Originally Neo-Gothic formula styled, later commissioned in nature combining Art Nouveau, Catalan Modernism and Spanish Gothic designs, the Basilica de la Sagrada Familia, after more than a hundred years, remains unfinished but also the most important ecclesiastic building since the late eighteenth century. 

Located in the Eixample district of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain; Pope Benedict XVI consecrated the church and proclaimed it a minor basilica on 7th November 2010. The construction of the temple began in 1882 and its completion is expected in 2026. Aside from being the tallest church, Sagrada Familia is set to become the structure that has the longest time to construct with a record of 137 years and still counting. If the plan scheduled remains on track, it will be completed in a total span of 144 years which is around 10 times longer than the construction of the Great Pyramid of Giza and 123 years longer than the time needed to finish the Taj Mahal.

The basillica is considered to be Barcelona’s top economic contributor, supporting the economy with 4.5 million visitors annually who pay 17 to 38 euros to tour it. The current total estimated building costs stands at €374 million.

The Origin

Sometime in 1866, a congregation of devotees of St. Joseph headed by Josep Maria Bocabella envisioned a temple to honour him. Funded by private donation, the construction started and the foundation stone was laid in 1882, on March 19, in the middle of a land of 12,000 square meters. The first architect was Don Francisco de Paula del Villar y Lozano but soon abandoned the project because of disagreements.

A year later, in 1883, Antoni Gaudi became the architect and gave it a new direction. He worked on the project until his tragic death in 1926, in full anticipation he would not live to see it finished. Interestingly, Gaudí was never concerned about the speed of construction. He even once said, “My client is not in a hurry.” The architect was aware that the church would take generations to complete and kept his plans flowing.

“There is no reason to regret that I cannot finish the church. I will grow old but others will come after me. What must always be conserved is the spirit of the work, but its life has to depend on the generations it is handed down to and with whom it lives and is incarnated. ” This was Gaudí’s philosophy when it came to finishing his masterpiece. After his death, his disciple, Domènec Sugranyes took over the directions of the work.

Design and Planning
He maintained del Villar’s Latin cross plan, typical of Gothic cathedrals, but departed from the Gothic in several significant ways. Most notably, Gaudi developed a system of angled columns and hyperboloidal vaults to eliminate the need for flying buttresses. Rather than relying on exterior elements, horizontal loads are transferred through columns on the interior.

La Sagrada Familia uses three-dimensional forms comprised of ruled surfaces, including hyperboloids, parabolas, helicoids and conoids. These complex shapes allow for a thinner, finer structure and are intended to enhance the temple’s acoustics and quality of light. Gaudi used plaster models to develop the design, including a 1:10 scale model of the main nave measuring 5 meters in height and width by 2 meters in depth. He also devised a system of strings and weights suspended from a plan of the temple on the ceiling. From this inverted model he derived the necessary angles of the columns, vaults and arches. This is evident in the slanted columns of the Passion facade, which recall tensile structures but act in compression.

The central nave soars to a height of 45 meters and is designed to resemble a forest of multi-hued piers in Montjuïc and granite. The piers change in cross section from base to terminus, increasing in number of vertices from polygonal to circular. The slender, bifurcating columns draw the eye upward, where light filters through circular apertures in the vaults. These are finished in Venetian glass tiles of green and gold, articulating the lines of the hyperboloids.

After completion, La Sagrada Familia will have eighteen towers composed to present a unique view of the temple from any single vantage point. Four bell towers representing the Apostles crown each facade, reaching approximately 100 meters in height. At the north end, a tower representing the Virgin Mary will stand over the apse. The central tower will reach 72 meters in height and symbolize Christ, surrounded by four towers representing the Evangelists.

Interior
The church plan is that of a Latin cross with five aisles. The central nave vaults reach 45 meters (148 feet) while the side nave vaults reach 30 metres (98 feet). The columns are on a 7.5 metre (25 feet) grid. The crossing rests on the four central columns of porphyry supporting a great hyperboloid surrounded by two rings of twelve hyperboloids (currently under construction). The central vault reaches 60 metres (200 feet). The apse is capped by a hyperboloid vault reaching 75 metres (246 feet). Gaudí intended that a visitor standing at the main entrance be able to see the vaults of the nave, crossing and apse; thus the graduated increase in vault loft.

The columns of the interior are a unique Gaudí design. Besides branching to support their load, their ever-changing surfaces are the result of the intersection of various geometric forms. The simplest example is that of a square base evolving into an octagon as the column rises, then a sixteen-sided form, and eventually to a circle. This effect is the result of a three-dimensional intersection of helicoidal columns.

Three Distinct Facades
The first one, the Nativity facade, was completed in 1935 and is influenced directly from the Gaudí’s style. It is dedicated to the birth of Jesus with the symbolic sunrise to the northeast. The facade also shows elements related to the Nature and the creation of life. The second one is the Passion facade is simpler and dedicated to the suffering of Christ during his crucifixion. The facade was supposed to show the sins of human beings. Several architects worked on this facade and tried to remain faithful to Gaudí’s style while bringing their own style at the same time. The facade is directed to the West and faces the sun as a symbol for the death of Christ. The last one is the Glory facade, the largest facade which is still under construction. It is dedicated to the glory of Jesus and the road to reach God going through death, final judgment and glory.

Curved Lines
Antoni Gaudí decided to design the Sagrada Familia, like most of his works, with curved lines. According to Gaudi, straight lines did not exist in the nature, and this is why the temple – which reflects the nature, life and death – should not be constructed with straight lines. As a symbol of Nature, the columns of the Sagrada Famlia are built in a tree-shape to support the whole monument

In recent years, La Sagrada Familia has adopted comparatively new digital design and construction technologies. Architects and craftsmen use Rhinoceros, Cadds5, Catia, and CAM to understand the complex geometries and visualize the building as a whole. Plaster models are still used as a design tool, now generated by a 3-D printer to accelerate the process.

Reference
⦁ https://www.barcelonina.com/en/blog/the-origins-of-sagrada-familia/
⦁ http://www.apartime.com/blog/culture-tourism/the-secrets-of-sagrada-familia
⦁ https://www.re-thinkingthefuture.com/rtf-design-inspiration/a2080-sagrada-familia-barcelona-by-antoni-gaudi-the-unfinished-masterpiece/
⦁ https://www.archdaily.com/438992/ad-classics-la-sagrada-familia-antoni-gaudi

Tuhina Chatterjee
Associate Editor
Civil Engineering and Construction Review

Dubai being the most populous city in United Arab Emirates, is famous for its gloriousness but the biggest attraction for the world remains the star of all, the Burj Khalifa. Located in the flourishing downtown Dubai, the needle-shaped super scraper takes the limelight in the famed skyline with millions of people visiting each year to arguably the most architecturally wonderful addresses in the world.

The tallest manmade structure is the ultimate symbol of flamboyance, glamor and the extravaganza for which the city is known.

The Burj Khalifa or Khalifa Tower, known as Burj Dubai prior to its inauguration in 2010, is the world-renowned tallest building in the world.

It measures approximately 2,717ft. (828m) tall, includes over 160 storeys and costs US$1.5 billion. It is named in honor of Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the president of the United Arab Emirates and ruler of Abu Dhabi to express gratitude for the money donated to complete the building.

Design and Architecture

Burj Khalifa (Top View)

The world’s tallest tower was designed by the global leader in creating ultra-tall structures, Adrian Smith of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, whose firm designed the Willis Tower in Chicago and One World Trade Center in New York City along with FAIA, RIBA, and consulting design partners. NORR Group Consultants International Limited was chosen to supervise the architecture of the project. The selected design was under an extensive peer review program to verify the safety and effectiveness of the structural systems. The context of the Burj Dubai being located in the city of Dubai, UAE, inspired the design and architects to incorporate cultural, historical and organic influences particular to the region. The architecture features a triple-lobed footprint, an assimilation of the Hymenocallis flower or spider lilies, a regional desert flower. As the tower rises from the flat desert base, there are 27 setbacks  in a spiral pattern, decreasing the cross section of the tower as going upward and creating convenient outdoor terraces. These setbacks are aligned and arranged in such a way that it minimizes vibration of wind loading from eddy currents and vortices. On the top, the central core surfaces and is sculpted to form a finishing spire. At its tallest point, the tower sways a total of 4.9ft. (1.5m). The tower is composed of three elements arranged around a central core. The modular, Y-shaped structure, with setbacks along each of its three wings, provides an inherently stable configuration for the structure and provides good floor plates for residential. Twenty-six helical levels decrease the cross-section of the tower incrementally as it spirals skyward. The central core emerges at the top and culminates in a sculpted spire. A Y-shaped floor plan maximizes views of the Arabian Gulf. Viewed from the base or from top, Burj Khalifa makes one reminisce the onion domes prevalent in Islamic architecture.

Hymenocallis Flower or Spider Lilies

Foundation And Site Conditions

The Tower foundations consist of a pile supported raft. The solid reinforced concrete raft is 12ft. (3.7m) thick and was poured utilizing C50 (cube strength) self-consolidating concrete (SCC). The raft was constructed in four separate pours (three wings and the center core). Each raft pour occurred over at least a 24 hour period. Reinforcement was typically at 300mm spacing in the raft, and arranged such that every 10lh bar in each direction was omitted, resulting in a series of “pour enhancement strips” throughout the raft at which 600mm x 600mm openings at regular intervals facilitated access and concrete placement. The Burj Tower raft is supported by 194 bored cast-in-place piles. The piles are 1.5m in diameter and approximately 43m long with a design capacity of 3,000 tonnes each. The Tower pile load test supported over 6,000 tonnes. The C60 (cube strength) SCC concrete was placed by the tremie method utilizing polymer slurry. The friction piles are supported in the naturally cemented calcisiltite conglomeritic calcisiltite fomiations developing an ultimate pile skin friction of 250 to 350 kPa (2.6 to 3.6 tons/ft.) When the rebar cage was placed in the piles, special attention was paid to orient the rebar cage such that the raft bottom rebar could be threaded through the numerous pile rebar cages without interruption, which greatly simplified the raft construction. Spire The crowning touch of Burj Khalifa is its telescopic spire comprised of more than 4,000 tons of structural steel. The spire was constructed from inside the building and jacked to its full height of over 700ft. (200m) using a hydraulic pump. The spire is an integral part to the overall design, creating a sense of completion for the phenomenal landmark. The spire also houses communications equipment.

Features

The Dubai Fountain Outside, WET Enterprises designed a fountain system at a cost of US$217 million. Eradiated by 6,600 lights and 50 coloured projectors, it is 900ft. (270m) long and shoots water 500ft. (150m) into the air, accompanied by a range of classical to contemporary Arabic and other music. It is also the world’s second largest choreographed fountain. Observation Deck An outdoor observation deck , named At the Top, opened on 5th january, 2010. on the 124th floor. At 1,483ft. (452m), it was the highest outdoor observation deck in the world when it was opened for visitors.

The 124th floor observation deck also includes an electronic telescope, an augmented reality device developed by Gsmprjct° of Montréal, which makes real-time views of surrounding landscape possible for visitors and to view previously saved images such as those taken at different times of day or under different weather conditions.

Burj Khalifa Park

Burj Khalifa is surrounded by an 11ha (27-acre) park designed by landscape architects SWA Group. Like the tower, the park’s design was also based on the flower, Hymenocallis. At the centre of the park is the water room, which is a series of pools and water jet fountains. Benches and signs integrate images of Burj Khalifa and the Hymenocallis flower. The plants are watered by water collected from the building’s cooling system. The system provides 68,000,000 L (15,000,000 imp gal) annually. WET Enterprises, who also developed the Dubai Fountain, developed the park’s six water features.

Construction Highlights

Over 45,000m3 (58,900 cu. yd.) of concrete, weighing more than 110,000 tonnes were used to construct the concrete and steel foundation, which features 192 piles embedded more than 164ft. (50m) deep. Burj Khalifa’s construction will have used 330,000m3 (431,600 cu. yd.) of concrete and 39,000 tonnes (43,000 ST; 38,000 LT ) of steel rebar, and construction took 22 million man-hours. The exterior finishing of Burj Khalifa began in May 2007 and was completed in September 2009. The vast project involved more than 380 skilled engineers and on-site technicians. At the initial stage of installation, the team progressed at the rate of about 20 to 30 panels per day and eventually achieved as many as 175 panels per day.

The tower accomplished a world record for the highest installation of an aluminium and glass façade with a height of 512m. The total weight of aluminium used on Burj Khalifa is equivalent to that of five A380 aircrafts and the total length of stainless steel bull nose fins is 293 times the height of Eiffel Tower in Paris. In November 2007, the highest reinforced concrete core walls were pumped using 80 MPa concrete from ground level, a vertical height of 601m. The concrete pressure during pumping to this level was nearly 200 bars. The amount of rebar used for the tower is 31,400 metric tons – laid end to end this would extend over a quarter of the way around the world.

Wind Tunnel Testing

Over 40 wind tunnel tests were conducted on Burj Khalifa to examine the effects the wind would have on the tower and its occupants. These ranged from initial tests to verify the wind climate of Dubai, to large structural analysis models and facade pressure tests, to micro-climate analysis of the effects at terraces and around the tower base. Even the temporary conditions during the construction stage were tested with the tower cranes on the tower to ensure safety at all times. Stack effect or chimney effect is a phenomenon that affects super-tall building design and arises from the changes in pressure and temperature with height. Special studies were carried on Burj Khalifa to determine the magnitude of the changes that would have to be dealt with in the building design.

Fire Safety

Fire safety and speed of evacuation were prime factors in the design of Burj Khalifa. Concrete surrounds all stairwells and the building service and fireman’s elevator will have a capacity of 5,500 kg and will be the world’s tallest service elevator. Since people cannot possibly be expected to walk down 160 floors, there are pressurized, air- conditioned secured areas located approximately every 25 floors.

Artwork

Over 1,000 pieces of art from prominent Middle Eastern and international artists adorn Burj Khalifa and the surrounding Mohammed Bin Rashid Boulevard. Many of the pieces were specially commissioned by Emaar to be a tribute to the spirit of global harmony. The pieces were selected as a means of linking cultures and communities, symbolic of Burj Khalifa being an international collaboration. The residential lobby of Burj Khalifa displays the work of Jaume Plensa.

World Records

Burj Khalifa holds the following records:
» Tallest building in the world
» Tallest free-standing structure in the world
» Highest number of stories in the world
» Highest occupied floor in the world
» Highest outdoor observation deck in the world
» Elevator with the longest travel distance in the world
» Tallest service elevator in the world

Reference

1. https://www.burjkhalifa.ae/en/
2. https://www.aboutcivil.org/burj-khalifa[1]design-construction-structural-details.htm

An innovative swing bridge, River Hull Footbridge looks like a giant apostrophe which swings open to make way for passing river traffic. Its black steel appearance and distinct robust form makes it a remarkable landmark, reflecting Hull’s industrial and maritime heritage.

Concept

A 2005 International Design Competition resulted in this bridge’s initiation. The idea was to build a bridge that would become a celebrated landmark, increase connectivity across the city, unlock growth potential and increase the use of the river frontage. The idea was also to require navigation permissions continued at all times for small boats and the bridge to be able to open for larger vessels.

Structure

The bridge comprises of a falcate steel spine bracketing from a three-dimensional braced ring that is approximately 15m in diameter. The amalgamated structure of the steel spine consists of the root section conceived as a diagrid/shell and the tip as a shell. Surface of the walkways are blanketed by steel plates while horizontal bracing provides additional longitudinal stiffness. The core structure consists of columns connected to horizontal steel wheel structures forming both levels of the three-dimensional ring. The circular hub component acts as a counterbalance to the cantilever section with concrete slabs at both levels. It is supported vertically on a central pintle or hinge as many say it and six single and four double wheel assemblies running on a flat circular track, secured to a drum supported on 1.6m diameter 30m long piles. Three electric bevel gear units drive the bridge which pivots around a central slew bearing.

The bridge was fabricated in sections at Qualter Hall’s works using temporary support jigs to replicate the finished shape, and trial assembled before transport to site. On-site, the sections were welded together to form the whole bridge structure before being lifted into position in a single operation.

Operation

The bridge is operated from a radio pendant. The entire process takes around 2 minutes as the bridge operator closes a gate at the East bank activating the bridge to open. No barriers are present on the West bank letting people get on and off easily during the motion without either disturbing the bridge’s movement or losing their own time. Rotation speed is slow of the bridge – less than 0.15m/sec,) so can be stepped across safely.

Design The apostrophe shape of the bridge creates two different routes across the bridge: First is a slight slope stretching along the outer edge; while the second is a stepped pathway that runs along the inside. A raised ridge bisects the two routes, creating a seating area overlooking the water as well as a lighting feature. The circumvolution is a single- storey drum, which consists of a restaurant and a viewing platform on the roof. The bridge’s under body is gradually narrowed upwards allowing smaller vessels to pass through without opening the bridge.

Artist Nayan Kulkarni provided with a beautiful installation comprising ringing bells and blinking lights which gets activated when the bridge starts to move. As per the designers, these features add up to the excitement of the ride and also act as an alert system for the pedestrians about the upcoming rotation of the bridge. During the night, fluorescent lights in the parapet posts enhance the bridge’s profile and adds to the radiance of the riverscape.

Awards

The River Hull Footbridge is a recipient of multiple awards:
» BD Infrastructure Architect of the Year 2014
» World Architecture Festival Transport Award
» Civic Trust Award
» Special Award for Community Impact & Engagement
» AIA Excellence in Design Award
» RIBA Yorkshire Award
» Living Waterways Award
» Structural Steel Design Award
» Hull Civic Society Award
» Architectural Digest‘World’s 20 Most Impressive Pedestrian Bridges’

References

1. https://warch2o.com/river-hull-footbridge-mcdowell-benedetti/
2. https://dezeen.com/2013/08/05/scale-lane-bridge-by- mcdowellbenedetti/
3. https://wsteelconstruction.info/Scale_Lane_Bridge,_Hull

#riverhullfootbridge #footbridges #england #architecture #architecturalwonders #riverhull #bridge

Lyon–Saint Exupéry Airport, earlier known as Lyon Satolas Airport, is an international airport situated in Lyon, the third largest city in France. It’s the chief transport facility for the entire Rhône-Alpes region. The airport is directly connected to the railway station near Lyon called the Gare de Saint-Exupéry TGV – situated 30 km to the south, which was an addition to the airport built to serve TGV trains on the LGV Rhône-Alpes, part of the main line running from Paris to Marseille.

Design

Saint-Exupéry station was designed by Santiago Calatrava – an architect, sculptor, and structural engineer, who worked as an engineer and began to enter architectural competitions. The station was built between the years 1989-1994, and opened on 3 July 1994. The construction cost around 750 million Francs (roughly 146 million USD).

The building is mostly a combination of concrete and steel. Its design resembles a bird at the point of flight with the two main “wing” arches coming together at the bird’s “beak”. The station is broadly thought of as a symbol of a bird, fitting to the theme of flight at the airport. The dramatic form of the 5,600 square meter railway station is envisioned as a symbolic gateway to the region of Lyon.

Design Specs

» Main span: 100 meters
» Width: 100 meters
» Height: 39 meters
» Total Length: 450 meters (including railway cover)
» Area: 5,600 square meters
» The 1,300 ton steel roof of the main hall measures 120 x 100 meters

The Gallery

Large entry gallery is distinct and serves to subdivide travelers and serve as an entry marker connecting Train and Airport programs. The hall comprises ticket offices, retail shops, restaurant facilities and access via elevated galleria to and from the airport.

People have different experiences walking through the station based on their destinations, either the railroad below ground or the airport above.

The triangular central hall, traversing 394 feet, sweeps upward toward a service concourse on the east side and so is left free of visual obstructions.

The steel roof is composed of four converging arches with a curved, tapering, arched spine – connected to an isolated reinforced concrete foundation. A single, sculpted, V-shaped concrete footing supports the arches at their point of convergence on the west. Glazed side screens fill the area between the central, concrete arches of the platform hall and the two outer steel arches of the concourse roof, stabilizing the structure.

Foundation

The outer steel arches are connected to the foundation through a concrete housing. Whereas, the inner steel arches are supported by concrete shear walls on one side and a housing on the other. Concrete casing at the joints makes the structure rigid.

Calatrava used steel and glazing to achieve a sense of lightness and openness in the gallery.

Understructure

The soil is generally granite and a mixture of shingle with clay and layered stones on the hillsides. This mixture makes the soil condition stable which helps support the structure, hence, allowing the foundation to be relatively simple. The isolated concrete spread footings is used as the foundation system. The front concrete housing of the main steel arches or the “beak” has a modified pad footing with a saw-tooth base.

The Railway Structure The station is straddled on the reinforced concrete railway cover. This interconnecting concrete service building is fitted with a steel and glass curtain wall overlooking the main hall. Built with a dense network of white concrete beams and rhomboid-shaped glass skylights, this structure covers more than half a kilometer of the six railways. The ribs of the ceiling rest on inclined pillars that bifurcate. Its ceiling is transversely crossed by the large triangular-shaped floor of the station. Because of the density of the concrete beam network and its longitudinal character, the railway cover resembles a tunnel lit by natural light.

The Railway Structural System » Reinforced concrete » Unyielding frame supported by ‘Y’ shaped pillars outside and ‘X’ shaped concrete bay system inside » Hybrid space frame/lamella cylinder roof structure – Diagonally vaulted arches support roof Precast concrete roof slabs span most of the lozenges Alternating lozenges are spanned by vaulted glass supported by aluminum mullions

Lateral Loading

Due to the moderate climatic condition of Lyon, France; lateral loading is not an extreme design concern. As this area is subject to cold winds from the Alps and warm breezes from the Mediterranean, there is no extreme wind or snow loads.

France being a part of Eurasian tectonic plate, it is rare for Lyon to experience earthquakes that cause significant damage. Though seismic loading is negligible, but not totally absent.

Load Tracing Diagram Lateral (wind) loads
Load Tracing Diagram Gravity loads

Lateral loads are applied to the face of the glazing and create a high pressure region between the glazing system and the cantilevered roof portion.

The high pressure region causes uplift and an overturning moment about the base of the cantilevered roof portion.

The four cross-braced steel arches and the the exterior trusses resist the lateral load and overturning moment about the base of the façade.

Site Plan The site plan consists of three major transportation programs converge which included airport, high speed rail station, and automobile parking. It facilitated large radial arching terminals for planes, linear platforms for the trains and looping pickup or drop off areas for vehicles. The entire structure is connected through the gallery which was the main entry.

Conclusion

The Rhone Alps Region and CCIL organized a competition to design a new rail station at Saint-Exupéry Airport in Satolas, serving a rail connection to Lyon. This was done in order to help boost trade through improved transportation, The design brief called for a building that would provide smooth passenger flow while creating an exciting and symbolic ‘gateway to the region’.

Together with the air terminal and nearby street, the railway station connects the region’s different transportation systems.

Reference

1. http://faculty.arch.tamu.edu/anichols/courses/applied-architectural-structures/projects-631/Files/LyonSatolasStation.pdf
2. https://www.calatrava.com/projects/lyon-saint-exupery-airport[1]railway-station-colombier-saugnieu.html

A building standard that is truly energy efficient, comfortable, affordable and ecological at the same time. Passive House is not a brand name, but a construction concept that can be applied by anyone and that has stood the test of practice.

The design is focused on making best use of the “passive” influences in a building – like sunshine, shading and ventilation – rather than active heating and cooling systems such as air conditioning and central heating. Coupled with very high levels of insulation and airtightness, this makes it possible for a passive home to use 90 per cent less energy than a typical dwelling.

Passive House homes and buildings offer superior indoor comfort due to consistent temperatures and good air quality. They also have the added benefit of reducing both external and internal noise due to the high levels of insulation.

What Is The Requirements For Passive House?

A building must meet several criteria to achieve the passive house standard:
– Space heating: The energy demand for space heating must not exceed 15 kWh/m2 of living space per year or 10 W/m2 at peak demand. This contrasts with the 100 W/m2 needed in a typical house.
– Primary energy: Total energy needed for all domestic applications (heating, hot water and domestic electricity) must not exceed 60 kWh/m2 of living space per year.
– Airtightness: Passive buildings are very airtight and should have no more than 0.6 air changes per hour at 50 Pascals of pressure.
– Thermal comfort:  Living areas should be comfortable all year round, with no more than 10 per cent of the hours in a given year exceeding 25°C.

How Do You Build Passive Houses?

To achieve this level of performance, builders use intelligent passive design – for example ensuring the house is oriented and designed to make best use of sun and shade – together with the five passive house principles. Very high levels of insulation are a key element of passive construction, which keeps heat losses so low that a house can be kept warm either without heating or just by preheating the fresh air entering rooms. Passive buildings feature a continuous insulating envelope like a warm coat around the building, and an airtight layer.

The Passive House Has Got It All

Comfort

The Passive House Standard offers a new level of quality pairing a maximum level of comfort both during cold and warm months with reasonable construction costs – something that is repeatedly confirmed by Passive House residents.

Quality

Quality Passive House buildings are praised for their efficiency due to their high level of insulation and their airtight design. Another important principle is “thermal bridge free design“: the insulation is applied without any “weak spots” around the whole building so as to eliminate cold corners as well as excessive heat losses. This method is another essential principle assuring a high level of quality and comfort in Passive House buildings while preventing damages due to moisture build up.

Ecology/Sustainability

Passive House buildings use extremely little  primary energy, leaving sufficient energy resources for all future generations without causing any environmental damage. The additional energy required for their construction (embodied energy) is rather insignificant compared with the energy they save later on. This seems so obvious that there is no immediate need for additional illustrations. It is rather worth mentioning though, that the Passive House standard provides this level of sustainability for anyone wishing to build a new construction or renovating an older one at an affordable price – A contribution to protecting the environment.

Affordability

Are Passive House buildings a good investment? Passive House buildings not only save money over the long term, but are surprisingly affordable to begin with. The investment in higher quality building components required by the Passive House Standard is mitigated by the elimination of expensive heating and cooling systems. Additional financial support increasingly available in many countries makes building a Passive House all the more feasible.

Versatility

Any competent architect can design a Passive House. By combining individual measures any new building anywhere in the world can be designed to reach the Passive House Standard. The versatile Passive House Standard is also increasingly being used for non-residential buildings such as administrative buildings and schools.

Have you ever wanted to increase your home’s size to add an extra bedroom or study, or to fulfil your dreams of creating a room where you can dump everything that does not signing spaces in your home with multiple uses can provide you with the optimum solution without extending or increasing the size of your house.

When we’re all forced to stay in these uncertain times, homes are suddenly becoming spaces that do it all—home school and office meets dining and living room. While it might seem chaotic, an openplan area can help foster connections and even create the illusion of more room.

Getting rid of barriers can make a space feel larger while letting elements like light flow more naturally throughout. However, for these spaces to work, they need to be flexible and easily converted – without effort.

From rearranging furniture to knocking down walls, follow these tips from the design pros for maximizing your space to its fullest potential in a way that blends function and form.

Create Distinct Zones

Furniture arrangement is essential for each zone’s design to work well in unison. The biggest challenge is having a balanced look from multiple vantage points. Furniture needs to work for the space from all sides, and therefore, all of the pieces must be evaluated for their design in 360 degrees.

Using rugs and area-specific lighting can help to establish distinct spaces. The furniture not only creates the flow of the space, but each design element associated with each area accents how the zone is used. Picking a feature item to use for each zone can create a beautiful accent for the space. 

Using the colour scheme in different fabrics, furniture, or accent pieces can create a unique design while also making sure the space is cohesive. Highlighting and using the existing architecture of the room can help create flow from distinct areas. Working to create levels in the open plan, such as raised ceilings, can also add depth and distinction to each zone. The biggest technical challenge around furniture is dealing with lighting and cords. If there are no floor outlets, extra consideration has to be given to the placement of lamps, either table or floor, as this can lead to unsightly cords running to wall outlets.

Blur The Lines A Bit

In cities with warm climates, indoor and outdoor areas can be combined to create new hybrid spaces with unique uses. For example, the creation of courtyards can also be used as dining or lounge areas. This reallocation of space frees up indoor areas, which would have likely been occupied by larger furniture, to be used for other purposes. A hard differentiation of zones is not always ideal because it can create smaller visual areas. For example, in a situation with a living room, dining room and adjoining terrace, it’s not suitable for a large furniture item, such as a sofa, to divide the space. Instead, select smaller pieces of furniture that lead the eye to the adjoining areas. So, rather than incorporating a large coffee table, choose several smaller tables that visually lead to the terrace. Similar tables can also be placed outside to create a continuation of the living space, effectively blurring the lines between the indoors and the outdoors. Introducing partial walls and eliminating doors can create an open space while also keeping different uses separate. Instead of dividing the bedrooms and dressing rooms with doors and full walls, incorporate headboard walls behind the beds to separate the sleeping and dressing areas. This allows the resident to access each area unencumbered while still maintaining two distinct spaces.

Creating Indoor Play Area Multifunctional Rooms

Combining playrooms with other areas of the home is a huge trend in home design. The most common, of course, is the child’s bedroom. But other areas can be used as well. Having an indoor place for a child to play is a good option for areas in cities where it’s less safe for a child to be outside, where the weather is bad for much of the year or instances in which a child’s outdoor play options are limited due to conditions, such as allergies.

Convertible Bedrooms

If you’re working with a truly small space, you’ll need to get creative with your sleeping arrangements. Beds take up a lot of precious floor space in a small living area. Luckily, fold-down beds mean you can put a makeshift bedroom just about anywhere, creating a truly multifunctional room. The beds fold up into seamlesslooking cabinets and combine with other must-have areas, like a home office or den.

Kitchen And Dining Room Combination

One of the easiest ways to create multifunctional rooms is to put together a kitchen with a dining room area. As open-floor plans become more popular, people want to be able to cook and socialize at the same time. It’s an excellent idea for small spaces or smaller home floorplans since it cuts out the need for another wall. It also means no one is cut off from the crowd while cooking.

Utilize Multi-Use Pieces

There are many advantages of an open space plan, which allows a family to blur the lines of daily activities and feel connected in the house. There is a strong relationship between the landscape and sunlight, and the house feels larger overall.

By efficiently using the space, you can redefine usage by merely moving furniture to a new location to maximize square footage.

Designing furniture and cabinetry with multipurpose functions hidden until required can help make the most of your space. For example, a dining table surface can turn into a working desk with hidden casework features for storage, power and a USB port.

Accelerations in technology are introducing an extensive digital transformation in the construction industry. Today, there are numerous examples of how technology is bringing a revolution in this industry. While it is interesting to find the traditional building and construction landscape changing, it is even more interesting to discover the factors that are contributing to the change.

Connected Homes

Just like computers/servers connected in a network to form the internet, solar-powered homes will form an interconnected cellpowered network, thus generating and managing power and energy more efficiently. Builders will need to employ IT and networking engineers to design and set up the infrastructure for the technology that will power smart homes and cities.

Cloud and Mobile Technology

Mobile technology isn’t just for games anymore. Apps are becoming more of the norm in actual construction. The increased portability of tablets and smartphones allows for greater communication and the ability to work from anywhere. Integrating this type of technology into your current processes can be much simpler and require a smaller upfront investment, while still providing major benefits and boosting productivity in your day to day processes.

Mobile technology can help to save time and keep the project moving forward faster by providing real-time monitoring, updates, and making information available between the job site and the office. Companies can easily access the latest revisions to plans or report a problem to the project manager off-site.

Living Materials

One of the most exciting construction trends to watch is the development of living materials. These biological compounds literally grow themselves and are poised to move from interesting experiments to full-scale production in the very near future. The upside is just too great for these materials to remain exotic.

The most promising biological materials are built by and made of bacteria and fungi. This makes them light, strong and weirdly portable. The phrase “grown in place” might soon be as common as “cast in place.”

Exoskeleton

Originally developed for military use and patient mobility and rehabilitation, exoskeletons are beginning to appear on construction sites. Helping to protect workers from manual handling injuries and the risk of hand-arm vibration, these mechanical suits that “augment” with human operatives can also deliver considerable gains in productivity. Its use on construction sites in the past year have generated results that look set to drive the development and uptake of exoskeletons in the construction sector during 2021.

Advanced Materials

With growing awareness of the impact that construction has on our environment, technological advances are bringing numerous new material innovations to the fore.

The recycling of hard-to-dispose-of waste products has seen a significant increase, particularly in relation to plastics. Recent developments have seen the incorporation of waste plastic into  roadways  and even its use as a material for 3D printing new building components or structures. CO2 is another by-product being re-purposed in an effort to reduce the carbon footprint of the industry.

Construction Software and Data Ecosystem

Real-time collaboration  software 

Certain changes stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic are easier to spot on construction jobsites than others. Social distancing, face masks, hand sanitizing stations and other precautions deemed the “new normal” for essential operations during the crisis are highly visible. But there are other changes that are harder to spot unless you look further into the construction process.

One that has potential for longer-term disruption is the flow of equipment and materials onto the jobsite. While only limited “breaks in the chain” are being reported thus far, there is potential for increasing challenges as delayed projects open back up and new construction activity gradually starts to emerge.

According to an April 23 survey of AGC members, 38% of contractors reported project owners halting projects underway in March, with 10% cancelling projects altogether. The numbers for April were 31% and 19%, respectively. Another 16% of respondents reported cancellations already for projects scheduled to start in both May and in June or later.

Today, we have the COVID-19 crisis. Last year, we had trade wars and tariffs. Prior to that, there were component shortages for passives. Supply chain disruptions abound; the only thing for certain is that there will be more to come in the future. The companies that had proactive resilience planning and that had acted ahead to mitigate structural risk from their supply chain are the ones that are coping far better than others.

Diversify Sources

We not only need to diversify to eliminate single sources, but we also need to eliminate sourcing from a single region or country. A simple but effective strategy is to have a combination of near-shore and offshore suppliers for each component.

A broader strategy is to develop regional supply chains that source and distribute products within a region but can also build redundancy such that if one region is disrupted, suppliers from other regions can step up. In general, the strategy is to diversify to eliminate concentration of risk. For example, if you have a concentration of suppliers at high risk of financial default regardless of the number of sources, then it is prudent to qualify alternative sources that are on a stronger financial footing.

Build Reserves To Absorb Shocks

Usual inventory optimization and safety stock calculations can neglect the element of structural risk. Building on the concept of eliminating single points of failure, it is prudent to carry contingency safety stocks particularly for low-volume parts that might impact the availability of high-value features. In general, we need to develop inventory plans to assure supply over a long horizon taking into account possible shortages as well as obsolescence.

In March, the Department of Defence released some 5 million masks and 2,000 respirators from its stockpile to help states fighting the COVID-19 crisis. Strategic reserves go largely unnoticed until there is a crisis. The United States Strategic Petroleum Reserve holds almost 800 million barrels of fuel as an emergency supply that has been tapped from time to time. The value of having strategic reserves has become abundantly clear in recent times.

Predict, Sense And Respond With Agility

The best performing procurement teams operate with an “outsideinside” mind-set. They stay on top of market trends for their customers, their products, their suppliers, the latest design practices and emerging technology trends in their industry. They subscribe to content services that help consolidate such sources of insight to anticipate opportunities and risks and take proactive action long before their competitors. For instance, you can anticipate end-of-life based on typical part lifespans or directly from supplier notices and take proactive action to mitigate impacts pre-emptively. Another example is that of financial default. You can monitor leading indicators of a supplier’s financial health to anticipate risk of default.

Additionally, we also need to be mindful of single sources that could be created from ripple effect of other risks. For instance, financial default or obsolescence of one source within a dual sourced component will create a high-risk single source situation. There will always be events that were unanticipated. However, the best performers establish processes with virtuous learning cycles.

Estimating Structural Risk Across Your Supply Portfolio

As we have seen, it is important to recognize the structural risk across your supply portfolio and establish clear playbooks on when and how to respond to a wide range of risk events. Routine disruptions are frequent but low impact events such as unanticipated demand, port delays or limited factory closures, such events are part of day to day operations and need to be handled automatically with contingencies such as safety stocks and automated re-planning.

Moderate risk events require both proactive measures such as leveraging diversity of alternate sources as well as reactive actions such as expedited shipments followed by shifts in sourcing splits. Finally, it goes without saying that a proactive assessment of structural risk can expose structural flaws where there are high impact events that are also highly likely. Examples of these include single sourced components nearing end-of-life or those that are sourced from suppliers at high risk of financial default. Such situations need to be eliminated immediately.

As you have seen, digital transformation is not about one shiny artificial intelligence technology or another. Instead, it is about building a pervasive capability for informed and timely actions. Information systems must be grounded in processes that continuously maintain data integrity, as data driven insights and decisions drive superior performance.

By Amrita Batra

Construction managers in India complain about the difficulty of getting enough quality workers. Many skilled workers have fled to greener pastures like the Middle Eastern Gulf. Also, with those economies in slowdown mode, the sector is caught in labour market headwinds. The other reasons include:

– Industry Misconceptions One of the most significant factors is the industry’s image. Individuals coming into the workforce, or considering future careers are not attracted to the industry. Some common misconceptions include:

• Construction jobs are “dirty”
• The work requires “brute strength”
• Construction is a “job”, not a career

– Lack of Awareness Young workers considering their future career path are not always aware of the great opportunities available in the construction industry. Some of these include:

• Good pay
• Opportunities for advancement
• Ability to learn new skills on the job

– Aging Population and Competing Industries Many of those who grew up working in the industry are getting older and retiring, or they are leaving the industry for a less physical job. These workers are not being replaced nearly as quickly as they’re being lost. Many have left the industry over the years for various reasons.

Changing The Construction Industry’s Perception

Rather than resigning to accomplish less with fewer workers than you need, construction company leaders can take steps to overcome the construction labour shortage. The industry is resorting to some non-traditional practices to recruit and retain skilled talent. From offering higher pay and benefits to hiring full-time employees (rather than contractors), incentives to improve these jobs have been created. You can consider the following strategies for improving your labour pool:

1. Make recruiting a year-round activity Do not wait until your busy season to start locating and hiring the skilled workers you need. If you cannot take the time from your already busy schedule to focus on recruiting, consider hiring a part-time employee with human resources experience. This employee can help create and maintain a recruitment process and keep your company’s name and interests in front of potential job candidates.
2. Offer financial incentives for employee loyalty Your current employees likely have other options for employment, so it is important to provide them with incentives to stay with your company. Think about offering a bonus to skilled labourers when a project is completed on time or under budget. While providing such financial incentives may cost you a small percentage of the job’s project, it will help keep productive workers coming back and save you money on recruiting new workers.
3. Provide adequate training for your workers Today’s workers want opportunities to continue learning and growing professionally, and by offering training, you can keep them engaged. Providing training is a win-win strategy. It results in more highly qualified employees for your business, and it also extends goodwill back to these employees; they will feel valued because of the time and money you invested in them.
4. Make sure your business is in top working order The best workers will be most attracted to the companies that appear to value them. Make sure you have all your ducks in a row, such as establishing a strong workers’ compensation policy, providing training, and using proper safety equipment. These efforts will ensure you can fulfil the needs of customers and keep performing at the top level.
5. Attract and retain workers by promoting safety While construction companies often have programs in place for on-site worker safety, there’s room to promote safety on the road. Reducing accidents enroute to job sites creates an all-around safer company. By creating a safer workplace, you show your workers that you care about their health and well-being and that you respect them as people, not just employees.
6. Curb increasing job costs through fleet right-sizing With fewer workers, av a i l a b l e p ro j e c t s a re taking longer to complete, which increases costs  for construction companies. By maximizing your fleets’ utilization, you have an opportunity to make up for these lengthy, costly jobs. This begins with rightsizing, which ensures that you have the right number of vehicles and assets you need to successfully run your business.
7. Improve productivity with preventative maintenance Having assets and vehicles constantly in and out of shops not only cuts into your profits but also reduces productivity. As job lengths grow due to fewer workers, every vehicle and piece of equipment plays a critical role in helping you complete more projects on time. By automating your current preventive maintenance schedules, you cut down on machine downtime, which increases the productivity of your workforce and helps reduce job length. And when navigating a labour shortage, increasing productivity can make up for having a smaller number of employees.

Move Past The Obstacle

Rather than feeling stressed by the skilled labour shortage, owners of construction companies should start taking appropriate action. With these strategies, you will start overcoming the construction labour shortage now and into the future. Moreover, this will help to have an edge over the competitors in the market.

By Amrita Batra

Across the country, property owners are seeking green initiatives and sustainability programs to minimize waste and reduce their reliance on natural resources while trying to keep their operational costs low. A new trend that is moving into the building sector involves creating zero-net energy buildings. Zero-Net Energy (ZNE) buildings are certainly a part of India’s future realty market. Governments, property dealers and realtors are embracing sustainable techniques at a fast pace during property construction.

Today, homeowners are enthusiastic about living in eco-friendly homes as it not only saves costs but also inspires a better way of life. A combination of an advanced building system and futuristic design make net-zero homes more energy competent and carbon-neutral. No doubt, Zero Net Energy buildings offer huge potential for saving energy!

According to the market research report published by P&S Intelligence, the global net zero energy buildings market share was valued at $896.6 million in 2018 and is expected to reach $2,106.6 million by 2024, advancing at a CAGR of 15.6% during the forecast period (2019–2024). The residential category is likely to show a faster CAGR during the forecast period, owing to increase in government targets and plans to achieve sustainable energy consumption.

Before we proceed, let us first clear our basics about ZNE Buildings.

What Are Zero-Net Energy Buildings?

Zero-net energy buildings are a new wave of energy reduction and environment-friendly construction or renovation projects geared toward one goal: reducing the dependence of non-renewable energy that is produced off-site and delivered to the building. These are structures with no net energy utilization. This implies that the total energy consumed by the building on a yearly basis is nearly equal to the total renewable energy produced on-site or elsewhere by renewable energy sources.

In addition, building owners and facility managers try to reduce energy consumption throughout their operations so that the building uses less than the available on-site energy or equal to the amount of energy that is produced. The ZNE buildings add less greenhouse gas to the environment as compared to a similar non-ZNE building. These buildings can produce the same amount of energy it is using without compromising the daily life of the residents living in it.

By seeking renewable energy endeavours, buildings can save on costs that are spent exporting non-renewable energy from other areas across the country. It allows buildings to become highly efficient with less of an environmental impact. Currently, there are five types of structures that can qualify as being considered zero-net energy.

• Zero energy campuses consist of building sites grouped in a specific location that has renewable energy systems that are owned by the institution itself
• Zero energy communities are building sites that are grouped in a specific location that have systems that create renewable energy
• Zero energy buildings are fully or partially enclosed structures with exterior walls and a roof that has these renewable energy systems
• Zero energy portfolios are collections of buildings and sites where a single entity owns or leases renewable energy systems.

Technical Understanding Of Zero Energy Buildings

Zero-net energy homes are built with energy-conscious designs and include elements that can run without fossil energy sources. Other features include:

• Furnished with eco-friendly elements such as rooftop rainwater harvesting system that decreases the dependence on treated water.
• Solar panels, geothermal heating, wind turbines, and heat recovery ventilation systems are some of the techniques that are employed to achieve a zero-net-energy status.

In current times, while land constraints are pushing the trend of high rises and compact living, they are also exhausting a major portion of the total energy produced. Globally, buildings account for nearly 30% of the total energy-related greenhouse gas emissions.

Seeing that the global climate change is a burning topic at present, immediate action must be taken towards a reduced carbon future, making net-zero energy properties the cornerstones of the housing revolution.

Advantages To Zero-Net Energy Buildings

There are many reasons why facility managers are seeking zero-net energy buildings in addition to seeking more environment-friendly operations. The types of long-term benefits can vary based on the building and operations. Some of the advantages you may seek if deciding to create a zero-net energy building:

A Worthwhile Endeavour In Reducing Energy Consumption

There are many ways that buildings can seek to become zero-net energy during the construction or renovation phase. Reduced plug loads, energy-efficient retrofits, and integrated designs as well as conservation programs can allow your facility to achieve this goal. Careful consideration and an evaluation of your facility can allow you to decide on the best initiatives and programs to seek out to lower energy consumption while making your building run more efficiently.

A green homeowner can save up-to Rs. 25,000-100,000 annually on the expenditure incurred on water, electricity, and society maintenance. This amounts to considerable savings at virtually no additional cost! With the decrease in the incremental costs of constructing green homes and the residents becoming increasingly energy-conscious, green homes will soon be available at similar prices as a regular house.

Not just individuals, real estate agents are also today more environmentally and socially aware. They seek new opportunities and choices that will benefit the planet, as well as the buyers.

As more than two-thirds of urban construction segment in India is yet to develop, ZNE homes seem a valuable opportunity to influence a paradigm shift in the direction of sustainable housing development while also allowing financial foresight and an enhanced sense of wellness on the whole. Indeed, a win-win situation!