One of the first implementations of performance-based building design requirements was in Hammurabi's Code (c. 1795 to 1750 BC), where is stated that "a house should not collapse and kill anybody".
This concept is also described in Vitruvius's "De architectura libri decem" ("The Ten Books of Architecture") in first century BC.In modern times, the first definition of performance-based building design was introduced in 1965 in France by Blachère with the Agrément system [2] Despite this, the building process remained relatively conventional for the next 50 years, based solely on experience and codes, regulations prescribed by law which stifled innovations and change.
The PeBBu Network had a broad and varied programme, a set of activities and produced many papers to aid in the implementation of such vision.
A conceptual framework for implementing a PBB market was identified while reviewing various viewpoints during the compilation of the 2nd International State of the Art Report for the PeBBu Thematic Network (Becker and Foliente 2005).
It includes many topics and criteria, which can be categorized as physical, functional, environmental, financial, economical, psychological, social, facilities, and other more.
Szigeti and Davis (Performance Based Building: Conceptual Framework, 2005) explain that "the dialog between client and supplier can be described as two halves of a "hamburger bun", with the statement of the requirement in functional or performance language (FC - functional concept) matched to a solution (SC - solution concept) in more technical language, and the matching, verification / validation that needs to occur in between".
In a recent paper Ang, Groosman, and Scholten (2005) explain that the functional concept represents the set of unquantified objectives and scopes to be satisfied by the supply solutions, related to performance requirements.
Normally, the most valuable methods and tools are comprehensive scans which are performance based and include metrics that can easily be measured without lab-type instruments.
There are some tools explicitly based on the demand and supply concepts and other ones which employ standardized performance metrics that for the first time link facility condition to the functional requirements of organizations and their customers.
One of the methodologies that can be used is a gap analysis based on calibrated scales that measure both the levels of requirements and the capability of the asset that is either already used, or being designed, or offer to be bought, or leased.
There are a large number of verification methodologies, (e.g. POEs, CRE-FM), and all of these need to refer back to explicit statements of requirements to be able to compare with expected performance.
These tools are the reference of whole life cycle building process, so organizations use 'key performance indicators (KPI)' to prove that they are meeting the targets that have been set by senior management.
This type of approach is strictly mandated by a combination of law, codes, standards, and regulations, and is based on past experience and consolidated know-how.
The Statements of Requirements represents a reference for the whole life cycle management of facilities, they are the core of the conceptual framework came up from the PeBBu Thematic Network.
The SoRs is a document prepared by clients, or in the verbal statements communicated to supplies, it is based on the user functional needs.
SoRs will take different forms depending on the kind of client and what is being procured, at what phase of the Life Cycle or where in the supply chain a document is being used.
The SoRs represent a very important part of a continuous process of communication between clients (demand) and their project team (supply), they will be updated and managed using computerized tools and will contain all requirements throughout the life of the facility.
High level statement of requirements need to be paired with indicators of capability so design solutions can be evaluated before they are built in order to avoid mistakes.
As part of the worldwide movement to implement a PBB approach and to develop tools that will make it easier to shift to PBB, the International Alliance for Interoperability (IAI) set up projects to map the processes that are part of Whole Life Cycle Management as Portfolio and Asset Management: Performance (PAMPeR) and Early Design" (ED).
In the building and construction industry, until 25–30 years old, prescriptive codes, regulations and standards made innovation and change difficult and costly to implement, and created technical restrictions to trade.
This is shown in the "Total Performance System Models" diagram (Meacham, et al. 2002), that maps the flow of decision making from society and business objectives to construction solutions.
To get the benefits from these procurement approaches, it is essential to organize the services of the supply chain in order to get innovative, less costly, or better solutions by shifting decisions about "how" to the integrated team.