PRR Project

Summary

With the topic of modular construction becoming increasingly relevant in striving for responsible consumption and production of natural resources, for a more sustainable built environment, and for reducing inequalities by creating more affordable housing opportunities in a currently challenging environment, it is expected that this research domain relevance keeps rising. Thus, BUILT CoLAB (BUILT) is committed to spearheading innovation in the modular construction and prefabrication research domain. This commitment is underscored by the development of modules tailored to industry needs, harnessing usage data to offer tools that facilitate the design and implementation process. These tools range from comprehensive libraries and modular building designs to room-level modulation techniques. BUILT´s initiative in this domain is not just an adaptation to an emerging trend but a strategic effort to contribute significantly to the field, aligning with its mission to broaden industry knowledge, support innovation, and provide access to highly skilled human resources. This strategic direction is further necessitated by the current shortfall in construction workers, a critical challenge that the construction industry faces in meeting demand. By automating and standardizing parts of the construction process, BUILT aims to mitigate the labor shortage while advancing sustainable and efficient building practices.The position involves exploring the application of advanced computational models to revolutionize the prefabrication process of building modules, with a keen focus on room types like bathrooms and bedrooms. The objective is to develop standardized modules through the analysis of real data, aiming to optimize geometry, cost, and carbon footprint. This analysis will draw upon architectural and engineering designs, primarily from Building Information Modelling (BIM) data. The role extends to the creation of accessible libraries for these modules and a generative tool for producing detailed production and assembly documentation.The job for the current position encompasses several main tasks. The first main task focuses on studying the feasibility of creating models trained on real data of different room types to output standardized modules for prefabrication. The research will investigate the application of Artificial Intelligence – AI, specifically Machine Learning – ML and Deep Learning – DL, in constructing, tuning, and deploying models that can facilitate this process.The second main task aims to investigate the potential of both desktop and web-based libraries that provide access to the modules generated by the trained models. This includes investigating how these libraries can allow for customization of finishing materials and equipment, and how they can enable users to compare modules based on common attributes. The research will explore the integration of these libraries within BIM software for professional use, as well as their application for a broader audience through web-based platforms.The third main task involves designing a generative tool that creates detailed production documents for the prefabricated modules. This tool will process visual and metadata information of modules to produce documentation necessary for manufacturing and assembly in factory or in situ. The research will explore the use of visualization libraries and the effective mapping of metadata to visual representations.The fourth main task includes drafting technical and scientific texts in the addressed research domains, promoting the dissemination of the achieved results and their adoption by the industry and academia, contributing to increased industry productivity and national research excellence. Participate in national and international conferences and events, with the same dissemination goal. The fulfilment of the last tasks creates the ground works for the development of guidelines for the modular construction and prefabrication sector in Portugal, by integrating a potential Technical Committee – TC on the subject.The last main task relates to collaborating in the preparation of national and international research projects applications, aimed at strengthening the funding for the addressed research domain, promoting not only its further exploration at the institutional level but also at the national and international levels by institutions collaborating during the applications. To fulfil these tasks, the prospective employee must showcase excellent domain over the Portuguese and English languages. The employee must also have excellent communication skills. Furthermore, the employee must showcase several other critical soft skills expected of an established researcher that will participate in both individual and team-oriented research tasks, namely, excellent organization, autonomy, proactivity, and teamwork. Motivation, dedication, and the desire to learn and improve are also key characteristics to have.