Buildings Working
> and development and to the more reflective processes expectations during design and delivery; preparing for
of institutions and academics, so that we can all learn handover; initial aftercare in the weeks immediately
as quickly as possible. after handover; and extended aftercare and feedback
How can we transform the industry? Principally, I see over the first three years of occupancy. Professionals will
it as a change in the attitudes we all bring to our work. It no longer regard ‘practical completion’ as the end of the
is no longer acceptable for design engineers simply to project, but an event in the middle of a broader ‘finish’
walk away at ‘practical completion’. We have to get more stage, which links completion and commissioning with
engaged in the outcomes of what we do: communicating occupation and aftercare.
design intent to users and managers, understanding UBT is currently working with Mark Way, BSRIA and
what they do, examining what really happens, tuning it a project group of industry practitioners to develop a
up where we can, and carrying back the lessons. published framework for Soft Landings, to allow the
This is a huge task. We could have started long ago, approach to be adopted on a much larger scale. We
This is a huge
but we can’t change everything with a snap of the fingers. hope this will help evaluation and understanding of
task. We could
How do we get there from here? One brick in the wall performance in use to become a routine activity for
is a process known as Soft Landings. This was initiated building professionals, helping us to learn rapidly from
have started
by the architect Mark Way, when at RMJM London, and our experiences, to reduce credibility gaps between
long ago but we
researched in 2002-04 by Mark with a team put together expectations and outcomes, and to move post-occupancy
can’t change
by the Estates Department at Cambridge University, evaluation from post-mortem to life support. l
which included designers, contractors, and project
everything
managers working there at the time.
Bill Bordass is research and policy adviser for the Usable
with a snap of
Soft Landings can run alongside and complement
Buildings Trust, an independent charity that promotes
better buildings through the more effective use of
the fingers
any procurement system, so one can make a difference
feedback on how they work.
without changing everything. It places an increased
bilbordass@aol.com /
www.usablebuildings.co.uk
emphasis on five main areas: briefing; managing
44 CIBSE Journal February 2009
www.cibsejournal.com
CIBSEfeb09pp42-44 buildings•.indd 44 5/2/09 14:21:22
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