Research and development needs for better implementation of the performance concept in building

Gaps in basic knowledge, inadequacies in the procedural infrastructure and lack of working tools, that still prevent a more systematic application of the performance concept throughout the building process, are identified. One of the main conclusions is that, despite the vast knowledge accumulated during the years in the fields of ergonometrics, human needs, human factor engineering, architectural design, structural analysis, building physics, building materials and durability analysis, this knowledge is not applied systematically during the building process. The situation is attributed to lack of tools for some of the decision making phases in the process, and to the lack of a common, preferably computerized, design platform that would ensure a comprehensive and quantitative approach to all the relevant performance attributes, link smoothly between the various phases along the project development, and minimizes bias caused by human experts.