Soft Landings BSRIA Young Engineers Forum Roderic Bunn
2 The built environment experts
Soft Landings in a sentence “A process for a graduated handover of a new or refurbished building, where a period of professional aftercare by the project team is a client requirement – planned for and carried out from project inception onwards – and lasting for up to three years post-completion” 3 The built environment experts
What motivated Soft Landings 1996 – 2001 The PROBE Project Energy consumption often much higher than 1990 benchmarks Feature packed, but not always functional Unmanageably complex controls Buildings not finished at handover 2006 – 2010 Low Carbon Buildings Performance 23 projects awarded DECC grants for renewables and Carbon Trust mentoring Even more feature-packed, but often not functional More unmanageably complex controls and BMS Buildings still not finished or commissioned at handover Energy consumption over 3 times Part L compliance calculations LZC technologies often risky, fragile and bolted on a dysfunctional core 2011 – £8 million TSB-funded Building Performance Evaluation ………Same again? Looking very much like it… Increasing systems complexity, poor commissioning BMS systems impenetrable and confusing Excessive layering of controls with bespoke protocols Lack of training and customer support after handover Energy sub-metering either too little or too much, and often inaccurate 4 The built environment experts
5 The built environment experts
What’s causing the energy waste? Energy intensive systems Fans, pumps, controls, lighting, catering equipment, ICT, office equipment, refrigeration Things running for long periods Use of the building outside normal hours, and/or local control that is either absent or difficult for caretakers to exercise Things left on when not needed Lighting, external security systems, computers and printers on standby or overnight charging, vending machines, fridges and freezers during summer holidays Things that don’t work properly Systems and controls that are either inappropriate, over-complex, difficult to use and maintain - and often poorly commissioned Things difficult for occupants to operate and change Controls that are either too basic or too complex 6 The built environment experts
7 The built environment experts
8 The built environment experts
It’s not just about energy – it’s also about manageability, maintainability and usability… 9 The built environment experts
And that’s just taps! 10 The built environment experts
Soft Landings is the antidote A process that focuses on identifying performance risks before they become ingrained and irredeemable problems A method of managing risks during design, construction, handover and initial operation Support for those risks during the first few operating seasons Using experience and feedback from earlier projects to eliminate or reduce risks – at least understand them – and focus on ways to enhance performance 11 The built environment experts
A revolution in the way projects are delivered Soft Landings A small change in the way you do things Challenges and A big change in the way project teams think, behave and interact opportunities • Practical completion becomes an extended handover process • The project team does not disband at PC, but takes on aftercare duties • Success judged on operational outcomes, not design specifications • Everyone in the project team takes custody of building performance 12 The built environment experts
Why you need to take note • 2013 Likely to be referenced in the Building Regulations 13 The built environment experts
Soft Landings in BREEAM New Construction Management 01 Sustainable Procurement • Requirements 1&2: Roles and responsibilities • Requirement 3 Training schedule and handover information • Requirements 18-21 Construction and handover • Requirements 22-25 Aftercare (seasonal commissioning; Energy and water data gathering; aftercare support (extra credit for a 3 year period) 14 The built environment experts
Why you need to take note • March 2011 The Innovation and Growth Team called for UK Government to promote Soft Landings • May 2011 Adopted within the Government Construction Strategy • September 2012 All Party Parliamentary Group report on best value in construction recommends Soft Landings and POE 15 The built environment experts
Well, that was the good news… • September 2011 Cabinet Office- led Soft Landings working group established, linked to BIM 2012 Cabinet Office adopts Soft • Landings and reinvents it for Government clients June 19 2013 Launch of • Government Soft Landings at the ‘Joining the Dots’ conference at the QE2 conference centre 16 The built environment experts
Briefing and design missing from the dots Government seeks to join… 17 The built environment experts
The basics of Soft Landings A framework of activities for the project team It begins by requiring greater clarity at the inception and briefing stages about client and end-user needs and expectations A way for designers and constructors to focus on operational outcomes Requires the setting performance targets (such as energy use and occupant satisfaction) and reality-checking them continually through the project Requires far greater emphasis on building readiness Requires a Soft Landings team on site during the initial settling-in period Requires project teams to stay involved for up to three years to troubleshoot and progressively fine-tune the building to reach the performance targets 18 The built environment experts
The five-stage process Stage 1: Inception and briefing Clarify operational outcomes in the client’s requirements Stage 2: Design development & construction Review past experience, agree performance metrics, agree design targets, regularly reality-check Stage 3: Pre-handover Prepare for occupation, train FM staff, demonstrate control systems, review monitoring strategy of occupants and energy use Stage 4: Initial aftercare Support staff in first few weeks of occupation, be resident on site to respond to queries and react to emerging issues Stage 5: Long term aftercare Monitor, review, fine-tune, and perform periodic feedback studies for up to three years to reach performance targets 19 The built environment experts
So where do you start with SL activities? By adopting the Core Principles of Soft Landings 1. Adopt the entire process 2. Provide leadership 3. Set roles and responsibilities 4. Ensure continuity 5. Commit to aftercare 6. Share risk and responsibility 7. Use feedback to inform design 8. Focus on operational outcomes 9. Involve the building managers 10.Involve the end users 11.Set performance objectives 12.Communicate and inform 20 The built environment experts
RIBA Plan of Work RIBA Plan of Work B C to H J to K L1 L2 & L3 Design & Pre- Mobilisation & Post practical Design brief Aftercare completion construction Construct Stage 1 Stage 2 Stage 3 Stage 4 Stage 5 Design Pre- Initial Years 1 to 3 Inception and briefing & construct Handover Aftercare Aftercare SOFT LANDINGS ACTIVITIES D1 Review past experience A1 Resident on-site attendance D2 Design reviews A2 Provide datacomms links D3 Tender documentation and evaluation A3 Building usage guidance A4 Technical guidance A5 Communications B1 Define roles and responsibilities P1 Environmental / energy logging review A6 Walkabouts B2 Review past experience P2 Building readiness programme B3 Plan evaluations & reality checks P3 Commissioning records check Y1 Aftercare review meetings B4 Set performance targets P4 Maintenance contract Y2 Log env'l & energy performance B5 Sign-off gateways P5 Training Y3 Systems and energy review B6 Incentives for performance outcomes P6 BMS interface completion and demo Y4 Fine tune systems P7 Migration Planning Y5 Record fine-tuning and change P8 Aftercare team ‘home’ Y6 Communications P9 Compile Building User’s Guide Y7 Walkabouts P10 Compile Technical Guide Y8 Measure env'l & energy performance P11 O&M Manual Review Y9 End of year review 21 The built environment experts
23 The built environment experts
Use feedback to inform design • Visit previous projects to understand what worked well and what proved risky Your own projects of course, but the client’s previous projects and existing buildings from where the occupants will come in order to understand the expectations and manage them during the project • Workshops and focus groups can be useful but need expert facilitation and structured questioning to get the best information. The opinionated can still drown out the meek Design Quality Indicators (DQIs) favoured in many quarters, but only as • good as the process manager – determining occupants’ needs from a checklist might reveal the “what” but not always the “why”. • Occupant surveys Survey methods need to be well-structured and free of bias. Results should be a mix of the statistical for comparison and benchmarking, and anecdotal to understand what people think 24 The built environment experts
Recommend
More recommend
