Indoor Air Cartoon Journal, September 2019, Volume 2, #75

The fundamental benefit of integrated digital delivery (IDD) is the provision of information and knowledge needed to make an informed decision of translating the envisaged healthy and resource-efficient indoor environmental quality at the design stage into reality during occupancy.  IEQ condition incudes, indoor air quality, thermal, acoustic, light, acoustic, and spatial conditions. Ensuring building integrity – structural safety, maintainability, fire safety, efficient energy and water consumption, etc – will further increase the reliability and suitability of delivering healthy and resource-efficient IEQ.

There is a need to engage different stakeholders to generate information and knowledge at the right time to effectively optimise and coordinate IEQ design produced. Industry demands the provision of the required IEQ conditions within project duration and budget without compromising safety. Thus, the information and knowledge provided by the digital fabrication and digital construction should be harnessed to improve quality and safety delivery while saving time and cost. It is not practical to deliver healthy and resource-efficient IEQ outside the project time and budget.

Prevention of IEQ problem is better than curing the health and discomfort implications. Prevention at the facility management stage can only happen when the personnel in charge have the luxury of having real-time, accurate, and complete information and knowledge about the potential IEQ problems. Inaccurate and incomplete information and knowledge flow from the design stage to the occupancy stage can significantly compromise the delivery of healthy and resource-efficient IEQ.

The IDD concept that integrates digital design, digital fabrication,  digital construction, and digital asset delivery and maintenance solutions will help to avoid this problem. The IDD concept was developed by the Building and Construction Authority (BCA), Singapore to transform the built environment into a healthy and productive industry. I have a question for the reader of this week’s issue to ponder about. How to make the best use of the information and knowledge management benefits IDD provide to deliver healthy and resource-efficient IEQ, especially IAQ?

Do you want to know more about the importance of the information and knowledge management benefits IDD could provide to delivery of healthy and resource-efficient IEQ? Read Anumba et al. (2008), Fikri and Anumba (2006), and Shelbourn et al. (2006) papers. You may also visit https://www.bca.gov.sg/IntegratedDigitalDelivery/Integrated_Digital_Delivery.html to know more about IDD concept.