Industrialized And Automated Building Systems

Industrialized and Automated Building Systems presents a detailed and balanced evaluation of the benefits and drawbacks of industrialized building systems, and considers technological, managerial and economical aspects of industrialization, automation in the industrialized building process in production, construction and design, and information technologies in design, production and construction on site.

Now revised and updated, Industrialized and Automated Building Systemspresents a detailed and balanced evaluation of the benefits and drawbacks of industrialized building systems, and covers: technological, managerial and economical aspects of industrialization automation in the industrialized building process in production, construction and design information technologies in design, production and construction on site.

This book presents a comprehensive approach towards the industrialization of building. It argues that only industrialization and automation can bring radical changes necessary to the building industry.

Textbook for undergraduate engineering and architectural students includes general information on heavy concrete-based prefabrication and on automation, computer-aided decision-making and other novel technologies being applied to building works. Many figures illustrate the text, which also includes suggested assignments. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

In this volume, concepts, technologies and developments in the field of building-component manufacturing - based on concrete, brick, wood and steel as building materials and on large-scale prefabrication, delivering complex, customized components and products - are introduced and discussed. Robotic industrialization refers to the transformation of parts and low-level components into higher-level components, modules and finally building systems by highly mechanized, automated, or robot-supported industrial settings in structured off-site environments. Components and modules are open building systems (in modular building product structures) that are delivered by suppliers to original equipment manufacturers such as, for example, large-scale prefabrication companies or automated/robotic on-site factories. In particular, innovative large-scale prefabrication companies have altered the building structures, manufacturing processes, and organizational structures significantly to be able to assemble in their factories high-level components and modules from Tier-1 suppliers into customized buildings by heavily utilizing robotic technology in combination with automated logistics and production lines.

Intelligent building is the future of our building industry; all commercial, residential, industrial and institutional buildings will be designed towards the goal of `intelligent buildings'. The most important aspect of an intelligent building is the building systems, such as electrical services, heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems, vertical transportation systems, and life safety systems, which must operate intelligently and efficiently to enhance the activities of the occupants. Intelligent Building Systems explains what already exists in a modern intelligent building and describes what is currently being developed by researchers to improve human comfort, working efficiency and energy performance for buildings in the 21st century. Intelligent Building Systems is divided into three parts. The first part gives a quick review of the structure, terminology, layout and operating principles of most standard modern building systems. The second part introduces the background material necessary to understand intelligent building systems, including information on electronics technology, fundamental mathematics, and techniques in artificial intelligence and signal processing. These first two parts are the foundation for the final part, which consists of research works carried out by the authors and other researchers in the application of artificial intelligence to building systems. The technologies presented will encourage readers to envision new and innovative ideas on possible future applications. Intelligent Building Systems is relevant to practitioners and researchers in the area of architectural science and engineering, electrical and mechanical services and intelligent buildings. It may also be used as a text for advanced courses on the topic.

The increasing importance of industrialized building, as the demand for housing accelerates and outstrips the capacity of traditional construction methods to provide it, is highlightedby this book, whose very publication should give new impetus to the industrialized building trend.