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The aim of this paper is to present a research framework for the green maintainability of buildings. This study makes the case for the development of a new concept called “green maintainability”. The paper also identifies and discusses the knowledge gap concerning green facilities management (FM). As an integral part of green FM, the economic, environmental and social impacts and opportunities of green maintainability throughout the total life cycle of the facility are also highlighted.

The little attention paid to the maintainability of green buildings has resulted in losses of lives due to occupational health and safety hazards as well as high operation and maintenance costs. To address this issue, this study has conducted a literature review to determine the relevant background knowledge and provides a conceptual framework that will aid in conceptualizing the green maintainability of buildings and the development of a research framework for the furtherance of this concept.

This paper finds that there is little research on the maintainability of green buildings, and the studies about the maintainability of green features are nonexistent in current research. This study confirms the knowledge gap of this little-researched area and draws from it the formulation of a research framework for the green maintainability of buildings to ensure green FM. Emerging literature on green practices and methods is currently receiving attention from academia, as well as building and construction practitioners, and can valuably contribute to the existing theories, practices and methods concerning building maintainability and facilities management.

This study develops the novel concept of green maintainability, which integrates maintainability and green FM at the planning/design stage. The proposed research framework is the first attempt to investigate the green maintainability of different typologies of buildings and especially green building technologies.

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

The use of green wall technology in green buildings is a growing trend; however, more research is required about their maintainability, taking into account that maintainability at the design stage is a valuable strategy in achieving building efficiency and sustainability. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to determine the issues in operating and maintaining green walls, particularly in tropical areas like Singapore, leading to the development of a green maintainability framework.

This research uses a qualitative method that combines a thorough and systematic literature review, multiple case studies, field observation surveys and selected instrumental case studies with building plan appraisal and interviews to investigate the potential issues associated with the maintainability of green walls in tropical areas like Singapore.

The findings show that technical and environmental issues/defects are prevalent in the operation and maintainability of green wall technologies applied in green buildings located in tropical regions. Proper considerations of these findings will encourage green building designers and facilities managers to collaborate in the effective implementation of operations and maintenance of green building technologies.

This research gives new and significant information while identifying a clear knowledge gap. The paper recommends the formulation of a green maintainability framework with a set of design criteria that will serve as a benchmark in the future design of green walls. The green maintainability framework would be a valuable addition to green facilities management in ensuring the long-term maintainability and sustainability of existing and new green walls in tropical areas specifically in Singapore.

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.

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

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.

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.

Heating, ventilating, air-conditioning and cooling (HVAC) systems are crucial in daily health-care facility services. Design-related defects can lead to maintenance issues, causing service disruptions and cost overruns. These defects can be avoided if a link between the early design stages and maintenance feedback is established. This study aims to use experts’ experience in HVAC maintenance in health-care facilities to list and evaluate the risk of each maintenance issue caused by a design defect, supported by the literature.

Following semistructured interviews with experts, 41 maintenance issues were identified as the most encountered issues. Subsequently, a survey was conducted in which 44 participants evaluated the probability and impact of each design-caused issue.

Chillers were identified as the HVAC components most prone to design defects and cost impact. However, air distribution ducts and air handling units are the most critical HVAC components for maintaining healthy conditions inside health-care facilities.

The unavailability of comprehensive data on the cost impacts of all design-related defects from multiple health-care facilities limits the ability of HVAC designers to furnish case studies and quantitative approaches.

This study helps HVAC designers acquire prior knowledge of decisions that may have led to unnecessary and avoidable maintenance. These design-related maintenance issues may cause unfavorable health and cost consequences.

Design for maintainability (DfM) is a construction technique that links maintenance objectives with the design process. Adopting DfM within the construction industry is a solution that can make the maintenance of buildings cost-efficient and simpler. This study investigates the level of implementation of DfM among design professionals in the Ghanaian construction industry (GCI).

The data from design professionals comprising architects and civil/structural engineers were collected via a questionnaire survey. The data obtained were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistical tests.

The findings revealed a high level of engagement of design professionals in DfM practices in the Ghanaian construction sector. This high level of engagement is credited to the high level of awareness of the concept of DfM among design professionals, the level of education of design professionals, experience in professional roles and familiarity with the principles of DfM.

This study offers information and fresh perspectives on how cutting-edge DfM principles are practiced in the GCI. The study raises awareness and the level of DfM implementation among design professionals in the GCI. It offers information on how the application of DfM principles enhances cost-effective maintenance that allows facilities to stand the test of time and prove more relevant for users. The understanding and application of DfM in different countries are important if such concepts are to take deep root in the global built environment sector.

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.

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.

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.

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.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the current practices of the early facilities management (FM) involvement during the design development and review stages (DDRS), and recommend activities aimed at achieving better integration.

A comprehensive literature review was conducted to ascertain the challenges faced by the integrated design team (IDT) in the absence of the facilities managers’ review of design solutions, and underscore the significance of the early involvement of facilities managers during the DDRS. A questionnaire survey was then developed for collecting data on eight aspects of the current practices of early FM involvement during the DDRS. The questionnaire survey was administered to the FM departments of 13 long established, public universities in Saudi Arabia. Ten responses were obtained and analyzed.

The findings suggest that the early involvement of the FM department enhances the operation and maintenance of facilities. This has been measured through reductions in the number of architectural, structural, electrical, plumbing, heating, ventilating and air conditioning defects.

Recommendations were provided to facilitate the process of integrating the practices of two influential stakeholders of building projects. These recommendations encompass the need for maintainability considerations at the early schematic stage, the necessity of direct contact between the two parties and the necessity of facility managers’ increased familiarity of the design stage activities, among other recommendations. In this way, the study promotes the awareness of the significance of integrating FM with the IDT at the DDRS.

This study contributes to the literature and practice by presenting a detailed analysis of the integration process between the FM department and the IDT. Furthermore, the outcomes of the integration between the parties were measured to assess the effectiveness of the collaboration and highlight the possible areas of improvement.