Journal of Architectural Engineering

Existing buildings, or those constructed before 2000, make up approximately 90% of the commercial building stock in the U.S. Existing buildings represent a large opportunity for reducing energy consumption in the U.S., because they account for approximately 16% of the country’s energy consumption each year. This paper presents a design process, in the form of a set of recommended practices, for achieving successful, deep energy retrofits (those that reduce energy consumption by 30% or more) in commercial buildings. These practices include forming an integrated design team, developing a process map for the design phase of the retrofit project that facilitates collaboration and communication, and routinely evaluating the energy performance of the project. This paper focuses on the predesign, schematic design, design development, and construction documents phases of a retrofit project and proposes tasks required in each of these phases to achieve deep energy savings in a retrofit project.

Fabric structures demonstrate an enormous application potential of tensioned fabric as a medium for creating dramatic looking, free-form architectural enclosures. However, their design presents a number of challenges. First, their shape cannot be known accurately at the outset; it must be found through a process of form-finding. Second, under imposed loading (wind or snow), they exhibit a visible form-force interaction, which must be taken into account at the load analysis stage. Finally, the manufacture of a three-dimensional fabric surface must involve a patterning stage, which maps the surface onto a series of two-dimensional panels cut in unstrained fabric. As discussed in this paper, all of the design stages require specialist computational modeling based on good understanding of the relationship between form and stress. Much of the discussion in the paper centers on misconceptions associated with form-finding, as well as the inadequacies of some computational approaches to form-finding and patterning. The question of what constitutes an optimal form points to the use of natural principles in the conceptual design of fabric structures.

A theoretical and experimental investigation of the net dynamic load on the partition wall resulting from the internal pressure in a compartmentalized building with and without an internal opening is reported in this paper for a building with an external opening. An increase in the mean and net dynamic load on the partition wall with decrease in the size of the internal opening as predicted by the set of theoretical equations is backed by wind tunnel tests. In particular, a good agreement between the theoretical and measured admittance function of net wall partition load to ridge height dynamic pressure is observed for a loss coefficient value of 2.78. While the mean load on the partition wall with an internal opening is found to be predictably low from pressure equalization on either side of the wall, gust load factors of 2–3 in combination with Helmholtz resonance of internal pressure observed in the study can have severe implications on the direct and fatigue wind loads on partition walls, which are not usually designed to withstand such loads. A wind-loading standard from Standards Australia/New Zealand Standards recognizes this issue and provides adequate provisions for internal wall loading resulting from the dynamic effects of internal pressure.

Architectural programming practices are still being perceived to be inefficient. This research endeavors to respond to this concern by proposing a generic framework model that aims at capturing the process of properly identifying and communicating client and user requirements to design teams. To achieve this objective, the writers have investigated the current practices of architectural programming for the purposes of describing the approaches followed for identifying the requirements of building projects, the methods adopted to communicate these requirements to design teams, and the limitations of these practices. Development of the framework model was based on knowledge derived from the literature and observed professional practice. The paper is of practical value to architectural programmers and design professionals. It could act as a guide for conducting architectural programming activities and provides a way of bridging the gaps in architectural programming practices. This paper provides for an improved comprehension of the roles of all project participants in the programming process in addition to promoting frequent communication among all participants throughout the process.

Generally, in seismic retrofit design, seismic performance of a RC building can be upgraded to meet or exceed code requirements by upgrading the structural strength, ductility, or a combination of both. Except for safety, financial and environmental benefits of seismic retrofit investments are not considered in seismic retrofit design. However, financial and environmental benefits are very important information for decision making in seismic retrofit investments. In this work, a novel method for estimating seismic damage to an RC building is constructed based of the hazard curve of response spectral acceleration. Additionally, earthquakes are assumed to follow a Poisson process when analyzing the probability of a specified damage state within a specified service period and modeling expected costs caused by seismic damage. In addition to costs, ${\text{CO}}_2$ emissions caused by seismic retrofit and repairs are considered the environmental impact when assessing payback periods of seismic retrofit investments based on the economic and environmental aspects of low-rise RC buildings. In a case study, 16 practical seismic retrofit projects for RC school buildings in Taipei, Taiwan, were analyzed to determine their financial and environmental payback periods. This paper shows that return on the seismic retrofit investments was both environmentally and economically positive.

Technology has played a major role in the process of forming the architectural theory and practice during the twentieth century. The discourse on technology is well received both in hermeneutics and in architectural theory. What has been paid very little attention is how the notion has evolved and developed pragmatically. This paper will focus on the paradigm shift from the established ways of building on-site to the new methods of production of space off-site. The focus, however, is not the shift itself but rather how the destination paradigm has been comprehended and translated into practical solutions and how those solutions have established a dialogue with architecture both as a profession and as the final product. The milestone in this study is the Industrial Revolution, known as the architect of change in this transition. This paper does not provide a chronology of construction technology. By contrast, it focuses on the evolution both of the concepts from a semantic viewpoint and of the application from a pragmatic viewpoint in an international context.

Effective facility management is a critical aspect of ensuring an adequate physical environment to administer care. Maintaining the environment is complicated with numerous critical systems because of occupants with compromised immune systems, and the need to maintain the systems with minimal effect on clinical operations. The complexity and importance of tasks that facility managers deal with require them to have adequate, up-to-date, and easily accessible information. This paper presents a case study that analyzes the impact of facility management on healthcare delivery. The work was completed in the preliminary stages of a research initiative for developing a lifecycle information management system to support facility management within healthcare. A case concerning mechanical systems and critical failures in a healthcare setting is analyzed to identify the types of information needed to adequately perform maintenance tasks. The information is then analyzed for origin along the lifecycle of the facility, its format, and suitable granularity. The aim of the discussed research is to support the development of a healthcare facility information management framework and product model. The product model and framework will aid in the efficient and effective management of facility and clinical information to support facility management activities in healthcare environments.