Building Survey Research Articles

Where does perceived control come from? A survey of a dormitory building across different operation modes in summer

Prior studies have attributed the heightened positive thermal response during summer to perceived control. The process through which perceived control is cultivated in the built environment has been scarcely explored. A field study was conducted in a dormitory building operating successively in natural ventilation and mixed-mode in the cold region of China. A total of 922 valid samples were obtained. The data analysis indicated that the building’s operation mode impacted both perceived control and its influencing factors. In natural ventilation mode, occupants perceived less control than in mixed-mode, and perceived control was shaped by both thermal stimulus and exercised control. Conversely, in mixed-mode, the occupants’ perceived control was solely influenced by exercised control. Reflecting on this result, this study is the first to suggest a method for determining ‘perceived effectiveness’ by assessing occupants’ thermal sensations and preferences. Only air conditioning was perceived as effective, amplifying occupants’ perceived control, while other controls diminished it. In mixed-mode, control combinations incorporating air conditioning were judged to have perceived effectiveness. On this basis, further combining psychological adaptation with behavioural adaptation, active and passive technology was used to play the role of behavioural adaptation, and the upper limit of acceptable temperature for occupants was increased to 31.1°C.

Reconciling Heritage Buildings’ Preservation with Energy Transition Goals: Insights from an Italian Case Study

The construction industry in Europe significantly contributes to energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions, and this has prompted the European Union to issue directives for renovating and decarbonizing the existing building stock to meet 2050’s energy and environmental targets. However, achieving nearly zero-energy building (nZEB) standards in historic buildings is a complex challenge, as heritage values cannot be compromised for the sake of energy improvements. Our research advocates for a “whole building approach”, integrating various disciplines to achieve low-energy retrofitting while preserving historical material authenticity. The proposed methodology, inspired by the EN16883:2017 standard, involves a comprehensive building survey and assessment, the definition of conservation-compatible design solutions, and a performance analysis of these selected measures in relation to nZEB standards. This method was then applied to an ongoing project on a small, listed building in Genoa, demonstrating the feasibility of achieving conservation and high energy savings and, in these specific circumstances, the possibility of approaching nZEB parameters. This best practice example highlights the importance of adopting a cross-disciplinary, structured method to balance different values and needs in retrofitting projects, and it shows how creative and innovative solutions can break down the typical barriers encountered when implementing retrofitting solutions for built heritage.

Duration of work on the survey of buildings and structures

This article is devoted to the problem of determining the duration of survey work. In this article, the main stages of conducting a survey of buildings and structures are considered, and the principle of determining the maximum duration of the survey is proposed. This principle consists in dividing the object into groups according to the complexity of the object and the work performed. The geometric characteristics of the object were taken as the basis of the complexity of the object, and the types of work were based on the group of complexity of the work. After determining the complexity at the representative objects of each combination of complexity groups, time measurements were made based on the results of which the average time of work on the survey of buildings and structures per 100 m2 of the object was determined

Point Cloud Data Extraction Combining Surface Variation and Ransac for Digital Archiving of Shell Structures

The importance of digitally archiving existing architectures for cultural and research purposes is continuously increasing. Therefore, there are growing needs to extract significant data and reduce the amount of data in 3D measurements. Point clouds obtained from 3D surveys of entire buildings are expected to be used as a digital archive for various applications, such as structural analysis and renovation planning. However, effectively managing the vast amount of data from these surveys remains a challenge. Building point-clouds are typically massive and often contain unnecessary points and missing parts. This paper presents a novel method that combines surface variation and Random Sample Consensus (RANSAC) for determining the shape parameters of point clouds with curved surfaces. Our approach is efficient, not only in reconstructing surfaces of individual shells but also in handling combined and interpenetrated ones. The approach is also effective in processing the point cloud from actual measurement, demonstrating resilience to outliers and missing parts. Additionally, when applied to the measured point cloud for an example structure composed of seven intersecting domes, our approach accurately estimates the surface with an error margin of 0.06%–0.24%. Significant reduction in data volume, from 6.69 GB to 33 KB, is also achieved.

Methodological Development to Improve the Accuracy of External Stereo-Photogrammetric Surveys of Buildings

Although unmanned aircraft (UA) based surveys are becoming a more common solution, their accuracy is questionable. Regulation is a major issue in the use of UA, which is currently having a negative impact on the spread of the technology. Many rules need to be applied during the survey and there are hundreds of settings to use during post-processing. Testing and evaluation of several combinations is necessary for an optimized process definition. In the present research, studies have been carried out focusing on different solutions of survey methodologies. The case studies analyzed different survey, flight rules and their combinations. The study presents the advantages and disadvantages of using UA and makes recommendations for survey methodologies through the evaluations carried out. In addition, several future research directions are presented which could lead to the advancement of building surveys.

Detection of internal defects in RC structures using GPR and ultrasonic methods

The detection of internal defects in reinforced concrete structures is the most important task when conducting surveys of buildings and structures. The ultrasonic research method for studying the structures and determining the possible presence of defects has been known for a long time and has been successfully used to solve various issues directly at construction sites. However, this method has a number of disadvantages, such as the low speed of work and the lack of visual visualization of research results. At the same time, the new technological GPR method is devoid of such disadvantages and, on the contrary, is characterized by high speed and visibility of research results.This article presents the results of field studies of vertical reinforced concrete structures by comparing ultrasonic and GPR methods. As a result of the research, it has been shown that with using of modern non-destructive GPR inspection methods of structures, such internal defects of concreting as pores, cavities, voids and disintegration can be detected efficiently and with high speed. The research results can be presented visually and allow you to more accurately position the location of defects, as well as build 2D and 3D maps of the location of defects.

Building Geometry Survey by Using Ultra-Wideband (UWB) Wireless Technology and Algorithm-Based BIM Modelling

The efficiency and degree of maturity of the architectural survey determine the construction process in many ways. From the economic and technical point of view, it is significant. It can be found in almost all activities and, depending on the technology used, it provides different qualities and quantities of initial data and information to prepare and support, among other things, the design, demolition, and construction work processes. The objective of the research and development project and this article is to investigate and demonstrate the application of a novel solution that differs from the conventional building survey tools, methods, and procedures of the information. It breaks with traditional methods by implementing wireless (using Ultra-Wideband (UWB) technology) spatial positioning and algorithm-based post-processing methods, as well as Building Information Modelling (BIM).

The rebasification of the Roman theatre in mediaeval Zaragoza

This study aims to illustrate the formation of the urban tissue over the Roman theatre in the walled core of Zaragoza. Within the scope of the study, the typological plan of the city was prepared using the building surveys taken in 1911, and the plan was interpreted as a historical organism. The basic types in the city are determined, and methods of the process-based typology are used to reveal the formation process of a selected urban tissue that is an example of the rebasification of a specialized building. In this example, a Roman theatre was repurposed as a foundation for constructing residential buildings and affected the formation process of the urban block until its discovery.

Модернизация здания дошкольного образования

The article deals with the survey of a preschool educational organization for 220 places. Determination of physical wear and tear and recommendations for extending the life cycle of buildings of preschool educational organizations. Based on statistical data, it is established that 50% of buildings have a satisfactory technical condition, and the remaining 50% have an unsatisfactory technical condition. In order to extend the life cycle of preschool education buildings that have a satisfactory condition, it is advisable to carry out major repairs, and for buildings with unsatisfactory technical condition, it is advisable to carry out reconstruction. According to the results of the survey of the preschool educational building, the main defects and damages of building structures are given, as well as measures to eliminate them have been developed.

The Role of Collaboration in Survey and Documentation of Historic Buildings. Case Study: Akre Historic Area in Kurdistan Region of Iraq

The Role of Collaboration in Survey and Documentation of Historic Buildings. Case Study: Akre Historic Area in Kurdistan Region of Iraq

Drone-assisted segmentation of tile peeling on building façades using a deep learning model

The need for precise segmentation of tile peeling on building façades is emphasized by its implications for efficient building maintenance, particularly in regions like Taiwan, where tiles are the dominant façade protection. In response to this challenge, the research introduces YOLOM, an innovative deep-learning-based segmentation model. This model combines the strengths of the You Only Look Once version 7 (YOLOv7) and the BlendMask-based segmentation technique, further enriched by the Efficient Layer Aggregation Network (ELAN) to boost feature discrimination and extraction capabilities for tile peeling. From a dataset of 1458 images encompassing 4595 instances of varied tile peeling captured during field surveys of public buildings, YOLOM showcased exceptional segmentation performance. It exceeded the Resnet-BlendMask by achieving 1.32 % and 0.8 % better Average Precision (AP) and AP at 50 % Intersection over Union (IoU) metrics, respectively. Notably, YOLOM consistently outperformed other models, reflecting a lead of 6.83 % and 3.3 % in AP for small objects (APs) and AP at 75 % IoU metrics. In a significant advancement, YOLOM was adeptly integrated with drone technology, refining its potential in aerial surveying of building facades. The combined approach is invaluable for building maintenance teams and facilitating proactive and cost-efficient interventions. The research contributes a distinctive framework seamlessly integrating state-of-the-art backbone and neck modules, particularly highlighting the ALAN. The innovative YOLOM model sets a new benchmark in AI methodologies for building maintenance and amplifies academic dialogues on AI-enhanced image segmentation.

Precise Cadastral Survey of Rural Buildings Based on Wall Segment Topology Analysis from Dense Point Clouds

The renewal and updating of the cadastre of real estate is a long and tedious task for land administration, especially for rural buildings that lack unified design and planning. In order to retain the required accuracy of all points in the register, huge extensive manual editing is often required. In this work, a precise cadastral survey approach is proposed using Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) imagery-based stereo point clouds. To ensure the accuracy and uniqueness of building outer walls, the non-maximum suppression of wall points that can separate noise and avoid repeated extraction is proposed. Meanwhile, the multiple cue weighted RANSAC, considering both point-to-line distance and normal consistency, is proposed to reduce the influence of building attachments and avoid spurious edges. For a better description of wall topology, the wall line segment topology graph (WLTG), which can guide the connection of adjacent lines and support the searching of closed boundaries through the minimum graph loop analysis, is also built. Experimental results show that the proposed method can effectively detect the building vector contours with high precision and correct topology, and the detection completeness and correctness of the edge corners can reach 84.9% and 93.2% when the mean square error is below 10 cm.

Advanced Timber Construction Industry: A Quantitative Review of 646 Global Design and Construction Stakeholders

There has been a multi-storey timber construction boom since the start of the millennium. While there is now a body of research on trends, benefits, and disadvantages of timber construction, there is not yet literature on the wider market or the impact of stakeholders on it. This research investigates the (i) architects, (ii) engineers, and (iii) manufacturers involved in the realization of 300 contemporary multi-storey timber buildings from an existing survey. The analysis is based on data sourced from stakeholder websites and the building survey. It evaluates the perceived level of timber expertise of stakeholders based on service categorization and stakeholder type and relates them to the buildings they worked on. The research uses quantitative methods to answer qualitative questions on the connection between architectural variety in timber construction and the stakeholders involved. Interconnectivity between stakeholders and projects is visualized in an interactive network graph. The study shows a segmented mass timber market with relatively few impactful design and construction stakeholders, mostly located in central and northern Europe. It also identifies fabricators as the largest group of innovators advancing the industry and enabling the construction of more complex projects. It reveals the importance of collaboration and knowledge sharing for the industry’s growth.

A Conceptual Framework for Integrating Terrestrial Laser Scanning (TLS) into the Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS)

The preservation of historic structures is a complex and evolving field that requires a delicate balance between traditional methods and modern technology. This paper presents a conceptual framework for integrating terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) into the Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS), bridging the gap between the past and the future. By examining the historical context of the HABS and the emerging potential of TLS, the paper explores the feasibility, effectiveness, and methodological considerations for incorporating this advanced technology into the standard heritage building documentation practice. The research is structured into four main chapters, each addressing a critical aspect of the integration process, from the proposal of the study to the development of guidelines for TLS data acquisition, processing, and management. The paper also delves into the selection of projects for case studies, the application of the framework, and a critical evaluation of its effectiveness. As a conceptual paper, it lays the foundation for a Ph.D. dissertation, offering a comprehensive roadmap for future research and practical implementation. The insights and guidelines provided in this paper aim to enhance the accuracy, efficiency, and richness of heritage documentation, contributing to the broader field of heritage preservation and underscoring the importance of embracing technological advancements while honoring historical integrity.

Examine the impact of green methods and technologies on the environmental sustainability of supportive education buildings, perspectives of circular economy and net-zero carbon operation

PurposeThis study investigates the barriers and drivers of using green methods and technologies (GMTs) in supportive educational buildings (SEBs) in South Africa, and assesses their impact on the circular economy (CE) in achieving net-zero carbon goals. While there has been extensive literature on green building technologies, there is limited research on the barriers and drivers of using GMT in SEBs, as well as their impact on the circular economy (CE) in achieving net-zero carbon goals.Design/methodology/approachThis study adopts an interpretivist approach with an ontological basis, using an overarching case study of a SEB at the University of Cape Town (UCT). Semistructured interviews were conducted with executive UCT management, and a field survey of a UCT supportive education building was performed.FindingsAt UCT, multiple GMTs have been installed across various buildings to enhance monitoring and management of water and energy consumption. Moreover, initiatives to positively influence student behavior, such as water and energy-saving campaigns around UCT premises, have been introduced. The findings further indicate that UCT has recently emphasized the implementation of GMTs, resulting in improved resource efficiency, CE practices and progress toward achieving net-zero carbon targets for supportive education buildings and the university as a whole.Originality/valueThis research highlights the positive impact of GMTs on a SEB’s CE and net-zero carbon operations. As a result, facility managers should consider incorporating GMTs when planning the development or refurbishment of SEBs.

Energy refurbishment planning of Italian school buildings using data-driven predictive models

In the current practice, the design of energy refurbishment interventions for existing buildings is typically addressed by performing time-consuming software-based numerical simulations. However, this approach may be not suitable for preliminary assessment studies, especially when large building portfolios are involved. Therefore, this research work aims at developing simplified data-driven predictive models to estimate the energy consumption of existing school buildings in Italy and support the decision-making process in energy refurbishment intervention planning at a large scale. To accomplish this, an extensive database is assembled through comprehensive on-site surveys of school buildings in Southern Italy. For each school, a Building Information Modelling (BIM) model is developed and validated considering real energy consumption data. These BIM models serve in the design of suitable energy refurbishment interventions. Moreover, a comprehensive parametric investigation based on refined energy analyses is carried out to significantly improve and integrate the dataset. To derive the predictive models, firstly the most relevant parameters for energy consumption are identified by performing sensitivity analyses. Based on these findings, predictive models are generated through a multiple linear regression method. The suggested models provide an estimation of the energy consumption of the “as-built” configuration, as well as the costs and benefits of alternative energy refurbishment scenarios. The reliability of the proposed simplified relationships is substantiated through a statistical analysis of the main error indices. Results highlight that the building's shape factor (i.e., the ratio between the building's envelope area and its volume) and the area-weighted average of the thermal properties of the building envelope significantly affect both the energy consumption of school buildings and the achievable savings through retrofitting interventions. Finally, a framework for the preliminary design of energy refurbishment of buildings, based on the implementation of the herein developed predictive model, is proposed and illustrated through a worked example application.Worth noting that, while the proposed approach is currently limited to school buildings, the methodology can conceptually be extended to any building typology, provided that suitable data on energy consumption are available.

Structural Analysis of Masonry Square Vaults in the Italian Region of Apulia

This research concerns the introduction and the structural analysis of masonry vaults in Puglia, a region in the south part of Italy, built between the sixteenth and the seventeen centuries. Such vaults have special shapes that make them unique in the overview of the masonry vaults spread all over the world. The present paper intends to shed light on the mechanical behavior of two typical vaults in Puglia, the “volta a spigoli” (edge vault) and the “volta a squadro” (square vault). There are many contributions that explore the mechanical behavior of the classical vaults, but to the authors’ knowledge, this is the first attempt investigating the “volta a squadro”. The paper describes the adopted research methods. First, a building survey is carried out with the integration of previous geometry acquisitions performed by local stakeholders. Then, the analysis is pursued by a non-linear approach that suitably inserts cracks where stress concentrations occur. Two meaningful load conditions are taken into account and numerically investigated. Under vertical loads, numerical results have inferred the surveyed cracks and concluded that the safety factor is much higher than one. On the other hand, under the maximum seismic load, the safety factor is estimated to be about 30%. This work is the very first investigation on the structural performance of a “volta a squadro”.

STUDY RECOMMENDATIONS TO ACHIEVE THERMAL COMFORT IN AN EDUCATIONAL BUILDING

This paper evaluates natural ventilation effectiveness in one fully dependent Air Conditioned-Educational Building in Depok to recommend potential passive cooling approaches toward user thermal comfort. This study involves building surveys to measure the temperature and humidity of three selected classrooms, A, B, and C, with varying configurations and capacities. Airflow simulation using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) is done under two conditions: open and closed doors. A set of parameters, which are room configuration, type of window, and ventilation strategy, are set to evaluate natural ventilation aspects. The site survey indicates that only one classroom with an area of 92 sqm facing to the southside is classified as efficiently warm (Room A). The simulation demonstrates that cross-ventilation only occurs when the door is opened. The parameters indicating shape, dimension, type, and area of natural ventilation matter, show that the building’s natural ventilation is ineffective in providing thermal comfort. This study recommends that the building’s natural ventilation be placed according to the direction of the airflow, adding vertical fin elements, and increasing the openings by more than 5% area from the floor area.

Combining remote sensing techniques and field surveys for post-earthquake reconnaissance missions

Remote reconnaissance missions are promising solutions for the assessment of earthquake-induced structural damage and cascading geological hazards. Space-borne remote sensing can complement in-field missions when safety and accessibility concerns limit post-earthquake operations on the ground. However, the implementation of remote sensing techniques in post-disaster missions is limited by the lack of methods that combine different techniques and integrate them with field survey data. This paper presents a new approach for rapid post-earthquake building damage assessment and landslide mapping, based on Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) data. The proposed texture-based building damage classification approach exploits very high resolution post-earthquake SAR data integrated with building survey data. For landslide mapping, a backscatter intensity-based landslide detection approach, which also includes the separation between landslides and flooded areas, is combined with optical-based manual inventories. The approach was implemented during the joint Structural Extreme Event Reconnaissance, GeoHazards International and Earthquake Engineering Field Investigation Team mission that followed the 2021 Haiti Earthquake and Tropical Cyclone Grace.

Digital Marketing Strategy Formulation to Increase Engagement in Course and Training Institution Industry (Case Study: PT Karisma Garuda Mulia)

PT Karisma Garuda Mulia is a course and training institution located in Malang City, East Java. The training programs created by PT Karisma Garuda Mulia are centered on developing IT and digital technology skills which include courses in Microsoft Office Professional, graphic design and multimedia, web development, digital architecture, civil engineering application, and digital marketing. Along with the emergence of online e-learning platforms, the business started to experience some difficulties. The problem faced by PT Karisma Garuda Mulia is the low engagement and lack of digital marketing strategy to help its business generate sales. The purpose of this research is to create an appropriate digital marketing strategy to increase the engagement to help smooth the customer journey. This research is conducted by identifying problems internally and externally using STP Analysis, Marketing Mix (7Ps), PESTEL analysis, Porter’s Five Forces and competitor analysis. After doing those analysis, researchers also analyze the PT Karisma Garuda Mulia’s digital marketing efforts by incorporating the Hierarchy of Effects model. This research is conducted using qualitative method. The researchers conduct an in-depth interview with several employees of the company to gain insights about the company’s digital marketing efforts. The result of the interviews indicates that there is a lack of appropriate digital marketing strategy used by the company. Using the interview insights, the researchers construct a digital marketing strategy using a RACE planning framework. The result of this research is that the company needs an appropriate digital marketing strategy with a clear marketing channel in each stage of the RACE planning framework. The marketing channels used are search engine marketing and content marketing in reach stage, website and demo classes in act stage, email marketing and customer service support in convert stage, and lastly community building and feedback surveys in engage stage.