ABSTRACT
In dealing with such general terms as economics and quality in the context of the built environment, it is important to provide a problem statement. Any proposal for a process or method addressing these issues must, for example, be clear if this applies to an individual component of the building and the time scale of its applicability. Any new technique that improves work efficiency for a site operation or office procedure can be claimed to improve quality and lead to economic solution to the problem. The totality of the problem of providing a client with an economical solution to his housing (shelter) requirements over a period of time is apparently much more complex. This was highlighted over two decades ago by the Building Performance Research Unit of the University of Strathclyde (Markus, 1972). It is typical of a complex problem that it cannot be solved at the level at which it is stated and that there is no perfect solution.
