Industrialised, Integrated, Intelligent sustainable Construction - I3con

HANDBOOK 2 SUSTAINABLE CONSTRUCTION
Relationship between AEC+P+F Integration and Sustainability
Angelica Ospina-Alvarado – Georgia Institute of Technology (aospina3@mail.gatech.edu)
Daniel Castro-Lacouture – Georgia Institute of Technology (daniel.castro-lacouture@coa.gatech.edu)
Kathy Roper – Georgia Institute of Technology (kathy.roper@coa.gatech.edu)
Abstract
Sustainability is increasingly becoming a very important performance
indicator when evaluating the success of a construction project. In
order to attain a truly sustainable project it is necessary to
understand it as a whole system whose subsystem interactions
should be optimized. To optimize the synergies between project
subsystems it is necessary to reconsider the process with which
projects are traditionally planned, designed, constructed, maintained
and operated. Traditional project delivery systems do not suit the
needs of a sustainable project, because the process is very
fragmented, different team members are brought into the project after
major decisions are already taken and their input is very limited,
communication and information exchange is very poor, and contract
language inhibits cooperation. A sustainable project requires a
process that fosters interdisciplinary collaboration and integrates the
team, project systems and the business structure. It requires a
process based on early participation of key project members,
transparency, open information exchange and communication, as
well as collaborative decision making, among others. This chapter
presents a framework that explains the associations between an
integrated project delivery system and the different sustainable
construction criteria, showing the implication of the project process
on the sustainability of a project.
Keywords: AEC+P+F (Architecture, Engineering, Construction + Planning + Facility Management
Integration, sustainability, integrated project delivery, sustainable construction
Introduction
Sustainable construction is the process of planning, designing, constructing, maintaining, and
operating building projects, with the goal of minimizing overall environmental impacts and
maximizing the benefits to the final users and to the surrounding community. In order to develop a
sustainable project it is necessary to rethink design, construction and operation aspects of energy,
water and resource use, indoor air quality, recycling programs, alternative transportation access,
landscaping strategies, construction waste management, construction site planning and management,
wastewater management, and maintenance, among others.
In order to attain a truly sustainable project it is important to maximize synergies between the
different project systems and components, reaching important efficiencies and minimizing
unnecessary costs. In addition it is necessary to plan and design with the end user in mind, the
operation and maintenance activities, and the construction. This will enable inputs from the selection
of materials and systems to be transformed to outputs in the form of a sustainable project. To achieve
this, it is necessary to require the early and active involvement of all major stakeholders, including the
owner, architect, engineers, planners, specialty consultants, contractor, key trade contractors, final
users, and facility managers.
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