Many areas of knowledge converge in the building industry and therefore research in this field necessarily involves an interdisciplinary approach. Effective research requires strong relation between a broad variety of scientific and technological domains and more conventional construction or craft processes, while also considering advanced management processes, where all the main actors permanently interact. This publication takes an interdisciplinary approach grouping various studies on the building industry chosen from among the works presented for the 2nd International Conference on Construction and Building Research. The papers examine aspects of materials and building systems; construction technology; energy and sustainability; construction management; heritage, refurbishment and conservation. The information contained within these pages may be of interest to researchers and practitioners in construction and building activities from the academic sphere, as well as public and private sectors.

Successful products require good decisions. Reliable information about what users are trying to achieve, their context and whether they can and will use your product is essential to making good product decisions. User researchers run robust and repeatable studies to find that information, but they need some tools and support to get started. Building User Research Teams is a practical guide on how to build a research team of any size, starting from convincing colleagues why they need a user research team, through the development and implementation of the tools and processes needed, to running high quality studies and mapping the future development of a growing research team. Learn how to: Advocate for user research inside your organisation Budget for and equip a research team Create the templates and tools needed to run research Run studies that are impactful and accurate Optimise your research team's workflow Grow a research team long-term This book is useful for: Companies looking to hire their first researcher New research leaders establishing a team Independent researchers in companies looking to maximise their impact Designers, product managers and UX professionals wanting to incorporate research best practice into their work

"This is a wonderful book with deep insight into the relationship between teachers′ action and result of student learning. It discusses from different angles impact of action research on student learning in the classroom. Writing samples provided at the back are wonderful examples." —Kejing Liu, Shawnee State University Teacher Action Research: Building Knowledge Democracies focuses on helping schools build knowledge democracies through a process of action research in which teachers, students, and parents collaborate in conducting participatory and caring inquiry in the classroom, school, and community. Author Gerald J. Pine examines historical origins, the rationale for practice-based research, related theoretical and philosophical perspectives, and action research as a paradigm rather than a method. Key Features Discusses how to build a school research culture through collaborative teacher research Delineates the role of the professional development school as a venue for constructing a knowledge democracy Focuses on how teacher action research can empower the active and ongoing inclusion of nontraditional voices (those of students and parents) in the research process Includes chapters addressing the concrete practices of observation, reflection, dialogue, writing, and the conduct of action research, as well as examples of teacher action research studies

This volume employs a multidisciplinary approach to research on a high-profile topic very much on the agenda of state and national policy leaders: early childhood development and education. It aims to reflect how scholarly perspectives shape the contours of knowledge generation, and to illuminate the gaps that prevent productive interchange among scholars who value equity in the opportunities available to young children, their families, and teachers/caregivers. The editors and authors identify and prioritize critical research areas; assess the state of the field in terms of promising research designs and methodologies; and identify capacity-building needs and potential cross-group collaborations.

Planning to initiate designs for government, academic, and private research laboratories? Here's the nuts-and-bolts design guidelines that will start any project off on the right track and keep it there through completion. Filled with project photographs, diagrams, floor plans, sections, and details, Combines in-depth coverage of the structural, mechanical, energy, cost, and safety issues that are unique to research laboratories. Order your copy today!

Building Research Policies contains the proceedings of a seminar on Building Research Policies held in Gävle, Sweden, on May 23-27, 1977, under the auspices of the Committee on Housing, Building and Planning of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe. The seminar provided a forum for discussing policies for research and development work with respect to building materials, components, and construction. This book explores the various ways and means of planning, organizing, coordinating, and financing building research and development activities on the national level, taking into account both the short- and long-term needs of society. While the main emphasis is on governmental measures to support research activities carried out by universities, research organizations, and independent experts, the steps taken to help research and development in the building materials and construction industries, for example by fiscal action or aid to education and training activities, are also taken into account. The promotion of the use of research and development findings both nationally and internationally, and the methods by which international collaboration might stimulate research and development within countries and make it more efficient, are explored as well. This monograph will be of interest to researchers and engineers.