Innovative design and construction technologies for building internal partitions for super hi-rise buildings on an international basis

Construction of high rise buildings is no longer a local industry due to improved methods of transportation and information exchange which means the Global Village is becoming a reality. Moreover, the design and construction functions for very large hi-rise buildings tend to draw from the best practices and technology available on a worldwide basis because of the scale of the investment and the stakes involved. Witness the recent decisions to proceed with two of the tallest buildings in the world - one in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, and the other in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. In attempting to produce a quality product which meets capital cost and time expectations as well as life cycle expectations, amongst a number of challenges that need to be addressed, two very important ones are (i) how do firms gather and manage knowledge pertaining to new concepts in design and technological developments in terms of materials, physical systems, information systems, management systems, and construction methods in a way that makes it readily accessible to designers and constructors alike; and, (ii) what factors must be considered (e.g. logistics, codes, cultural norms, etc.) when assessing the suitability of these concepts and technologies for a given building and geographical context? This paper explores these questions by using a case study pertaining to the methods of design and construction of washrooms in the Middle East, an area of the world where the frontier of hi-rise buildings in terms of size and quality of systems is constantly being pushed. Current solutions adopted for building these elements constitute a significant part of the total cost of high rise building construction and have a direct impact on the speed of delivery. In this paper, we describe the rationale behind current practice, and how solutions used elsewhere can be adapted to meet local needs and sensitivities. We then generalize our discussion to describe elements of a framework currently being developed as part of a research program that allows design and construction technologies to be classified and represented in a way that facilitates their speedy assessment as to technical feasibility, environmental feasibility (including social norms), and impact on time, cost, and quality performance. Traditionally, high-rise building wet areas (e.g. washrooms and toilets) are made of blocks, plastering and in-situ finishes and enjoy social acceptance in the Middle East. Such acceptance has created a cultural barrier that inhibits the use of wet areas which are made of moisture resistant dry-wall partitions and in-situ finishing works which are easier and faster to install with minimal cleaning after work completion. The challenges of the traditional method include wet activities with low productivity rate, longer construction and curing times, large crew sizes, and logistical challenges in terms of materials handling and storage. The question becomes: what other technologies exist that can provide the sense of permanence and quality offered by existing partition systems, while addressing the objectives of cost, speed of delivery and quality. One potential alternative is the use of a concrete Pods system (a system introduced to the construction industry at a construction exhibition in Europe) which consists of a fully prefabricated bathroom including all internal finishing, electro-mechanical systems and accessories. The Pod's design in terms of area, finishing works and electro-mechanical systems can be changed as necessary to meet the project requirements. Pods can be manufacture using fibreglass, steel and normal concrete mix or lightweight concrete. Although fibreglass and steel Pods are easier and faster to install than concrete Pods, they have yet to gain social acceptance. As compared to wet areas built of block, plaster and in-situ finishes, concrete Pods offer the following advantages: moisture resistance, a fire rating of more than 2 hours, sound proofing up to 50 dB, a factory made product with minimum tolerance and high-quality finishes, a short site installation process which leads to faster project completion, comparable construction cost with the traditional method, efficient use of raw materials in production with no site waste, and easy logistical terms. A case study is used to illustrate the use of a framework that facilitates the representation of design and construction technologies, their interaction with other physical systems and construction processes, and their performance in terms of a number of metrics and constraint conditions.