Raised floor system: A paradigm of future office building fitout?

Publisher Summary The intelligent buildings are becoming increasingly popular for office buildings with the evolving requirements of the occupants and owners of office buildings, and with the emerging IT and telecommunication technologies. Raised floor systems (RFS), as a core component of intelligent building system and with its ability to integrate building control, wire and cable management, HVAC, power, connectivity, fire protection, security, and asset management into a whole system, has the potential of meeting the evolving requirements of office buildings. As RFS applications are becoming an integral module of intelligent building systems adopted in office buildings in the US and Europe, it is necessary to explore the potential and benefits of RFS under Australian conditions. A RFS research with Australian local characteristics is now being carried out at Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, dealing with product specification, whole of life cost-benefit analysis, constructability, utilities and system integration, and facility management during reconfiguration. The research might involve RFS installation, implementation, monitoring, and maintenance procedures.