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    Papers in International JournalsChapters/ Papers in International BooksChapters/ Papers in National BooksCommunications in International ConferencesCommunications in National ConferencesMSc ThesesBooksProceedingsPatentsTechnical/ Scientific ReportsPhD Theses
    @phdthesis {2916,
    	title = {Early stage design methodology to ensure life cycle sustainability of residential buildings},
    	year = {2017},
    	month = {2017-07-31 00:00:00},
    	pages = {360},
    	school = {University of Minho},
    	abstract = {

    Scientific research has given overwhelming findings that environmental problems are a severe global
    threat, requiring an immediate response. In the years to come, ecological and economic constraints
    will restrain social conditions. Buildings play a fundamental role in controlling and improving both,
    social and environmental quality. Countless efforts are being made to promote and implement
    sustainable building design. New technologies to reduce resources consumption, low impact materials,
    standards, and guidelines, and building assessment methods are being developed worldwide. It is fair
    to say that despite remarkable achievements in promoting sustainable buildings, they are still behind
    expectation in enhancing sustainable design. When pre-design is poor or incomplete, the effectiveness
    of sustainable projects is compromised. Research shows if sustainability goals are established early in
    the project, against which to assess options of achievement, the success of accomplishing a sustainable
    building, increases. Nevertheless, existing sustainability assessment tools evaluate a selected option
    rather than allowing for comparison of alternative solutions. Also, the need for detailed data, inexistent
    at those phases, hampers its use at early design phases.
    To cope with this gap, this thesis proposes a new methodology aimed at supporting early design phases
    decisions towards sustainable design. It is intended to aid getting goals through a measurable and easily
    understood target for the building performance instead of prescribing a particular solution.
    To achieve such an ambitious goal, the work was divided into five main tasks. First, literature review
    was carried out on existing international recommendations for sustainable design and its assessment,
    and existing buildings sustainability assessment methods. This research aimed at identifying the stateof-
    the-art of such tools and standards, highlighting their advantages and drawbacks, and setting the
    basis for Early Stage Model for Sustainable Design {\textendash} EasyMode. Then, analysis of the life cycle of
    buildings design was conducted. Complementing this analysis, Portuguese designers were surveyed to
    comprehend their understandings on sustainability and how they consider its criteria during design.
    After having the output of these two phases, it was possible to set approach and framework for the
    newly developed tool: EasyMode. After having a defined framework, stage four consisted in developing
    the calculation procedure of the indicators included in EasyMode. To validate the efficacy of the tool, a
    fifth step was taken; the tool was applied to a case study.
    viii
    EasyMode aims to support designers, through the decision-making process, at early design phases,
    towards successful sustainable design. EasyMode provides guidelines and concepts regarding the three
    sustainability cornerstones enabling setting early sustainable goals, making informed decisions, and
    selecting design options with better performance throughout the building{\textquoteright}s lifecycle. EasyMode is
    intended to be easy and practical to use, so practitioners can make quick and expedite analysis, in fact
    making it accepted by them. This tool will endow designers with sustainability concepts in an easy
    manner, improving their knowledge on the subject and thus, improving their projects. Also, this work
    represents a step further in the scientific research in this field.

    }, keywords = {Buildings, Environment, Sustainability}, author = {Andrade, J. B. and Bragan{\c c}a, L.} }

    About CTAC

    The Centre for Territory, Environment and Construction (CTAC) is a research unit of the School of Engineering of University of Minho (UMinho), recognised by the “FCT – Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia” (Foundation for Science and Technology), associated to the Department of Civil Engineering (DEC), with whom it shares resources and namely human resources.

    Currently CTAC aggregates 24 researchers holding a PhD of which 20 are faculty professors of the Civil Engineering Department. Read more


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    Centro de Território, Ambiente e Construção
    Escola de Engenharia da Universidade do Minho
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    4800-058 Guimarães, Portugal

    Phone: + 351 253 510 200 (517 206)
    Fax: + 351 253 510 217

    Email: geral@ctac.uminho.pt


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