Indoor environment quality contracts in building projects

Abstract

The scientific literature is replete with examples that indicate that poor indoor conditions at workplaces reduce work performance and increase short-term sick leave. To address good indoor environment quality (IEQ), strategic and practical design decisions are needed in the early phase of the building process to ensure successful implementation. However, current procurement practices are hampered by fragmentation, long subcontract chains and vague performance requirements. A preliminary study is undertaken that focuses on developing a method of contracting that enables the attainment and verification of the desired IEQ. Using a review of international research and practices, existing commissioning methods and contract procedures are identified for their attention to IEQ. A contract procedure is proposed that fosters agreement on indoor environment between building owners and tenants, and which directs a building project to give users the guarantee of indoor condition. To make a pre-lease contract agreement that includes IEQ, the factors having an influence on the IEQ chain must be included in all building contracts such as those of design, purchase, and operation and maintenance. Thus, the requirements of IEQ require their incorporation into every phase of the building project. The main elements in these contracts, in addition to the requirements of IEQ, are those verifying quality, bonuses and sanctions.La littérature scientifique est riche en exemples qui montrent que la médiocrité des conditions intérieures sur le lieu de travail réduit les performances opérationnelles et augmente les absences de courte durée pour raisons de santé. Pour obtenir un environnement intérieur de bonne qualité (IEQ), il faut, dès le début du processus de construction, prendre des décisions d'ordre stratégique et pratique en vue d'une mise en oeuvre réussie. Or, la fragmentation, les longues chaînes de contrats de sous-traitance et le manque de précision des impératifs de performance sont autant d'obstacles aux pratiques d'approvisionnement actuelles. Une étude préliminaire est entreprise qui porte, pour l'essentiel, sur le développement d'un mode de réalisation permettant de satisfaire et de vérifier la qualité de l'environnement intérieur recherchée. S'appuyant sur une analyse des pratiques et de la recherche au niveau international, l'auteur recense les méthodes de mise en service et les procédures contractuelles existantes en fonction de l'intérêt porté à l'IEQ. Il est proposé une procédure contractuelle qui encourage les accords en matière d'environnement intérieur entre propriétaires de bâ timents et occupants et qui prescrit un projet de construction offrant aux utilisateurs la garantie d'un environnement intérieur satisfaisant. Pour conclure une convention contractuelle, préalablement au bail de location, qui prévoit l'IEQ, il faut inclure les facteurs ayant une influence sur la chaîne IEQ dans tous les contrats de bâ timents, comme la conception, l'approvisionnement, l'exploitation et la maintenance. Les exigences en matièr...

Ensuring functionality of a nearly zero-energy building with procurement methods

“…The contract would include clear sanctions so that those would not raise a debate. The same approach can be used in several different kinds of contracts, such as lease design, pre-lease, pre-financial, purchase and maintenance contracts (Saari and Aalto, 2006). In the case of an office lease contract, the office building lessor gives an indoor condition guarantee to the tenant with a set of target factors that contain clear margins of error (Saari and Tarkki, 2008).…”

Commissioning for nearly zero-energy building projects

“…The Prime Minister of Finland, Jyrki Katainen, recently stated that mould and indoor climate problems will be the number one issue facing municipalities in the coming years (Finnish Broadcasting Company, 2012). Even without severe indoor climate problems, smaller issues, such as high CO 2 or temperature levels, affect worker effectiveness by 2-8 per cent as well as the amount of sick leaves taken by workers (Federspiel et al, 2002;Saari and Aalto, 2011;Witterseh, 2001). The cost to Finnish society in the form of sick building syndrome, building-related illnesses and diminished worker effectiveness is calculated at €200 per person annually (Saari and Aalto, 2011).…”

“…Even without severe indoor climate problems, smaller issues, such as high CO 2 or temperature levels, affect worker effectiveness by 2-8 per cent as well as the amount of sick leaves taken by workers (Federspiel et al, 2002;Saari and Aalto, 2011;Witterseh, 2001). The cost to Finnish society in the form of sick building syndrome, building-related illnesses and diminished worker effectiveness is calculated at €200 per person annually (Saari and Aalto, 2011). There are three main reasons for indoor climate problems, excluding pollutants.…”

The indoor condition guarantee procedure and associated lease contract model

“…On the other hand, it also showed that when space use is improved significantly, measures must be taken to guarantee a sufficient level of indoor air quality and climate quality. The results on a case study of Saari and Aalto (2006) research suggest that an improvement in the quality of indoor climate is cost effective when its economic impact on health and productivity are taken into account in addition to the investment, operation, and maintenance costs. The existing quality of indoor climate plays a crucial role in determining the feasibility of raising it.…”