Short answer

Adopt a systems-thinking approach to building design and lifecycle management, recognizing that multiple factors contribute to service life and that their interactions are crucial.

Field: Innovation & Design
Source: Buildings (2022)
Method: Literature Review and Conceptual Analysis
Evidence: Moderate effect

Understanding the interconnectedness of various factors that lead to the end of a building's service life, rather than treating them in isolation, can lead to more effective strategies for extending its lifespan. This innovation & design research insight is drawn from a 2022 study published in Buildings. Using Literature review and conceptual analysis, researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: Adopt a systems-thinking approach to building design and lifecycle management, recognizing that multiple factors contribute to service life and that their interactions are crucial.

Study

Innovation & DesignHigh ImpactModerate effect

Interconnected Criteria Extend Building Service Life

Buildings · 2022

Key Findings

01Service life of buildings and components is determined by multiple interacting criteria, not isolated factors.
02Ignoring the interrelation between these criteria leads to suboptimal decision-making and premature end-of-life.
03Human behavior and the cohesive interaction of different systems are often overlooked but critical.

Application

Design takeaway

Adopt a systems-thinking approach to building design and lifecycle management, recognizing that multiple factors contribute to service life and that their interactions are crucial.

How to apply

When designing a new building or planning renovations, map out all potential end-of-life triggers and analyze how they might influence each other over time. For example, how does a change in building envelope performance affect internal environmental conditions and occupant comfort, potentially leading to functional obsolescence?

Project actions

01When researching a product's lifespan, look for how different failure modes might be linked.
02Consider the long-term implications of your design choices on the product's overall durability and relevance.

Method & Evidence

AimTo investigate the causal relationships between different criteria that determine the end of service life for buildings and their components.

MethodLiterature Review and Conceptual Analysis

ProcedureThe study reviewed existing literature and established terminology regarding building service life prediction, focusing on identifying and analyzing the cause-effect processes underlying aging and decay, and emphasizing the interrelation between various end-of-life criteria.

ContextBuilding design, construction, and property management

Variables

IV["Individual criteria for end of service life (e.g., structural failure, functional obsolescence, aesthetic decay, economic viability)"]

DV["Overall service life of a building or component"]

CV["Building type, climate, usage patterns, maintenance regimes"]

Strengths & Limitations

Strengths

+Synthesizes a broad range of existing knowledge on service life prediction.
+Emphasizes a crucial, often overlooked, aspect of design: the interconnectedness of factors.

Limitations

This research is based on a review of existing literature and may not capture all specific nuances of every building type or component.

Reliability & validity

The reliability of the findings depends on the quality and comprehensiveness of the reviewed literature. Validity is strengthened by the consensus-building nature of academic commissions and standards bodies mentioned.

Think critically

How might a designer proactively design for the *interplay* of obsolescence factors, rather than just addressing each factor individually?

Design Principles

"Holistic lifecycle assessment and design for interconnectedness."

For designers and engineers, this highlights the need for a holistic approach to building design and maintenance. By considering how different aspects of a building's performance and degradation influence each other, more robust and longer-lasting structures can be created, reducing the need for premature replacement and associated resource consumption.

What This Means for Your Design

Think about how different parts of a building work together. If one part starts to fail, it can affect others, and this can lead to the whole building needing to be replaced sooner than expected. Considering these connections helps make buildings last longer.

How to use in your project

1.Use this insight to justify a holistic approach to your design problem, arguing that a comprehensive analysis of interconnected factors is necessary for effective design.

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Quick Cite

Paragraph starter

This research highlights the critical importance of a holistic perspective in understanding product service life. By recognizing that various factors, such as material degradation, functional obsolescence, and user behavior, are interconnected, designers can develop more robust strategies to extend a product's lifespan and mitigate premature end-of-life scenarios. This approach moves beyond isolated problem-solving to a systems-level understanding, crucial for sustainable design practices.

Source

Buildings

Causal Effects between Criteria That Establish the End of Service Life of Buildings and Components

journal · 2022

View source

Questions About This Research

What does the research say about interconnected criteria extend building service life?: Adopt a systems-thinking approach to building design and lifecycle management, recognizing that multiple factors contribute to service life and that their interactions are crucial. Evidence: Buildings (2022).
Why does "Interconnected Criteria Extend Building Service Life" matter for design?: For designers and engineers, this highlights the need for a holistic approach to building design and maintenance. By considering how different aspects of a building's performance and degradation influence each other, more robust and longer-lasting structures can be created, reducing the need for premature replacement and associated resource consumption.
How can designers apply this research?: Adopt a systems-thinking approach to building design and lifecycle management, recognizing that multiple factors contribute to service life and that their interactions are crucial.
What were the main findings?: Service life of buildings and components is determined by multiple interacting criteria, not isolated factors.. Ignoring the interrelation between these criteria leads to suboptimal decision-making and premature end-of-life.. Human behavior and the cohesive interaction of different systems are often overlooked but critical.
What research method was used?: Literature Review and Conceptual Analysis.
How strong is the evidence?: Evidence strength is rated Moderate effect, based on a 2022 journal from Buildings.
What should I do differently in my next project?: When designing a new building or planning renovations, map out all potential end-of-life triggers and analyze how they might influence each other over time. For example, how does a change in building envelope performance affect internal environmental conditions and occupant comfort, potentially leading to functional obsolescence?
What are the limitations?: The study is a review and does not present new empirical data; specific quantitative relationships between criteria were not established.