Building Performance Measurement Research Articles

Integrated performance measurement system for Slovak heating industry: A balanced scorecard approach

The prerequisite for businesses’ success, competitiveness, and non-bankruptcy is their performance. An effective performance measurement system is a suitable tool for measuring and improving business performance. The development in performance measures moved from financial measures focused on company profitability to measurement systems combining different methods, approaches, and tools. The paper aims to identify key performance indicators for Slovak heating companies based on the developed integrated performance measurement system. The analysis sampled 292 Slovak companies within SK NACE 35 (heating industry). The performance measurement system was built on balanced scorecard principles, while the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (Lasso regression) method was used to select financial indicators. Based on the combination of the above methods, a performance measurement system framework for the analyzed sample of businesses was created. The results show that when managing performance, the analyzed businesses should focus on the following financial performance indicators: Receivables turnover ratio, Return on equity, Return on costs, Total debt to total assets, Material intensity, Labor to revenue ratio, Netto cash flow to assets, Net working capital to total assets, and Short-term liabilities to assets. When building performance measurement system based on balanced scorecard principles, financial indicators were supplemented by non-financial ones. In addition to the original balanced scorecard principles, the performance measurement system was extended by environmental constituents. Also, the paper’s deliverable combines Lasso regression and balanced scorecard principles in order to select key performance indices. AcknowledgmentThis paper is prepared within the grant scheme VEGA No. 1/0741/20 (the application of variant methods in detecting symptoms of possible bankruptcy of Slovak businesses in order to ensure their sustainable development).

Adaptive Façades: Review of Designs, Performance Evaluation, and Control Systems

Adaptive building envelope systems can manage energy and mass transformation between indoor and outdoor environments, which contributes to the achievement of environmental benefits via reducing energy consumption and greenhouse gas emission while maintaining human comfort and well-being. However, the market penetration of adaptive façades (AFs) is far from sufficient, even though their capabilities have been recognized in research. Hence, this paper explores the factors hindering the growth of the market share of AFs, based on an exhaustive examination of designs, evaluation criteria and tools, and control systems. Insufficient commercial technology, inaccurate and incomplete performance data, and inconsistent evaluation criteria are demonstrated to be the factors that have hindered the widespread utilization of AFs thus far. Future research tendencies, including reducing costs, retrofitting existing building façades, developing building performance measurement tools, and building consensus evaluation criteria that favor the wide applicability of such façades in actual practice are identified.

Conceptualizing the identification of critical success factors for heritage building maintenance management (HBMM)

Heritage building maintenance management (HBMM), which has been recognized as a tool to enhance sustainability, enables the preservation of past legacies for future generations. HBMM is also known for reducing the intensity of climate change and preserving embodied energy through adaptive reuse and conservation. To this end, facility management (FM) – a multidisciplinary approach toward achieving the functionality of the built environment – has been increasingly applied. However, the absence of clearly identified critical success factors (CSFs) and a systematic framework for identifying the CSFs for effective performance measurement of HBMM remains a salient problem. Intended to bridge this gap, this study aims at developing a framework for identifying the CSFs for HBMM. Conducted at the beginning of the study was a review of relevant literature in the domains of HBMM and FM. Afterward, a conceptual framework was developed by integrating different levels (strategic, tactical, and operational) of FM concepts and useful building performance measurement tools, thus resulting in a guide for identifying CSFs to meet the objectives of HBMM stakeholders. This study’s outcome helps practitioners identify relevant CSFs for achieving organizational maintenance goals and contributes to the existing knowledge about the management of heritage buildings. It can also serve as a basis for future studies that assess the significance of the identified CSFs in HBMM.

Who are the users User categorisations and implications on building performance measurement

The purpose of this article is to identify various types of users of buildings, and to discuss implications on building performance measurement. We propose a model and map user categories in buildings. Our research is based on a case study of user structures related to numerous buildings. Multiple sources of information are used, including document studies, interviews and observations. Results indicate that there are several types of users. We find that the question 'Who are the users? ' is not easy to answer in some cases and requires more nuanced answer. Measurement of building success in a user perspective needs to be done with care for who the users really are. Most of the literature on stakeholder management focuses on users as a single, easily defined and homogenous group. Our research challenges such a simplified perspective, especially for public sector projects.

Building Performance Measurement as a Tool for Efficient Maintenance of Public Secondary Schools in Bayelsa State Nigeria

Building Performance Measurement as a Tool for Efficient Maintenance of Public Secondary Schools in Bayelsa State Nigeria

Who are the users User categorisations and implications on building performance measurement

Who are the users User categorisations and implications on building performance measurement

A longitudinal analysis of energy consumption data from a high-performance building in the tropics

With the use of computer-aided tools, design of high-performance buildings is becoming the de facto industry practice. While reliability and ingenuity of computer simulation models is debated on one hand, continuous measurement and verification of building performance over a long-term is embraced as an alternative solution. The goal of this study is to assess the energy performance of a state-of-the-art high-performance building design in the tropics. Longitudinal and high-fidelity energy consumption data from the high-performance office building (3for2) is presented and analysed for this purpose. The approach to energy-performance assessment presented in this study has two parts. The first part is performance verification which entails using two-years of detailed energy-use data to validate building’s estimated annual energy-use, determined using short-term (i.e. first 100 days of building energy-use) data. Thus, recalibrating the building’s baseline energy performance. The second part is performance benchmarking which entails comparing target building’s energy performance against their peers. Thus, verifying the original classification of 3for2 building design as high-performance, by comparing normalized annual building energy-use against national benchmark statistics.The results and analysis based on long-term measurements help assess several key building performance measures of the 3for2 office design. Firstly, it verified the baseline energy-use is 81.1 kWh/sqm/yr as compared to 77 kWh/sqm/yr estimated based on short-term data. Secondly, several positive energy-saving interventions collectively lowered energy-use to 67.7 kWh/sqm/yr, and thus improve energy-performance by approximately 16% over the baseline. The relevant interventions implemented in 3for2 design are CO2-based demand control ventilation, occupant-centric controls and low-lift vapour-compression chiller. Finally, it demonstrated approximately 40% improved energy performance over other similar buildings in the tropics. Thus, the lessons learnt from longitudinal study help conclude that 3for2 is one of the most energy-efficient office building in the tropics. In addition, this study also exemplifies the role of middleware in making building designs not only high-performing, but also verifiable continuously in long-term throughout building’s life cycle. Overall, this concludes that truly realising high-performance buildings in future lies in not only integrating low-energy architecture and building systems, but also closing the feedback loop by integrating appropriate energy-saving interventions through high-fidelity data infrastructure.

Designing a performance measurement system for university-public organisation collaboration

This study explores designing and building performance measurement systems (PMSs) in the context of university-public organisation collaborations. In the case organisation, using the current literature on university partnerships and public sector performance measurement, we present, empirically test, and elaborate on a process model for designing and building PMSs for university-public organisation collaboration. The empirical section of this study discusses building PMSs to evaluate university-public organisation collaboration with a collaborative research and development project between a university and a public dental healthcare organisation as the empirical case. The study's results reveal that building PMSs for university-public organisation collaboration can support the management of such collaborations with both public and university project managers. The results also reveal that building PMSs can help to overcome the challenges related to measuring performance in the public sector and university partnerships.

Designing a performance measurement system for university-public organisation collaboration

This study explores designing and building performance measurement systems (PMSs) in the context of university-public organisation collaborations. In the case organisation, using the current literature on university partnerships and public sector performance measurement, we present, empirically test, and elaborate on a process model for designing and building PMSs for university-public organisation collaboration. The empirical section of this study discusses building PMSs to evaluate university-public organisation collaboration with a collaborative research and development project between a university and a public dental healthcare organisation as the empirical case. The study's results reveal that building PMSs for university-public organisation collaboration can support the management of such collaborations with both public and university project managers. The results also reveal that building PMSs can help to overcome the challenges related to measuring performance in the public sector and university partnerships.

Structural sustainability appraisal in BIM

The provision of Application Programming Interface (API) in BIM-enable tools can contribute to facilitating BIM-related research. APIs are useful links for running plug-ins and external programmes but they are yet to be fully exploited in expanding the BIM scope. The modelling of n-Dimensional (nD) building performance measures can potentially benefit from BIM extension through API implementations. Sustainability is one such measure associated with buildings. For the structural engineer, recent design criteria have put great emphasis on the sustainability credentials as part of the traditional criteria of structural integrity, constructability and cost. This paper examines the utilization of API in BIM extension and presents a demonstration of an API application to embed sustainability issues into the appraisal process of structural conceptual design options in BIM. It concludes that API implementations are useful in expanding the BIM scope. Also, the approach including process modelling, algorithms and object-based instantiations demonstrated in the API implementation can be applicable to other nD building performance measures as may be relevant to the various professional platforms in the construction domain.

An evaluation of just in time (JIT) implementation on manufacturing performance in Indian industry

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to create awareness of contributions made by just-in-time manufacturing (JIT) practice towards building performance measures in Indian manufacturing industry. Implications of JIT implementation issues in Indian manufacturing industry have been critically evaluated in this paper. Design/methodology/approach – While conducting this study, survey of reasonable number of manufacturing organisations have been made so as to ascertain contributions made by JIT initiatives in the Indian manufacturing industries for achieving major performance measures. The correlations between various JIT implementation dimensions and performance parameters have been worked out by employing various statistical tools and bringing out significant factors contributing effectively towards achieving manufacturing performance measures. Findings – The study divulges that attitude of management, participation of workers, relationship of organisation with suppliers and customers, adoption of latest manufacturing methods and successful adaptation of effective JIT initiatives can significantly contribute towards enhancing performance measures in the organisation. The study also reveals that the holistic JIT manufacturing methods outscore the traditional manufacturing practices towards improving the manufacturing performance. The study highlights that detailed JIT implementation over a reasonable period can greatly contribute towards achievement in performance of organisation. Originality/value – The present study analyses the impact of JIT manufacturing method on performance of organisation and highlights the need for aligning organisational efforts in establishing manufacturing methods for attaining improvements in performance of manufacturing organisations. The paper highlighted the status of JIT manufacturing initiatives in the Indian context and the preparedness of Indian manufacturing industry to meet the challenges imposed by the Western world by employing aggressive JIT manufacturing strategies.

Towards a performance measurement system for health equity in a local health integration network

While there is a growing literature on building performance measurement systems for health equities, this literature for the most part has not dealt with the challenges of coordinating the various parts of the system, the heterogeneous nature of such systems, or how evaluations and measurement can themselves improve performance. This paper describes the initial steps taken to build a performance measurement system to coordinate health equity across 18 hospitals led by the Toronto Central Local Health Integration Network, which is a regional health authority serving a population of more than 2.5 million residents (near in population to Chicago and Rome) and the most socially diverse urban network in Ontario, Canada. This paper also describes some principles that can help inform a performance measurement system. The innovative aspect of this paper is that these principles were developed through feedback by the hospitals.

Sustainable workplaces and building user comfort and satisfaction

PurposeThis paper aims to examine the role of sustainable buildings in providing healthy workplaces in physical and perceptual terms.Design/methodology/approachThe paper takes the form of a literature review, considering the history of sustainable development in the built environment and its rationale, then widening the scope to consider sustainable, healthy and productive workplaces.FindingsSustainable construction has focused on environmental sustainability but this may have contributed to improved health, satisfaction and wellbeing amongst building users. Sick building syndrome and poor indoor air are contributory factors to ill health and reduced productivity but this paper suggests that sustainable building practices will reduce these effects, improving the quality of buildings for their occupants.Practical implicationsThis paper argues that building performance measures need to take account of people factors such as employee perceptions and also that the design of workplaces should be regarded as a strategy for productivity enhancement. Management issues should be considered in the design of workplaces. The paper concludes that further research is required into the role of sustainable construction in providing healthy buildings.Originality/valueThe paper makes practical suggestions for corporate real estate and facilities management teams as well as those involved in the design of the buildings. Additionally, it opens suggested avenues for further academic research.

Developing a Business Case Using Whole Building Performance Measurement

ABSTRACT Since 1998, the U.S. Navy's Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) has had a policy for incorporating sustainable design principles into new building construction. The policy states it is the intent of NAVFAC to accomplish this within the given budget constraints and while meeting customer requirements. Programming a building using a first cost approach instead of a life cycle cost approach is one of the biggest challenges for integrating sustainable design into Navy projects. Due to this hurdle, an attempt to develop a Navy-specific business case was undertaken. Through this process, it was discovered that consistent data were not being collected for all applicable Navy buildings. Therefore, the current business case information being used by the Navy is the conglomeration of existing business case analysis in the literature. Although this business case information is useful, there is still a need for collecting and analyzing the Navy business case. To develop the Navy-specific business case, NAVFAC is developing program metrics to capture the status of buildings in the design and construction phase, and started to collect whole building cost and performance data for 14 buildings (7 sustainably designed and 7 traditionally designed buildings) to capture data on the existing inventory of sustainably designed buildings. Performance measurement data are being collected on water, energy, operations and maintenance, waste generation, purchasing, occupant satisfaction, and transportation. The building cost and performance data will be collected for a minimum of 12 months. Both of these data collection and analysis efforts have offered lessons learned that will be shared alongside the current Navy business case information.

Building Performance Measurement into Today's Testing and Evaluation (T&E)

Successful examples of building performance testing and evaluation (T&E) into a contemporary product/system development are presented. These examples serve in contrast with an increasing move toward exclusive use of subjective methods in technologically-driven human-factors/ergonomics (HF/E). This trend in “tech-driven” HF/E arguably parallels early-HF/E (<‘65) with a paucity of relevant literatures and guidance - but also suggests that performance considerations could be creatively incorporated into the development process as in earlier HF/E. Examples illustrate that (1) generally there is sufficient time to properly consider performance, and (2) proper performance consideration often requires relatively few resources, when practitioners make greater use of their imagination. Performance considerations and assessment can be creatively built into today's HF/E T&E.

Building Performance Measures: A Human Factors Problem

Performance assessments via institutionalized performance measures are a key part of the ongoing, global restructuring of corporate, industrial, government, and military ways of doing business. Corporations, recognizing that the “game” is played for keeps, are reorganizing to survive and prosper in the national and international environment. Often, this restructuring is not just adding new technology, although it typically takes advantage of new technology. Instead, this is a work environment change supporting effective work interactions. Led by the training and human resources personnel, employees learn to share goals, to communicate effectively and to help each other solve problems in order to function as an effective team. Results of these efforts are truly inspiring. Organizations such as Kodak, IBM, Ford, and others have turned things around, producing profitable units providing quality products and services, and having fun while doing it (Anfuso 1994). A key part of this turn-a-round is the common understanding of how performance is evaluated, a result achieved via instutionalized performance measures. A performance measure is a definition of how performance is to be assessed. The definition is always based on an individual's subjective preference of the worth of demonstrated performances or proposed activities. When the individual is an authority whose performance assessments significantly impact the performance of other individuals and the organization, then that individual's assessment concept demands attention. A performance measure, acceptable to that authority by virtue of it rating performances the same way the authority does, can systematize the assessment process by communicating what data are to be collected and how those data are to be processed to determine the performance rating. Extracting information from authorities for building performance measures does not require advances in computer technology or mathematics. Instead, it requires creating an environment in which the authority can interact with a facilitator to consider alternative workplace outcomes and can provide ratings of the desirability of each outcome. To demonstrate this interaction as a human factors problem, this paper describes the environments necessary to extract the definitions of good performance from authorities. These definitions are the basis for building the equivalent performance measures.