The Pentagon: An Intelligent Renovation?
Abstract
Maintenance of the Pentagon has been neglected during its 50 year life, and it has numerous structural, mechanical, electrical, plumbing and information management and telecommunications deficiencies. In 1989, the Congress approved Department of Defense initiative to completely renovate the Pentagon over a period a approximately twelve years. The renovation provides the Department of Defense an opportunity to modernize its headquarters into an efficient, cost effective, and flexible building structure which will facilitate change, and above all, be responsive to its users. In recent years, technology has significantly reduced the cost of automated building systems (e.g., heating, ventilating, air conditioning, lighting, fire, life safety, security) and information management and telecommunications systems. It has contributed to the realization of two important goals: increasing the productivity of the orgnaizations within a building and reducing building life cycle costs. The "intelligent building" concept as espoused by the Intelligent buildings Institute (IBI) of Washington D.C. and documented in the Army's Functional Description for Intelligent Buildings, capitalizes on these new technologies and emphasizes importance of building life-cycle costs. This concept also advocates designing buildings to accommodate long-term technological change. It also encompasses the growing emphasis on creating a work environment to enhance worker performance, understanding, communications, overall productivity, and mental and physical health. The trend is to consider the building as a significant tool in the accomplishment of tasks rather than merely a structure to house personnel and equipment.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 01, 1994
- Accession Number
- ADA288407
Entities
People
- Fredrick R. Budd
Organizations
- National Defense University