Architectural Engineering 2003: Building Integration Solutions

The conference room is one of the most important venues for corporations, governments, and schools. The conference room is the place where, among other things, designs are presented and sold, contracts are negotiated and signed, and executives hold meetings and develop corporate policy. While a properly designed conference room is rarely noticed, a poorly designed conference room is always noticed. Whether communication is truly hindered or occupants are merely distracted, a poorly designed conference room will have a negative impact on the business taking place in the room. Since the main form of communication in nearly all conference rooms is aural, the acoustic design of conference rooms is paramount and should not be considered less important than the overall aesthetic concept of the architect. Since the second most important form of communication comes in the form of visuals, proper illumination design is also important. The acoustic goals can usually be met by ensuring that the background noise level is below 38 dBA, the 1 kHz reverberation time is under 0.5 seconds and that reverberation times in other bands are controlled, that flutter echoes are avoided, and that the composite STC of the walls is at least 50. The lighting goals can usually be met by ensuring that the horizontal illuminance on the table is 60–100 fc, the vertical illuminance on the walls is 45–60 fc, the ratio of horizontal to vertical illuminance at the occupant position is about 1.6, and the maximum luminance is under 250 fL. In addition, all lighting systems should have dimming controls.

Currently there are a number of indoor noise criteria used to quantify the level of background noise in rooms, including Noise Criteria (NC), Balanced Noise Criteria (NCB), Room Criteria (RC), Room Criteria Mark II (RC Mark II) and others. This paper reviews the pros and cons of each of these and then compares the values measured in existing classrooms in the Omaha area. The authors are in the process of subjectively comparing these various criteria to determine which method best correlates with human perception. The subjective testing methods and preliminary results are discussed.

A small sample among many church sanctuaries in a southern Virginia town were selected and subjected to a study of acoustical performance. This study was made as an initial investigation to understand what makes a desirable sound environment, with local and regional context in small and medium sized worship spaces. Analytical parameters of acoustic performance, simulation and auralization of the effect of various types of sound sources such as speech, music and noise, are investigated and compared among the selected samples. This paper presents the initial results of this study as well as suggestions for further studies.

The accurate selection of vibration criteria and prediction of vibration levels is important in laboratory design because laboratory cost increases as floor vibration levels decrease. Vibration criteria can be determined based on published vibration limits, manufacturer-provided criteria, and subjective tests of vibration-sensitive equipment. For design purposes, floor vibration levels can be predicted by several methods, which include the AISC method, the BBN method, and analytical modal analysis. The accuracy of these prediction methods are compared against measured vibration levels in both a composite and a concrete laboratory floor. In addition, the effect of damping on floor vibrations was analyzed through vibration measurements before and after the installment of interior wall partitions and furniture.

Plumbing noise has long been recognized as being one of the most intrusive and hard to control sound associated with multi-family dwellings. This paper demonstrates that plumbing noise can be controlled at the source, by use of L_ap ratings obtained using ISO 3822-1999 test procedures. Typical L_ap values will be noted in addition to procedure fundamentals.

The expansion of the Dallas Convention Center includes the world's largest column-free exhibit hall. The location of the hall required spanning four heavy-rail tracks and two light-rail tracks. Prior to construction, vibrations at a frequency of 4–5 Hz were measured on the ground as trains passed through the construction site. Conventional construction techniques would have allowed these vibrations to enter the exhibit hall resulting in unacceptable noise and vibration levels. To resolve this problem, an isolation system utilizing steel springs and rubber bearings was designed to reduce the vibration inside the exhibit hall. Noise reduction achieved through the vibration isolation system, choice of building materials, and acoustical glass eliminated concerns about the impact of passing trains. The determination of the isolation requirements and the design of the vibration and acoustic isolation systems are discussed in this paper.

Continuous Commissioning (CC) is an ongoing process to resolve operating problems, improve comfort, optimize energy use and identify retrofits for existing commercial and institutional buildings and central plant facilities. CC focuses on optimizing/improving overall system control and operations for the building as it is currently utilized and on meeting existing facility needs. The innovative optimal engineering solutions are developed using engineering based model analysis integrated with the scientific field measurement or experiments. Integrated approaches are used to implement these optimal solutions to ensure local and global system optimization and to ensure persistence of the improved operational schedules. The implementation of CC process can typically decrease building energy consumption by 20%. Authors have completed the CC guidebook with financial support from DOE. This paper introduces the CC guidebook, which includes the CC process, the primary CC techniques and measures, and a case study.

Continuous Commissioning (CC) of a large campus with multiple buildings usually involves optimizing the operation of air handling units (AHUs), thermal plant(s) and thermal distribution loops. Careful planning and timely implementation of the commissioning measures are critical for a successful commissioning project. It is important to prioritize the different tasks, coordinate with mechanical, electrical, and control system contractors to identify and repair faulty equipment, improve/upgrade existing controls, and optimize system operations. This paper discusses the general approach for commissioning a large campus from a commissioning engineer's perspective.

This paper describes a study that involves commissioning of a full-size dual-duct constant volume (DDCV) system, which serves a four-story office and classroom building with a gross floor area of 6,317 m² (68,000 ft²) in a university campus. In early 90s, a variable speed drive (VSD) was installed as a retrofit process. The fan has been operated under constant low speed of 50Hz to limit airflow. The total airflow rate was 22.8 m³/s (48,300 ft³/min) after the retrofit process. During the current commissioning process, fan speed control was changed from the constant low speed to the static pressure control used in dual duct variable air volume systems. The system maintains the minimum static pressure of hot and cold ducts at a set point. Hourly data of thermal energy and fan power consumptions have been collected from the energy management and control system through the Internet to verify savings of the new control scheme. During the data collection, steam valve leakage was detected, which caused energy wastage as well as a thermal comfort problem. Analyses show that the static pressure control scheme and the steam valve shut-off during summer incur substantial energy savings as well as improve thermal comfort. Additionally, throughout the analyses, it was determined that the system operation can be optimized by resetting cold and hot deck temperature with the pressure control operation of the VSD in the DDCV system.

Over the past decade the HVAC systems in many Army buildings have not received adequate maintenance because of budget limitations and maintenance staff reductions. As a result, the HVAC control systems in buildings that are ten or more years old are typically in poor operating condition. In the late 1990's, the Public Works Business Center at Fort Bragg, North Carolina entered into a number of performance contracts to re-commission the HVAC systems, especially the control systems, in a number of buildings. Since the control systems in many buildings were inoperable, occupants complained that their rooms were too cold in summer, too hot in winter. The HVAC systems also operated 24 hours per day even though they were originally designed to shutdown during unoccupied periods. This paper presents the results of a five year study of five buildings. The purpose of the study was to assess the performance of the HVAC/control systems immediately after the performance contractor had completed the work, and to monitor their operation for a period of one year following re-commissioning. Data was collected to: (1) confirm that the HVAC systems were operating in accordance with the performance contractor's specifications; (2) monitor room temperature and humidity; and (3) estimate the energy savings that resulted from re-commissioning. Sensors and micro-dataloggers were used extensively throughout the project to monitor the buildings. A total of 12 undergraduate and graduate students from the Architectural Engineering Department of North Carolina A&T State University were involved in the project. The secondary objective of the project was to provide Architectural Engineering students with real world measurement and verification field experience.

The future is unpredictable, natural gas prices are fluctuating wildly, and electricity rates are increasing sharply as a result of higher fuel prices. In unstable utility market environments like we are seeing today and that we expect in the near future, operating a large university cogeneration system presents opportunities as well as challenges. Will the existing "generate-as-much-as-we-can and buy-the-rest" operation scenario continue to be the best, or does the operation need to be optimized? If operational changes are recommended, what is the optimum scenario? How sensitive is the optimum scenario to natural gas prices and electricity purchase rates? The Texas A&M University combustion gas turbine is an old machine. The economics of an overhaul and upgrading costs also come into play. Various operation scenarios are proposed, then evaluated and compared for different natural gas prices and purchased electric rates. The results show how to maintain flexibility in the uncertain electricity market, and to minimize the impact of electric utility deregulation. The analysis also investigates the cost impact of increased natural gas prices, and the economics of the major gas turbine upgrade. The various scenarios analyzed include: 100% purchase of electricity, i.e., shutting down the gas turbine; generate as much electricity as you can and buy the rest; operate in a pure Combined Heat and Power (CHP) mode and buy the rest; and operate the CHP units during summer months only and buy the rest. The above scenarios are also evaluated with an overhauled and more economical gas turbine/generator set. The fact that Texas A&M's cogen system can produce up to 65% of its own electricity, has both electric-driven and steam-driven chillers, and can purchase its additional electricity on the wholesale market presents additional opportunities and operating strategies, which will be discussed in the paper.

The case study facility is a shopping mall with a total floor area of 112,000 square meter (1,200,000 square feet). A central plant in the mall is equipped with dual-fuel generators, turbine engine chillers and boilers as well as absorption chillers. The central plant provides electricity to most mall tenants, and chilled water and heating water to HVAC systems in the entire mall. The rest of the electricity is provided by a local utility company. Continuous Commissioning was applied to solve existing facility problems, to optimize facility operation, and to reduce operational costs. The cause of a persistent major comfort problem was identified. A costly retrofit with a total value of $50,000 was avoided. The key system performances were tested and measured. Based on the actual key system performance, optimal operation and control schedules were developed. The integrated whole facility optimization approach also identified a potential cost reduction of $81,000/yr with a retrofit cost of $58,000. The improved chilled water system operation could potentially reduce annual gas and fuel costs by $60,000. This paper presents methods, analyses, and results of this integrated system optimization study.

Converting data from Post Occupancy Evaluations to usable knowledge is a recurring theme in building research. POE data have proved to be difficult to capture in a unified, comprehensive knowledge base making it difficult to render value addition to the findings and lessons learned. Further, combining descriptive building data and POE data in a common data structure is warranted from the end-user's perspective. A unified data structure is essential to convert the data to useful information for design support, facility management and other end uses. The authors are proposing a common semantic model for coding POE data and physical building descriptions. They are developing a system-independent knowledge structure modeling relationships between POE and descriptive building data in a semantic space that includes meaningful placeholders for abstract POE related concepts. They are using `issues' as the concept that objectifies the linkage between subjective POE data and the building components and their properties that those data relate to.

Typical buildings consume 20% more energy than required due to inefficient operation procedures, non-optimal control schedules, and system faults. A few of the systems are detected by well trained engineers through field measurement, specialized engineering calculation and analysis due to lack of skilled engineers and tedious commissioning process. Consequently, excessive amounts of energy are wasted daily in existing buildings. The development of HVAC automation systems and simulation software makes it possible to diagnose the mechanical and electrical problems by on-line simulation. This paper introduces simplified simulation software (AirModel) and investigates the feasibility of implanting the simplified simulation programs into the energy management and control system (EMCS) using a demonstration project, and presents the results of fault detection, problem diagnosis, and operation schedule optimization for large commercial buildings with built-up HVAC systems.

As a widely existing problem in current design of airconditioning systems, excessive design cooling load has caused considerable surplus in water chiller capacity and serious waste of energy. Surveys show that, in some projects, even in the hottest seasons, one third or even one half of the water chillers are not in operation. In order to solve this problem, expert system technology is introduced and incorporated with load-index(design cooling load per unit area) assessment method. Consequently, an expert system for the calculation of building's design cooling load is established on the basis of artificial neural network theories. Application examples indicate that this system is simple and workable; the calculation results thereof achieve high accuracy, and calculation methods are in conformity to the thinking habits of designers.

This paper applies artificial neural networks theory to the study of indoor thermal comfort, a model for the prediction of PMV (Predicted Mean Vote) index is proposed by the use of back-propagation neural network. As PMV index is a highly nonlinear function of human being's thermal comfort influencing factors, so the calculation of PMV index involves complex iterations, using the approach presented in this paper can facilitate this process. Testing result shows that this model can give good results. The model presented in this paper is well suited for direct implementation using neural network chips, so it is potentially attractive for real-time air-conditioning control applications.

Early decisions taken by the architect during the conceptual design stage greatly influence the energy performance of a building. Unfortunately, most architects do not seriously consider such performance when comparing alternatives for a building's form and orientation. This is largely due to the way architecture students learn about buildings' energy. Simple charts and some rules of thumb are preferred over complex calculations used by engineers and energy specialists. While common buildings' energy software provides a lot of help in simplifying these calculations, they are not suitable for the conceptual design stage. This paper presents an experiment conducted by the author to use purpose-made software. The software is designed to help architecture students learn the impact of the conceptual design decisions on buildings' energy performance. The paper describes the capabilities of the software as well as the context and the results of the experiment.

Computer programs for performing structural analysis and detail design calculations have been in the market and used by practitioners for several years. However, there is still a scarcity of computer programs available to assist properly engineers in the conceptual design of building structures. The explanation for this lies in the fact that during conceptual design the engineer's work flow is highly dependent on the amount, quality and type of information that is exchanged with the architect. This in turn affects the quality and effectiveness of the structural engineering feedback provided to the architect. This paper describes an approach that aims at enabling a two-way interaction between architects and structural engineers early on in the design process through computers, which will likely lead to improved overall building solutions.

This paper addresses the benchmarking of a building performance monitoring toolkit developed for the US federal GSA (General Services Administration). The spreadsheet based toolkit focuses on technical performance aspects such as energy, lighting, maintenance and IAQ, etc. A benchmarking study focusing on the energy and lighting assessment is discussed.

The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System is a point-based system for certifying the level of a building's sustainability. Appropriate use of concrete can help a building earn up to 18 points out of the 26 required for LEED certification. Using concrete can reduce urban heat islands, reduce water runoff, help meet minimum energy requirements, optimize energy performance, and increase the life of a building. The constituents of concrete can be recycled materials, and concrete itself can be recycled. Concrete and its constituents are usually available locally. These attributes of concrete can help lessen the impact a building has on the natural environment.

Recently developed large high-volume, low-speed industrial ceiling fans, up to 7.2 m diameter, offer an energy-efficient means to providing summer comfort for workers in manufacturing facilities. Performance data for such fans relates to airflow across unobstructed floor space. Manufacturing facilities are likely to have numerous machines and other obstructions on the floor that would interfere with the airflow from such fans. The writer has conducted extensive testing of such fans in an industrial building at Lockheed Martin plant in Marietta, GA. These tests included some measurements of airflow around obstructions at floor level.

This paper illustrates how climate affects the performance of attic radiant barriers. The 48 contiguous United States were subdivided into nine predominant climatic regions and a transient heat and mass transfer computer model was used to evaluate the performance of radiant barriers, based on ceiling heat transfer reductions. The simulations were driven by TMY2 weather data from stations within the climatic regions. Results based on integrated hourly ceiling heat fluxes over a 3-month period showed that radiant barriers were most effective in the Tropical Savanna climate (i.e., southern tip of the State of Florida) and least effective in the Mediterranean climate (i.e., the State of California and western regions of the States of Nevada and Arizona). Summer-integrated percent reduction in ceiling heat transfer, based on an insulation level of 3.5 m²K/W (R-19), ranged from 36.8 percent to 2.3 percent. Peak-hour percent reductions in ceiling heat flux ranged from almost 100 percent in the Marine West Coast climate (i.e., the states of Oregon, Washington, the western region of Idaho, and the northwest part of Nevada) to 23 percent in the Desert climate (i.e., large portions of the states of Arizona, Nevada, Utah, New Mexico, and western Texas).

The supply air temperature set point for a single-duct constant air volume air handling unit (AHU) is often reset based on either return air temperature or outside air temperature in order to reduce simultaneous cooling and heating energy consumption. Both reset strategies make engineering sense as long as the reset schedules are reasonable. Quite often the decision to use one over the other is made with the assumption that they will both achieve some sorts of energy savings. However, the impact of these two strategies on AHU energy consumption could be very different. A comparison of these two commonly used supply air temperature reset strategies for a single-duct constant air volume system is presented in this paper. It is shown that from either the building energy consumption or building comfort point of view, the reset strategy based on outside air temperature is inherently better than that based on return air temperature. Significant amount of heating energy savings can be achieved by switching from return air temperature based reset to outside air temperature based reset.

In residential and light commercial construction in the United States, heating and cooling ducts are often located outside the thermal or pressure boundary of the conditioned space. This location is selected for aesthetic and space requirement reasons. Typical duct locations include attics, above dropped ceilings, crawlspaces, and attached garages. A wide body of literature has found that distribution system conduction and air leakage can cause 30–40% energy losses before cooling and heating air reaches the conditioned space. Recent innovative attempts at locating ducts in the conditioned space have had mixed results in terms of improving duct efficiency. Some of these strategies include cathedralizing attics (sealing and insulating at the attic roofline) and locating ducts in interstitial spaces. This paper reviews modeling studies that suggest substantial savings could be realized from these strategies and presents field measurements which reveal that construction planning and execution errors can prevent these strategies from being widely applied or from being effective when they are applied. These types of problems will need to be overcome for effective integration of ducts into the conditioned space.

The heat transfer from low-temperature hot water floor radiant-heating system is affected by geometrical sizes and by complicated boundary conditions. Using finite-element solution, this paper has produced numerical analysis of multi-layer two-dimensional conduction on the multifarious panels under non-linear boundary condition. It also presents the quantified relations, which describe how different factors, such as floor materials and their thickness, distance between the tubes, diameter of tubes, water temperature and indoor temperature, affect heat transfer from the floor panel.

The German automobile systems manufacturer BROSE Inc., is currently in the process of designing its new research, development and headquarter facility in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The programmatic requirements of this two-story facility include 7,000 m test facilities, prototype shops and educational/recreational space. The building is designed to be a load-bearing, cast-in-place concrete structure with imbedded hydronic radiant cooling and heating piping. The exterior envelope system will utilize high performance glazing elements, motorized and controlled textile-shading screens on all facades except North, and interior glare protection. These measures ensure an optimal working environment for CAD and administrative workstations. The highly technical systems of this energy-efficient building are not only fully integrated into the architecture of the building, but also into the so-called "BROSE Working World", a company-own philosophy of desk-sharing, integrated employee coffee and communication break "islands" and advanced training facilities.

Air traffic has been steadily increasing with the need for additional capacity at the nation's airports. To increase capacity at airports more runways, ramps, hangers and terminals are being added. This additional infrastructure is impacting the existing Airport Traffic Control Towers (ATCTs) requiring their replacement with taller and larger towers. These towers are unique structures having one or more floors sitting on top of a small shaft and topped off with an all glass observation platform, commonly referred to as the cab. The writers will discuss the various building codes and how they relate to the design of ATCTs. They will demonstrate the use of alternative design approaches for code compliance, which can substantively improve implementation of ATCTs. Additionally the writer's will make recommendations for updating the building codes.

Formerly, no acceptable methodology existed to facilitate the design of Airport Traffic Control Tower (ATCT) cab glass. The authors developed such a design methodology and are putting it into an appropriate format for use as a standard. Their methodology follows general procedures from ASTM E 1300-00. Unlike ASTM E 1300-00, this methodology bases load resistance of window glass on a probability of breakage of one lite per one thousand at the first occurrence of design loading. This paper describes the development of the methodology and provides a simple design example.

This paper seeks to synthesise and correlate the authors' combined experience, in an effort to draw integrated design process comparisons between the European and Asian contexts, between practice and education, and between the ideals of Ove Arup's early model and the competitive and often divisive business atmosphere dominating today's design and construction industry. In so doing, it is hoped that a healthy debate will be raised, helping to point towards a future of higher quality buildings delivered by an integrated design team.

This session will demonstrate the benefits of Integrated Design—intelligent coordination of architecture and engineering—to clients and practitioners. This approach has a significant global track record of efficient and striking buildings, and it is becoming a necessary component of architectural services as building performance becomes a greater issue here.

To assist in understanding the impact of codes and standards on advanced technology facilities, CREATE, a research consortium at Arizona State University, has developed a Codes and Standards Resource Tool that compiles all the major codes and standards used in the semiconductor industry for the design and construction of a semiconductor fabrication facility. This resource tool is web-based to allow access to the information at any time and any place. Links to other pertinent websites are provided to allow access to related material on various cleanroom and semiconductor issues to improve the design and construction process. A compendium of alternative means and methods is also available that will assist the design and construction team when it is difficult or impossible to comply with the codes exactly as prescribed and an alternate means of compliance must be found.

The Project Definition Rating Index (PDRI) is a weighted score sheet used for determining the level of scope definition of building projects during preproject planning, e.g., during conceptual design, schematic design and design development. Developed by the Construction Industry Institute (CII) in 1999, this tool has been widely adopted by various owners and contractors in the building industry. Using the PDRI while conducting planning charrettes (i.e., intense focus meetings involving key stakeholders) provides a collaborative environment that has been shown to significantly enhance the preproject planning process by integrating the perspectives of the various project participants. This paper will give background of the PDRI and its benefits for the project. It will then discuss usage of the PDRI in planning charrettes, including real project examples. The planning charrette process will be outlined, including key participants, required resources and outcomes. The benefits of planning charrettes will be discussed, including key findings. Finally, recommendations will be given to project professionals concerning the use of the charrette approach for planning.

Design-build and fast-track construction, once considered alternatives to mainstream practice, have now taken center stage in the Architecture/Engineering/Construction/Ownership (AECO) industry. Design-build project delivery, in which the architect and contractor form a single contractual entity, now accounts for over one-third of all non-residential projects in the US. Fast-track production, in which construction begins before design is complete, is now so common that major firms employ it in over 95% of their projects. But while practice moves increasingly toward design-build and fast-track, many current practices are carried over from the "over-the-wall" paradigm in which designers and builders worked separately to complete a building. The result is a mismatch between the methods in use today, which are based on organizational and sequential separation, and the reality of the current AECO project environment, characterized by collaboration, concurrency, uncertainty and change.

This paper describes methods used in upper level architecture classes to connect the analytical thinking of technology coursework with the synthetic processes of architectural design. A resulting paradigm is documented by this author in Integrated Buildings: The Systems Basis of Architecture. The integration approach is based on case study analysis of architecturally and technically significant buildings where critical technical issues are identified and related to the guiding ambitions of architectural intention.

This report puts forward a suggested approach to the ongoing discussions on technology adoption by the architectural-engineering-construction industry (AEC), presenting a case for qualifications-based selection (QBS) of professional architectural and engineering services. QBS is a federally mandated process for the procurement of professional architectural and engineering services, which is based on qualifications rather than low price. QBS can be the vehicle for the education of owners on the need for new technology and can serve as the catalyst for the introduction and financing of such technology in the industry. The report, which outlines the findings of a recent study performed on QBS, is based on two years of data on recently procured projects in New York City (about $900 million in contract values) as well as past literature.

Architects benefit from computer-aided-design (CAD) technologies in the production of construction documents, but have not fully integrated a project planning process that will provide an organized system of data compilation to facilitate the schematic and design phases. FIAPP-based technology has been proven to provide construction managers with a visualization tool, project controls, construction reviews as well as information regarding procurement of materials and services. Architects and designers must integrate several data sources in the initial stages of schematic design and project planning. The varied information pool, which includes field and site data, program planning, and support disciplines, provides the background information required for project design and management and through integration it can be used as a comprehensive tool to provide for coordination among project participants.

The paper summarizes research efforts performed, or currently under way, in the development and implementation of FIAPP-based systems for clients in the private and public sectors, and results from New York City case studies in building construction and renovation (case studies include the renovation of the Brotherhood Synagogue, the construction of Polytechnic University's new dormitory, and a renovation of New York City Transit subway station complex). The case studies and underlying research efforts build on the experiences of the research team and the strengths of FIAPP technology, as well as put forward lessons learned on issues related to strategic planning, impediments to adoption of the technology, expectations of clients and project participants, implementation and knowledge transfer. The paper further outlines current Architectural, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) practices and suggested implementation strategies for FIAPP-based technologies to ensure success at all levels and stages of a project and an organization, with emphasis on knowledge transfer to such participants for sustainability of their efforts. The case studies described herein are supplemented with, and fueled by, educational and research efforts put in place to provide the industry with the engineers, managers and leaders of tomorrow.

Several factors stymie the successful integration of the design, the construction and the operation of building facades in today's construction industry. They also limit the potential for introducing innovative products and processes into facades. These factors include: a limited understanding of what façade design entails, unclear definitions of when façade issues should be addressed, identifying who is best suited to take responsibility for them and barriers drawn by contractual lines inhibiting how best to incorporate them. This paper will outline the importance of façades and the roles and responsibilities within the discipline of façade engineering. It will explain how façade engineers, through various contractual arrangements, assist the project team to introduce innovation into design, construction and operation and how they help to achieve integrated and innovative buildings by assuming the responsibility of technical guardianship.

Over a five year period, an historic structure of over 130,000 square feet was completely restored at a cost of more than $10 million. Improvements included total replacement or repair of almost every architectural feature inside and out and new utility systems throughout. Project engineers were challenged by the years of neglect due to under-funding of facilities maintenance and a regulatory requirement to limit phases of the reconstruction to under $1 million.

One hundred and seven completed building projects from across the nation have each been assessed for the levels of technology employed on 68 different common project work functions (WFs). In addition, the projects have been assessed for the levels of overall project cost- and schedule-performance attained. This paper reports on the details and findings of this study. Specifically, building project technology usage findings are presented and analyzed according to several data class variables. In addition, building project technology findings are presented by project phase and work function — both task automation-type work functions and integration-link work functions. Building project cost and schedule success findings are also presented and relationships with technology usage are discussed. The results of this research indicate that technologies may positively influence building project performance in terms of cost and schedule success.

The reported research aims to provide means to improve the performances of timber structures, particularly when brittle behavior of timber elements can represent an obstacle in adopting timber structures. Several technological approach solutions are under investigation within the frame of a three-year national research project: the first solution analyzed is the mixed glulam beam manufactured coupling laminations of different wood species, featuring a better performance as far the global ductile behavior is concerned. A numerical iterative approach has been adopted to determine the moment-curvature relationship in the plastic field up to failure. The tests performed so far confirm the expected behavior on the basis of the numerical analysis.

A experimental study was conducted to examine the shear and tensile strength of pneumatically driven pin connections used in cold-formed steel construction. This study included the key parameters that influence the connection strength: steel thickness (16-, 18- and 20-gauge steel), sheathing thickness (1/2 in. (152-mm) Unipan and 1/2 in. (152-mm) Dens-Glass Gold). The shear design values given in the AISI design specifications for screw connections are compared with those obtained from a series of lap shear tests and a good agreement is obtained. Initial analysis of the AISI design equation for tensile failure due to pull-over yielded poor results when compared to the withdrawal test values. Upon further analysis it was determined the connection failed in punch shear mode and the results compared well with the ACI punch shear analysis. The equations developed in this study can be used to predict the strength of pneumatically driven pin connections in cold-formed steel construction.

A protocol to evaluate the overall performance of the building envelope is not yet available in North America. Consequently neither the manufacturer nor the client can be sure of the performance of the unit over time. In the Canadian climate, the performance of wood-frame building envelopes is directly affected by moisture management, as well as by the quality of design, construction workmanship, and maintenance. Trapped moisture reduces the thermal performance of the envelope and can lead to mould growth that deteriorates building materials and contaminates the indoor-air. The means to evaluate the impact of these factors on the overall performance of the envelope are limited. The computer models that exist are still, for the most part, reserved for researchers or have not been validated to a sufficient comfort level for the designer. Large scale testing that would provide realistic results have been limited due to the lack of facilities and the lack of evaluation procedures.

The Building Envelope Research Laboratory (BERL) in the Architectural Engineering Department at the Pennsylvania State University has devised and developed the concept of using architectural glass panels with modified corner geometries to improve their resistance to damage during earthquakes. The primary aspects of the invention are the removal of material at glass panel corners (e.g., by rounding the glass corners) and subsequent finishing of the glass edges in the modified corner regions to minimize protrusions and edge surface roughness. The invention is low in incremental cost and is applicable to a wide variety of architectural glass types and wall system types. Appropriately constructed "rounded corner" glass panels were found to increase significantly the serviceability (i.e., the dynamic racking displacement magnitude that can be accommodated before glass cracking occurs) and, to a lesser extent, the glass fallout resistance of architectural glass panels used in building wall systems. The effects of corner radii and glass edge finish conditions on the glass cracking and glass fallout resistances of rounded corner glass panels subjected to dynamic racking displacements are summarized.

Two series of walls, reflecting twelve un-grouted URM walls with different strengthening schemes using FRP composite materials were tested in this study. The results of the first eight specimens are presented in this paper. The walls were subjected to uniform loading along their height using high-pressure bags where the applied pressure could be controlled and monitored through failure. FRP composites in the form of rods and laminates were used as strengthening materials. Retrofit connections were evaluated at the top and bottom using two innovative boundary connections. The tests caused a well-distributed range of damage levels. Under a pilot field study the shear capacity controlled the blast behavior of the strengthened walls, a shear retrofit connection was also studied in the two series of tests. An analytical analysis using a single degree of freedom (SDOF) approach was used to predict the behavior of masonry walls strengthened with FRP.

An overview of the current state of the production of autoclaved aerated concrete (AAC) and architectural and structural aspects of its use in buildings is presented. Some results of recent structural research undertaken at Penn State University, including seismic performance of AAC cladding panels and use of external fiber reinforced polymers, are reviewed.

Recent developments related to approaches and mechanisms for seismic isolation of masonry infill walls and brick veneer walls from structural frames are mentioned. A system called Seismic Infill Wall Isolator Subframe (SIWIS) is discussed. SIWIS is a seismic isolation system for masonry infill walls that would work like a fuse. It maintains a tight fit and allows desirable participation of the infill wall in lateral load resistance under wind and low seismic activities. However, it would isolate the infill wall from the frame under moderate to strong (damaging) earthquakes. A recently developed multi-hazard resistant brick veneer wall concept is also introduced. A Panelized Brick Veneer with Steel Stud wall system (PBVSS) has also been developed to accommodate seismic induced in-plane lateral movement of the building through bearing and lateral connections or through a rocking mechanism. Besides resistance to wind and seismic load effects, the PBVSS can also be designed to enhance impact resistance performance. The conceptual designs of SIWIS and PBVSS systems are discussed in this paper.