Civil Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Chapter 7
Protective Design Practice
7.1
Main Concerns
Even though unlike the other chapters in this topic in the contents of this section
there is no reference or direct relationship to the general fl ow of other chapters
which is energy conscious design and construction, but in a surprising relevant
way, it would be reasonable to assume that a fi rm which has not worries about, and
is not engaged in lawsuits or legal problems can produce higher quality designs
and products. In other words, the personnel and economical resources that is
utilized for fi ghting these unnecessary and unpleasant realities of professional
world can be diverted and focused on better training of the employees, achieving
basic and fundamental goals of any conscious architectural or engineering fi rm
such as designing and constructing high-performance buildings and saving energy
as a result. Also as I explained in earlier chapters of this topic more energy effi cient
and sustainable building design can be achieved from utilization of performance
based design due to its natural openness to innovations and new techniques that
naturally make this type of design more vulnerable to possible lawsuits. Therefore
understanding the basics of a protective design can indirectly but effectively help
the advancement of the general goal of this topic. This should be emphasized here
that the material discussed in this chapter are solely based on my limited knowl-
edge about the subject and by no means is based on neither my expertise in the
subject nor my attempt to give legal advice. The only purpose is to make the read-
ers familiar with the existence of such issues and encourage them to get legal
advice from proper authorities when needed.
Since design and construction are integrated tasks that require many different
professionals to act simultaneously without each of them having the real capability
or even knowledge of controlling how good the other members are performing their
designated responsibilities, it is critical for each fi rm and individual to protect their
own fi rm and themselves from possibility of being exposed to the possible legal
