A multi-agent system for stakeholder management in off-site construction. This project aims to investigate a socio-technology model for stakeholders and informatics to improve off-site construction (OSC) productivity in infrastructure construction. A multi-agent system for OSC could drive down cost, but requires highly integrated collaboration among stakeholders. The project’s quantitative approaches include large-scale social network analysis, multi-agent consensus modelling and an optimisation ....A multi-agent system for stakeholder management in off-site construction. This project aims to investigate a socio-technology model for stakeholders and informatics to improve off-site construction (OSC) productivity in infrastructure construction. A multi-agent system for OSC could drive down cost, but requires highly integrated collaboration among stakeholders. The project’s quantitative approaches include large-scale social network analysis, multi-agent consensus modelling and an optimisation algorithm for collaborative planning. The project outcomes are expected to secure long-term economic benefits by enhancing performance in complex projects.Read moreRead less
Rethinking housing: network analysis for digital collaboration. This project aims to understand persistent housing sector supply problems through analysis of digital collaborative practices. This project expects to generate new knowledge for an emerging housing digital economy using interdisciplinary network theory and data visualisation techniques. The housing sector has long been criticised for shortcomings in affordability, efficiency, quality, social and environmental responsiveness and appr ....Rethinking housing: network analysis for digital collaboration. This project aims to understand persistent housing sector supply problems through analysis of digital collaborative practices. This project expects to generate new knowledge for an emerging housing digital economy using interdisciplinary network theory and data visualisation techniques. The housing sector has long been criticised for shortcomings in affordability, efficiency, quality, social and environmental responsiveness and appropriateness of offerings. Expected outcomes include enhanced housing supply professionals' capability, improved knowledge among public/private sector decision makers responsible for housing supply and development of new digital collaborative behavioural theoretical and practical frameworks for the sector.Read moreRead less
Efficient construction: analysis of integrated supply chains for innovative off site housing manufacturing. The Australian housing industry is failing to meet demand. Housing construction is too slow, as indicated by a 40 per cent increase in average construction time over the last fifteen years. Industry fragmentation is an oft-cited cause of construction inefficiency. A solution is offsite manufacturing. Australia lags other countries in adoption of off-site manufacturing. To achieve adoption ....Efficient construction: analysis of integrated supply chains for innovative off site housing manufacturing. The Australian housing industry is failing to meet demand. Housing construction is too slow, as indicated by a 40 per cent increase in average construction time over the last fifteen years. Industry fragmentation is an oft-cited cause of construction inefficiency. A solution is offsite manufacturing. Australia lags other countries in adoption of off-site manufacturing. To achieve adoption and diffusion, fragmentation needs to be addressed. This project aims to analyse the factors affecting supply chain integration to support innovative offsite manufacturing and develop a novel collaborative practice based implementation model.Read moreRead less
Re-considering sustainable building and design: a cultural change approach. This project will help reduce the 38 per cent of all Australian waste that is produced by the construction industry by addressing the role of the building procurement team in reducing resource usage and eliminating waste. The outcomes of this research will address National Research Priority 1, An Environmentally Sustainable Australia.
An integrated model for the assessment of urban sustainability. The redevelopment and improvement of outdated urban infrastructure and the establishment of new infrastructure to meet needs of a growing population and increased services is a challenge faced by urban planners and developers in most Australian cities. This research will develop a systems-based framework within which combinations of models and tools will be evaluated for inclusion in an integrated assessment tool. The tool will ena ....An integrated model for the assessment of urban sustainability. The redevelopment and improvement of outdated urban infrastructure and the establishment of new infrastructure to meet needs of a growing population and increased services is a challenge faced by urban planners and developers in most Australian cities. This research will develop a systems-based framework within which combinations of models and tools will be evaluated for inclusion in an integrated assessment tool. The tool will enable us to address urban growth and its inter-relationship with infrastructure systems and services, including transport, energy, water, affordable housing, education and other land-use issues in relation to a case study of urban development. Read moreRead less
Constructing Building Integrity: Raising standards through professionalism. This project aims to investigate the role of professions in rebuilding trust in residential building construction in Australia. In the wake of expensive and life-threatening building defects, this project expects to generate new knowledge about the functioning of individual professionals, professionals employed in multi-profession organisations, and professionals’ interaction with their institutional environment. Expecte ....Constructing Building Integrity: Raising standards through professionalism. This project aims to investigate the role of professions in rebuilding trust in residential building construction in Australia. In the wake of expensive and life-threatening building defects, this project expects to generate new knowledge about the functioning of individual professionals, professionals employed in multi-profession organisations, and professionals’ interaction with their institutional environment. Expected outcomes include practical recommendations for improved professional standards, a rigorous building integrity system and a means for measuring change. Anticipated benefits include greater awareness by professions, trades and regulators of their role in in delivering the public goods of a trustworthy construction industry.Read moreRead less
Housing energy efficiency transitions. This project aims to provide an analysis of housing retrofit and its links with household energy costs. It includes householders across eight global urban sites, as well as the businesses that supply retrofit services. The project will analyse the retrofit experience of both energy poor and other households, providing an internationally significant evidence base. Outcomes include a robust empirical evidence base on the implications of retrofit for househol ....Housing energy efficiency transitions. This project aims to provide an analysis of housing retrofit and its links with household energy costs. It includes householders across eight global urban sites, as well as the businesses that supply retrofit services. The project will analyse the retrofit experience of both energy poor and other households, providing an internationally significant evidence base. Outcomes include a robust empirical evidence base on the implications of retrofit for households to tailor actions that will shape the lives of residents in Australian households.Read moreRead less
Improving thermal environment of housing for older Australians. This project aims to develop strategies to improve the thermal environment of housing for older Australians based on systematic investigations of the links between weather, thermal comfort, energy use, and well-being. The project will produce evidence-based guidelines and a framework about planning/design issues and operational/behavioural aspects to support older people living independently. Improved thermal conditions will lead to ....Improving thermal environment of housing for older Australians. This project aims to develop strategies to improve the thermal environment of housing for older Australians based on systematic investigations of the links between weather, thermal comfort, energy use, and well-being. The project will produce evidence-based guidelines and a framework about planning/design issues and operational/behavioural aspects to support older people living independently. Improved thermal conditions will lead to better quality of life, reduce the need for institutional care and reduce public health costs. They will also provide environmental benefits through reduced energy use and carbon emissions.Read moreRead less
Geopolymer concrete for thin-walled structures in marine environment. This project aims to develop ultra-high performance geopolymer concrete thin-walled structures for the critical infrastructure in the marine environment. It is expected that this project will develop novel design rules for ultra-high performance geopolymer concrete thin-walled structures based on experimental testing, numerical modelling, validation, and simulation. This project is expected to increase the durability of coasta ....Geopolymer concrete for thin-walled structures in marine environment. This project aims to develop ultra-high performance geopolymer concrete thin-walled structures for the critical infrastructure in the marine environment. It is expected that this project will develop novel design rules for ultra-high performance geopolymer concrete thin-walled structures based on experimental testing, numerical modelling, validation, and simulation. This project is expected to increase the durability of coastal infrastructures and significantly reduce the loss of their capacities due to corrosion-induced damage. The development of ultra-high performance geopolymer concrete thin-walled structures is a significant engineering discovery, which is in line with the Australian government 2030 vision for sustainable development.Read moreRead less
Sentient buildings. This project aims to unite outputs from the large and varied array of sensors deployed in buildings into a coherent whole. By coordinating detections of resources and personnel from multiple sensors, it intends to enable more efficient allocation of shared resources within a public site such as a hospital, and enable a more effective emergency response. It intends to also allow the building to adapt over time to the way it is used, or to changing conditions. This is expected ....Sentient buildings. This project aims to unite outputs from the large and varied array of sensors deployed in buildings into a coherent whole. By coordinating detections of resources and personnel from multiple sensors, it intends to enable more efficient allocation of shared resources within a public site such as a hospital, and enable a more effective emergency response. It intends to also allow the building to adapt over time to the way it is used, or to changing conditions. This is expected to benefit the Australian construction industry as well as building operators, giving them a valuable export commodity. It intends also to benefit inhabitants of the buildings by providing a more safe, secure and accommodating environment.Read moreRead less