This paper proposes an integration mechanism to help the owners and designers to integrate sustainability issues into design process, communicate with stakeholders and achieve consensus. Literature concerning engineer...This paper proposes an integration mechanism to help the owners and designers to integrate sustainability issues into design process, communicate with stakeholders and achieve consensus. Literature concerning engineering design, decision making and environment assessment were reviewed. Sustainability disputes in construction projects were analyzed and owners and designers were interviewed to understand the evolvement of these issues. Key success factors of other successful integration projects were also referenced. An integration mechanism including procedures was established along with traditional design process. Four integration steps were developed： organize integration team, propose integration issues, determine acceptance criteria, and evaluate alternatives; and four integration dimensions were also identified： appeals, decision making and execution, stakeholders, and experts. A matrix was formed by the four integration steps and four dimensions. A rigor index was proposed to measure the quality of the integration process. Finally, the mechanism was tested on a construction project with sustainability controversy to check its validity. The study results show that the integration mechanism can help incorporate sustainability issues and achieve consensus if followed rigorously. The integration matrix systematically examines the eight key integration factors under the four dimensions. The rigor index can explain the quality in integrating sustainability issues into engineering design. The mechanism provides a useful tool for the owners and designers to cope with the sustainability decision making difficulties.展开更多
River dynamics play the most vital role in the socio-economic of the country. These rivers are highly dynamic in nature which causes extensive riverbank erosion. Active river bank erosion and bed scouring, is apprehen...River dynamics play the most vital role in the socio-economic of the country. These rivers are highly dynamic in nature which causes extensive riverbank erosion. Active river bank erosion and bed scouring, is apprehended to change the scenario, leading to loss of limited valuable land of Bangladesh. River training is being practiced in Bangladesh since 1960s but the process is very expensive especially in the Ganges and the Jamuna Rivers. Five types of river training works were selected at different reaches. Hydro-morphological characteristics of the major rivers are being evaluated not only in engineering concepts but also in socio-economic and environmental aspects. PRA （participatory rural appraisal） tools were applied to evaluate protection safety, hydraulic and hydrological connectivity, ecological and environmental characteristics, causes of failure and social acceptability. This comparative study is being carried out for closing the gap between the modem river training works and in country experience through adaptation of research findings with a view to effectively arresting river bank erosion. Sirajganj Hardpoint, Chandpur Town Protection work and Nakalia Revetment are found to be suitable and effective. A technically suitable structure may not have good social acceptance without IWRM （integrated water resource management）.展开更多
It is necessary to change the current dynamic of growth, to assure that future generations can satisfy their needs. Sustainable development and global sustainability are two concepts that have achieved great importanc...It is necessary to change the current dynamic of growth, to assure that future generations can satisfy their needs. Sustainable development and global sustainability are two concepts that have achieved great importance in almost every sector of activity. There is a wide range of methods and models for sustainability assessment. Nevertheless, it is necessary to go beyond evaluation, looking for sustainability optimization. In spite of this, little work has been done on the latter field. The authors present here a conceptual proposal for an integrated method to optimize sustainability of engineering systems, based on the MIVES （integrated value method for evaluating sustainability） method. For a better understanding of the method, its essential steps for optimizing an energy sub-system are summarized （shell-and-tube heat exchanger）.展开更多
＂BIM （building information modeling）＂ and ＂sustainability＂ are two frequently used words in construction and academia today. BIM is a design-oriented tool, which generates a virtual three-dimensional model of a ...＂BIM （building information modeling）＂ and ＂sustainability＂ are two frequently used words in construction and academia today. BIM is a design-oriented tool, which generates a virtual three-dimensional model of a project. Sustainability refers to prudent use of earth＇s natural resources, and construction sustainability is the application of this principle to building activities. Societies in general and the construction industry in particular--one of the largest in terms of natural resources consumed and waste produced--place high hopes on BIM and the principles of sustainability to reduce consumption and waste and to increase industry productivity. BIM＇s capabilities and limitations, currently more focused on model creation and energy simulations, are not well understood as they relate to construction sustainability and its goals. No method yet exists to evaluate BIM＇s contribution comprehensively to construction sustainability goals. This study presents a construction sustainability goals contribution matrix for BIM. The matrix indicates that this contribution may be more limited than it is commonly thought.展开更多
文摘This paper proposes an integration mechanism to help the owners and designers to integrate sustainability issues into design process, communicate with stakeholders and achieve consensus. Literature concerning engineering design, decision making and environment assessment were reviewed. Sustainability disputes in construction projects were analyzed and owners and designers were interviewed to understand the evolvement of these issues. Key success factors of other successful integration projects were also referenced. An integration mechanism including procedures was established along with traditional design process. Four integration steps were developed： organize integration team, propose integration issues, determine acceptance criteria, and evaluate alternatives; and four integration dimensions were also identified： appeals, decision making and execution, stakeholders, and experts. A matrix was formed by the four integration steps and four dimensions. A rigor index was proposed to measure the quality of the integration process. Finally, the mechanism was tested on a construction project with sustainability controversy to check its validity. The study results show that the integration mechanism can help incorporate sustainability issues and achieve consensus if followed rigorously. The integration matrix systematically examines the eight key integration factors under the four dimensions. The rigor index can explain the quality in integrating sustainability issues into engineering design. The mechanism provides a useful tool for the owners and designers to cope with the sustainability decision making difficulties.
文摘River dynamics play the most vital role in the socio-economic of the country. These rivers are highly dynamic in nature which causes extensive riverbank erosion. Active river bank erosion and bed scouring, is apprehended to change the scenario, leading to loss of limited valuable land of Bangladesh. River training is being practiced in Bangladesh since 1960s but the process is very expensive especially in the Ganges and the Jamuna Rivers. Five types of river training works were selected at different reaches. Hydro-morphological characteristics of the major rivers are being evaluated not only in engineering concepts but also in socio-economic and environmental aspects. PRA （participatory rural appraisal） tools were applied to evaluate protection safety, hydraulic and hydrological connectivity, ecological and environmental characteristics, causes of failure and social acceptability. This comparative study is being carried out for closing the gap between the modem river training works and in country experience through adaptation of research findings with a view to effectively arresting river bank erosion. Sirajganj Hardpoint, Chandpur Town Protection work and Nakalia Revetment are found to be suitable and effective. A technically suitable structure may not have good social acceptance without IWRM （integrated water resource management）.
文摘It is necessary to change the current dynamic of growth, to assure that future generations can satisfy their needs. Sustainable development and global sustainability are two concepts that have achieved great importance in almost every sector of activity. There is a wide range of methods and models for sustainability assessment. Nevertheless, it is necessary to go beyond evaluation, looking for sustainability optimization. In spite of this, little work has been done on the latter field. The authors present here a conceptual proposal for an integrated method to optimize sustainability of engineering systems, based on the MIVES （integrated value method for evaluating sustainability） method. For a better understanding of the method, its essential steps for optimizing an energy sub-system are summarized （shell-and-tube heat exchanger）.
文摘＂BIM （building information modeling）＂ and ＂sustainability＂ are two frequently used words in construction and academia today. BIM is a design-oriented tool, which generates a virtual three-dimensional model of a project. Sustainability refers to prudent use of earth＇s natural resources, and construction sustainability is the application of this principle to building activities. Societies in general and the construction industry in particular--one of the largest in terms of natural resources consumed and waste produced--place high hopes on BIM and the principles of sustainability to reduce consumption and waste and to increase industry productivity. BIM＇s capabilities and limitations, currently more focused on model creation and energy simulations, are not well understood as they relate to construction sustainability and its goals. No method yet exists to evaluate BIM＇s contribution comprehensively to construction sustainability goals. This study presents a construction sustainability goals contribution matrix for BIM. The matrix indicates that this contribution may be more limited than it is commonly thought.
