Mind the (Performance) Gap: Embracing Technology to Enhance On-Site Performance

The demand for low energy buildings is something which will only increase over the coming years due to both a top down approach from government, in terms of legislation, and a bottom up approach from clients who are becoming more informed in relation to performance related aspects. Low energy design calls for a reconsideration of how buildings are designed and constructed, with materials and detailing being a key part of the process. A performance gap in the sector has been identified between the predicted performance of buildings at the design stage and how they actually perform once constructed. This can occur for a variety of reasons including poor workmanship and on-site practice, substitution of materials from those originally specified and a lack of inspection and validation in terms of what is being constructed. This is an area requiring urgent consideration to ensure clients are getting the buildings they pay for and projected carbon emission targets are accurate. This study highlights the performance gap from a Northern Ireland perspective, investigating issues with low energy design via a case study methodology. The study identifies issues in relation to on-site practice, verification and lack of communication between design team members before investigating how technological advancements and BIM processes can assist. The paper concludes by proposing a scaffolding approach which could allow for a more robust system, potentially closing the aforementioned performance gap.