ALBERT

Notes: Purpose - The paper aims to report the findings of research into perceptions of what makes the Private Finance Initiative (PFI) attractive or unattractive as a procurement system for projects in the UK. Design/methodology/approach - The research uses a postal survey questionnaire technique for primary data collection. Literature review is used to identify relevant factors, which are then incorporated into the design of the survey instrument. Survey response data is subjected to descriptive statistical analysis and subsequently to rotated factor analysis. Findings - Public/private partnerships (PPP)/PFI project procurement is perceived as most attractive in terms of positive factors relating to better project technology and economy, greater public benefit, public sector avoidance of regulatory and financial constraints, and public sector saving in transaction costs. Negative aspects, relating to factors such as the inexperience of the participants, the over-commercialisation of projects, and high participation cost and time, make PPP/PFI procurement less attractive. Originality/value - The procurement of public facilities and services under arrangements involving partnerships between the public and private sectors is claimed to provide a wide variety of net benefits to the public sector and to the private sector participants. In the project development process, the parties have to make decisions based on suitable evaluation criteria. At the early stage of preparing a business case, a clear and common understanding of the positive and negative factors surrounding PPP/PFI procurement will provide a more informed basis for decision making.

Notes: Purpose - Housing Associations in the UK are being encouraged to change the way in which they procure their building projects. This work aims to provide a snapshot of current practice in relation to the use of partnering as a procurement approach. Design/methodology/approach - Accordingly a quantitative research design was used to capture data from a sample of 100 of the largest Housing Associations involved in the commissioning of new house building projects in 2003. Two administrations of the survey generated a 43 per cent response rate. Findings - The findings of the study revealed that two differing types of partnering alliance could be identified. The types of partnering alliance identified were considered to have either a "supply side" or "demand side" focus. The results show that partnering practice, open-book cost management, risk analysis and the use of standardised and pre-fabricated components are now widespread and believed to deliver benefits in project costs, delivery times and quality levels. Research limitations/implications - The work is limited due to the size of the sample frame and the measuring instrument used which could not uncover reasons for the current practices that were revealed. Practical implications - The outcomes of the work provide practice with benchmarks that can be used to evaluate organisational approach and if necessary develop alternative approaches to the delivery of partnered projects. Originality/value - The paper contributes to the body of knowledge available on partnering practice in a client group that has been identified as being key in driving forward the post-Egan agenda in the construction industry.

Notes: Purpose - The selection and use of the most appropriate building project contract price forecasting model contribute to the provision of strategic advice that clients can use to make value-for-money business decisions. This work seeks to provide a snapshot of current practice in model selection by practitioners based in large-sized quantity surveying, project management and multi-disciplinary practices based in the UK. Design/methodology/approach - A quantitative research design was used to capture data from a sample of 300 such organisations in 2004. An initial and follow-up administration of the postal survey generated an overall response of 54 per cent. Findings - The findings of the study revealed that the traditional types of forecasting model continue to be in widespread use irrespective of organisational type. Lifecycle cost models and in-house knowledge-based systems were also found to be in use, but not on such a widespread scale. Newly developed models such as artificial neural nets, fuzzy logic nets, as well as environmental and sustainability cost models were found, as yet, to have only very limited application in practice. Practitioner assessment of model accuracy and value in-use provided statistically insignificant levels of variance between the organisational types and the models found to be in use. Research limitations/implications - The work is limited due to the size of the sample frame and the measuring instrument used which could not uncover reasons for the selection of particular types of models. Originality/value - The outcomes of the work provide benchmarks that can be used to evaluate organisational approach and future research. The paper contributes to the body of knowledge available on the process of building project contract price forecasting that is fundamental to the assessment of project value.

Notes: Purpose - The research presented in this paper aims to investigate highway construction/maintenance professionals' perceptions of the effects of night-time construction conditions on worker visibility and of issues associated with safety vests in night-time activities. Design/methodology/approach - The research was conducted by administering a questionnaire survey to Illinois Department of Transportation operations personnel, resident engineers, contractors, and construction/maintenance professionals involved in night-time construction in the Departments of Transportation of states other than Illinois. Findings - It was found that most accidents in night-time construction work areas are caused by the condition of the vehicle operator, that accidents are caused by through-traffic and construction equipment operating inside the work area, and that the poor visibility of the workers plays an important role in accidents. Research limitations/implications - A national survey (rather than mostly Illinois personnel) would certainly increase the sample size and therefore allow researchers to validate the findings of this study and to conduct extensive statistical analyses. Practical implications - Night-time construction/maintenance operations on highways may be hazardous for both drivers and construction personnel because of poor visibility at night. It is recommended that the design of safety vests adhere to existing standards issued by the American National Standards Institute and the International Safety Equipment Association. It is particularly important to ensure adequate performance in wet weather conditions. Originality/value - If safety vests are perceived by workers to be effective, the frequency and severity of night-time accidents can be reduced and labor productivity can be enhanced.

Notes: Purpose - Process mapping can lead to a more holistic understanding of how an organisation works. This paper seeks to discuss how an engineering design consultancy, which had developed a series of process maps on the design of steel frame buildings, developed a powerful management tool, the Management Briefing Sheet which has yielded numerous additional benefits enabling practice to be improved and quality procedures more easily accessed. Design/methodology/approach - To maximise the knowledge and expertise of its supply chain partners and to better understand how it designed steel-framed buildings, the engineering design consultancy undertook a process-mapping exercise. Various techniques for documenting the process were considered, but a modified IDEF notation was chosen for its ability to capture the iterative nature of the design process and its methodical approach for deconstructing complicated activities. Findings - Process-mapping exercises can change the way organisations work and make them more efficient, but to do this the changes that would lead to improvements need to be implemented successfully. Carrying out a process-mapping exercise in isolation from the end-user can lead to complications. Research limitations/implications - The key obstacle to implementing change identified by the engineering design consultancy, with whom the MBS was developed, was delivering the knowledge acquired from the process analysis in a format that end-users could understand easily and adopt effectively. Originality/value - This article will be of significant use to any organisation wishing to maximise the knowledge and expertise of its supply chain partners and identify inefficient working practices.

Notes: Purpose - Different process models have been developed by academia and industry to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of the design and construction activity in response to the need for improving performance. However, the effective and widespread adoption and use of process models have been limited, and the benefits resulting from these endeavours have been ambiguous at best and non-existent at worst. This paper synthesises the key general and construction-specific literature related to process model implementation around a generic model, providing a systematic picture on the current knowledge on implementation. Design/methodology/approach - Secondary data sources were reviewed, criticised and synthesised. The books and academic papers identified focused on the areas of process management in construction and manufacturing, change management and knowledge/technology transfer. Findings - The paper concludes that the body of literature related to process model implementation lacks an integrated focus and cohesion, and the need to appropriately locate and operate the implementation strategy within a visible organisational context is not adequately addressed. Research limitations/implications - The paper review and synthesis are limited to relevant literature within the context of implementation of process models. Practical implications - Gaps in the literature are identified and discussed, and a set of questions proposed to stipulate future research. Originality/value - The paper originality relates to providing a broad, systemic perspective on the complexity of process models implementation, analysing it from different but interrelated conceptual lenses.

Notes: Purpose - Popularity in knowledge management has, unfortunately, not been matched by parallel empirical research on the processes, challenges and benefits of knowledge capture in small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the construction industry, given the fact that 99 per cent of firms in the UK construction industry can be classified as SMEs. This paper aims to discuss the output of a research study, which is focused on knowledge capture in SMEs in construction industry. The paper also aims to present and discuss a computer-based awareness tool on knowledge capture underpinned by Kolb's experiential learning theory. Design/methodology/approach - The empirical study involved a total of 51 professionals from 26 SMEs in the construction industry. Grounded theory approach was adopted. Also, a content analysis was considered. Findings - The results show that there is lack of awareness of complex issues associated with an effective knowledge capture process as well as ensuing benefits for SMEs in the construction industry. The effective implementation of knowledge capture in SMEs is partly dependent on the vision and flair of the owner/partners of the organisation. It is also determined by culture, structure, people, finance and technology, which warrants a coherent and structured approach. Originality/value - A computer-based awareness tool which is underpinned by Kolb's experiential learning theory.

Notes: Purpose - The construction industry is one of the largest employment providers in the developing world. It is also one of the least safe industries, with a high frequency of accidents resulting in financial losses, injuries, disabilities and deaths. Decent working conditions and resulting improved worker satisfaction are key to sustainable productivity in the industry. International standards safeguarding construction workers are abundant and ratified by most low-income countries. This paper aims to examine if these standards are adequately reflected in contracts for construction works; and if they not, how contract clauses can be improved and put into operation. Design/methodology/approach - Based on research undertaken in Ghana, India and Zambia from 2000 to 2003, this paper explores the aforementioned points. The paper comprises analysis of contract clauses from the International Federation of Consulting Engineers (FIDIC) and developing country contracts, along with case study findings. Findings - This paper finds that more legislation is not the urgent issue; incorporating existing legislation into construction contracts and making clauses operational is a priority. This paper identifies practical and cost-effective procedures for bringing stakeholders together to implement and monitor labour standards, with the aim of contributing to the overall goal of providing "decent work" for all workers in the construction industry. Originality/value - This paper explores issues around implementing labour standards in construction of minor infrastructure works in low income countries and concludes with suggestions on how best to put contract clauses into operation through a process approach.

Notes: Purpose - To address the critical issue of how best to adopt and diffuse information and communication technology (ICT) into organisations. Design/methodology/approach - During April and May 2002, a survey of ICT diffusion of ICT users from three construction organisations was conducted. Findings - Results from an earlier phase of this study indicated that 11 factors influence ICT diffusion. The aim of this paper is to report on phase 2 study results within three construction organisations based on the 11 factors found to influence ICT diffusion. Semi-structured interviews were undertaken with five to six ICT users and an implementer for each of the case study companies. Originality/value - Three factors were found to have a weak influence on ICT diffusion, while eight have a strong influence. These influencing factors may be grouped into four interrelated categories: management, individual, technology, and work environment. Their inter-relationship should be coherently and comprehensively addressed.

Notes: Purpose - Ratios were constructed using bidding data for highway construction projects in Texas to study whether there are useful patterns in project bids that are indicators of the project completion cost. The use of the ratios to improve predictions of completed project cost was studied. Design/methodology/approach - Ratios were calculated relating the second lowest bid, mean bid, and maximum bid to the low bid for the highway construction projects. Regression and neural network models were developed to predict the completed cost of the highway projects using bidding data. Models including the bidding ratios, low bid, second lowest bid, mean bid and maximum bid were developed. Natural log transformations were applied to the data to improve model performance. Findings - Analysis of the bidding ratios indicates some relationship between high values of the bidding ratios and final project costs that deviate significantly from the low bid amount. Addition of the ratios to neural network and regression models to predict the completed project cost were not found to enhance the predictions. The best performing regression model used only the low bid as input. The best performing neural network model used the low bid and second lowest bid as inputs. Originality/value - The nature of bid ratios that can describe the pattern of bids submitted for a project and the relationship of the ratios to project outcomes were studied. The ratio values may be useful indicators of project outcome that can be used by construction managers.

Notes: Purpose - The aim of this paper is to examine and compare the performance of architects with respect to clients' rating of importance over a set of performance criteria in Nigerian public and private sector building projects. Design/methodology/approach - A survey involving clients from both public and private sectors of recently completed building projects in Nigeria was undertaken. Data analysis includes comparing similarities and differences using standardised ratio, Mann Whitney U and Wilcoxon tests. Findings - The results show that private sector clients are likely to be more concerned with cost, while public sector clients are more concerned with buildability of design. A total of 79 per cent of the criteria were similarly selected by both sectors with respect to importance of the criteria. Architects need to improve their performance significantly in about 82 per cent of the whole set of 28 criteria. The architects performed better in the public sector than the private sector and 14 per cent of the criteria were indicated as being statistically different in terms of architects' performance. Originality/value - The results provide feedback which can be incorporated in architects' future projects so as to ensure successful project implementation in the building delivery process.

Notes: Purpose - The objectives of this paper are to: find out whether design-bid-build (DBB) or design-build (DB) procurement method gives better quality building; identify variables that significantly affect quality scores of DBB and DB projects; and construct models to predict quality scores of DB and DBB projects. Design/methodology/approach - The research design was based on a structured questionnaire and data on quality performance and factors that may affect quality of a building project were collected by postal survey and face-to-face interviews. Findings - There was no significant difference between the quality scores of DB and DBB projects. To ensure that buildings procured through DBB have high quality, owners should adopt the following practices: engage experienced consultants; short-list bidders and select contractors based on a combination of price and ability. To obtain high quality DB buildings, owners should engage architects to prepare the scheme design and not to set the budget too early. For both types of projects, owners should allow contractors to propose changes to the contract with a view to improving its quality. Research limitations/implications - As there is no significant difference in quality of DBB and DB projects, the argument that DB projects produce lower quality buildings is demolished. Practical implications - The practical implication is that owners play an important part in ensuring that they obtain buildings of high quality. Originality/value - Building owners and consultants can use the two models to predict quality scores of DBB and DB projects and take specific actions to improve the quality of their projects if necessary.

Notes: Purpose - To assist contractors in Hong Kong to review their past financial performance and to formulate new strategies for their business survival in the coming years. Design/methodology/approach - The financial accounting ratios and distress scoring are very useful tools to measure the financial performance. These tools are also useful to compare the performance among themselves and over the years. The mathematical analysis together with a review of the current business environment and the characteristics of construction industry will assist contractors in Hong Kong to formulate new strategies for their own business survival in the coming years. Findings - The results have shown that the financial performance of most contractors in Hong Kong have been deteriorating very fast in the past few years. The results of all financial ratios, together with the prevailing situation of over competition, inelasticity of construction costs and reduced aggregate demand in Hong Kong, has revealed the extreme difficulty of reversing the financial performance in the coming years. Originality/value - Contractors in Hong Kong now understand that their own financial performance have been deteriorating to an alarming limit. There is an urgent need to review their business environment and to formulate new corporate strategies.

Notes: Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to analyse the factors that drive changes to the construction project brief and the background to those factors. The founding argument, that incorporating these changes is paramount for achieving client satisfaction, introduces the concept of dynamic brief development (DBP), which permits changes throughout the project life cycle. The understanding and attitude of the major construction project stakeholders towards DBP are investigated along with identifying the originators of brief development and the value and risk sources. Design/methodology/approach - A threefold method was used comprising a comprehensive questionnaire survey followed by structured interviews. The results of these were further investigated though a brainstorming session with major construction project stakeholders. A total population of 266,434 units for the survey was identified, reduced to a random stratified sample of 530. The response rate was 49.2 per cent and the responses were analysed using a weighted relative importance index. A total of 88 interviews were carried out and 12 client organisations participated in the brainstorming session. Findings - The findings lead to the conclusion that there is a need to set out a detailed brief development management system that incorporates both value management and risk management. This system should enable the appropriate project participant to make informed decisions at the right time for the benefit of the client. The system must facilitate feedback to both client organisations and construction professionals to enable lessons to be learned. Understanding the relationship between the factors that drive brief development and the various project team members will facilitate managing brief development in a way that increases client satisfaction and enhances the performance of the project. Originality/value - The paper identifies deficiencies in current practices and techniques and presents a system which overcomes them.

Notes: Purpose - In this paper the predictive capabilities of the full job strain model (JSM) for construction project managers is examined. The principal aim of the work is to determine whether employees' psychological wellbeing in terms of worker health and job satisfaction can be reliably predicted. Design/methodology/approach - The full JSM is tested by investigating perceived work demands, job control and social support. The predictive capability of the full JSM (which encompasses job demands, job control and social support) is applied to a sample of construction project managers from the UK. Findings - The analysis of the results indicates that the JSM can significantly predict employees' psychological wellbeing in terms of worker health and job satisfaction among the construction project managers sampled. A key finding was that social support had significant (p〈0.0001) main effects on psychological wellbeing. Contrary to previous research, however, non-work-related support was found to be more significant than work support in alleviating psychological strain. Research limitations/implications - A model that incorporates a wider range of variables should be developed to account for the variance in strain between different roles that construction project managers adopt within an organisation and projects so they can be useful for job design. Originality/value - For the specific sample, the JSM captured the key characteristics that contributed to the job strain that they experienced. With the exception of non-work-related social support, the results support previous studies that examined the predictive capacity of the JSM.

Notes: Purpose - The attention on sustainability issues within value management (VM) practices is uncertain due to the scarcity of information on this subject in the available literature. As a value enhancement technique, VM should incorporate sustainability issues as they would affect the quality of the outcome. By exploring VM as a means to uplift sustainability issues at the early construction stages, it shall shed light to its potential and current practices and thus stimulating wider attention to this field in the future. Design/methodology/approach - This paper begins by presenting the underlying concept of integrating sustainability within VM. The potential of VM to uplift sustainability issues is highlighted and the relationships between these two are discussed. Field studies were conducted to investigate the existing practices of VM and its practitioners' attitudes towards sustainability. Findings - It is confirmed that sustainability consideration is already inherent in the VM workshops but the level of attention varies between workshops. There are gaps in current practices, indicating rooms for improvement. The identified barriers to integration are believed responsible for these gaps. Research implications - Any strategy to promote sustainability consideration in VM in the future must address the impediments to integration. Originality/value - The attention on sustainability issues in VM remains an untapped area due to scarcity of information. Theoretically, the intrinsic capabilities and the positive relationships between these two heighten VM position as an effective means for sustainability improvement. However, in practices, sustainability attention requires improvement to bridge the gaps and overcome the existing barriers that impede current integration.

Notes: Purpose - This paper aims at proposing a process of requirements engineering for the human centred, adaptive computer integrated construction systems development through industry wide information sharing. Design/methodology/approach - The research strategy is based on case study research methodology. The EU-funded DIVERCITY project was analysed. This project was undertaken by a European consortium of researchers and practitioners from the construction industry. They developed a virtual environment that enables the industry to undertake collaboratively the client briefing and design reviews and the construction stages. Findings - DIVERCITY's requirements engineering approach has the potential to provide opportunities for research to determine the appropriate requirements engineering techniques for the development of the systems and their effective implementation in the construction industry. Originality/value - The main contribution of the research is the construction of the requirements engineering process for the development of the computer integrated construction systems.

Notes: Purpose - Construction conflict should not be simply defined as a functional or dysfunctional element in the management process. The second generation conflict management investigates the effect of various conflict types and conflict resolution strategies to project outcomes in detail. The paper aims at investigating the complicated construction conflict management within the goal setting process in construction projects. Design/methodology/approach - In order to collect the generalized data from the construction professionals in the industry, a questionnaire survey was considered suitable for establishing the component elements of research variables. Samples were randomly selected from membership records of various professional institutions in Hong Kong with direct experience in the project management processes involving the client, project manager and other project team members, and they must have experience in a (perceived) successful project. A total of 75 questionnaires were fully completed and returned finally. Findings - The findings in the questionnaire survey indicate that moderate level of conflict can improve satisfaction until a certain point whereby the satisfaction diminishes as conflict escalates. To yield an optimum level of satisfaction, conflicts have to be stimulated in the goal setting process and solved among the project participants by adopting the integrated style, neutral attitudes towards emotional-rational dimension and task-relationship dimension of conflict. Research limitations - This study cannot definitively state the causal direction of the hypothesized relationships. Further research such as case studies and qualitative data analyses are recommended in order to investigate these causal relationships as is relevant to construction projects. Practical implications - Integration is the most appropriate method for solving construction problems, as it concerns both self and others in the management process. Project participants have to balance their conflict resolution approach between the task and relationship and their subjective emotion with objective rational system for solving conflicts when using integration style. Originality/value - The study shows that both conflict and conflict resolution in the goal setting process are essential components influencing the final outcome (satisfaction) and that solving conflict using the integration style would mean arriving at the best value (goal) in the decision process as well as improving the level of participant satisfaction

Notes: Purpose - This paper aims to investigate how Canadian engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) companies address lessons learned (LL) on their construction projects. Design/methodology/approach - This paper adopts a case study methodology. Findings - The exploitation of LL to improve performance on future projects is highly desirable for many construction organisations. The vision of an organisation that can readily recall what went well on a project and attempt to recreate those successes, as well as avoiding the repetition of past mistakes offers commercial sense. Originality/value - The paper provides a number of recommendations for UK companies regarding how the process may be improved in terms of encouraging LL to occur, the timing of LL sessions, identifying participants, the format for documenting LL and how these should be disseminated.

Notes: Purpose - Web-based technologies such as project extranets have introduced a new concept for communication and collaboration during construction projects. Project extranets have been used in the industry for some time now to manage information and document flows throughout the lifecycle of construction projects. Very few end-user companies already using project extranets have documented and disseminated information about the implications of using this technology in terms of the impact on their businesses, benefits incurred and possible drawbacks. This paper aims to present findings from the UK. Design/methodology/approach - The methodology is case studies conducted with end-users of a leading project extranet application in the UK. Findings - Findings suggest that some of the perceived drawbacks of using project extranets are in fact not viewed as drawbacks by end-user companies. Also, the benefits incurred appear to outweigh some of the issues. The end-user organisations believe that an increasing number of organisations will be encouraged to use project extranets when they see "visionaries" and "market leaders" such as themselves, benefiting from the technology and leading the way to its wider adoption. Originality/value - Wider dissemination of this knowledge will encourage more construction companies to adopt the technology which has a proven record of success on projects for which it has been used. The paper highlights the drivers for the adoption of this technology and its impact on end-user business processes. It also documents the end-user viewpoint on the benefits and drawbacks of using project extranets.

Notes: Purpose - The purpose is to report the results of research on ascertaining whether the various stakeholders in construction projects can adequately cope with the stresses they are confronting. Design/methodology/approach - Thirty-three stressors covering various aspects of project implementation, such as organisation policies, working relationships, communication and personal factors, are identified and the manageability of the common stressors faced by management of construction projects in Hong Kong is assessed by means of a questionnaire survey. The relationships among individual stressors are similarly examined. The extent to which stress effects combine and accumulate when related stressors coexist is also considered. Findings - It is shown that the most difficult stressors to manage are "bureaucracy", "lack of opportunity to learn new skills", "work-family conflicts" and "different view from superiors". The results also revealed that the patterns of stress manageability differ between clients, consultants and contractors. The relationships among individual stressors are similarly examined. The extent to which stress effects combine and accumulate when related stressors coexist is also considered. Originality/value - The research reported constitutes a significant step towards the understanding and management of potentially stressful situations and their influence on the efficiency and effectiveness of construction industry participants.

Notes: Purpose - The objectives of this paper are to discuss the constraints stemming from the unstructured nature of the cost estimation practice in Turkey and introduce a generic computer aided building cost estimation model based on a cost significant technique for Turkish construction sector public projects in its detailed design phase. Design/methodology/approach - The research design was based on the simplified version of the bill of quantities method and a cost significant estimating model works on a cost database was suggested to overcome the problems. Underlying principles and basic steps of cost estimation based on cost significant work packages was explained by means of manual calculations. Findings - In order to automate the manual building cost estimation process, the software based on cost significant work packages was developed. Research limitations/implications - The software is currently in the testing phase and is being used for educational purposes. Making use of both public sector and current market prices in the cost estimation process, increasing number of projects stored in the database for more accurate results, estimating costs of different types of projects and calculating the cost significant value factor more precisely by using statistical techniques, those being employed by global cost models are suggested for future research. Practical implications - As the number of the similar projects in database is increased, the accuracy of the cost estimation is also increased. Originality/value - Estimators and graduate students can use the software to estimate building cost of public housing projects in its detailed design phase.

Notes: Purpose - This paper proposes assessing the context within which integrated logistic support (ILS) can be implemented for whole life performance of building services systems. Design/methodology/approach - The use of ILS within a through-life business model (TLBM) is a better framework to achieve a well-designed, constructed and managed product. However, for ILS to be implemented in a TLBM for building services systems, the practices, tools and techniques need certain contextual prerequisites tailored to suit the construction industry. These contextual prerequisites are discussed. Findings - The case studies conducted reinforced the contextual importance of prime contracting, partnering and team collaboration for the application of ILS techniques. The lack of data was a major hindrance to the full realisation of ILS techniques within the case studies. Originality/value - The paper concludes with the recognition of the value of these contextual prerequisites for the use of ILS techniques within the building industry.

Notes: Purpose - The purpose is to introduce a safety planning and control (SPC) model that has been integrated into the production planning and control process. The paper is concerned with the impact of this model on human error control, since both workers' and managers' errors are major contributing factors in accident causation. Design/methodology/approach - The analysis of this impact was based on two stages: the analysis of the main types of human errors detected in five sites in which the model has been implemented and a discussion on how the model contributes to the design of safe work systems from a cognitive engineering perspective. Findings - The main conclusion is that six elements of the model (safety planning, near miss reporting, training, percentage of safe work packages indicator, participatory cycle, and planning and control diffusion) contribute to make both the boundaries of safe work visible and respected. Safety planning also helps to make the production system error-tolerant to some extent. However, the analysis of causes of safety failures in the empirical studies pointed out a high incidence of violations of the boundaries (on average, 43.5 percent of the total safety failures), mostly by workers. Research limitations/implications - Although improvement in the existing mechanisms might make the model more behavior-oriented, a broader set of measures is necessary to achieve excellence in dealing with human errors. Also, additional empirical data are necessary to clarify the nature and frequency of the human errors that have impact in construction safety. Originality/value - The model may help in devising more effective tools to reduce errors in construction.

Notes: Purpose - The successful implementation of an optimal online system for specification and procurement has been impeded by the existence of semi-structured or non-structured product information held in catalogues in various formats. Consequently, a significant amount of time is spent in gathering relevant information. Proposes introducing a successful optimal online specification and procurement system for construction products. Design/methodology/approach - The design and specification of the prototype were based on the analysis of closely related agent-based implementations in various domains. Findings - In the development phase it emerged that agent infrastructure is still maturing, even when a stable development environment is finally available. This is consistent with the latest research in this area which places the highest value on internet agents within the context of the semantic web. Originality/value - This research demonstrated how agent technology can be used alongside other paradigms such as web services and XML to make the specification and procurement of construction products more effective and more efficient.

Notes: Purpose - It is a well-known fact that the construction industry always passes through two distinctive problems during the construction stage: slippages of project-schedules, i.e. time-frame, and overruns of project-costs, i.e. budget. However, limited literature is available to solve or dilute these two problems before they even occur. It is strongly believed that the bulk of the two mentioned problems can be mitigated to a great extent, if not eliminated, provided that proper attention is paid to the pre-construction phases of projects. Normally projects are implemented through traditionally old techniques which generally emphasize only solving "construction problems during the construction phase". The aim of this article is therefore to unveil a professional methodology known as Project Control System (PCS) focusing on pre-construction phases of construction projects. Design/methodology/approach - In this article, the authors share the lessons learned during implementation of Kuwait University projects worth approximately $400 million in a span of ten years. The task of the project management/construction management (PM/CM) is being provided to the university by a joint venture team of international and local specialists. Findings - The pre-construction methodology ensures smooth and successful implementation during construction phases of the projects as they are generally executed in a fast-pace, deadline-driven and cost-conscious environment. The intuitive proactive methods, if implemented during pre-construction stage, automatically answer the questions that are encountered during the execution periods of projects. Originality/value - In this article, the authors share the lessons learned during PM/CM during projects over a span of ten years, which could be of use to others.

Notes: Purpose - This paper proposes introducing how to consider the break which cyclically happens and has nothing to do with resource availabilities in modeling of a construction process through an activity-based simulation. Design/methodology/approach - In consideration of the variable break-frequency and break-duration for different activities, concepts of time-cycle and time-window are discussed. Then an algorithm to determine the execution of the activities facing the cyclical break is proposed, in which pre-emption or non-pre-emption cases and overtime are taken into account together. This algorithm is incorporated into an activity-based simulation so that the improved construction simulation is able to consider the cyclical break and model the construction process more reasonably. Computational analyses are presented to address the effectiveness of the improved activity-based simulation. Findings - The computational analyses demonstrate that the improved activity-based simulation can consider the cyclical break in modeling a construction process, which cannot be achieved by the traditional simulation tools, especially when non-pre-emptive activities are concerned. It is also shown that the overtime use for the non-pre-emptive activities can lead to reduction of the project duration when the cyclical break is considered. Originality/value - The proposed simulation-based methodology is an alternative means to deal with the cyclical break that is destined for some activities and irrelevant to resource availabilities in modeling of a construction process.

Notes: Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to propose and test a framework to foster safe work behaviour among workers on construction sites. Design/methodology/approach - The proposed framework identifies two main reasons for unsafe behaviours: "don't know how", and "don't care". Technical and safety training is proposed to overcome the former problem, while for the latter it is proposed that organisations systematically apply operant conditioning techniques to promote safety, using organisational behaviour modification. A postal survey of contractors in Singapore was conducted to test the framework. The four tools of operant conditioning theory (positive reinforcements, negative reinforcements, extinction, and punishments) were evaluated. Findings - Close and strict supervision, sending workers for safety and health training, and imposing fines are found to be most effective methods. Positive reinforcements (both monetary and non-monetary) have also been found to be effective, while extinction did not receive much support. Other methods that may foster safe work behaviours are also discussed. Originality/value - Safety on site could be enhanced via training and application of operant conditioning theory.

Notes: Purpose - The paper proposes addressing the design and implementation of a web-based risk assessment system that enables remote project team members to assess the risks at the conceptual design stage. Design/methodology/approach - The prototype system is based on a client/server architecture and uses fuzzy logic and web-based technology. A risk assessment scenario is used to demonstrate the operation and benefits of the prototype system. Findings - The research found that the use of a web-based risk assessment system for distributed project team members has major benefits in terms of use of linguistic terms to express risk assessment, ease of communication, ease of maintenance, and greater consistency, among others. Research limitations/implications - There is scope for enhancing the system through the development of a risk management module, improving the user interface and making specific provisions for different project types. Practical implications - The move in industry towards collaborative working practices is supported by systems such as this. Risk assessment is an important area that requires the input of all team members, if evenly distributed. Originality/value - This paper has presented an innovative approach to risk assessment for distributed project teams. It will be of interest to all parties involved in construction projects, particularly those involved in risk assessment.

Notes: Purpose - This paper aims to investigate how large UK construction organisations manage their knowledge assets. It then proposes STEPS, a mechanism for benchmarking organisation's knowledge management maturity. Design/methodology/approach - This paper adopts a case study methodology using four large UK construction organisations. Findings - The investigation shows that the UK-based companies with international operations are ahead of their national counterparts in their KM implementation efforts. The paper concludes that construction organisations are likely to be successful in implementing KM if appropriate considerations are given to strategy formulation, implementation issues addressed and the link between KM and business strategy is strengthened. Originality/value - The paper proposes a mechanism, entitled STEPS, for benchmarking the maturity of large construction organisations' knowledge management practices. It then uses case study organisations to demonstrate how the STEPS model should be used.

Notes: Purpose - It was the aim of the analysis to draw an overall picture of the trends towards change in the construction industry, thereby forming a foundation for further analysis and appropriate future research. Design/methodology/approach - A multi-method approach was taken to the data collection exercise comprising data collection from published sources, interviews with knowledgeable representatives of the Danish construction industry and direct observation of what was happening on construction projects in Denmark. Findings - The work reported here has shown that there is some benefit in looking at the internal changes in the construction sector from the point of view of the various actors, an approach that has provided contrasting information to the government-sponsored reports. The understanding of the industry as being backward and locked-in does not provide an accurate description of the Danish construction sector. The research has shown a dynamic industry that is changing relatively quickly as it responds to competition and new opportunities. Originality/value - The results of this research are reported and comparisons made with the less positive reports. From this a number of questions are raised about the scope of reports and the focus of future research into the Danish construction sector.

Notes: Purpose - As many construction clients now require their consultants to seek accreditation under ISO 9000:2000, demonstrating customer satisfaction and continual improvement as required by the latest standards will become an important aspect for consultant practices. However, consultants seldom attempt to uncover the expectations of their clients, and this may hinder the improvement when their quality management systems (QMSs) are implemented and hence affect the satisfaction of their clients. The purpose of this paper is to examine the satisfaction of clients to the overall quality performance of engineering consultants in Hong Kong. Design/methodology/approach - To assist engineering consultants to realise the clients' expectation, the expected benefits that construction clients would like to attain through the implementation of ISO 9000-based QMSs and the perceived actual benefits the clients had received are identified through a postal survey. Findings - The results indicate that the actual benefits were generally lower than that expected by the clients. Originality/value - This paper is of value to those wishing to obtain accreditation under ISO 9000:2000 and improve their QMSs with respect to improving the satisfaction of their clients.

Notes: Purpose - There is no automatic link between research and teaching in higher education institutions. Hence, in order to achieve a productive relationship, these two activities need to be linked through effective mechanisms. The research reported in this paper aims at identifying such strategies that are appropriate to a research-based department, in the built environment discipline. Design/methodology/approach - The paper identifies key issues related to this challenge through a literature review, and subsequently verifies those issues through an exploratory case study. Findings - The key finding from the study is that research-based departments are poor at transferring their research knowledge into teaching especially at undergraduate level. Even though there are informal strategies in existence, there is a strong need for formalising them. The paper utilises knowledge transfer and learning literature to fully understand the process. Originality/value - Drawing from the findings, the study develops a framework to enable the knowledge transfer from research into teaching. The framework provides useful guidance for research-based higher education departments in the built environment to transfer research knowledge into teaching in a formal and productive way.

Notes: Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to identify interdependent barriers to the search and selection of new technologies by design engineers at industry, organisation and individual levels. A "proof of concept" HyCon tool is presented to demonstrate the role of information technology design support tools in supporting designers to overcome these inhibitors, in this case for hybrid concrete, by providing immersive and interactive, information-rich environments to explore design solutions. Design/methodology/approach - The HyCon tool was developed through a prototyping methodology encompassing a testing, analysis, design and coding iterative cycle. This was supported by case studies and industry workshops. Findings - The results of a collaborative research project are presented, which describes the HyCon design support tool to promote the understanding and use of hybrid concrete in structural frames. This tool is built around a knowledge creation, application, storage, and retrieval cycle to envision and support the use of this new technology. Originality/value - This paper fulfils an identified need to integrate technology management and design process considerations within the context of an information technology design support tool, and offers a "proof of concept" HyCon tool to demonstrate key issues and potential utilities and applications.

Notes: Purpose - The UK Government has now adopted Private Finance Initiative (PFI) as a major vehicle for the delivery of additional resources to the health sector in order to achieve a greater investment in healthcare facilities. The purpose of this paper is to examine the trends and risk assessment of the PFI in the healthcare sector. Design/methodology/approach - The paper employed secondary data and interviews of key participants in two hospital PFI projects to highlight developments in healthcare PFI and the risk management of hospital projects. Findings - The results show that the use of PFI in the provision of healthcare is increasing in terms of number, capital value and size of projects. What emerged in the healthcare PFI project was a usage of a plethora of risk management techniques, albeit to varying degrees. Experience appeared to be the prime risk assessment technique employed, while risk avoidance was first explored before pricing and allocating any residual risks. "Risk prompts", such as using checklists and risk registers were also useful in the identification of risks. Among all participants, insurance cover and sub-contracting appear to be the most prominent strategies employed for managing out the risks. Originality/value - The negotiations that precede the signing of a healthcare PFI project contract had an impact on the final choice of facilities or their specifications. The two contracting parties sought a balance between an optimal allocation of risks, choice of facilities and project price. Although the risk management techniques being used are generic in nature, there is still no evidence at the moment to show that these are appropriate for PFI projects. It is important that further investigation is undertaken to assess the level of current skills in risk management techniques to deal with PFI projects and the extent to which these techniques are appropriate to tackle complex healthcare PFI projects.

Notes: Purpose - Cracks in the roof parapet wall and damage to the waterproofing membrane are the common defects of roof construction that require frequent maintenance. This paper seeks to review the common defects of roof construction of medium-rise buildings in sub-tropical climates. Design/methodology/approach - The research reported was carried out by the survey and analysis of 20 case study buildings. The modes of rooftop parapet wall dislocation are studied and the effects of thermal expansion and end conditions of the parapet wall on the damage to the waterproofing membrane are analysed. Findings - Parapet wall dislocation failure is dependent on whether the ends are hinged or fixed. Failure usually leads to tearing of the waterproofing membrane. Practical implications - Modification to the roof parapet wall design and to the selection of construction materials is suggested. Originality/value - The modes of failure and proposed modification will be of interest to designers and those responsible for the maintenance of flat-roofed buildings in sub-tropical climates.

Notes: Purpose - The paper examines the origins of the so-called "grumble point" (a sky factor of 0.2 per cent) as the measure of daylight adequacy in rights to light disputes. It seeks to identify the rationale, and underlying scientific basis, for the adoption of this standard in the early twentieth century. Design/methodology/approach - Analysis of archive materials. Findings - The use of the 0.2 per cent standard does not appear to be based on empirical investigations involving human perceptions of adequate light. No evidence exists of the investigations reputedly undertaken by Percy Waldram during the early twentieth century. Waldram's own writings suggest that the standard began as a "rule of thumb" and was only later justified by reference to other independent reports. These generally do not support the use of the standard and, in any event, were soon superseded by other reports that concluded that it was too low. There is a lack of reliable evidence to justify the original adoption of the 0.2 per cent figure, and many of the assumptions underpinning modern rights to light practice are found to be based on inaccurate information. Research limitations/implications - Continues the debate, started in this journal in 2000, about the future of surveying practice in rights to light disputes. Practical implications - Places new information in the public domain which has implications for the professional liability of surveyors advising clients in rights to light cases. Originality/value - Presents the first investigation into the original scientific basis for modern rights to light practice since its introduction in the early part of the twentieth century.

Notes: Purpose - Implementation of the concept of passive solar heating design in dwellings has the potential to reduce energy consumption and reduce carbon emissions at little or no cost to the developer but with real benefit to the occupier. The aim of this paper is to investigate the possible benefits to be gained by the application of passive solar heating concepts to the orientation and fenestration of domestic buildings. Design/methodology/approach - The approach used has been to select a simple domestic building designed to current building regulations and apply to it modifications which embody the principles of passive solar heating design. The anticipated performance of the modified building has then been compared with that of its counterpart of conventional configuration by application of a number of currently available simulation models. This study forms part of the Department of Trade and Industry sponsored Knowledge Transfer Partnership between Coventry University and Kenneth Holmes Associates, Chartered Architects. Findings - It is predicted that by careful selection of orientation of a domestic building and modification of its layout, in order that glazing is strategically located, it is possible to effect significant improvements in energy consumption. There is some variation in the output of the alternative techniques but they present a common overall result. Research implications/limitations - The solutions are purely predictive and it would be of great value if the outcomes could be evaluated by medium term measurement of the performance of dwellings constructed to the proposed design principles. Practical implications - The concept under analysis could, at little or no cost, result in reduced energy demand in domestic buildings. In the current environmental climate, even modest improvements should be of considerable interest to designers and developers. Originality/value - Draws upon alternative approaches to passive solar heating design in dwellings and reaches conclusions based on the application of these different approaches to a real live case study.

Notes: Purpose - To summarise research undertaken by the BRE into the identification and condition assessment, of non-traditional housing. During the 1980s, defects were discovered in the design and construction of a number of house types designed and built before 1960 and these were subsequently designated as inherently defective under the Housing Defects legislation. Design/methodology/approach - The research involved several years of investigation during which many different types of pre-cast concrete, in situ-concrete, steel- and timber-framed housing systems were investigated. This research has culminated in the publication of a major new book and CDROM. Findings - Overall the majority of non-traditional dwellings have provided levels of performance not very different from many traditionally built dwellings of the same age. However, there are inherent defects with several systems. Some dwellings may be beyond economic repair. Practical implications - The surveyor needs to be aware of the system of non-traditional dwelling under inspection and to understand the likely defects and necessary remedial work. Originality/value - This research will inform surveyors and home inspectors of the identification of non-traditional dwellings, modes of failure of various systems, whether economic repair is possible and what remedial action should be proposed.

Notes: Purpose - Seeks to examine the bond strength of a large range of structural polypropylene fibres, as used in concrete, to determine the most effective fibre capable of transmitting load (N/mm2) between fibre and cement within the concrete matrix. Design/methodology/approach - Following fibre selection characterised by the highest bond strength, determined from a series of pull out tests, BS flexural tests were carried out using high bond strength fibres (40?mm?×?0.9?mm diameter used at 6?kg/m3) to determine whether or not structural polypropylene fibres had any effect on the ultimate flexural strength of fibre-reinforced concrete, when compared with the plain control sample. Fibre orientation, type of rupture failure mode and post-crack performance were examined. Findings - Even structural fibre dispersion was found to be best achieved with the use of monofilament polypropylene fibres (19?mm?×?22 micron used at 0.9?×?kg/m3) in addition to the 6?kg/m3 structural fibre dose. Structural polypropylene fibres were found not to provide additional flexural strength however, they did provide post-crack control, limiting the crack width with subsequent enhanced durability that in turn will provide lower life cycle costs. Practical implications - In addition to increased durability the use of fibre reinforcement negates the need to place steel reinforcement bars. Originality/value - Investigates the ambiguity in literature between claims made by different investigators regarding the effects of polypropylene fibres on compressive and flexural strengths.

Notes: Purpose - Following the terrorist attack on the New York World Trade Center in 2001, this paper seeks to investigate the design features that would enhance the safety of tall buildings. Design/methodology/approach - Using a questionnaire, data have been collected via e-mails and by post from architects and civil engineers (AEs) in Singapore. Structured interviews were conducted with public authorities. Findings - The results show that AEs perceive tall buildings to be generally safe in terms of structural design, fire safety features and means of escape. The results also show that AEs confirm the need to improve the safety of tall buildings further, are making an effort to address the heightened safety concern, will give full support to initiatives to address heightened safety concerns, will agree to conduct risk assessment during the design phase and will welcome a performance-based design code. AEs do not agree that buildings should be designed to withstand hydrocarbon fires or aircraft attacks. The survey results further reveal that the four most effective methods to improve the safety of tall buildings are providing exit signs with lighting at floor levels, a separate design code for super tall buildings, providing fire refuge and rescue floors, and the decentralization of fire systems. Originality/value - The importance of this paper is that it investigates the safety features and measures that can shed some light on enhancing the safety of tall buildings. The findings may be used by building authorities to formulate future measures and codes to better enhance the safety of tall buildings. Based on the findings, further research on each feasible method of improving the safety of tall buildings may be undertaken.

Notes: Purpose - Since the earliest days of mankind, fire has been both a friend and a foe. Restaurant facilities, characterized by the use of fire in their daily activities, pose unique fire risks as large numbers of people may gather at one time to consume food. The objective of this paper is to present the development of a fire safety evaluation tool whereby existing restaurant facilities can be evaluated for the purpose of identifying and eliminating fire hazards, and meeting the minimum requirements of current legislation. Design/methodology/approach - The evaluation tool has been developed by synthesizing information collected from an extensive literature review, principally of North American and UK based literature. The authors found it necessary to review causes of fire accidents in restaurants, and the materials and equipment involved in ignition. The paper also reviews restaurant requirements for fire detection and notification systems, fire suppression and extinguishing systems, and means of egress and evacuation systems. Findings - The evaluation tool consists of 66 items to assess fire hazards, detection and notification systems, suppression and extinguishing systems, means of escape and management, and maintenance measures. Originality/value - The paper provides a practical focus for property and/or facility managers responsible for day-to-day business operations of restaurant facilities and for surveyors inspecting such properties.

Notes: Purpose - It is of major concern to the surveying profession that the seven years between 1994 and 2001 witnessed a decline in the numbers of UK student surveyors of nearly 50 per cent. This was significant, especially when considered in the context of rising student numbers overall. The RICS decided to implement an education policy with the aim of increasing graduate quality. Changes were introduced in UK universities from September 2001. A number of universities saw their professionally accredited courses withdrawn as the RICS imposed academic entry standards and research output based on the UK Government's Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) criteria on which to base their "partnership" relationships. Figures released by the RICS in 2003 indicated that surveying student numbers increased by 17 per cent in all areas except building surveying, where they fell by just under 25 per cent to 445 in 2001. The paper seeks to answer a number of questions. Why were building surveying courses failing to recruit students whereas other surveying courses have increased their numbers? If the figures continue to decline or remain at these low levels, what is the future for the BS? In short, could building surveying become an endangered profession? Design/methodology/approach - All UK university BS course leaders were approached by questionnaire and approximately half responded. The study was partly funded by the RICS Education Trust. Findings - The small amount of quantitative data collected suggests that recruitment is static at a time when other built environment courses are recruiting well. Course leaders expressed strong views about the impact of the education reforms. Research limitations/implications - Failure by some BS course leaders to provide some statistical data prevented completion of the quantitative part of the study. Originality/value - Key recommendations have been made to the BS Faculty Board of the RICS about the future of BS education.

Notes: Purpose - This paper describes an introduction to a simple modelling tool for designers of environmentally sensitive buildings. Design/methodology/approach - The theoretical basis of the program is explained with examples given of typical program output. Findings - The package can be used as an environmental simulator of a building's energy consumption and energy-related carbon dioxide emissions. It is specifically designed to help meet the more stringent requirements of the Building Regulations for Fuel and Power L2 Approved Document, April 2002. Practical implications - The designer can explore building size, shape, fenestration, orientation and fabric thermal properties to minimise a buildings' environmental effect. Aspects of heating, lighting, and natural and mechanical ventilation with heat recovery systems can also be investigated. The spreadsheet is best used to check that buildings will comply with the regulations or used as an early design aid rather than a detailed design simulator of building performance. The program should therefore be of particular interest to architects, building surveyors and building control officers rather than building service engineers. Originality/value - Describes an innovative approach to thermal design.

Notes: Purpose - To consider the recent decision by the Court of Appeal in the case of Hurst Stores v. M L Europe Property Ltd (2004) and the possible important implications for building surveyors and other construction professionals. Design/methodology/approach - A review of literature and case law. Possible developments in this area of law are considered. Findings - A person described as a "project manager" does not necessarily have authority to make legally binding agreements. Where a building surveyor is acting as a project manager, the extent of authority ought to be clarified, preferably in writing. Where a building surveyor is dealing or negotiating with a project manager, he/she cannot take it for granted that any agreement reached will be legally binding. Furthermore, as a consequence of the decision in the Court of Appeal, a document with the heading "Final Account" might not be a final account at all! Research implications - Increasingly, building surveyors are involved in adjudication, either as witnesses or as adjudicators. In the latter case, the building surveyor ought to be aware that as a result of this case, the probability of a legal challenge to an adjudicator's decision is greatly increased. Another consequence of cases such as Hurst means that building surveyors are more likely rather than less likely to be involved in adjudication if they are operating in the UK. Originality/value - Applies recent case law to the work of building surveyors.

Notes: Purpose - To explore the potential and weaknesses of aluminium building products in practice and to consider the material's competitiveness and sustainable performance. Design/methodology/approach - The characteristics of aluminium are reviewed and data is collected from architects and materials' suppliers. These two groups are chosen because they have most influence on the builder's decision and consequently on the selection of the building material. Findings - Standards addressing sustainability are currently being developed and will soon be obligatory for building and construction activities. These changes are also likely to have an impact on the conditions for competition.. Aluminium possesses high potential for sustainable building applications mainly due to its light-weight, durability, formability, low maintenance need and excellent recycling properties. From the perspectives of architects and providers, these facts are not known sufficiently yet. In addition no correlations between sustainability and the current competitiveness of aluminium building products are observed. Research limitations/implications - The research has been carried out in Germany, which may limit the usefulness of the results elsewhere. Practical implications - A useful information source for architects, engineers and providers of aluminium building products. Originality/value - This paper identifies the current knowledge gap of architects and providers concerning the potential of aluminium in respect to the whole life-cycle as well as the use of sustainability to influence the competitiveness of aluminium products.

Notes: Purpose - This is an initial attempt to classify natural roofing slate quality using the new European Standard BS EN 12326 and suggest how such classification may be employed to predict in-service performance and identify potentially problematic materials. Design/methodology/approach - A wide range of natural roofing slates has been subjected to the new standard testing regime and additional tests carried out. Experience of known in-service performance and previous test results have also been taken into consideration. Findings - An initial classification of natural roofing slate quality has been proposed with the flexural strength, water absorption, potential for oxidation and carbonate content considered to be the key components. Research limitations/implications - There is considerable scope for refinement of the proposed classification by investigating the performance of the wide range of other natural roofing slates available and taking the results into consideration. Predicted in-service performance is based on practical experience and can be considered only a general guide. Practical implications - By classifying natural roofing slate quality users will be able to make better informed purchasing decisions based on cost versus quality. Slate producers, especially those with higher quality slates, will also be able to market their materials accordingly with less chance of losing out to lower quality, potentially problematic materials that still conform to the new standard. Originality/value - The concept of a quality classification for natural roofing slate is not new, but this has been omitted during the creation of the new standard. The proposed classification is broader and probably better defined than those in existence elsewhere or previously used within the European Union member states.

Notes: Purpose - The aims of the study are to analyze the features of a socially self-contained society; to analyze the features of an environmentally sustainable society; and to generate a discussion on an indigenous approach towards the sustainable design of communities, particularly through the study of the round village for its unique form and performance in terms of sustainable construction. Design/methodology/approach - Researchers from an international group undertook a field study of a number of specimen round and square shape Hakka villages in December 2004. They discussed their preliminary findings with local academics regarding significant attributes for sustainable design principles, and summarized lessons by means of spatial and construction studies that inform contemporary urban designers' knowledge and practice of sustainability through indigenous architecture. Findings - Through reinterpretation of Feng-shui theory, various observations made were easily and naturally correlated to basic laws of sustainability. The biggest message that comes from Fujian round architecture is that a genuine practitioner of environmental and social sustainability relies on a simplicity of approach - a respect for nature. Research limitations/implications - The study is confined primarily to observations by a team of architects and engineers. Practical implications - Field study of vernacular architecture provides useful information and first-hand data for researchers on rammed earth structures. Originality/value - The study of rammed earth structures in remote areas of China, in both coastal and earthquake active zones, offers fresh insight into the integrity and ingenuity of early settlers in sustainable construction. The research provides preliminary findings regarding environmental and construction practice in age-old Hakka round houses.

Notes: Purpose - An investigation of the importance of the knowledge of the key individuals in organisations, knowledge within organisations as well as customer capital and knowledge; and how these might impact on sustainable competitive advantage of small and medium sized enterprises. The key challenges for knowledge-intensive SMEs are the identification, capture, storing, mapping, dissemination and creation of knowledge from different perspectives and for different purposes. Design/methodology/approach - Based on a thorough review of literature and field study, this paper presents and discusses the benefits of knowledge management (KM) for sustainable competitiveness in SMEs in surveying practices. A field study was conducted, involving 12 professionals from eleven organisations, of which 2 of the 11 organisations were surveying practices. Findings - The paper highlights the role of strategies, tools and techniques which might be of assistance. The paper concludes that managing knowledge assets in SME is not easy. It is an integrated and complex social process, which has culture, people, finance, technology and organisational structures at its core. The paper also notes that SMEs can benefit from effective KM practices for sustainable competitiveness. Research limitations/implications - Recommendations are offered to surveying practices that are already involved with formal KM initiatives and those SMEs that aspire to do so. Originality/value - An innovative study applying knowledge management principles to small and medium sized surveying practices.

Notes: Purpose - Construction labour productivity is of great interest to practitioners and researchers because it affects project cost and time overrun. This paper evaluates and ranks the importance, frequency and severity of project delay factors that affect the construction labour productivity for Malaysian residential projects. Design/methodology/approach - A total of 100 respondents consisting of 70 contractors, 11 developers and 19 consultants participated in this study. The respondents were asked to indicate how important each item of a list of 50 project related factors was to construction labour productivity. The data were then subjected to the calculation of importat indices which enabled the factors to be ranked. Findings - The five most important factors identified by them were: material shortage at site; non-payment to suppliers causing the stoppage of material delivery to site; change order by consultants; late issuance of construction drawing by consultants; and incapability of contractors' site management to organise site activities. On the other hand, the five most frequent factors were: material shortage at project site; non-payment to suppliers causing the stoppage of material delivery to site; late issuance of progress payment by the client to main contractor; lack of foreign and local workers in the market; and coordination problem between the main contractor and subcontractor. Originality/value - The inferences drawn from this study could be used by the project managers to take account of these factors at an early stage, hence minimising the time and cost overrun.

Notes: Purpose - The conservation management plan (CMP) for a heritage building establishes the nature of the work required to conserve, maintain and enhance the cultural heritage significance of the property. A missing element from many CMPs has been a realistic consideration of the cost of the work at this early stage. The paper aims to show how cost planning of works in a heritage building's conservation environment can be achieved. Design/methodology/approach - A background to the structure and preparation of CMPs from the literature in Australia and the UK is presented. Experience gained from the costing and budgeting in the CMP for several heritage projects in Australia and the process, are both described, summarised and discussed. Findings - The CMP provides a comprehensive working management guide for owners and other stakeholders to follow when carrying out works to the heritage property and includes components such as current condition, legal responsibilities and statutory obligations, sequencing and timing of proposed actions. The addition of significant financial information such as maintenance programmes, funding sources, long and short term costs, financial resources of owner, technical constraints, current owners needs and requirements and conflict resolution provides the possibility of making the CMP a more valuable document to the funding agencies and the building's users. Practical implications - Heritage clients and users increasingly need to know their likely financial commitment before work commences. This early stage cost advice (indicative costs) integrated into CMPs can establish realistic budgets for decision making. Originality/value - The addition of the cost of the works as proposed in a CMP can support client and community groups in making requests for funding from the various government and private agencies with an interest in, or responsibility for, the future care and use of these properties.

Notes: Purpose - There have been very few cost-and-benefit evaluations of rehabilitation. This paper is a triangulation attempt to evaluate directly the cost-and-benefit of rehabilitation works without relying on price-proxy and econometric assumptions. Design/methodology/approach - Chau et al., in their paper, "Estimating the value enhancement effects of refurbishment" (Facilities, Vol. 21 No. 1/2, 2003) have produced an empirical test by regression on the elevation of property price-differential after rehabilitation. However, property price is merely a proxy on the improvements of building conditions, and its efficiency in reflecting building quality is subject to some institutional constraints. The estimation is also subject to the validity of econometric assumptions. This paper investigates the improvements directly under 18 assessment criteria of the quality of seven housing blocks in Hong Kong. Findings - The results show that rehabilitation brings benefits to owners, but that these only marginally outweigh the benefits of redevelopment. Research limitations/implications - The sample size is small, yet it opens up a new framework for future studies on building performance assessment of rehabilitation. Practical implications - The study serves as a benchmark for future assessment of rehabilitation works. Originality/value - The study represents an attempt to evaluate the costs and benefits of rehabilitation using a direct performance assessment approach.

Notes: Purpose - To explain the serious social problem of unauthorised building works (UBWs) in Hong Kong and why this problem is difficult to overcome. Design/methodology/approach - An institutional economics approach is adopted. This paper concentrates on the governance zone of the institutional arrangement. Findings - The current institutional arrangement in Hong Kong encourages owners to build UBWs, and makes the identification of UBWs very complicated. This paper concludes that the existing framework of governance fails to take into account the conflict of interests in collective goods. The no-retrospective-approval stipulation also renders a no-alternative solution. Research limitations/implications - It is a case study of Hong Kong, but it has research implications on institutional economics under the current arrangement of co-ownership. Practical implications - An important element in structural surveys is to ensure the structural safety of a building. An understanding on the governance of UBWs has serious implications for the structural survey approach. Originality/value - This paper is the first paper on exploring UBWs from an institutional economics framework.

Notes: Purpose - This paper aims to examine the role and purpose of condition surveys used by heritage organisations. Design/methodology/approach - The study is based on the analysis of questionnaires and interviews with a range of leading heritage organisations in the UK. Findings - The research suggests that the management of maintenance, and specifically the implementation of condition surveys, lacked an explicit underlying strategic basis. The strategic opportunities implied by the development of conservation planning methodologies had not been translated into management practice and had not impacted on the implementation of condition surveys. Practical implications - Further investigation into the organisational and process barriers to utilising conservation plans in developing integrated management of the built cultural heritage is needed. Originality/value - This paper will be of use to practitioners and academics interested in appropriate and sustainable maintenance and management of the built cultural heritage.

Notes: Purpose - The drive for intelligent buildings continues unabated. An intelligent building (IB) is one that provides a responsive and supportive environment within which an organisation can attain a range of objectives, i.e. a building within which the building fabric, space, services and information systems can respond efficiently to the initial and changing demands of the owner, the occupier and the broader environment. This responsiveness requires the ability to collect data and initiate processes which effect changes. Application of radio frequency identification devices (RFID) to the components and processes undertaken within the building allows enhanced data management and process manipulation. The purpose of this paper is to outline how buildings and their management are being changed by the adoption of RFID. Design/methodology/approach - This paper discusses the characteristics of RFIDs and their application in one specific function: the evacuation of a building during a fire. The potential for RFIDs to aid surveyors/facilities managers in many facets of their working life is also highlighted, and a number of additional application areas are discussed in general terms with their impact reviewed in terms of responsiveness and support to the occupants. Findings - The core area of providing a responsive and supportive environment is where RFID begins to truly deliver on the drive for an IB. The range and size of the devices and their capabilities renders them suitable for inclusion within the basic building materials and components and also the processes that drive provision of the built environment. Originality/value - Discusses the possible applications of this new technology.

Notes: Purpose - The purpose of the project was to develop a framework document and input tool for use in local government to enable quantity surveyors and others with enough knowledge to produce a life cycle costing analysis with the minimum of effort. The general perception in the surveying profession of the complex formulae associated with whole life costing (WLC) has led to it being described by local government as "a nebulous concept that falls on deaf ears". This paper seeks to describe research to develop a user-friendly approach using a generic software input tool accompanied by a framework document designed specially to assist in WLC analyses. An explanation of the mathematical formulae used is also given. Design/methodology/approach - The research project was commissioned by the Society of Construction Quantity Surveyors (SCQS) in mid-2004 and to date has involved the development of a framework document and WLC input tool which has been tested by local government. The project is in the final stages of completion and training on WLC and use of the developed input tool has commenced. Findings - The feedback from use of the developed tool by local government quantity surveyors has been positive and the benefits of using such a tool are evident amongst the surveying profession. Practical implications - The researchers have had to overcome a number of challenges to ensure the effective running of the tool to the satisfaction of the prospective users - quantity surveyors in local government. Originality/value - A framework document and software tool have been specifically developed for use by quantity surveyors in UK local government.

Notes: Purpose - This paper provides a comprehensive review of the literature concerning the various causes of failures of external wall tile finishes. Design/methodology/approach - A 4×3 matrix hierarchy framework is developed for a systematic analysis of the literature reviewed. Findings - The findings from this paper indicate the importance of environmental effects, movement joints, and adhesive on the performance of external wall tile finishes. Thermal and moisture effects induce movement of tiles, and the failure of the tiling system depends very much on the adhesive strength and the provision of movement joints. Workmanship is also a key factor affecting the performance of external wall tile finishes and should not be overlooked. Research limitations/implications - Various studies have been carried out on the causes of defects in external finishes in the past. However, many of them were case-oriented and were not supported by laboratory findings. The hierarchical framework developed in this paper serves as a basis for further laboratory and field studies on this issue. Practical implications - The framework is conducive to the diagnosis of external wall tile delamination. Originality/value - This paper reviews systematically and comprehensively the literature on the causes of external wall tile delamination.

Notes: Purpose - Bench-top wind tunnels are used extensively by the US Air Force for calibrating anemometers. As anemometers have improved, the need for reduced uncertainties in the bench-top wind tunnels was required. A three-pronged approach was used to reduce low velocity uncertainties by a factor of 2-3.Design/methodology/approach - The reduction in velocity uncertainties was achieved by upgrading the wind tunnel instrumentation that measured the pressure and differential pressure and by improving the velocity calibration of the bench-top wind tunnel. A detailed uncertainty analysis was performed to determine how much the instrumentation needed to improve. A laser Doppler velocimetry (LDV) was used to calibrate each wind tunnel at low velocities.Findings - The uncertainty analysis indicated that the main contributors to the velocity uncertainty were the differential pressure and the pressure measurements. These two process instruments were upgraded to reduce their individual uncertainties by a factor of 2. Additionally each bench-top wind tunnel was calibrated using the LDV with special emphasis on flows from 0.15-3.0?m/s. In all, nine wind tunnels were calibrated and the upgraded systems exhibited a reduction in uncertainties in the low flow region of a factor of 2-3.Originality/value - A need to reduce velocity uncertainties in bench-top wind tunnels was a requirement for the US Air Force calibration program. Upgraded instrumentation and individual calibration with an LDV provided the needed reduction. In the low flow region of 0.15 to 3.0?m/s, uncertainties were reduced by a factor of 2-3.

Notes: Purpose - Describes the properties and uses of a new colour-change chemical for laser-printing of human and machine-readable data. Design/methodology/approach - Presents the characteristics and modes of application of the chemical, its advantages over the current techniques of inkjet printing and laser-marking, and a number of applications which show its distinctive features. Findings - This chemical gives faster throughput and better print clarity than existing laser scribing processes, and opens up new anti-counterfeiting techniques. Originality/value - Draws attention to an invention that will make an impact on factory date-coding procedures.

Notes: Purpose - To examine the possibilities for dry calibration or in situ calibration for flowmeters in the field. Design/methodology/approach - Reviews history and current situation with regard to in situ/dry calibration of flowmeters. Its acceptability for modern flowmeters is considered. Various options are considered to achieve dry calibration or in situ calibration. The possibility of action at a distance via the internet, for example, naturally follows from these developments. Findings - The paper concludes that this development is likely to be of importance to manufacturers. It will need to be addressed by certification authorities. Originality/value - The concepts will reduce the cost of calibration and the discussion should be of value to research workers, industry and government.

Notes: Purpose - Feathermoss is ubiquitous in the boreal forest and across various land-cover types of the arctic and subarctic. A variety of affordable commercial sensors for soil moisture content measurement have recently become available and are in use in such regions, often in conjunction with fire-susceptibility or ecological studies. Few come supplied with calibrations suitable or suggested for soils high in organics. Aims to test seven of these sensors for use in feathermoss, seeking calibrations between sensor output and volumetric water content. Design/methodology/approach - Measurements from seven sensors installed in live, dead and burned feathermoss samples, drying in a controlled manner, were compared to moisture content measurements. Empirical calibrations of sensor output to water content were determined. Findings - Almost all of the sensors tested were suitable for measuring the moss sample water content, and a unique calibration for each sensor for this material is presented. Differences in sensor design lead to changes in sensitivity as a function of volumetric water content, affecting the spatial averaging over the soil measurement volume. Research limitations/implications - The wide range of electromagnetic sensors available include frequency and time domain designs with variations in wave guide and sensor geometry, the location of sensor electronics and operating frequency. Practical implications - This study provides information for extending the use of electromagnetic sensors to feathermoss. Originality/value - A comparison of volumetric water content sensor mechanics and design is of general interest to researchers measuring soil water content. In particular, researchers working in wetlands, boreal forests and tundra regions will be able to apply these results.

Notes: Purpose - Reviews some of the improvements in image sensor technology that are yielding applications in the medical field. Design/methodology/approach - Discusses the characteristics and gives examples of cameras and imaging sensors used in endoscopy, microscopy, pharmaceutical label inspection and X-radiography. Reviews some innovative camera-based products for endoscopy, skin imaging and health monitoring. Findings - Improvements in camera resolution, miniaturisation and interfacing are widening the applications in medical imaging and enabling the development of some exciting new products addressing the needs of patients and medical staff. Originality/value - Identifies some suppliers of medical imaging devices and their applications.

Notes: Purpose - The paper outlines a new approach for positioning a patient on the treatment table for radiation therapy sessions. The vision approach utilizes lasers and cameras for positioning and has several advantages over the conventional methods. Design/methodology/approach - The positioning is accomplished by comparison of a set of computed tomography (CT) contours (acquired from the patient) with a set of corresponding contours acquired by a 3D vision system from the same region of the patient's body. The overall positioning error calculated by the iterative closest point algorithm is used to reorient the treatment table. Various issues related to the acquisition and generation of the 3D spatial data are discussed. Findings - Positioning is accurate and can detect small movement in the patient's position. Research limitations/implications - Testing was done on a cast of a human torso and additional testing is required on in a hospital environment to fully test the efficiency of the approach. Practical implications - The method merges data readily available from standard CT imaging systems and 3D imaging systems. Therefore, the additional hardware requirements are minimal. The system integrates well with existing hardware, software and treatment practices. Originality/value - The method introduces a new approach to patient positioning employing a combination of sensor technologies. The approach is accurate, reliable, consumes less time and most importantly prevents the use of X-rays for patient positioning.

Notes: Purpose - To provide an overview of the similarity-based modeling (SBM) technology and review its application to condition monitoring of rotating equipment using features calculated from vibration sensor signals. Design/methodology/approach - Concentrates on the practical capabilities and underlying technology of SBM. Examines the effectiveness of it as an approach to detect and diagnose faults in an electric motor-driven shaft during variable speed operating conditions. Findings - The SBM is a non-parametric pattern recognition technology developed by SmartSignal that is applied generally to multivariate condition monitoring problems. A vibration sensor is monitored by first transforming the digitized time domain sensor signal into relevant features over time. These features are monitored continuously in real time to detect any discernable differences from normality. The deviations in turn, produce fault signatures in time-feature space that aid in fault diagnosis. Originality/value - Gives information on an approach that employs a multivariate similarity-based modeling technique to characterize the expected behavior of vibration signal features which enables the detection of incipient faults in rotating machinery.

Notes: Purpose - This paper reports on a novel load cell and a novel torque transducer having stiffness and potential overload capability some ten times that of existing load cells and torque transducers based on the resistance strain gauges. Design/methodology/approach - Describes the practical capabilities and technology - the design, construction and characterisation. Findings - Both the load cell and the torque transducer use recently developed metallic triple beam resonators with thick-film lead zirconate titanate (PZT) drives and pickups. The advantages of this technology are frequency output, high overload capability, high sensitivity, high resolution, and low-cost manufacture. Both the load cell and torque transducer output large changes in frequency (〉500?Hz for relatively low changes in strain level i.e. 〈200 microstrain for the load cell and 〈400 microstrain for the torque transducer), providing high sensitivity and high overload capability. Practical implications - Load cells and torque transducers employing the new metallic resonators are expected to be far more robust than those using metallic resistance strain gauges. Originality/value - Focuses on an instrument with important features of use in many applications.

Notes: Purpose - To draw attention to some recent developments in machine vision equipment. Design/methodology/approach - Presents advances in light emitting diode (LED) lighting, cameras and software, and gives examples of new products and their capabilities. Findings - New thermal management techniques allow LED lights to take over many machine vision illumination systems. Lights and cameras can be ruggedised to withstand wash down. Standard interfacing is being adopted for machine vision cameras. Originality/value - Highlights some new products which have applications including the food industry.

Notes: Purpose - A prototype gas prover was constructed to serve as the Italian primary standard for gas flow rates in the range 0.1?ml/min to 2?l/min. The new prover is used to calibrate high-quality industrial standards, as well as the MFCs used in microelectronic fabrications and preparation of reference gas mixtures.Design/methodology/approach - The prover measures gas volume transfers caused by displacements of a 120?mm dia. motor-operated piston, which is introduced into a temperature-controlled chamber containing up to 3?l of the required working gas at near ambient conditions. Gas delivery is made at constant rate, whereas possibly variable incoming flows are measured at constant pressure. Displacements of the piston are measured by an optical interferometer.Findings - The analysis shows that standard uncertainty ranges between 0.013 and 0.03 percent. Owing to the very accurate control and measurement of both pressures and temperatures, these figures refer equally to volume and mass flowrate. Experimental comparisons with similar national standards at LNE-France and NIST-USA confirmed the consistency of measurement results in the three Nations.Research limitations/implications - The gas prover should be used with inert gases only.Practical implications - The national industrial gas standards and the best flow transducers can now be calibrated accurately down to unprecedented flowrate values.Originality/value - The need for measurement of extremely low gas flows is quite recent, therefore possibly less than ten primary national standards are available today worldwide. Several completely different principles and designs have been developed; description of design and performance of each instrument is important to assess their respective merits. The described apparatus is innovative as regards measurement range, accuracy and control techniques.

Notes: Purpose - To discuss the application of direct part marking identification (DPMI) using 2D matrix codes, the use of which is increasing in industries as diverse as automotive and medical instruments.Design/methodology/approach - The benefits of 2D codes are explained, emphasising that they have sufficient storage capacity to provide data for tracking a part during its manufacture and through the supply chain and allow traceability throughout its lifetime. It describes the operation of Cognex, one of the leading manufacturers of ID products and also the world's largest supplier of machine vision systems is Cognex. It explains that initially the electronics industry exploited Cognex' code reading technology and an application at a German board manufacturer is described. Another system, at a diesel engine injector manufacturer in France, has 42 Cognex systems reading 2D codes and guiding robots in assembly. Also described is a new range of Cognex hand-held and fixed-mount 1D and 2D code readers "loaded" with software that allows reading in difficult conditions and with degraded or partially obscured codes.Findings - The DPMI market has expanded into industries other than automotive, which has prompted Cognex to establish a new division of ID products.Originality/value - The paper emphasises the importance of 2D codes in product traceability and indicates how vision technology is being utilised to read these codes even under difficult conditions.

Notes: Purpose - The need for an instrumented grinding system that addresses the requirements of ductile regime machining of brittle materials is implemented. The static and dynamic stiffness of the structural loop of the grinding system meets or exceeds those of previous researchers. An instrumented spindle is introduced which features capacitance gages embedded in the stator of an air bearing spindle. Design/methodology/approach - The instrumented spindle is demonstrated to provide valuable force feedback for fine grinding and is capable of resolving intra-revolution force components. Tests are performed to demonstrate the use of the instrumented spindle for ductile grinding of brittle materials with superabrasive wheels. Findings - The results of the test show that the instrumented spindle is capable of determining intra-revolution force components for square alumina-titanium carbide wafers. Originality/value - Outlines some important work developing and building instrumented spindles to aid the precision grinding industry.

Notes: Purpose - This article provides details of recent research in France and Germany which has extended the operational range of the laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) technique through the use of a transportable terawatt laser, the "Teramobile". Design/methodology/approach - The high power of the Teramobile's laser generates self-guided filaments of light which overcome the diffraction limit that restricts the range of conventional pulsed laser sources in air to around 100?m. The system can deliver laser intensities of around 1013?W/cm2 to locations at a distance of several kilometer without focusing. It has been used in a variant of the LIBS technique termed remote filament-induced breakdown spectroscopy (R-FIBS). Findings - Experiments have shown that the R-FIBS technique can analyse metal samples for elemental composition at a range of up to 180?m. Further work offers prospects to extend the range to as much as 1?km. Originality/value - This research illustrates that a transportable terawatt laser can be used as the source in the new R-FIBS technique, suggesting many remote sensing analytical applications such as environmental monitoring, detecting chemical and biological warfare agents, monitoring the composition of molten metals and identifying radioactive waste.

Notes: Purpose - This paper discusses the size and structure of the global biosensor market which is presently dominated by medical applications. Design/methodology/approach - It considers a number of recent developments based on nanotechnology. Findings - Identifies homeland security as an emerging area offering significant prospects for technological innovation and market growth. Originality/value - Of interest to those concerned with technology developments.

Notes: Purpose - The sensitivity of orifice plate metering to poorly conditioned and swirling flows are subjects of concerns to flow meter users and manufacturers. The distortions caused by pipe fittings and pipe installations upstream of the orifice plate are major sources of this type of non-standard flows. These distortions will alter the accuracy of metering up to an unacceptable degree.Design/methodology/approach - The design of orifice plate meters that are independent of the initial flow conditions of the upstream is a major object of flow metering. Either using a long straight pipe or a flow conditioner upstream of an orifice plate usually achieves this goal. The effect of cone swirler flow conditioner for both standard and non-standard flow conditions has been carried out in the experimental rig. The measuring of mass flow rate under different conditions and different Reynolds numbers were used to establish a change in discharge coefficient relative to a standard one.Findings - The experimental results using the cone swirler flow conditioner showed that the combination of an orifice plate and cone swirler flow conditioner is broadly insensitive to upstream disturbances. The results clearly show that this flow conditioner can attenuate the effect of both swirling and asymmetric flows on metering to an acceptable level.Originality/value - Previous work on the orifice plate has shown that the concept has promise. The results of using a combination of a cone swirler and orifice plate for non-standard flow conditions including swirling flow and asymmetric flow show this package can preserve the accuracy of metering up to the level required in the standards, providing that a new discharge coefficient is used for the combined swirler and orifice plate.

Notes: Purpose - Owing to the technology growth, especially in Microsystems technology and Nanotechnology, new products will provide new ways to sense variables that are crucial for product improvement and system reliability. A big concern of the scientific community is the measurement of low level flow measurements, especially for the biomedical and/or systems on a chip approaches.Design/methodology/approach - A new flow meter concept design consists of a surface micromachined sensor having an optical high reflective mirror made of gold, which is attached to unique cantilever designs that bend due to the drag force of mass flow. The bending of the cantilevers produces the mirror to approach/depart from an optical fiber end-tip. The reflective light to fiber is modulated using a Fabry-Perot interferometry technique to determine the mirror separation to the fiber, which corresponds to the mass flow.Findings - The new concept design shows a big potential approach to measure low flow measurements for air, gas and liquids of low viscosity. The results of this concept, through finite element analysis, show that the material used to build the sensor, makes them excellent candidates for fabrication. The stresses of the materials and allowable (readable) bending are among the tolerances of such materials/construction-design. The sensor is not affected by electromagnetic interference and does not require electrical currents to sense, i.e. it is perfectly suited for biomedical and low mass-flow sensing such as lab-on-chip applications.Originality/value - Among all approaches to sense low flow measurements, most of them need either "big" turbine approaches (dimensions over 1?cm diameter), or the need of an electrical approach needed in the end measurement sensor. This work proposes a non-electrical approach.

Notes: Purpose - To present two non-contact methods of measuring vibrations and impact events. Design/methodology/approach - The paper concentrates on the practical capabilities and underlying technology of commercial high-speed CMOS cameras and laser Doppler vibrometers. Findings - The instruments are used to analyse modes of failure and to test quality in a very wide range of products. They are also used to develop safety and protective devices, and to study natural phenomena. Originality/value - A practical guide to the tools available, with some example applications of interest to production engineers.

Notes: Purpose - This paper describes a recent collaborative project involving the development of a multiplexed fibre Bragg grating (FBG) sensor system for structural integrity monitoring. Design/methodology/approach - The system is described and field trials on both conventional and novel composite bridges are discussed. A FBG sensor-based structural monitoring system was developed, based on a fluorescent fibre as the optical source. It used a tuneable, fibre-coupled, Fabry-Perot filter, actuated by piezoelectric transducers and operated over the bandwidth of the source at up to 250 scans/second. Light from the source was filtered and reflected back from the Bragg gratings, through optical couplers, to eight photodiode detectors. These detected the resulting time-domain spectra of the sensors in each of the serially connected sensor arrays. The system was tested at City University and then subjected to trials on the Mjosund road bridge in Norway and on West Mill bridge in Oxfordshire, UK, which is the first bridge to be fabricated from a new type of composite material. Findings - During the Norwegian trials the system was arranged with four or five FBG sensors per channel giving a total of 32 measurement points with eight parallel channels. Twelve conventional foil strain gauges and a number of thermocouples were also installed. Different static and dynamic loads were applied over a period of 18 months and the results showed that the thermally compensated strain data obtained optically matched those from the resistive gauges to within 〈5?µ?. During the construction stage of the Oxfordshire bridge, sections of the decking and longitudinal composite support beams were instrumented with 40 FBG sensors with temperature compensation, placed at pre-selected sites of maximum strain. These exhibited a resolution of ±5?µ? and an operating range of over ±2,000?µ?. Originality/value - This research has shown that multiplexed, multi-point FBG sensor systems can accurately and reliably monitor both static and dynamic strains in large structures over a range of temperatures and for extended periods of time.

Notes: Purpose - To describe the development of and experience with a system that tracks the position of knocks and taps atop a large sheet of glass for use as an inexpensive retrofit that can make large windows into interactive interfaces. Design/methodology/approach - The structural-acoustic wavefront coming from the impact is simultaneously recorded by four contact piezoelectric pickups mounted near the sheet's corners. A digital signal processor extracts relevant characteristics from these signals, such as amplitudes, frequency components, and differential timings, which are used to estimate the location of the hit and derive other parameters, including a degree of confidence in the position accuracy, the strike intensity and the nature of each hit (e.g. knuckle knock, metal tap, or fist bang - our system responds to any kind of impact). A set of heuristically-guided rules are employed to compare the waveforms recorded by different sensors and determine the differential timing. Findings - Across sensitive areas ranging up to 2×2?m, we have obtained position resolutions of s=2.5?cm for 1/4?in. tempered glass and s=3-4?cm for 1?cm thick shatterproof glass. Our system delivers 65?ms latency, hence is essentially real time. The system has been installed in several public settings, and has proven to be very robust. Research limitations/implications - Suggestions are given for doing everything in software and not using the DSP. Analytical compensation of the dispersion would probably yield better precision but require more computation time. Practical implications - As this system requires only simple hardware, it needs no special adaptation of the glass pane, and allows all tracking transducers to be mounted on the inner surface, hence it is quite easy and inexpensive to deploy as a retrofit to existing windows. This opens many applications, such as an interactive storefront, with content controlled by knocks on the display window, an interactive museum display case, or a vending machine where one can select by tapping directly above the desired item. Originality/value - As large displays become less costly and more common, systems like these can make them interactive. This paper details our approach.

Notes: Purpose - To describe a new substrate for use in surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS). Design/methodology/approach - Novel SERS substrates have been produced by the nanometre-scale patterning of gold surfaces on silicon. This forms photonic crystals which tightly control the physics of the surface enhanced Raman amplification process, producing consistent SERS signals. Findings - It has been shown that these substrates can increase significantly the sensitivity and reproducibility of SERS. Originality/value - These substrates will allow SERS to be used in critical applications requiring high sensitivity detection of chemical compounds such as security, forensics, healthcare and environmental monitoring.

Notes: Purpose - To describe the function and use of the GreenSeeker™ active remote sensor used to detect crop nitrogen status. Design/methodology/approach - In this paper, the GreenSeeker active remote sensor and its use in irrigated maize production systems will be described. A brief discussion of the science of using remote sensing for studying plants is presented. Additionally, a summary of observations collected from field trials is presented. Findings - The GreenSeeker active sensor has tremendous potential for accurately characterizing crop variability for site-specific N rate determinations in the Western Great Plains region of the United States. Originality/value - This paper discusses the GreenSeeker active sensor for detecting crop variability. Data from the GreenSeeker can be used to make site-specific nitrogen fertilizer applications which may lead to improved nitrogen use efficiency.

Notes: Purpose - Examines some of the recent technical developments that are leading to a wider use of powerful methods in medical microscopy. Design/methodology/approach - Reviews some of the microscopic techniques relevant to medicine, then looks at hardware developments in microscopes, filters and cameras. Findings - Highly sophisticated techniques such as time-resolved fluorescence measurements are now incorporated in turnkey instruments, using picosecond diode lasers for accurate measurement of fluorescent lifetimes. Advances in optical fibre coating technology in the telecoms field have led to improved filters for fluorescence microscopy, and imaging allows the detection of non-visible wavelengths and very low light levels. Many microscopes are modular, so that users can upgrade to further capabilities at will. Automatic medical diagnosis software is coming onto the market. Originality/value - Highlights the hardware and software developments that are enabling powerful microscopic methodologies to enter into general use.

Notes: Purpose - To describe a new high sensitivity, nanotechnology-based technique for detecting DNA and disease-related proteins. Design/methodology/approach - Gold nanoparticles and magnetic microparticles are bound to single-stranded DNA molecules that are complementary to segments of the target DNA. The nanoparticles also link to hundreds of strands of "barcode" DNA and in the presence of the target, each molecule binds to a gold nanoparticle and a magnetic microparticle. Applying a magnetic field enables the separation of the target molecules and their attachments. The DNA is removed from the molecules and detected by a chip-based DNA procedure. As each nanoparticle links to a large number of strands of DNA, the method amplifies the signal from each target molecule. The technique can also detect proteins by replacing the complimentary DNA with antibodies. Findings - This research shows that this technique can detect very low concentrations of DNA and proteins. Ten copies of anthrax DNA were detected in 30?µl of solution, a sensitivity comparable to polymerase chain reaction, and 18-20 PSA molecules were detected in a 10?µl sample, a level of detection that is six orders of magnitude more sensitive than conventional assays. Recent research has also shown that the assay can detect ADDLs, which are biomarkers for Alzheimer's disease. The technologies are now being commercialised by Nanosphere, Inc. Originality/value - These developments offer prospects in a wide range of clinical applications such as the rapid and simple diagnosis of a variety of diseases and single nucleotide polymorphisms tests for the detection of hypercoagulation disorders. Other potential applications include homeland security and environmental monitoring.

Notes: Purpose - Aims to report on a new trend of research and development in the wireless capsule endoscope. Design/methodology/approach - Presents a conceptual design of a wireless capsule endoscope having new features like navigation control, self-propulsion, higher rate image transmission, acquisition of samples, application of medications and so forth. Findings - The basic principle has been verified by experiments. Seems promising. Research limitations/implications - Yet to need a lot of effort for commercialization. Practical implications - If successful, it will provide another way of least invasive medical treatment that must reduce pain of patients drastically. Originality/value - Taking advantage of the state-of-the-art micro-technology it suggests a further step beyond the current wireless capsule endoscope.

Notes: Purpose - Computer tomography (CT) for 3D reconstruction entails a huge number of coplanar fan-beam projections for each of a large number of 2D slice images, and excessive radiation intensities and dosages. For some applications its rate of throughput is also inadequate. A technique for overcoming these limitations is outlined.Design methodology/approach - A novel method to reconstruct 3D surface models of objects is presented, using, typically, ten, 2D projective images. These images are generated by relative motion between this set of objects and a set of ten fanbeam X-ray sources and sensors, with their viewing axes suitably distributed in 2D angular space.Findings - The method entails a radiation dosage several orders of magnitude lower than CT, and requires far less computational power. Experimental results are given to illustrate the capability of the techniquePractical implications - The substantially lower cost of the method and, more particularly, its dramatically lower irradiation make it relevant to many applications precluded by current techniquesOriginality/value - The method can be used in many applications such as aircraft hold-luggage screening, 3D industrial modelling and measurement, and it should also have important applications to medical diagnosis and surgery.

Notes: Purpose - A review of selected vision exhibits and innovations at a new biennial international trade fair in Germany, which essentially replaces the traditional substantial vision presence at the annual Hanover Industry Fair.Design/methodology/approach - Five companies are profiled; four (ISRA Vision, Vitronic, AKATech, and INOS Automation) with innovative products and one (Stemmer Imaging) with a highly European approach to marketing.Findings - One claimed innovation was foreshadowed 20 years ago, but this time it works! Many successful applications of machine vision are now in sectors outside the traditional manufacturing field. These include logistics and aspects of traffic management. The ability to measure moving items accurately was a major advance.Originality/value - This will alert vision practitioners, and researchers intent on commercialisation, who did not get to Munich to the latest developments and opportunities for commercial exploitation of automated imaging technology. It will help them to judge whether a visit to the next event in May 2006 will be justified.

Notes: Purpose - To provide corporate and technical details of the US-based Endevco Corporation. This company is a leading manufacturer of sensors and systems for measuring vibration, shock and other physical variables.Design/methodology/approach - This profile considers the Endevco company structure, technology, products, markets and applications, including historical achievements and recent developments.Findings - This paper discusses the company's use of piezoelectric ceramic and microengineered silicon technologies in a range of high performance sensors for measuring shock, acceleration, vibration and pressure.Originality/value - This provides an insight into the Endevco company structure, products, technologies and markets.

Notes: Purpose - To describe a new laser-based, optical airspeed sensor development project. Dubbed laser air speed sensor instrument (LASSI), the sensor aims to overcome certain operational limitations of existing devices used on aircraft.Design/methodology/approach - The LASSI system is being developed by a consortium of UK organisations. It relies on Doppler wavelength shifting and involves firing short duration laser pulses from the aircraft into the atmosphere and measuring the velocity-induced Doppler shift in the reflected (Rayleigh scattered) signal. The source is a diode-pumped Nd:YAG laser operating at UV wavelengths.Findings - The project has reached the stage where a prototype system test bed is being assembled. Preliminary findings suggest that the system will offer a number of operational and economic benefits over existing devices, notably Pitot tubes.Originality/value - This new optical system is expected to improve helicopter safety during low-speed activities, yield fuel savings on long-haul passenger aircraft through a reduction in drag and also reduce the radar cross-section of military aircraft.

Notes: Purpose - To establish an accurate and sensitive method to characterize the moisture content of a particular environment. Design/methodology/approach - This paper proposes a relatively simple humidity sensor design consisting of electrodes on a suitable substrate coated with a polyimide material. The changes in relative humidity are denoted by a corresponding change in the polyimide material's electrical resistance profile. The design proposed in this work can be microfabricated and integrated with electronic circuitry. This sensor can be fabricated on alumina or silicon substrates. The electrode material can be made up of nickel, gold or aluminum and the thickness of the electrodes ranges typically between 0.2 and 0.3?µm. The sensor consists of an active sensing layer on top of a set of electrodes. The design of the electrodes can be configured for both resistive and capacitive sensing. Findings - The polyimide material's ohmic resistance changes significantly with humidity variations. Changes in resistance as large as 4-6 orders of magnitude are attainable over the entire operational humidity range. Research limitations/implications - As the sensitivity varies non-linearly with the humidity, the measurement has to be carried out over a very wide range in order to calibrate the sensor. The sensitivity and output range of the sensor can be easily controlled by changing the electrode spacing or geometry. Practical implications - The control of humidity is important in many applications ranging from bio-medical to space exploration. Originality/value - A simple, easy to fabricate and measure, and low cost resistive-type humidity sensor was developed. The realized sensor is suitable for integrating with microfabrication. Hence, multiple sensors of varying sensitivities and output ranges could be integrated on the same chip. Over the last few years, newly emerging micro-electro-mechanical-systems technology and micro-fabrication techniques have gained popularity and importance in the miniaturization of a variety of sensors and actuators.

Notes: Purpose - To describe a new optical fibre Bragg grating (FBG) sensor system, based on a novel time division multiplexing technique, which is being commercialised by UK start-up Insensys. This new technique allows sensor costs to be reduced dramatically and also yields operational benefits.Design/methodology/approach - The system uses time division multiplexing (TDM) rather than wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) to interrogate the sensors. All the FBG sensors are written at the same wavelength and the interrogation unit receives a number of pulses from each grating. These pulses arrive at a time determined by the grating distance from the interrogator and one grating sensor can be distinguished from another by analysing the pulse arrival times. As a result, there is no need for a tuneable laser or filter and a single mask can be used to write all of the gratings, thus reducing both manufacturing and component costs.Findings - This design has led to lower costs and allows up to 100 strain or temperature sensors to be incorporated into a single channel system, rather than around 4, which is the norm for conventional WDM systems. The company is now in production and has orders for systems to monitor the strain in wind turbine blades, to measure temperature profiles in oil wells and to monitor the stress in composite structures.Originality/value - This TDM-based design allows FBG sensor systems to measure far more points per fibre than is possible with conventional WDM system, combined with lower system costs. Applications are being found in the marine, aerospace, offshore and power generation industries.

Notes: Purpose - To provide detailed information about the novel universal frequency-to-digital converter UFDC-1, which can help engineers and researchers to design new digital sensors and transducers, as well as smart sensors and sensor systems. Design/methodology/approach - The high performance of the UFDC-1 is achieved by using four novel measuring methods for frequency-time parameters. All existing integrated frequency-to-digital converters and frequency (time) output sensors have been reviewed and current design requirements for the UFDC-1 have been formulated. Findings - The UFDC-1 enables the transition from traditional analog (voltage and current) sensors output to frequency-time output. This yields a lot of benefits due to the properties of frequency as informative parameter. No output standardization is necessary, as opposed to the case of analog output sensors. Users can now work with the UFDC-1, the same as with traditional ADCs. Sensor manufacturers can simply integrate the UFDC-1 in microsystems and digital output sensors in order to produce serial output or bus capability. Practical implications - The UFDC-1 has many applications: obtaining a digital output from any frequency, period, duty-cycle, time interval, phase-shift, pulse number output sensors, up to one chip digital sensors design and smart (self-adaptive) sensors, thanks to its programmable relative error and non-redundant conversion time. The UFDC-1 can work with any existing frequency-time domain sensor to produce a digital output or create multiparametric smart sensors and systems. Originality/value - This paper fulfils an identified information need and offers practical help to engineers and researchers in designing new digital sensors and transducers, as well as smart sensors and systems using a minimum of hardware.

Notes: Purpose - The paper draws together a range of somewhat unusual machine vision applications, with an integrating overview. Design/methodology/approach - The National Centre for Engineering in Agriculture is amassing a portfolio of projects involving machine vision. These include identification of animal species, visual counting of macadamia nuts, analysis of animal behaviour and a number of quality control functions. DirectX tools have been developed and are applicable across a wide range of applications, while theory is extended in several ways. Findings - Most of the projects are still in progress, but results are reported on the degree of success of a range of methods. Strategies and algorithms are discussed. Research limitations/implications - Vision-based solutions are applied to a diversity of tasks. There will be a continuing stream of such problems with abundant opportunities for research. Practical implications - The projects are in essence practical, although they have inspired new methodologies. They are conducted in close collaboration with the industries involved and will be deemed to have failed if the outcome is not put to commercial use. Originality/value - The paper draws together a portfolio of projects, allowing an analysis to be made of the features that unite and differentiate them. It will be of interest to both researchers and those with instrumentation problems.

Notes: Purpose - Aims to design a heterogeneous embedded system with CPLD and microcontroller as co-processors sharing a memory module. Design/methodology/approach - The system receives external analog input signal, which is applied to the PIC 16F73 microcontroller. Upon converting the data in to digital format using the on-chip ADC, the PIC stores the digitized version in the SRAM (HCM 6264) chip. SRAM HCM 6264 has been used as a shared memory model, of which both the PIC and CPLD can access all the locations. Once the PIC passes controls to the CPLD, the further processing is carried out by the CPLD without any intervention of the PIC. This is a true example of co-processing of the architecturally diversified computing modules from completely different vendors with totally different programming suits. Findings - The board has been tested with IC temperature sensors and also found to be useful for sensor array applications involving three types of processing viz. analog (through instrumentation amplifier), real-time digital (through microcontroller) and customized reconfigurable digital (with the CPLD). Practical implications - The system has several potential applications in avionics, military and robotic embedded systems, which have inherent real-time constraints that need to be supported by the underlying hardware and driver programs. Originality/value - Discusses the rare and unique combination of diversified processing core to build an embedded system.

Notes: Purpose - To review the manufacture of specialty optical fibres used in sensors.Design/methodology/approach - Describes speciality optical fibres that use fibre Bragg gratings and time division multiplexing. Applications include structural monitoring in wind turbines, yacht masts and civil engineering structures.Findings - The oil and gas industry has used these types of sensors because of their cost efficiency and safety. As the sensors have no electrical connections they generate no heat and use only low power light, which makes them ideal for hazardous areas. It also enables reliable and highly-stable, long term monitoring of critical production equipment.Originality/value - Provides a source of information on speciality optical fibre sensors.

Notes: Purpose - There are various temperature measuring systems presented in the literature and on the market today. Over the past number of years a range of luminescent-based optical fibre sensors have been reported and developed which include fluorescence and optical scattering. These temperature sensors incorporate materials that emit wavelength shifted light when excited by an optical source. The majority of commercially available systems are based on fluorescent properties.Design/methodology/approach - Many published journal articles and conference papers were investigated and existing temperature sensors in the market were examined.Findings - In optical thermometry, the light is used to carry temperature information. In many cases optical fibres are used to transmit and receive this light. Optical fibres are immune to electromagnetic interference and are small in size, which allows them to make very localized measurements. A temperature sensitive material forms a sensor and the subsequent optical data are transmitted via optical fibres to electronic detection systems. Two keys areas were investigated namely fluorescence based temperature sensors and temperature sensors involving optical scattering.Originality/value - An overview of optical fibre temperature sensors based on luminescence is presented. This review provides a summary of optical temperature sensors, old and new which exist in today's world of sensing.

Notes: Purpose - To present a new generation of liquid flow sensors that is capable of meeting the requirements as imposed by the life science, analysis, biotech and other markets.Design/methodology/approach - A description of the design and development of low flow rate measuring system and typical applications.Findings - The system described uses tubes made of silica, stainless steel or PEEK, and either constant power or constant temperature methods in conjunction with a heater and temperature sensor. The tested instruments were capable of measuring flow ranges between 25-500?nl/min (smallest flow range) and 100-2000?µl/min (largest flow range) water, with operating pressures up to 100 bar (up to 400 bar for flow meters with flow ranges below 100?µl/min).Originality/value - Presents information on a new generation of liquid flow sensors.

Notes: Purpose - To describe a new technique, developed in Korea, which extends the operational length of fibre Bragg grating strain and temperature sensors to approximately 50?km. It is based on distributed Raman amplification.Design/methodology/approach - The system uses a single pump source to achieve distributed Raman amplification in the transmission optical fibre and does not employ an additional broadband light source, as the residual pump power after the transmission fibre is recycled to generate broadband amplified spontaneous emission in an erbium-doped fibre.Findings - The temperature and strain response of the system was tested by measuring changes in reflection from the sensor which were captured on an optical spectrum analyser, located at the end of a 50?km length of fibre. The thermal sensitivity was found to be 8.2?pm/°C over the range 30-100°C and a strain sensitivity of 1.1?pm/µ? was exhibited between 0 and 1,700?µ?. The measurement resolutions of the system for temperature and strain were estimated at 0.7°C and 8.64?µ?, respectively. The signal-to-noise ratio was approximately 11?dB.Originality/value - This work has shown that the use of distributed Raman amplification can extend the operational length of fibre Bragg grating sensors from around 25?km to at least 50?km, whilst achieving good strain and temperature sensitivities.

Notes: Purpose - In model-based recognition the 3D models of objects are stored in a model library during an offline phase. During the online recognition phase, a view of the scene is matched with the model library to identify the location and pose of certain library objects in the scene. Aims to focus on the process of 3D modeling and model-based recognition. Design/methodology/approach - This paper discusses the process of 3D modeling and model-based recognition along with their potential applications in industry with a particular emphasis on robot grasp analysis. The paper also emphasises the main challenges in these areas and give a brief literature review. Findings - In order to develop an automatic 3D model-based object recognition system it is necessary to automate the process of 3D modeling and recognition. The challenge in automating the 3D modeling process is to develop an automatic correspondence technique. The core of recognition is the representation scheme. Recognition is an online process. Therefore, representation and matching must be very fast in order to facilitate real time recognition. Practical implications - There are numerous applications of 3D modeling in a variety of areas ranging from the entertainment industry to industrial automation. Some of its applications include computer graphics, virtual reality, medical imaging, reverse engineering, and 3D terrain construction. Originality/value - Provides information on 3D modeling which constitutes an important part of computer vision or robot vision.

Notes: Purpose - This paper describes the discovery of waveguides capable of transmitting electromagnetic radiation at terahertz (THz) frequencies. Until now this has not been possible, despite extensive research. Design/methodology/approach - The discovery was made by a research group at Rice University whilst working on apertureless, near-field THz microscopy. By chance, the group found that bare metal wires are capable of transmitting THz radiation to and from remote samples with virtually no dispersion and little attenuation. Findings - This discovery allows THz waves to be taken directly to and from the source and detector and eliminates the need for objects to be positioned directly in the THz beam. It also overcomes problems associated with shock and vibration. Subsequently, the group used this phenomenon to develop the world's first prototype THz-frequency endoscope, which was used to examine a glass flask. Originality/value - The availability of THz waveguides will allow many new applications to be realised. A major use is expected to be security, where systems could be used for checking passengers and baggage at airports, etc. for concealed weapons, drugs and explosives. Uses in product quality control and healthcare are also anticipated.

Notes: Purpose - A novel sensor system is described that can replace the need to use a touch screen, mouse or keyboard for use with either a thin film transistor (TFT) or cathode ray tube (CRT) screen. Design/methodology/approach - A tri-colour photodiode in a colour sensor pen (CSP) is used as an input to depict where a user is pointing by detecting a dynamic kaleidoscope of colours flashed onto the screen. The most easily detected colours are placed around the predicted position of the sensor. The output from the sensor is filtered and transmitted to a computer where colour is translated into a corresponding co-ordinate. An artificial neural network (ANN) ensures that optimum colours are placed closest to the sensor by predicting future pointer position. Findings - The CSP successfully provided an input that depicted where a user was pointing. Sensors tested were not able to differentiate more than 28 colours on a TFT screen but an ANN system made them more accurate. Hue and Saturation were successfully used to model colour in a two-dimensional colour grid as they were unaffected by brightness. The sensor output was successfully converted into a co-ordinate and used to move a cursor. The kaleidoscope of colours was dynamic as it changed size and colour to increase accuracy. The ANN successfully predicted future positions to assist the sensor in making optimum colour detections. The best predictions of future positions were obtained with four and eight hidden neurons and there did not appear to be any significant advantage in training with more than 2,000?epochs. The system has performed satisfactorily for various inputs. Research limitations/implications - The novel light pen works on TFT and CRT screens. Problems included the time that colours needed to be left on a screen to be detected and the limited number of colours that could reliably be detected. These were overcome by using a dynamic kaleidoscope of colours to improve colour detection and an ANN to predict future pointer positions, based on previous locations. This prediction was used to place optimum colours closest to the sensor in order to increase accuracy. Further testing is taking place to confirm that the sensor can be used at any angle. Practical implications - The novel light pen type peripheral and intelligent colour sensing system can replace the need to use a touch screen, mouse or keyboard. Originality/value - The new intelligent colour sensing system works on either a TFT or CRT screen. The use of the colour translation and sensor and the ANN to predict future pointer position are all novel.

Notes: Purpose - To review the use of near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy in the process control of foodstuffs. Design/methodology/approach - Presents two spectroscopy products used in the production environment: a single-board system aimed at OEMs, and a complete fibre-optic spectrometer ready for the end-user. Gives examples of applications within the food and drink industry. Findings - Finds that these instruments are fast, effective and inexpensive, and rugged enough for the processing environment. Originality/value - Draws attention to the potential of NIR spectroscopy outside the confines of the laboratory.

Notes: Purpose - Describes the history and development of biosensors and their commercial application. Design/methodology/approach - Provides background information on different forms of biosensors and how they can be brought to market. This review is edited from a very detailed market research report "Medical and Biological Sensor and Sensor Systems: markets, applications and competitors worldwide". Findings - Finds that the commercial potential for biosensors is very large and is expected to reach US$ 2.3 billion worldwide in 2005. Originality/value - The full market research report provides a detailed insight into biosensors and how they are made and the various application areas, together with discussion regarding a large number of vendor and research companies.

Notes: Purpose - Introduction of an automated laboratory system for a new field of laboratory operation, namely cultivation and handling of live brain tissue. Design/methodology/approach - The company's expertise in manual throughput was transferred to automatable methods. Processing data is used for scheduling purposes to yield efficient production of results. Findings - Automated process has comparable survival rates and high reproducibility. Time tolerance is lower than for manual operation. Research limitations/implications - Several bottle necks of the system have been identified and are to be improved upon in future research. These are especially "handling of membrane inserts" and slow-running procedures. Practical implications - Cataloging of activity data (timestamps, parameters, etc.) allows for much easier statistical analysis and data-mining than with manual operation data. Originality/value - Tissue-based, high-throughput screening is a seminal field in laboratory automation.