The Constructor's Role in a Built Environment Innovation Challenge

This content is intended for students who are exploring the role of a Constructor (or Construction Manager) as a part of a Built Environment Innovation Challenge. Designers and constructors are sometimes integral to the same organization, such as a Design-Build firm. In the context of a Built Environment Innovation Challenge, constructors refer to those professionals that provide the essential services necessary to realize a coordinated solution to owner requirements. These services include:

• Planning
• Permitting
• Estimating
• Scheduling
• Sub-contract administration
• Procurement
• Logistics
• Supervisory control

This essential role spans from the early planning and development of projects, through project execution and delivery (or realization). A Construction Manager should have a good understanding of the basics concepts of project management and control and must integrate key information from this understanding into the layers of the information model established by the Designer early in project planning and development efforts. This is essential for increasing the likelihood that the (virtual) information model can be a successfully realized. For the information model to be successfully realized, the built environment system that it visualizes and simulates should be able to demonstrate to the owner (virtually) that the system solution is constructable, and the most efficient and effective approach to constructing it.

The early planning and project development role of the Construction Manager (in response to the owner's Request For Support, and in collaboration with the owner and designer) is the primary focus of a Built Environment Innovation Challenge.

Project Planning & Scheduling

As introduced above, construction managers must understand the basic concepts of project management and control. Construction managers recognize the need for both project planning and scheduling, and why those two activities are different but dependent. With a mastery of these basic concepts construction managers are ready for estimating and scheduling techniques, selection of construction activities, the criteria for selecting a project scheduling approach, and the basic concepts of construction logic. This type of information makes up an essential source of the non-graphical content contributed to the building information modelling done by the project delivery team on a high performing project.

Project Planning

A construction project can be a complex choreography involving many activities and players. Compared to a manufacturing system such as an assembly line, individual construction projects are more inherently unique in both design and execution. This aspect is why many built environment projects contain opportunities for innovation during their delivery. Projects can often be accomplished using a variety of means and methods. The tasks that make up a project may be accomplished with some variation in sequence. However, construction managers must effectively plan to organize complex tasks so that they are accomplished on time, in the right order, and coordinated with other activities on the site for minimal disruption. Planning involves the process of selecting the most appropriate method and order of work. Project planning and plans may be general to detailed in nature but should always sufficiently address the following items:

• What tasks to perform.
• How to perform them.
• Who will perform them.
• The order or sequence of performance.

After the construction manager has sufficiently addressed these items, informed project scheduling can start.

Project Scheduling

Scheduling involves the determination of the timing and sequence of operations in the project and their assemblage that results in overall project duration. This forms a baseline that allows for an objective measure of progress and predictability of completion by an expected date. The schedule is and expression of a rational allocation of time and resources to each activity that must be completed in order for the project to be completed.

Project Activities

Recall that during the planning process, the construction manager establishes the activities that must be accomplished for project completion. In general, activities must be:

• Discrete. Defined by a known scope, known duration, known resources, and specific start and end dates.
• Measurable. The work included within the scope of the activity must be measurable in some objective way (e.g. % completed).
• Significant. The activity must have an effect on the project's overall completion.

When selecting activities, construction managers need to consider the following things:

• Specific pay or bid items that are broken out in bid or payment schedule documentation.
• Subcontracted items such as roofing, Heating Ventilation & Air Conditioning HVAC work, structural steel erection, etc.
• System & specification section items.
• Major project milestones including completion dates, ends of phases, etc.
• Coordination points include where different subcontractors interact or coordination with the owner or other parties, projects, or contracts is required.
• Trades & Trade Phases may be broken down individually and possibly by locations or areas of work.

Project activities can be grouped hierarchically within these four general levels (from highest to lowest):

• Project Phases
• Major activities
• Minor activities
• Milestones

Project phases may have multiple uses and durations from months to years. At the highest level of project planning, the owner can identify phases such as project funding, delivery team selection, and execution. The project team can also look at different phases of execution, especially in those cases where the execution agreement (contract) is large and complex and the execution team needs to maintain visibility and control of things like:

• Separable completion dates for different items of work.
• Priority of effort on different items of work.
• Scheduling constraints and requirements, including known/planned work stoppages, etc.
• Work sequencing constraints

The next level down in the hierarchy of project planning is the major or master activity. These activities may range in duration from weeks to months. They are typically based upon major construction trades such as "steelworkers", or specification divisions such as "Concrete", or on subcontracted items such as "Sprinkler Systems". Master activities are useful for breaking down the project into manageable pieces, which can then be allocated out to different members of the project delivery team (e.g. estimators, subcontractors, etc.) Simple bar charts based upon activities at roughly this level of detail may be generated from the building information modelling tool to help concisely explain the execution of project.

The Constructor's Deliverables

1. Post a response to the Request For Support (RFS) for open-source Planning and Project Development (PPD) posted by the owner:

Constructors will post a open source proposal in response to the Request For Support (RFS) for open-source Planning and Project Development (PPD) posted by the owner that is similar, informed by, and complementary to the Designer's deliverables. In the case of design-build firms the designer and constructor are the same.

After a careful review of all the open source content posted by the owner (as well as any open source Request For Information (RFI) content that has been posted by designer) the constructor should also formulate, organize, and consolidate any questions the constructor has about the owner's requirements (or the designer's response content) into a concise, organized, and summarized group of RFI's.

Be sure to request a time limit for responses to the RFI(s) from the owner and designer. This is so that the owner and designer has an understanding of when the constructor needs them, for a complete and timely response in support the owner's timeframe allotted for the PPD effort. Review any responses the owner provides to the RFI(s) by the time requested, and publish an open source written response to the owners RFS by the time requested by the owner. The RFS response should make it clear how the constructors' knowledge, skills, and abilities support the delivery of a solution that meets or exceeds owner-expressed requirements.

2. Post an Assessment of the Preliminary Information Model Developed for Project Inception.

Constructors must carefully review all available content in the designer's preliminary information model and provide the owner and designer a summary of general planning assumptions and post a preliminary open-source assessment of the following items:

a. Constructability

Tasks that are not realistically achievable in the time and space allotted, using readily available equipment, skills, or materials represent potential issues that make successful construction unlikely. For example, a multi-story structure may not be realistic to construct in a location without sufficient maneuver area for a crane. In other cases permitting or regulatory requirements may preclude the possibility of certain kinds of construction in certain areas. For example a municipality may enact a building code that prohibits the construction of any multi-story structures in certain locations.

b. Main Cost Drivers

Tasks or activities that may involve procurement of expensive materials, equipment, fixtures, furnishings, or systems can be among the major factors that influence project cost. For example, installation of interior finishes can significantly effect overall cost depending on the kinds of finishes and materials chosen. Tasks or activities that involve mobilization of expensive equipment or require highly specialized technical, trade, or professional services should be considered here. Medical or scientific equipment with extensive installation requirements are an example.

c. Main Schedule Drivers

Tasks or activities that need to be performed at specific times along a critical path of related interdependent activities can all have significant influence on the overall schedule of the project. For example, certain underground utility installation tasks and activities must be complete before paving activities planned for the same location can start. Required procurements that have a long lead time to delivery can also influence the overall schedule of the project. Large electrical or mechanical equipment like transformers, motors, or refrigeration systems can take weeks, months, or years from the time ordered to when it can be delivered for installation. In some cases there may also be time constraints imposed by local cultural, climatic, meteorological, or environmental conditions on certain tasks or activities. Events like local holidays and seasonal constraints can greatly effect the timing of tasks and overall project schedule.

3. Post a Ganntt Chart of the Project Schedule

Using the general planning assumptions from the preliminary information model assessment, post an open source Ganntt Chart. GannttProject is one example of a free, open-source tool available to Constructors for creating this type of content. This content should complement the preliminary information model. The purpose of the content is to give the owner and designer an initial sense of the hierarchy of phases, major activities, minor activities, and milestones that help illustrate the constructors intended management approach.

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