Issue 1(49)/2017

DOI: 10.5277/ARCHITECTUS

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Table of contents

Articles

Magdalena Baborska-Narożny, Fionn Stevenson - Field studies in occupied buildings and the building performance evaluation (BPE) approach – Polish and British practice

doi:10.5277/arc170101

Field studies in already commissioned and occupied buildings are common both in the UK and Poland. Those generating knowledge applicable beyond the studied buildings are the focus of thematic issue of “Architectus” with two major objectives in mind. Firstly the aim is to showcase current research practice and expertise of various academic disciplines in relation to conducting empirical studies in occupied buildings or urban spaces in Poland. Secondly the issue aims to initiate a discussion on the potential to implement in Poland a building performance evaluation (BPE) approach developed in the UK and based on field studies in buildings over recent decades. This paper provides the necessary background for introducing the subject of BPE into the Polish context. It also offers an overview of similarities and discrepancies in state-of the art research practices in each country. Key recommendations for future research and actions needed to facilitate emergence of BPE focused community of practice are identified.

Keywords:

    building-performance-evaluation

    architectural-quality

    mixed-methods-research

Marcin Mateusz Kołakowski - How to measure well-being in architecture. The benefits of using mixed-method research. Based on a case study involving inhabitants of heritage houses

doi:10.5277/arc170102

Field studies in already commissioned and occupied buildings are common both in the UK and Poland. Those generating knowledge applicable beyond the studied buildings are the focus of thematic issue of “Architectus” with two major objectives in mind. Firstly the aim is to showcase current research practice and expertise of various academic disciplines in relation to conducting empirical studies in occupied buildings or urban spaces in Poland. Secondly the issue aims to initiate a discussion on the potential to implement in Poland a building performance evaluation (BPE) approach developed in the UK and based on field studies in buildings over recent decades.     This paper provides the necessary background for introducing the subject of BPE into the Polish context. It also offers an overview of similarities and discrepancies in state-of the art research practices in each country. Key recommendations for future research and actions needed to facilitate emergence of BPE focused community of practice are identified.

Keywords:

    well-being

    mixed-method-research

    eudemonia

    mud-and-stud-m&s)

    heritage-architecture

Mat Colme - The performance gap: the UK experience and the Polish potential for using building performance evaluations

doi:10.5277/arc170103

This paper discusses the industry driven content of the May 2016 Poland/UK bilateral conference and the potential of building performance evaluation in Poland. It is based on the author’s experience of leading a major UK government funded building performance evaluation programme and observations and presentations given at the Wrocław University of Science and Technology conference. The author has used these observations and referred to primary and secondary research carried out in the UK in order to draw some comparisons between Poland and the UK. It is hoped that primary research in to building performance evaluation can be carried out in Poland in the future.

Keywords:

    performance-gap

    building-performance-evaluation

    knowledge-exchange

Magdalena Baborska-Narożny - Building performance evaluation – understanding the benefits and risks for the stakeholders involved. Lessons for Poland based on the UK experience

doi:10.5277/arc170104

Building performance evaluation (BPE) is a group endeavour. It has the potential to enable context based learning and improvement of the built environment necessary at a time of rapidly increasing expectations towards buildings. This potential can only be released however if voluntary engagement of key stakeholders is secured and their needs and expectations are carefully considered. The paper is a critical reflection on the process of introducing BPE into the scope of interest of the mainstream building industry stakeholders in the UK. It is believed that these lessons provide useful precedent applicable in the Polish context despite any differences between the two countries. Key benefits and risks different stakeholder groups may link with their engagement in BPE are identified. BPE process elements securing specific benefits and addressing relevant risks are named in order to justify the necessity of thinking of BPE holistically

Keywords:

    building-performance-evaluation

    building-performance

    building-industry

    construction-process-stakeholders

Joanna Tymkiewicz, Beata Kucharczyk-Brus - Silesian School of Qualitative Research – 20 years of experience and lessons of quality research in buildings with different utility functions

doi:10.5277/arc170105

The paper consists of two parts. The first presents the achievements of the team of scientists and teachers from the Faculty of Architecture, Silesian University of Technology, who have carried out scientific and teaching work in the field of built environment qualitative research for 20 years. The origin and development of the “Silesian School of Qualitative Research” is presented, specializations and selected publishing achievements of the team, general information about the applied techniques and research tools, as well as the methodology of conducting field research. The second part of the paper is a detailed description of housing environment evaluation carried out within the framework of two research projects. The paper is completed with practical conclusions from the conducted qualitative research processes.

Keywords:

    qualitative-research

    silesian-school-of-qualitative-research

Anna Ostańska - Multicriteria assessment of housing estates to provide urban renewal guidelines: a case study

doi:10.5277/arc170106

The author investigates the role of user opinion surveys in the process of planning revitalization measures for housing estates. The analysis is illustrated by a case study of two housing estates located in Lubartów, south-eastern Poland. The estates are managed by the same housing cooperative. Having assessed the condition of built assets and their changes between October–November of 2010 on the basis of documents in possession of the municipality and the estate manager, as well as direct observation and inspection, the author conducted interviews with the residents. Such interdisciplinary surveys (IS) first enable the planner to understand what kind of material changes to the living environment are considered important by the direct users. Second, they help raise the residents’ interest and win their support in the planned rehabilitation. Third, they are to make the estate manager aware that this form of communication with the residents is possible, likely to provide useful guidelines for planning improvement measures and to collect feedback after improvements have been conducted.

Keywords:

    urban-renewal

    residents-activation

    interdisciplinary-survey

Angelika Lasiewicz-Sych - Notes on the combination of logical argumentation and qualitative methods in diagnosis of the built environment

doi:10.5277/arc170107

Paper presents the methodology and samples of research on using the combination of logical argumentation and qualitative methods in diagnosis ofthe built environment. The ways of using the space-syntax analysis as an example of logical argumentation and behavioral mapping as a demonstration of qualitative research were presented in the context of a wide range of architectural research methods as well as man-environment methods.

Keywords:

    architecture

    environment

    research

    space-syntax

    qualitative-methods

    behavioral-mapping

Natalia Fidorów-Kaprawy, Maria Kostka, Małgorzata Szulgowska-Zgrzywa, Krzysztof Piechurski - The energy concept of the building as a part of sustainable construction

doi:10.5277/arc170108

In the paper the issues related to the preparation of the building’s energy concept before the design stage have been discussed. It should be a regular part of the of sustainable buildings’ implementation process. Authors demonstrated the need to perform this type of concept in the context of sustainable development as well as in the context of the challenges posed for the modern construction among others in terms of energy efficiency. It has been shown that the energy concept of the building fits well into the process of integrated design, which begins to displace the traditional phased approach in force so far. The assumptions that should be made prior to developing the concept have been described. A brief description of selected building systems, applicable in the described energy concepts, have been given. Two examples of energy concepts for zero-energy single-family building, have been described. It has been proven, that a favorable energy balance can be achieved using various assumptions concerning the demand for usable energy for heating, various installation solutions and various annual operational costs.

Keywords:

    building-energy-concept

    sustainable-construction

    energy-efficiency

    integrated-design

    nearly-zero-energy-buildings

Katarzyna Nowak, Katarzyna Nowak-Dzieszko - The energy concept of the building as a part of sustainable construction

doi:10.5277/arc170109

The article describes the noninvasive test methods of buildings in situ: thermal imaging, airtightness tests of buildings and internal thermal comfort analysis. The results of researches conducted by the authors were presented as well as the methodology and the problems in conducting some tests allowing for the thermal assessment of buildings. Infrared measurements are commonly used to assess the qualitative performance of building partitions.   They allow for the verification of the quality of construction work, as well as the identification of too intense heat exchange. They can be used to diagnose the causes of defects and faults in design or installation of the building. The most common method is to assess the condition of the building envelope and the detection of thermal bridges, which are the result of improper performance of connections, leaky insulation or incorrect installation of windows. Airtightness tests connected with the simultaneous detection of leaks allow for improvement of construction works. During the winter season the infrared analysis of the building envelope can be conducted.   The results of the researches could be used to create a catalog of errors that should be avoided at the execution stage, and also tips for designers.

Keywords:

    airtightness-tests

    thermal-comfort

    infrared-tests

    developer