The primary objective of this project is to model the benefits of improved seismic performance of the UCB Life Sciences Building (LSB) from the standpoint of campus functionality. The project thus focuses on benefits other than those to the LSB occupants themselves. A secondary objective is to demonstrate how these benefits can be incorporated in a benefit-cost analysis or other comparison to the investment costs.

This project will contribute to the UCB Life Sciences Building testbed by exploring the wider implications of damage to the LSB itself for campus-wide functions. By exploring and quantifying such issues as the substitutability of floorspace, it will improve understanding of the spatial and functional interrelationships between the LSB and other buildings. This will be important for moving the testbed scope from the building to the campus level of analysis.

In order to assess the benefits of improved Life Sciences Building (LSB) seismic performance for the broader campus, GIS-based models will be developed of campus functionality. Databases will first be gathered on UC Berkeley campus buildings. The information to be collected includes GIS data on building locations, floorspace tabulations by use, and occupancy and capacity. Data collection will be closely coordinated with M. Comerio’s current work on inventory development for the campus. Interviews will be conducted with UCB campus space planners.

From the databases and interviews, a categorization of key campus functions will be defined with reference to building space needs. Examples may include “large classes with A/V capability,” “general administration,” or “high-security laboratory functions.” A campus building inventory will be developed according to this categorization. Emphasis will be placed on functions relevant to the LSB.

A preliminary model of campus functions will then be developed. Functions will be defined in terms of the substitutability of floorspace within and across categories. Potential factors may include not only attributes of the floorspace itself, but also collocation or proximity to other uses. Interviews with the campus planners – both at UCB and at the University of Washington – will furnish critical information for this phase of the research. In this preliminary model, emphasis will be placed on LSB-related functions. The functions model will then be tied into the GIS database on UCB campus buildings. This will allow visualization and analysis of linkages across campus based on floorspace functionality.

The model will be applied in a simple scenario demonstration that compares the implications of two performance levels for the LSB building. The purpose of this analysis will be to test the modeling approach and demonstrate how it could be linked to performance assessments by other PEER researchers to evaluate the benefits of enhanced building performance. In reporting on the project, alternative metrics of the benefits of enhanced performance will be suggested and guidelines will be provided for incorporating them into a benefit-cost or other analysis.

This is a new project in Year 6. It will be initiated when we have received Year 6 funds. We anticipate the following accomplishments:

• GIS database of UCB floorspace linked to campus functions
• model of campus functions (preliminary)
• conference or journal paper.

We are not aware of any similar work being conducted outside PEER on campus loss modeling.

In Year 7, the functionality model will be refined to translate floorspace availability into alternative performance metrics, in particular, downtime. This will be coordinated with work by other PEER researchers (K. Porter, J. Beck, M. Comerio) on modeling decision variables for laboratory units. Additional data will be obtained from interviews with campus decision-makers, space planners, and emergency planners. In addition, guidelines will be developed for seismic evaluation studies of campus performance.

No results yet.

• Gather/assemble campus databases
• Analyze databases, conduct interviews, and define campus functions
• Develop and quantify campus functions model (preliminary)
• Write conference paper and/or journal article

GIS database of UCB floorspace linked to campus functions; model of campus functions (preliminary); and conference or journal paper.