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Open Access
Article
Publication date: 26 March 2024

Daniel Nygaard Ege, Pasi Aalto and Martin Steinert

This study was conducted to address the methodical shortcomings and high associated cost of understanding the use of new, poorly understood architectural spaces, such as…

Abstract

Purpose

This study was conducted to address the methodical shortcomings and high associated cost of understanding the use of new, poorly understood architectural spaces, such as makerspaces. The proposed quantified method of enhancing current post-occupancy evaluation (POE) practices aims to provide architects, engineers and building professionals with accessible and intuitive data that can be used to conduct comparative studies of spatial changes, understand changes over time (such as those resulting from COVID-19) and verify design intentions after construction through a quantified post-occupancy evaluation.

Design/methodology/approach

In this study, we demonstrate the use of ultra-wideband (UWB) technology to gather, analyze and visualize quantified data showing interactions between people, spaces and objects. The experiment was conducted in a makerspace over a four-day hackathon event with a team of four actively tracked participants.

Findings

The study shows that by moving beyond simply counting people in a space, a more nuanced pattern of interactions can be discovered, documented and analyzed. The ability to automatically visualize findings intuitively in 3D aids architects and visual thinkers to easily grasp the essence of interactions with minimal effort.

Originality/value

By providing a method for better understanding the spatial and temporal interactions between people, objects and spaces, our approach provides valuable feedback in POE. Specifically, our approach aids practitioners in comparing spaces, verifying design intent and speeding up knowledge building when developing new architectural spaces, such as makerspaces.

Details

Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, vol. 31 no. 13
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0969-9988

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 29 June 2023

Gunilla Carlsson, Oskar Jonsson, Stefan Olander, Marianne Salén, Eva Månsson Lexell and Björn Slaug

This study aims to explore how an accessibility database (AD) has been developed and implemented as a tool for facility managers to evaluate and increase the accessibility of…

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to explore how an accessibility database (AD) has been developed and implemented as a tool for facility managers to evaluate and increase the accessibility of public facilities.

Design/methodology/approach

Eight participants were strategically sampled for semi-structured interviews, and documents on the AD were gathered. The Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) was used for a directed content analysis of the data. The CFIR domains used for the analysis were: intervention characteristics, outer setting, inner setting, characteristics of individuals and process.

Findings

The development and implementation of the AD demonstrated the complexity in assessing and planning for increased accessibility. The communication and iterative processes within the inner as well as with the outer setting was an important part of the development and implementation, as well as anchoring each step locally, regionally and nationally, within public authorities and disability organizations.

Practical implications

The assessments of environmental barriers and the results reported in the AD can serve as a guide for identification of accessibility issues. However, singular identified barriers were reported as a fragmentation of the building regulations, and thereby when retrofitting is carried out, experts who have the competence to suggest solutions based on the entirety need to be involved to reach the goals of increased accessibility and countering of exclusion and discrimination.

Originality/value

By structuring the implementation process by means of the CFIR, facilitators and barriers of using an AD as a basis for retrofitting were revealed. The practical challenges outlined in assessing and increasing accessibility can guide facility managers when considering actions to increase accessibility.

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 17 November 2023

Matthew Ikuabe, Clinton Aigbavboa and Ernest Kissi

In most developing countries, the delivery of construction project is still characterised by inefficiencies resulting from the use of outdated methods and techniques, which…

Abstract

Purpose

In most developing countries, the delivery of construction project is still characterised by inefficiencies resulting from the use of outdated methods and techniques, which retards project performance. Hence, the call for the implementation of innovative technologies such as humanoids in the execution of construction projects as it has been proven to be very effective in other sectors while improving productivity and quality of work. Consequently, this study looks at how humanoids can be used in the construction industry and what benefits they can bring.

Design/methodology/approach

The study employed a quantitative approach underpinned in post-positivist philosophical view using questionnaire as the instrument for data collection. The target respondents were construction professionals, and purposive sampling was used, while a response rate of 62.5% was gotten. The methods of data analysis were mean item score, standard deviation and one-sample t-test.

Findings

The findings revealed that humanoids can be used in progress tracking, auto-documentation and inspection and surveillance of tasks in construction activities. Also, the most important benefits of using humanoids in construction work were found to be shorter delivery times, fewer injuries and more accurate work.

Practical implications

The outcome of the study gives professionals and relevant stakeholders in construction and other interested parties' information about the areas where humanoids can be used and their benefits in construction.

Originality/value

The novelty of this study is that it is a pioneering study in South Africa on humanoids' usage in the construction industry. Also, it expands the existing borderline of the conservation of construction digitalisation for enhanced project execution.

Details

International Journal of Building Pathology and Adaptation, vol. 41 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2398-4708

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 22 September 2023

Nengsheng Bao, Yuchen Fan, Chaoping Li and Alessandro Simeone

Lubricating oil leakage is a common issue in thermal power plant operation sites, requiring prompt equipment maintenance. The real-time detection of leakage occurrences could…

Abstract

Purpose

Lubricating oil leakage is a common issue in thermal power plant operation sites, requiring prompt equipment maintenance. The real-time detection of leakage occurrences could avoid disruptive consequences caused by the lack of timely maintenance. Currently, inspection operations are mostly carried out manually, resulting in time-consuming processes prone to health and safety hazards. To overcome such issues, this paper proposes a machine vision-based inspection system aimed at automating the oil leakage detection for improving the maintenance procedures.

Design/methodology/approach

The approach aims at developing a novel modular-structured automatic inspection system. The image acquisition module collects digital images along a predefined inspection path using a dual-light (i.e. ultraviolet and blue light) illumination system, deploying the fluorescence of the lubricating oil while suppressing unwanted background noise. The image processing module is designed to detect the oil leakage within the digital images minimizing detection errors. A case study is reported to validate the industrial suitability of the proposed inspection system.

Findings

On-site experimental results demonstrate the capabilities to complete the automatic inspection procedures of the tested industrial equipment by achieving an oil leakage detection accuracy up to 99.13%.

Practical implications

The proposed inspection system can be adopted in industrial context to detect lubricant leakage ensuring the equipment and the operators safety.

Originality/value

The proposed inspection system adopts a computer vision approach, which deploys the combination of two separate sources of light, to boost the detection capabilities, enabling the application for a variety of particularly hard-to-inspect industrial contexts.

Details

Journal of Quality in Maintenance Engineering, vol. 29 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1355-2511

Keywords

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