Main Agenda - Wednesday, 25th November 2009

Registration and refreshments

Opening address from the Chair

What does the future hold for the tall buildings market?

• An overview of world markets – where are the future construction opportunities for tall buildings?
• Which sectors are likely to be the most buoyant and where are the greatest opportunities?
• Is the future of newbuild low rise?

Assessing the commercial viability of tall buildings in the current economic climate – making it work financially

• Evaluating the risk associated with tall structures – how feasible are they economically?
• What are the economic drivers to build ever-taller structures?
• What value do tall buildings add to developments?
• Making sure the numbers stack up when you market your design to the client

Question and answer session

The developer’s perpective – what do clients want?

• Optimising the lettability of the building – maximising use of space
• Bringing the build costs down through innovative technical design
• Co-ordinating projects better so that clients get a cheaper, quicker and more unique building
• Evaluating all the risks and costs at an early stage so that the client has an accurate picture of how the project will progress

Developer Panel

Some of London’s highest profile property developers will give a unique insight into some of their current projects. Focusing on:

• Design
• Cost
• Profitabilty
• Project co-ordination and timescales

Morning refreshments

Value engineering – innovation in materials

• Developments in super-strenth concrete and their applications
• Other high strength materials
• What are the alternatives to using glass?
• The pros and cons of reinforced concrete v structural steel frames

The wind tunnel as a tool for tall building design

• Using accurate wind loading assessment to anticipate potential issues in tall building design
  
• Incorporating wind tunnel testing into the early stages of design in order to minimise costs
• Reducing risks associated to unforeseen architectural shape/structural system changes by understanding how to control wind-induced dynamic excitation as part of the schematic design process

Question and answer session

Lunch

Cost effective integration of the M&E services

• Incorporating a district heating system into the design
• Delivering a quality compliant building whilst reducing the running costs
• Reducing plant space to provide the optimum amount of lettable floorspace
• What are the opportunities to reduce the carbon footprint of a tall structure and how can running costs be reduced by this?

Maximising core efficiency in vertical transportation

• Designing vertical transportations systems that make efficient use of core space and meet safety standards
• Reducing the need for as many lifts within the building
• Making use of the latest technological developments and research in vertical transportation

Case Studies: Overcoming key technical challenges in basement and foundation construction in urban and new environments

Elizabeth House

• Designing a new basement extending to within 2m of the Bakerloo Line
• Predicting the anticipated tunnel and escalator displacements
  

• Reusing the existing double level basement walls
• Incorporating the existing heavy pad foundations into the piled scheme
• Settlement prediction of pile groups using 3D finite element software
  

Question and answer session

Afternoon refreshments

Case Study - The kilometer+ high Nakheel Tall Tower, Dubai

• Exploring the cost drivers and commerciality behind the design
• What was the client looking for from the design?
• Ensuring constructability of the design
• Evaluating the mix of uses and how they work together
• Core design and efficient use of the floor plates
• Engagement of all elements to participate in all aspects of design
• Resiliency and robustness
• Understanding the wind forces and its interaction with structure at heights over a kilometers

Case Study Two - The Pinnacle

• Making tall buildings respond to their environment
• The impact of facades (facades as a cost driver in tall buildings)
• Plant strategy
• Core design and maximising the nett lettable area
• Turning the challenges into an engineering reality

Question and answer session

Closing remarks from the Chair and end of conference