Abstract
Serial failures have occurred when introducing new technical solutions in the Swedish construction industry. In an earlier interview study exploring introduction of new technical solutions, documentation and reference cases provided by the supplier are given as the main sources for evaluation. This paper aims at addressing the questions: 1. What kind of documentation concerning building physics are provided by suppliers? 2. How well does the suppliers’ documentation meet the need for verification? In order to address these questions, the case of hygrothermal performance of cross laminated timber structures in multifamily dwellings was chosen. An inquiry of data was sent out to four suppliers at the Swedish market, asking for documentation and reference cases provided. Based on the documentation given, an assessment was made of to which extend the documentation can support verification of appliance to the relevant requirements of the Swedish building regulations. The case study shows reference cases are scarce and existing documentation is not comprehensive, thus indicating the building industry might have a disproportional high confidence in reference cases. The results will be used to suggest requirements for reference cases to be used for verification.
Highlights
To successfully introduce new technical solutions in the construction industry is a challenging task
New technical solutions that have resulted in serial failure in Sweden involve new materials, new products, new designs or new processes
The other example is the introduction of ETICSa on stud frame walls, where the new application on stud frame walls created a sensitive design with respect to workmanship and moisture causing mould growth
Summary
To successfully introduce new technical solutions in the construction industry is a challenging task. There are examples in the Swedish construction industry of both too slow adaptation of new technical solutions, e.g. loss of competitiveness and not achieving the anticipated benefits, and of too fast adaptation, e.g. poor quality and failure as the functional requirements are not sustained. New technical solutions that have resulted in serial failure in Sweden involve new materials, new products, new designs or new processes. There are plenty of examples of a known solution introduced in a new application with new boundary conditions resulting in failure e.g. Two infamous examples of serial failures in Sweden during the last two decades are: The introduction of magnesium boards where a new material with insufficient documentation on material properties was used in applications with high moisture conditions which caused moisture uptake of the material and corrosion of adjacent materials. The other example is the introduction of ETICSa on stud frame walls, where the new application on stud frame walls created a sensitive design with respect to workmanship and moisture causing mould growth
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