Technological innovation in architecture : effective practices for energy efficient implementation

The objective of this research is to simultaneously address the environmental concerns in building design and the urgency in the architectural, engineering, and construction industry (AEC) to advance technologically by providing specific responses to the following questions. What are the barriers that a design team faces when introducing environmental strategies and innovations into building projects? What are the mechanisms that can assist design teams to surpass industry standards or even break away from the limits of their own professional training? Ultimately, what is required to successfully implement environmentally sound and technologically innovative solutions in buildings? In order to gain a better insight into these issues, this research examines eight case studies and reconstructs their respective patterns of practices to discover how and why certain AEC teams successfully overcome design, development, and implementation barriers relating to energy efficient innovation (EEI) while most do not. The results of the study are categorized into four distinct, but related, components: (1) implementation techniques, (2) basic team attributes, (3) critical success factors, and (4) the implementation process. Contrary to popular belief, the findings suggest that technological innovation, specifically EEI, is best fostered by team members with prior work experience with each other, as opposed to an assembly of individuals selected solely on the basis of expertise. The repeated collaborations serve multiple functions: technical-risk reduction, financial security, and psychological assurance.