IDCOP

Innovation in design construction and operation of buildings for people

 

Innovation in Design, Construction & Operation of Buildings for People (IDCOP) is a multi institutional research programme funded under the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) Sustainable Urban Environment (SUE) programme. The aim of the IDCOP consortium is to find new ways to improve the performance of building envelopes over the whole building life cycle.

The challenge for this research is to achieve a more sustainable urban environment which benefits people, creating a higher quality of life in their urban environments. The research focuses on the existing UK building stock. Within the research, new technologies and processes for maintenance and refurbishment of existing buildings are developed and promoted.

Solution Approach

The mission of the IDCOP consortium is to study people focused systems and to derive models and theories that explain and describe these systems. The consortium investigates how innovative technologies can be used for new / improved products and processes in order to reduce any adverse effects on buildings and the environment. The ideas for new solutions are:

  • To develop sustainable façade technologies and enhanced methods for building refurbishment.
  • To reduce the consumption of non-renewable resources in a way that is economically viable and socially acceptable.

Sustainability is considered from people, process and product perspectives for multi-storey, multi-occupancy buildings in both the domestic and commercial sector. From the perspective of facade refurbishment IDCOP focuses on three basic architectural envelope types, their benefits and constraints as well as their applicability for refurbishment:

  • Single skin envelopes
  • Double skin envelopes
  • Climatic envelopes

Partners

The IDCOP consortium is a multi-disciplinary team of researchers. It comprises architects, engineers, technologists, psychologists and social scientists. The partners within the consortium include: Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), ARUP, University of Greenwhich, University of Reading and the University of Southampton.

The work of the IDCOP consortium is supported by several industrial partners contributing to the research programme. These partners include, BP Solar, Bennett Burrows Limited, Castle Point Borough Council, Faber Maunsell, Hamlet Habitats, Hyde Housing Association, Marley Building Materials Ltd., Parchment Housing Group, Peabody Design Group, Sustainable Homes and The Housing Corporation.

For more information on the project including project outcomes such as the IDCOP Scientific Report Series and Detailed IDCOP Reports, please visit the IDCOP website at https://www.eco-networks.org/idcop/index.html