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Studying the effects of idea-finding design methods experimentally can provide some light into their degree of usability. An experiment was carried out to study the effects that different stimuli proposed in idea-finding methods have on the design process and outcomes of four design teams, and to compare these effects to those produced by the problem-solving characteristic of the team members. Protocol analysis and outcome-based analysis were carried out. The results of the analysis show that stimuli can have a greater effect on the design activity than the influence of the designers' problem-solving styles in the conditions of the experiment. Stimulus with SCAMPER questions favours refinement of solutions, by using a solution as a frame and the questions as sub-frames. Stimulus with images (related in shape and function with the designed object, and displayed in intervals of time) leads teams to be in a continuous flux of generation of partial solutions.

A common practice in Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of buildings is to consider a default value for their lifespan. This paper addresses the importance of estimating the lifespan of each evaluated building when refurbishment and new construction are compared, using a case study. The lifespans of the refurbished and the new buildings are estimated by applying degradation models of reinforced concrete structures. A simplified economic analysis is also performed. Two thermal performance levels are evaluated: standard and passive, in both alternatives, the refurbished and the new building. Results show that a new building can have a lifespan more than six times longer than a refurbished one. Passive refurbishment appears to be the best choice from an environmental point of view. Even if a new passive building obtains slightly better results, these can only be ensured if it is in use for a long period, in our case 210 years. This is not easy to guarantee in real practice, according to usual trends. The new passive building results to be the most cost-effective, but the same constraints regarding guaranteeing a long lifespan are applicable. The results reveal a strong dependence of LCA results on the lifespan. Its value can alter the order of preference of the solutions when comparing alternatives. There is a high potential of environmental improvement of buildings behavior by changing current practices and extending buildings' lifespan up to their physical limit.