Origins: M+1A Method
The origins of IVEXSI are directly linked to the practical and technical development of the M+1A Method (Intelligent Vertical Expansion), conceived and initially implemented by Walter Afonso Filho during the process of vertically expanding his own existing building by one additional floor. This process is described in details on the book: Vertical Expansion Of Existing Buildings. ( see IVEXSI Book Libraire)
At the time of this intervention, the author identified a critical gap: despite the technical complexity and irreversible nature of vertical expansion in existing buildings, there was no structured, normalized or systematized framework capable of supporting professional decision-making in such contexts. The available references were fragmented, prescriptive, or limited to isolated calculations, offering no integrated view of responsibility, risk, value and long-term consequences.
The initial application of the M+1A Method emerged as a pragmatic attempt to organize decisions related to that specific expansion.
However, as the process evolved, it became evident that the method, in its early form, was incomplete. The absence of standardized principles, decision hierarchies, accountability structures and governance mechanisms revealed that vertical expansion required far more than technical intuition or conventional engineering practice.
This realization marked a turning point. The author identified the need to define foundational guidelines capable of structuring vertical expansion as a distinct engineering discipline. From this point forward, the M+1A Method began to incorporate and formalize multiple technical dimensions, including:
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decision engineering and professional accountability;
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value engineering and economic coherence;
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risk analysis under uncertainty;
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structural assessment of existing load-bearing systems;
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evaluation of lightweight materials and construction strategies;
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regulatory, legal and lifecycle considerations.
As these guidelines were progressively defined, it became clear that the challenges encountered were not individual or project-specific, but systemic and global. The lack of international references, standardization and institutional governance represented the principal obstacle to safe and responsible vertical expansion practices.
To address this structural deficiency, the International Vertical Engineering Standardization Institute (IVEXSI) was established as an autonomous and independent international institution. While the M+1A Method remains a fundamental technical precursor, IVEXSI was created to operate beyond any single method, project or commercial application, focusing exclusively on standardization, governance frameworks and professional certification.
IVEXSI thus represents the institutional response to the limitations identified during the development of the M+1A Method, transforming a practical engineering challenge into a globally oriented normative system for intelligent vertical expansion.
