This research explores the barriers and limitations of the interaction between building development processes in an attempt of an integrated decision support approach to improve building design for effective maintenance in the field of office building automation.
Extensive coverage of literature and practice in office building industry over the last two decades indicates a wide diffusion and application of the information and communication technologies (ICT). While this has resulted in the adoption of advanced system integration in buildings, system redundancy and excessive expenditures are causing a major impact on the overall efficiency and has burdened building owners and occupiers with escalating maintenance costs. This phenomenon stimulates and warrants the re-examination of integrated building development, not just on system integration but also on the interdisciplinary development process integration particularly linking design and maintenance.
Studies in this field revealed existing problems such as the inherent professional fragmentation, lack of historical information and service data, the first cost mentality of owners and developers, difficulties in forecasting future conditions and changes early in the design stage. With extensive use of qualitative information, this situation presents a great potential for the development of a decision support system exploring the communication and integration of design and maintenance phases, which has been one of the primary objectives of this research.
In addition to literature studies, a questionnaire survey and a case study to identify industry concerns, feasible solutions, and practical procedure oriented approaches through knowledge extractions were carried out. A set of guidelines, a checklist for its implementation and prototype system for computerized decision support to design and maintenance of building automation systems were also produced. These strategic approaches to balance design and maintenance will help facilitate appropriate decision making in the early design stage for sustainable maintenance of buildings.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:ADTP/265052 |
| Date | January 2005 |
| Creators | Lin, Frank Ching-Shou |
| Publisher | Queensland University of Technology |
| Source Sets | Australiasian Digital Theses Program |
| Detected Language | English |
| Rights | Copyright Frank Ching-Shou Lin |
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