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This study presents the impact of research by Plymouth's Environmental Building Group (EBG) and Centre for Earthen Architecture (CEA) on industry and regulatory bodies. These interconnected groups research the manufacture, construction, preservation and performance (thermal, hygral and acoustic) of new and old buildings of diverse construction, including earth, straw-bale and hemp-lime. EBG/CEA research has impacted the energy consumption of 690+ homeowners (21st Century Living; DECC/Eden) and contributed to national standards for construction and conservation (BRE/DEBA/English Heritage). Industry partnerships/projects include: Zero Carbon House, Kevin McCabe Ltd; Carfrae Sustainable Design; Hukseflux; Cornish Lime Company.
Research in information modelling at Newcastle University's School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape, supported by research grants and industry funding, led to the development of a software prototype and subsequently to a market software application (NBS Scheduler). This product is particularly targeted at SMEs in the construction industry with a design capability and for them it has become best-practice software. The product — developed and marketed by National Building Specification (NBS, an arm of the Royal Institute of British Architects) — has transformed the organisation, writing and formatting of non-drawn information for refurbishment and smaller new-build projects. It has made a significant contribution to developing accurate building project information with subsequent commercial and societal benefits through the lowering of transaction costs and prices. Scheduler has also underpinned the development of another product (NBS Create), which also leads its field through the creation of Building Information Modeling (BIM)-compliant building specifications.
Building Information Modelling and Management (BIM(M)) research at the University of Salford has contributed to the concept and development of an integrated approach to improved efficiency in the construction sector:
Research focusing on sustainable urban living explores design innovation at the intersection of technology and policy. Its impact has been through the co-design and co-development of integrated systems for securing a sustainable future in collaboration with user groups and communities. The research has reduced energy consumption and increased well-being through innovations in `whole system' retrofitting combined with user participation in the UK and France. It has also led to the development of `living laboratories' and exemplar projects for both the construction industry and building users, demonstrating ways of `locking-in' and reusing waste material in building construction. Influential in the development of planning policies for urban agriculture in London and Berlin, the research has also been instrumental in empowering and mobilizing communities in cities worldwide.
It is widely acknowledged that conventional approaches to planning and development exacerbate environmental problems with consequential negative social and economic impacts. This award winning research proposes alternatives by examining the systems and techniques used in the design of autonomous eco-building in order to identify best practice in the procurement of low carbon buildings. The research findings were first tested and subsequently validated, through the design and construction of a community building in Lincolnshire. This building has won multiple awards for innovations in sustainability and the underpinning research has impacted at regional, national and international level through direct application to design, changes to professional practice and through enhanced public awareness
Loughborough University's Construction Accident Causality (ConCA) framework has:
This case study presents a dynamic development framework route-map (the Precinct Planning Design Standard, PPDS) that enhances sustainability and the delivery of a development's goals, aims, and objectives for medium-large mixed-use precinct developments and tourist resorts in developing countries. The standard shortens pre-planning timescales, achieves greater certainty in actual performance delivery and reduces environmental impact for developers, developments, and their infrastructure.
Through Earthcheck Pty PPDS is now commercially available and has been used to benchmark and certify ecological performance improvements of 30 Asia Pacific projects (US$ 25 billion development value). These range from 8,000 person community projects to medium sized tourism resorts and island developments. Our research has challenged existing standards and consequently influenced practitioners to rethink and improve the efficacy of their development processes.
As academic lead partner Professor Ogden and his team at Oxford Brookes University were responsible for a major research programme focusing on the development of light steel construction technology. Major industry funding in conjunction with EU support, facilitated a detailed understanding of the technology, and various demonstration projects including the then largest light steel framed building in Europe, constructed at Oxford Brookes University. The results of the work have been adopted by industry in order to innovate novel construction solutions. As a consequence light steel framing is now the favoured method of construction across the entire modular off-site buildings sector and in other mass market construction applications including site-built structural framing and infill walling. The value of the market that that has emerged in the UK during the census period is estimated to be £78 million per annum.
Procuring Social and Economic Value through Construction is focused on improving the sustainability and profitability of, and ensuring public benefit from, the UK construction sector, demonstrating the following impact:
Marine biofouling is caused by the adhesion of macroalgae, microbial slimes and other marine organisms for instance barnacles to underwater surfaces, such as ships hulls. The research from the Bioadhesion and Biofouling Research Group (BBRG) that tackles this important problem has had a direct impact on commerce, with three new companies entering the marine coatings industry and a fourth achieving superior effectiveness from their existing product line. All have been able to develop novel products (with associated patents) positioned to address the requirements of an increasingly-stringent environmental legislative framework, seeking to reduce or eliminate the impact of toxic biocides on non-target species in the marine environment. In addition, some of these companies have enjoyed increased investments in their R&D programmes and proven market advantage over their competitors.