difficult to detect them without this uses. These failures generate problems in the construction phase, whose interviews expect demystify. On the other hand, BIM application at an early stage of the project leads to the resolution of some of these problems that arise posteriorly.
- Housing energy-related renovations from a lifestyle and social standards perspective: insights from Portuguese homeownersPublication . Abreu, Maria Isabel; Oliveira, Rui; Lopes, JorgeRecent studies argue that energy-related renovations which are not distinctive from other house improvements must be socially contextualized and intercepted with the householders’ daily social practices. Within a practice-theory approach, this study aims to explore how tastes, lifestyles and social values and norms can be brought into the understandings of energy renovation practices of Portuguese homeowners. The outcomes disclosed differentiated taste-motivated issues which boost homeowners to renovate. This highlighted the importance of energy policy-makers understand the diversity of homeowners’ desires and preferences regarding house renovation activities. Reflecting upon this diversity inside the household domain, gender differences revealed to be a significant factor, being women an undervalued resource despite their key influence on domestic energy management. Results also reinforce previous theories about how home renovations decisions reflects societal values and norms which determined “what would look nice” to have in a house and which determine, in part, why visible renovations are so prioritized, frequently not energy-related. Findings suggested also that energy policies should be drawn making energy efficiency in houses as fashionable as other consumer goods related with home design. Innovative partnerships between energy policy-makers and household products industries, home design magazines, marketing experts or real estate experts, which have the know-how on shaping people’s tendencies and tastes, are needed