Monday 7 May 2012

HOW TO ENGAGE THE INTEGRATED DESIGN PROCESS Sources: By the WBDG Aesthetics Subcommittee Overview Major Resources Overview The design of buildings requires the integration of many kinds of information into a synthetic whole. An integrated process, or "whole building" design process, includes the active and continuing participation of users, code officials, building technologists, cost consultants, civil engineers, mechanical and electrical engineers, structural engineers, specifications specialists, and consultants from many specialized fields. The best buildings result from active, consistent, organized collaboration among all players. (See the Design Disciplines branch of the WBDG to learn more about the role of design disciplines in the whole building process.) The integrated design process enables project team members to work together from the project outset to develop solutions that have multiple benefits. A. The Integrated Design Process Preparation for the project can be led by many players but generally, such initiatives are the responsibility of the user/client, who identifies the need for building on the basis of quantifiable requirements for space and budgetary capacity to meet them. A needs assessment often accompanies this planning activity—it can describe existing space use, estimate realistic spatial and technical requirements, and arrive at a space program around which design activity can develop. For larger or long-term projects, a construction manager or a general contractor may be engaged at this point; it may also be appropriate to produce a master plan that places individual design activities in context. (See also WBDG Project Management, Programming, and Planning and Conducting Integrated Design (ID) Charrettes.) Regardless of a project's scope, researching and programming is a crucial first step in developing a successful design. No later than the completion of these tasks should the client engage an architect or other prime consultant. Criteria for selection may include the client's affinity for a specific architectural language, the provider's experience with the building type, or the provider's responsiveness to a site or the client itself. With the advent of the sustainability movement, in particular, some clients assess potential architects for their ability to marry historic or newly conceived building forms to performance, or to achieve innovation more generally. In consultation with a team of sub-consultants, the architect or prime consultant establishes core design principles as well as alternative conceptual approaches to the client's needs. The design team also may produce initial graphic suggestions for the project or portions of it. Such suggestions are meant to stimulate thought and discussion, not necessarily to describe the final outcome. Note the importance of the team format at this stage: Involvement of sub-consultants iscritical, as their individual insights can prevent costly changes further along in the process. The same idea also justifies early and frequent collaboration between the design team and the client, users, or other stakeholders. Gradually a design emerges that embodies the interests and requirements of all participants, while also meeting overall area requirements and budgetary parameters. At this stage, schematic designs are produced. They show site location and organization, general building shape, space allocation, and an outline of components and systems to be designed and/or specified for the final result. Depending on the size of the project, it is often useful to have a cost estimate performed by a professional cost estimator at this point. For smaller projects, one or more possible builders may perform this service as part of a preliminary bidding arrangement. On larger projects, a cost estimate can be part of a multi-stage selection process for a builder, assuming other prerequisites like bonding capacity, experience with building type, and satisfactory references are met. Design Development enlarges the scale of consideration-greater detail is developed for all aspects of the building-and the collaborative process continues with the architect facilitating the various contributors. The conclusion of this phase is a detailed design on which all players agree and may be asked to sign off. The Development of Contract Documents involves translating the Design Development information into formats suitable for pricing, permitting, and construction. No set of contract documents can ever be perfect, but high quality can be achieved by scrutiny, accountability to the initial program needs, and careful coordination among the technical consultants on the design team. Decisions continue to be made at this stage, but changes in scope will become more expensive once pricing has begun; changes to the contract documents also invite confusion, errors, and added costs. Cost estimates by an estimator may be made at this point, prior to or simultaneous with bidding, in order to assure compliance with the budget and to check the bids. Bids taken at this point may be used as a basis for selecting a builder. After the general contractor is selected, Construction Phase begins. Yet designers and other members of the team must remain fully involved. Decisions previously made may require clarification, suppliers' information must be reviewed for compliance with the Contract Documents, and substitutions must be evaluated. If changes affect the operation of the building, it is especially important to involve the user/client in their review. User requirements may change, too, and enacting those alterations require broad consultation among the consultants and sub-consultants, new pricing, and incorporation into the contract documents and the building. The design team is responsible for assuring that the building meets the requirements of the Contract Documents, but the building's success at meeting the requirements of the original program can be assessed by the construction management team or third parties in a process known as Commissioning. Here the full range of functions in the building is evaluated and the design and construction team can be called upon to make changes and adjustments as needed. After the building is fully operational, it is often useful to conduct a Facility Performance Evaluation (FPE) to assess how the building meets the original and emerging requirements for its use. (This may be known as a post-occupancy study, although FPEs are considered to be more rigorous.) Such information is especially useful when further construction of the same type is contemplated by the same user. Mistakes can be prevented and successes repeated. This summary describes the standard operation of the integrated project team. To assure the best result, all parties must adhere to the following principles: 1. clear and continuous communication 2. rigorous attention to detail 3. active collaboration among all team members throughout all phases of the project B. The Integrated, Multidisciplinary Project Team Team Members in a process like this may include the following: The Owner's Representative must speak for the owner and be prepared to devote the time needed to fully advocate, defend, clarify, and develop the owner's interests. This person may come from within the organization commissioning the project or may be hired as a consultant. The Construction Manager is hired on a fee basis to represent the logistics and costs of the construction process. This person can be an architect, a general contractor, or a consulting Construction Manager. It is beneficial for this person to be involved from the beginning of the project. The Architect acts as the lead designer in most building projects—coordinating the sub-consultants, assuring compliance with the program, and assuring compliance with the budget. In some cases, the architect hires some or all of the sub-consultants; in larger projects the owner may contract directly with some or all of them. He or she provides progressively more precise and detailed suggestions for the form of the solution and manages the production of the contract documents. The architect usually participates in the construction phase of the project, assessing compliance with the contract documents by managing appropriate inspections, submissions approvals, and evaluations by the sub-consultants. The architect assists in the evaluation of requests for payment by the builder and other professionals. The Civil Engineer is essential for understanding the land, soil, and regulatory aspects of any construction project; early involvement is essential and the civil engineer is frequently hired directly by the owner in advance of the design team. The civil engineer prepares his or her own contract documents and assesses work compliance with the contract documents. The Landscape Architect is often part of the civil engineer's resources, but can also be involved as an independent consultant. In either case, the landscape architect should be involved early in the project to assess natural systems, how they will be affected by the project and the best ways to accommodate the project to those systems. Consulting Structural, Mechanical, and Electrical Engineers can be engaged by the architect as part of his team or, on larger or more complex projects, may be engaged separately by the owner. They are responsible for the structural, heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning, as well as the power, signal, and illumination aspects of the project. Each produces his or her own portions of the contract documents and should be involved in assessing the respective part of the work for compliance with those documents. Specialized Consultants should be involved as needed by the special requirements of the project. These may include specifications writers, materials and component specialists, sustainability consultants, and technical specialists like kitchen, audio-visual, materials handling, and parking. The size, complexity, and specialization of the project will suggest the kinds of additional experts who will be needed. Like all contributors to the integrated design process, their suggestions and requirements should be incorporated at the earliest phases of design. C. Results The best buildings in history are the result of high degrees of consistency at all levels of their realization. The simplicity in massing of the Seagram Building by Mies van der Rohe, for example, is supported by the building's subtle and spare details at every level. Design attention is applied to the massing and the drinking fountains, the site plan, and the door details. Left: The Seagram Building by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, New York, in 1950s. And Right: This U.S. Courthouse in Seattle was designed by NBBJ and won a 2004 GSA Citation Award for architecture and interior design and an honor award for construction excellence. Frank Lloyd Wright referred to this process as "organic design"—he used the phrase to refer to the integral relationship in good architecture between the parts and the whole—and declared it the architect's obligation to assure consistency throughout the project and at every level of detail. Yet consistency is predicated on collaboration: Good buildings result from an appreciation of consistency project's ambitions by all members of the design team

Sunday 6 May 2012


FIRE SAFETY AT HOME THIS FESTIVE SEASON
            Perhaps you might have heard of the ancient adage “ fire is a good servant but a very bad master”.
Fire and burns are the fourth leading cause if unintentional death in the world.
Fire can be used for domestic and industrial operations putting the aged ones and children into consideration and if it is not prevented or controlled it can result to loss of lives and properties.
Each year more than … die and … are injured in fire and properties worth … is been lost annually.
It is important to note that absolute safety from fire is not attainable, and it is not also possible to eliminate combustibles from a building because some building materials of homes are made or constructed with combustible materials like wood, cotton, rubber, plastic, foam, wax, nylon etc
The Major Causes of Fire
The following has been identified as the major causes of fire
·         Careless disposal of cigarette butt.
·         Domestic cooking gas in the kitchen is tampered with by children or when there is leak.
·         Over loading of electrical out lets.
·         Power outages and fluctuations can cause a spark that could ignite any household equipment.
·         Candle stick placed on combustible material for too long.
·         Oil and gas left careless at home.
·         Generators used for generating electrical power.
·         Dustbins and other waste left near a potential source of fire ignition.
·         Use of faulty electrical equipments and power distribution systems.
·         Match box left where children could play with it.
Prevention of Fire
·         Never run electrical wires under rugs and carpets.
·         Don’t leave electrical equipment on for too long e.g. air conditioner .Thanks for reading to be continue later.
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