Current facility management practice relies on different systems which require new technologies to integrate and manage information more easily. Building information modeling offers a good opportunity to improve facility information management by providing a unified platform for various data sources rather than an intuitive information interface. Although current research trends reveal that there is a continuously growing interest in facility management aided by building information modeling, an integrated model is still hard to obtain. This paper aims at developing a novel methodology based on building information modeling and facility management systems integration, underpinned by a performance information model. The implementation process of a performance information model is described, including information technologies involved, the data and process requirements, and the building performance assessment methods used. A first pilot case-study has been conducted with regards to surgery rooms in healthcare buildings. The proposal can support condition-based maintenance work schedule, as well as the achievement of organizational, environmental, and technical requirements. Among the practical implications found: Improved technological and environmental performances assessment; better visualization of building condition; improved decision-making process; facilitated maintenance tasks planning and maintenance records management.
An ageing population raises the question of providing adequate housing that enables older people to age in place without losing autonomy and independence. Except for the issue of accessibility, no framework exists that specifically outlines a standard to achieve and, as a result, interventions on existing or on new buildings may be inconsistent without leading to a desired rise in living standards. This research addresses this issue by presenting a framework for the assessment of the age-appropriateness of housing through a number of metrics that detect and identify physical and non-physical features of a home environment to enable ageing in place. The study combines data from a qualitative systematic literature review of 93 papers and qualitative data from structured interviews with four experts in the field. As a result, 71 metrics were identified, divided into eight main domains, to describe the framework. This paper provides an improved understanding of the housing features that enable ageing in place. The tool categorizes and rates qualitative and quantitative aspects that contribute to the age-friendliness of housing, resulting in an easy to adopt assessment framework. This is a valuable means for stakeholders engaged in improving the current housing stock or in constructing new buildings for older people.
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