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Article
Publication date: 14 July 2022

Ayman Ahmed Ezzat Othman and Ahmed Ramadan Kamal

The aim of this paper is to develop a framework to enhance building maintainability through facilitating early suppliers’ involvement (ESI) in the design process.

Abstract

Purpose

The aim of this paper is to develop a framework to enhance building maintainability through facilitating early suppliers’ involvement (ESI) in the design process.

Design/methodology/approach

A research methodology consisting of literature review, case studies and survey questionnaire was designed to achieve the above-mentioned aim. Firstly, literature review was used to examine the concepts of building maintenance, maintainability, the design process and ESI. Secondly, three case studies were presented and analysed to investigate the role of ESI towards enhancing building maintainability during the design process. Thirdly, a survey questionnaire was carried out with a representative sample of architectural design firms (ADFs) in Egypt to investigate their perception and application of ESI towards enhancing building maintainability during the design process. Finally, the research developed a framework to facilitate ESI in the design process in ADFs in Egypt.

Findings

Through literature review, the research highlighted the relationship between ESI and enhancing building maintainability and identified the roles, benefits, challenges and that encounter ESI in ADFs, factors for suppliers selection and levels of involvement. Results of the data analysis showed that “Difficulty of trusting external parties and sharing information with transparency” was ranked the highest challenge of ESI in ADFs in Egypt, followed by “Legal competitive advantage restrictions”. Moreover, “Better estimation for operation and maintenance costs” was ranked the highest contributions of ESI towards enhancing building maintainability, followed by “Reduce the number of operation and maintenance problems or reworks”. Finally, respondents stated that “Innovation, technical expertise, and competence” was ranked the highest supplier’s selection criteria, while “paying consultation fees for offering advice and recommendations to the design team” was ranked the highest form of supplier’s remuneration.

Research limitations/implications

The proposed framework contributes to the body of knowledge through proposing five functions that aimed to facilitate ESI in the design process, a research area that received scant attention in construction research. In addition, because of the conceptual nature of the framework, it has to be validated to ensure its capability to overcome the challenges of ESI as an approach for enhancing building maintainability during the design process.

Practical implications

This research presents a practical solution that bridges the gap between theory and practice through overcoming the challenges that obstruct suppliers from being involved in the design process as an approach for enhancing building maintainability.

Originality/value

This research discussed the relationship between ESI and enhancing building maintainability as well as the roles, benefits and challenges that encounter ESI in ADFs. In addition, the research investigated the levels of suppliers’ involvement, selection criteria and forms of payment. Moreover, it investigated the perception and application of ESI in ADFs in Egypt towards improving building maintainability. The research proposed a framework to facilitate the integration of suppliers in the early stages of the project life cycle. It represents a synthesis that is novel and creative in thought and adds value to the knowledge in a manner that has not previously occurred.

Details

Journal of Engineering, Design and Technology , vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1726-0531

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 28 September 2010

Peng Gaoliang, Haiquin Yu, Liu Xinhua, Jiang Yang and Xu He

Maintainability is the ability of a product system to be maintained and is a design characteristic. The paper aims to provide an integrated system for complex product…

Abstract

Purpose

Maintainability is the ability of a product system to be maintained and is a design characteristic. The paper aims to provide an integrated system for complex product maintainability design and verification. It includes processes and tools that can be effectively used to plan, quantify and cost maintenance.

Design/methodology/approach

An integrated platform for maintainability design and verification is designed. A case‐based reasoning method of maintainability design and Extensible Markup Language‐based representation of maintenance procedure information are presented.

Findings

The paper finds that the proposed system is an efficient tool for complex product maintainability design and verification.

Practical implications

Early and effective planning and implementation of a maintainability program can significantly improve the reliability and availability of product system.

Originality/value

A desktop virtual reality application for product maintainability design and verification is presented.

Details

Assembly Automation, vol. 30 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0144-5154

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 22 February 2011

Haiquan Yu, Gaoliang Peng and Wenjian Liu

As an important product characteristic, maintainability is recognized as a highly significant factor in the economic success of engineering systems and products. Based on virtual…

Abstract

Purpose

As an important product characteristic, maintainability is recognized as a highly significant factor in the economic success of engineering systems and products. Based on virtual reality technology, this paper aims to create an intuitive, immersive and interactive environment for product maintenance. In order to analyze and evaluate the product maintainability in a virtual maintenance environment, fuzzy comprehensive evaluation is used. At the early design stage, maintainability influencing factors are analyzed and the whole maintainability evaluation of the product is given by using fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method in virtual maintenance environment.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper provides a fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method for product maintainability evaluation in virtual environment.

Findings

Fuzzy comprehensive evaluation is used to evaluate product maintainability in virtual environment, and the application of virtual maintainability system is expanded.

Originality/value

According to maintainability requirement, the maintainability index set is built in this paper, and fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method is used to evaluate product maintainability in virtual maintenance environment at stage of early design.

Details

Assembly Automation, vol. 31 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0144-5154

Keywords

Content available
Article
Publication date: 11 March 2021

Sheila Conejos, Aristotle Ubando and Michael Yit Lin Chew

The self-cleaning properties of nanostructured titanium dioxide facade coatings are useful in Singapore's tropical climate. However, its potential maintenance issues need to be…

Abstract

Purpose

The self-cleaning properties of nanostructured titanium dioxide facade coatings are useful in Singapore's tropical climate. However, its potential maintenance issues need to be determined right at the design stage. The purpose of this paper is to highlight the development of the design for maintainability tool which is a multicriteria design decision score sheet that evaluates the maintainability potential of nano-facade coating applications on high-rise façades with concrete and stonemasonry finishes and curtain walls.

Design/methodology/approach

Quantitative methods (expert and practitioner surveys) are conducted in this research study. Analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and sensitivity analysis were used to develop a robust Design for Maintainability tool.

Findings

Safety measures indicator received the highest weighted score by experts, while the maximizing performance, minimizing risk, minimizing negative environmental impact and minimizing consumption of matter and energy were the top ranking main criteria by both experts and practitioners. The top ranked design for maintainability sub-criteria identified by practitioners and experts were risk management, maintenance considerations, climatic conditions, safety measures, lifecycle cost and maintenance access, sun's path, rainfall intensity, biological growth measures and building age profile.

Originality/value

Most researches on the maintainability of nano-façade coatings uses experimentation to test the durability of nano-façade coatings, while this study focuses on design based empirical data such as establishing and ranking the list of design for maintainability criteria or indicators to minimize future defects and maintenance issues. The design for maintainability tool contributes to the maintainability of nano-façade coatings leading to maximizing its performance while minimizing cost, risks, resource consumption and negative environmental impact.

Details

Built Environment Project and Asset Management, vol. 12 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2044-124X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 13 July 2021

Sheila Conejos, Michael Y.L. Chew, Karlyn Tay, Stephen Tay and Sufiana Safiena

The maintenance of green building technologies such as building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) is a challenge due to the non-existence of maintainability considerations during the…

Abstract

Purpose

The maintenance of green building technologies such as building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) is a challenge due to the non-existence of maintainability considerations during the design stage. This led to building defects which accounts to high expenditures throughout the building's lifecycle. The use of BIPV in buildings is an emergent trend, and further research is requisite for their maintainability. This paper assesses the performance and maintainability of BIPV façade applications based on the green maintainability design considerations.

Design/methodology/approach

Qualitative method is undertaken in this study, which includes field surveys, instrumental case studies and stakeholder interviews to probe the issues linked with the BIPV's maintainability.

Findings

Findings have shown some technical defects discovered in BIPV applications in tropical areas, as well as issues on cost, aesthetics and implementation are the main causes for the low adoption of BIPV in Singapore.

Originality/value

Understanding the research outcomes will embolden designers and allied professionals to team up in ensuring the long-term maintainability and sustainability of green building technologies. This research gives recent and important information in the design, installation and maintainability of BIPV, as well as good practices that would add value to facilities management and to the design of green building technologies.

Details

International Journal of Building Pathology and Adaptation, vol. 41 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2398-4708

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 8 May 2017

Michael Y.L. Chew, Sheila Conejos and Jessie Sze Long Law

Nanostructured titanium dioxide (TiO2) coatings can potentially address the current surge in façade cleaning cost, maintenance and labour problems. The purpose of this paper is to…

Abstract

Purpose

Nanostructured titanium dioxide (TiO2) coatings can potentially address the current surge in façade cleaning cost, maintenance and labour problems. The purpose of this paper is to investigate potential maintainability issues and design challenges concerning the effective performance of TiO2 façade coatings’ hydrophilic properties, especially in tropical environments such as Singapore. This paper aims to establish a list of green maintainability design criteria to help minimise future TiO2 façade coating issues when this coating is applied on commercial buildings with concrete and stonemasonry façade materials.

Design/methodology/approach

A mixed-mode approach that includes a literature review, site investigation, instrumental case studies and expert interviews is used in this study.

Findings

TiO2 coatings help improve façade performance whilst offering environmental benefits to society. This study reports that green maintainability design criteria are vital requirements in designing sustainable buildings at the outset. The identified defects and issues will aid in ensuring the effectiveness of TiO2 application in building façades.

Originality/value

This study acts as a foundation for future researchers to strengthen this little researched area, serves as a useful guide in preventing possible TiO2 coating issues and promotes industry awareness of the use of TiO2 façade coatings.

Details

International Journal of Building Pathology and Adaptation, vol. 35 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2398-4708

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 3 October 2016

Shailendra Kumar

The purpose of this paper is to bridge the gap between physical and metaphysical entities in the context of product/system design. The paper talks about the grey area of human…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to bridge the gap between physical and metaphysical entities in the context of product/system design. The paper talks about the grey area of human psychology and presents a theoretical framework for the identification and selection of psychological attributes for designers.

Design/methodology/approach

On the basis of a literature review, this paper identifies various psychological attributes affecting the performance of designers in a team environment and then analyses the same.

Findings

The paper talks about a new shift in engineering design and designs for maintainability of mechanical systems.

Practical implications

A procedure based on the analytic hierarchy process method is applied. The developed procedure is useful in the assessment and selection of coveted psychological attributes for personnel in general and for designers in particular.

Originality/value

The paper highlights the immense role of psychology in engineering design, especially in the design for maintainability of mechanical systems. The paper will be useful to researchers, designers, maintenance personnel and professionals from the domain of engineering design, irrespective of their field of application. This paper is equally useful for human resource and management professionals/researchers.

Details

Journal of Engineering, Design and Technology, vol. 14 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1726-0531

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 30 August 2010

Nayanthara De Silva and Malik Ranasinghe

The research into the issue of maintainability of multi‐storey buildings in Sri Lanka is still in its adolescent stage. One of the critical building elements that requires…

1007

Abstract

Purpose

The research into the issue of maintainability of multi‐storey buildings in Sri Lanka is still in its adolescent stage. One of the critical building elements that requires immediate attention for maintainability is reinforced concrete flat roofs. They are often subjected to alternate drying and wetting cycles under tropical conditions, causing many defects and subsequent deterioration when proper detailing related to design, construction and maintenance actions are lacking. Therefore, the aim of this paper is focused on identifying problems and risks and proposing a model to enhance the maintainability of flat roofs.

Design/methodology/approach

The existing maintainability problems were collected from 50 multi‐storey buildings. The inherent risks of flat roofs' maintainability were identified and analyzed through their problem‐causing factors. A scoring system using artificial neural networks is developed to forecast the level of maintainability.

Findings

The paper found 721 maintainability problems of flat roofs and a further 12 maintainability risk conditions related to the flat roofs were elicited. The model showed the level of maintainability of a typical flat roof shown is only 51 percent. The risk factors are also prioritized to give guidance.

Originality/value

The paper provides useful information to the designers and users on maintainability problems related to flat roofs. Also it highlights important risk conditions in order to minimize these problems.

Details

Structural Survey, vol. 28 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0263-080X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 20 April 2010

Nayanthara de Silva and Malik Ranasinghe

With increased architectural, design and functional requirements and complexities, maintaining a modern building can easily become a costly affair. There is much evidence in the…

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Abstract

Purpose

With increased architectural, design and functional requirements and complexities, maintaining a modern building can easily become a costly affair. There is much evidence in the literature review as well as from the factual data, showing the significant increase of the maintenance budget in the recent past. This is due to the fact that, these complexities eventually generate many deficiencies and difficulties and, in turn, creates a tremendous maintenance workload and an undue budget. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to discuss factors related to such issues in the form of risks involved in the maintainability of buildings and further, explore several strategies and industry actions at the industry level to resolve this burning problem. This paper is focused to address the condominium properties.

Design/methodology/approach

This approach of investigation of the risk factors was based on exploring the causes of existing defects and problems, which tend to lower the maintainability. Existing literature, site observations/interviews and questionnaire surveys were used to gather the required data.

Findings

There are 13 number of critical maintainability problems, 43 respective factors as “maintainability risk” factors and 12 subsequent industry actions for better maintainability, in the findings. In addition, nine maintainability strategies are explored based on the relevant risk conditions to enhance the maintainability at the organizational/project level and three industry motivators are extracted from the relevant industry actions. A simplified framework for maintainability is proposed based on the strategies and the industry actions.

Research limitations/implications

The data collection has to be limited to the Colombo metropolitan region due to limited resources.

Originality/value

The paper provides useful information to the designers, clients, facilities managers/maintenance managers and users, on maintainability issues related to condominiums. This information highlights the important risk conditions, strategies and industry motivators in order to minimize these problems. These findings may provide an opportunity to promote “highly maintainable buildings for the future”.

Details

Journal of Financial Management of Property and Construction, vol. 15 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1366-4387

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 4 June 2019

Sheila Conejos, Michael Yit Lin Chew and Fikril Hakim Bin Azril

Vertical greenery systems (VGS) have been a widely accepted design strategy that contributes to creating sustainable built environments. However, green building technologies (e.g…

Abstract

Purpose

Vertical greenery systems (VGS) have been a widely accepted design strategy that contributes to creating sustainable built environments. However, green building technologies (e.g. VGS) have grown in complexity which poses maintainability challenges. Designing with maintainability in mind is crucial in delivering efficient and sustainable buildings. This paper aims to assist designers and allied professionals in terms of integrating maintainability and sustainable design in developing high-rise VGS directly from its design inception.

Design/methodology/approach

The study is grounded on the “Green Maintainability” concept which link maintainability, sustainability and facility management right at the outset. The Green Maintainability factors are translated into critical design criteria which are used to analyze the selected instrumental case studies to evaluate the high-rise VGS performance and maintainability potential. A qualitative approach via the triangulation of data collected from relevant literatures, field surveys and walkthrough interviews is undertaken.

Findings

Findings have shown that the major VGS defects which are mostly occurring in the case studies are issues concerning fallen leaves and dirt accumulation; safety issues during cleaning and repairs; insufficient maintenance access; algae/ mould growth; withering plants; water stagnation/ ponding; poor/faulty irrigation and water dripping and unavailability of natural elements. Best practices and lessons learned revealed few design oversight and technical issues concerning high-rise VGS façade implementation. While maintenance cost, biodiversity and lack of coordination among involved professionals are the additional issues which emerged during the stakeholders’ walkthrough interviews.

Originality/value

Current researches conducted on the maintainability of green building technologies (e.g. high-rise VGS) are still few. This research study is the first comprehensive assessment to determine the green maintainability potential and performance of high-rise VGS in tropical conditions.

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