Study of maintenance of High Performance Sustainable Buildings (HPSB)

Abstract

A study was performed by the Energy Branch of the US Army Engineer Research and Development Center, Construction Engineering Research Laboratory, on behalf of the US Army Installation Management Command under the Installation Technology Transition Program. The focus of the study was related to maintainability and operability issues associated with High Performance Sustainable Buildings (HPSBs). This study was conducted primarily based on information gleaned from telephone and web conference discussions with installation Directorate of Public Works personnel including Operation and Maintenance (O&M) Chiefs, energy managers, maintenance supervisors, and maintenance technicians. Experiences with HPSBs varied from installation to installation. For example, some installations had very positive experiences with photovoltaic (PV) arrays while other sites questioned their practicality due to maintainability problems. One site noted that PV technologies are changing so rapidly that procuring spare/repair parts becomes difficult or impossible when vendors discontinue supporting their older technologies or manufacturers go out of business. Based on discussions with the installation O&M personnel, a table of pro and con recommendations for 25 technologies, which are commonly implemented on HPSBs, was prepared and is included in this report.

Plumbing defects in residential buildings: analysis of anomalies and their causes

“…Common anomalies in this system include water leakage, clogging and corrosion. Anomalies such as discharge of foul air, fungal and bacterial contamination and breeding of mosquitos present in the sanitary piping system could cause major health problems as well (Chew et al , 2008; Abdul-Rahman et al , 2014; Miller et al , 2021). Faulty or damaged installation is a common cause of these anomalies.…”

“…Further, increased precipitation and frequent temperature changes would increase the number of damage incidents, such as weakening the piping joints, loosening the roofing and causing plumbing leaks (Islam et al , 2021). Plumbing leaks can contribute to dampness (Agyekum et al , 2017), which results in anomalies such as the discharge of foul air, fungal and bacterial contamination and breeding of mosquitos and corrosions in pipes and plumbing fixtures (Chew et al , 2008; Abdul-Rahman et al , 2014; Islam et al , 2021; Miller et al , 2021). Countries with a temperate climate consist of the seasonal division of the year into four distinct periods (winter, summer, spring and autumn) (UNDP, 2023).…”

“…Anomalies and causes in swimming pool Rahman et al, 2014;Islam et al, 2021;Miller et al, 2021). Countries with a temperate climate consist of the seasonal division of the year into four distinct periods (winter, summer, spring and autumn) (UNDP, 2023).…”