Sustainable Refurbishment Limitations

This paper aims at discussing the existing limitations in the sustainable refurbishment. By definition, sustainable refurbishment can be defined as the process of improving existing buildings purposely to improve their environmental performance (Pombo, Rivela and Neila, 2016, p. 88). According to architectures, this process entails a maximization of sustainable methods and materials. In these recent times, the most common sustainable refurbishment performed on buildings include the installation of renewable energy sources and improvement on ventilation. Also, recycling material during the refurbishment is regarded as a sustainable refurbishment process because it is environmentally friendly.

In this paper, various suggestions for sustainable refurbishment shall include that are aimed at improving the environment shall be outlined in detail. In this research, a methodology that comprises multiple dimension in the field of architecture and art shall be used. The methodology would put into consideration some of the essential aspects of architecture. This way, a deeper understanding of sustainable refurbishment and the limitations encountered shall be achieved. The multiple dimensions to be used shall relate to a variety of approaches. Among these approaches include building occupancy, environmental, and techno-economic approach (Pombo, Rivela and Neila, 2016, p. 91).

Sustainable development involves some processes that are to benefit various parties in the construction sector. As a result, architects have resolved to measures that reduce energy consumption by refurbishing buildings and fitting them with new facilities. However, in the course of refurbishing buildings for sustainable development, architects encounter lots of limitations. To curb such limitations, new approaches that did not exist in the past have been developed. Also, friendly building evaluation methods and systems have been developed to help in sustainable development. For instance, the methods need to enhance the effectiveness of water among other reasons (Lou, Lee and Welfle, 2017, p. 311). This helps improve the quality of life by a great stride.

Literature Review

Due to the increase in the cost of materials and resources used in the refurbishment of buildings, architectures have opted to maximize on the available resources. This has led to economic investments in Vacuum Insulation Panels (VIPs). In most cases, the VIPs are configured with supplementary insulation. For example, the refurbishment of wall cross-sections of already existing buildings. This strategy of utilizing energy consumption is mostly implemented in the United Kingdom. Architectures have gone an extra mile to identify several aspects that will overcome the limitations existing in the field of architecture.

According to scholars, sustainable methods that are used are in line with the continuous increasing levels of renewable energy (Lou, Lee and Welfle, 2017, p. 317). In the United Kingdom (UK), approximately 500, 000 apartments have undergone renovation. These renovations seek at transforming the buildings into current energy efficiency requirements that meet the modern standard. Currently, new buildings in the UK are energy efficient as possible. In refurbishing buildings, there are some factors to consider. These factors include societal targets for moisture and good indoor setting. In consideration of such factors, a ‘healthy building’ that is environmentally friendly is achieved.

Among the numerous limitations that contributed to inefficiency within the building sector are motivational factors. Most of the buildings constructed in the last decades in the UK are not energy efficient. According to scholars, such houses contribute to high greenhouse emissions. Such houses also result in a waste of energy. Nowadays, both building owners and building occupants opt for minimal energy expenses. This is among the numerous measures of restoration that are building owners are seeking in sustainable development. There is a need to venture into measures that enable sustainable development due to the advantages that result. For instance, it helps improve the environment.

Despite the numerous advantages of refurbishing buildings, there exist challenges that architectures encounter. First, an assessment needs to be performed of the existing condition. In most cases, refurbishment projects require architects to perform both aesthetic and technical assessments before designing measures that are to be used (Lund, Haddadi, Lohne and Bjørberg, 2016, p. 427). From research findings, some architects regard refurbishment of buildings to be challenging as compared to starting a project from ground zero.

As for an already existing project, there is a need for a refurbishment framework that will comply with the existing frame of the project to be refurbished. As a result, more time and effort is required to make refurbishment of buildings a success. In the context of effort, architects need to perform a feasibility study. During the study, the architects are supposed to find out on the advantages of taking part in the refurbishment programs for sustainability development. 

Another limitation of refurbishing buildings is that it is mandatory for architects to comply or adhere to the structural components of the building (Lund, Haddadi, Lohne and Bjørberg, 2016, p. 427). This hinders further developments as the proposed constructions need to comply with the technical components of the original building. Also, the cost of refurbishing a building is more expensive than that of constructing a new structure. This is because the actual construction of refurbishing a building comprises of expenses of both the new and old.

To effectively refurbish a building, it is important to take financial risks due to the unforeseen deterioration that may occur during the process. As such, the financial risk is a challenge among architects. This is because most architects concentrate on refurbishing buildings on small budgets. Despite the environmental advantages of refurbishing buildings, more attention needs to be put on sustaining buildings. This way, the potential of reducing greenhouse gas emissions through building refurbishment is achieved (Lund, Haddadi, Lohne and Bjørberg, 2016, p. 429).

Both human-caused and natural disasters affect buildings. It is, therefore, the mandate of architectures to design buildings and other infrastructural structures that can withstand such phenomena. In this context, there are some questions architectures pose before embarking on the process of refurbishing buildings for sustainable development. Examples of such questions include:

  • What are the economic benefits of refurbishing a building?
  • What are that target areas within the building that are to be refurbished? Is it only the thermal insulation or there exists other refurbishment needs?
  • In case of a demolition, what are the adaptive reuse of this building?
  • What is the impact of the renovation, demolition or refurbishment to the society?

In answering these questions, the refurbishment of buildings is performed in a manner that is in accordance to sustainable development. Also, such questions act as a pivot in enabling preliminary decisions that are essential in the construction sector. A comparison between a historical landmark and a residential building on the basis of a criterion for limitations prove that historical landmarks possess more (Oregi, Hernandez, and Hernandez, 2017, p. 12). According to scholars, the refurbishment of buildings is mainly performed by sustainable agendas. However, some architectures base their refurbishment programs on economic agendas.

Refurbishing Buildings

Architectures are involved in refurbishing buildings for various reasons. Despite refurbishing buildings enabling building restoration, it also enables heritage restoration. For instance, in the UK, reconstruction of historical buildings is a common measure of restoring the country’s heritage restoration. However, this differs in other countries. For example, in the United States, the reconstruction of historic buildings is not necessarily (Oregi, Hernandez, and Hernandez, 2017, p. 14). By doing this, the United States saves finances.

Architectures are striving to overcome the limitations of refurbishing buildings because of the environmental aspects that result from the process of sustainable development. For example, the construction of new high-performance buildings positively contributes to the initiatives set for the global green agenda. However, there are sustainability requirements that contractors need to meet to construct energy efficient and environmentally friendly buildings. According to scholars, architectures need to base their choices on environmental and economic evaluations (Noori, Saruwono, Adnan and Rahmat, 2016, p. 253). Failure to which the refurbishment of buildings would not be in accordance to the set sustainable refurbishment development.

Sustainable Refurbishment Dissertation
Sustainable Refurbishment Dissertation

According to scholars, building sustainability assessments is exceptional. The exception is in the sense of result objectivity (Noori, Saruwono, Adnan and Rahmat, 2016, p. 256). Factors that contribute to this exception include the usage precision of the resources used during refurbishment and elimination of inaccuracies of methods previously used for sustainable refurbishment development. Despite the pre-study architects take, there is a need for an evaluation of the chosen approach by use of certain criteria to find out the efficiency of the approach to be implemented. For instance, in the UK, the BREEAM method is used during the assessment of qualitative indicators. However, the BREEAM approach depends on factors as the qualification of the experts to be involved in the refurbishing of buildings for sustainable development (Noori, Saruwono, Adnan and Rahmat, 2016, p. 257).

Refurbishing buildings have been presented in various assessment criteria. These include:

  • Sustainability of management: This enables close supervision of the sustainability practices to be performed. For example, the sustainability of work planning.  
  • Appropriateness of materials: This entails all the elements necessary for construction. For example, the insulating items to be used during refurbishing buildings.
  • Health and welfare: In this context, there are a number of factors that need to be considered to enable efficient sustainable development. Examples include indoor air quality and insulating items such as sound insulating items.
  • Energy: To conserve energy, buildings are refurbished with devices such as emitting technologies.
  • Pollution: The process of refurbishing buildings need to be environment-friendly. This means that the process should not contribute to pollution but instead initiate measures that will help curb further pollution.
  • Water availability: Designs aimed at enabling water conservation are considered during the refurbishment of buildings. Technology has enabled architects to install water leakage detectors in houses to help in conserving water. Another measure of conserving water is the possibility of water recycling.
  • Innovations: Architects install devices that are aimed at making life easier. Examples of innovations that have improved the quality of life include integration options.

Therefore, refurbishing a building for sustainable refurbishment development is bound to a number of principles. Putting into consideration these principles helps overcome the limitation of sustainable development. For instance, the use of life cycle framework and the recognition of the complexity of the sustainability concept (Turner et al., 2016, p. 199). Also, putting into considerations such frameworks allows the architects to easily relate to the crucial aspects of the decision-making process such as the social and economic aspects.

Possible Problems and Potential Solutions

The problems encountered in the construction sector can be solved in various ways. Nowadays, the advancement of technology has eased problems of a minimum magnitude that architects could not get rid of in the past. For instance, site selection was a major problem in the past years. By use of modern technology, architects can locate better sites for refurbishing. Also, the advancement of technology has made it possible for manufacturing companies to manufacture facilities that are energy efficient and environmentally friendly. Yearly, new designs are designed to replace the existing facilities.

In this context, there exist drawbacks during refurbishing that need to be well omitted for efficient, sustainable development. For example, the omission of economic-financial criteria group is mostly viewed as a drawback in the context of sustainability. An important aspect in the refurbishing process is the appropriate use of multi-criteria assessment approaches that have a positive impact to the environment. Different scholars explain multi-criteria assessment approaches in their different ways. This is because of the difference in situations and circumstances. Multi-criteria can either be maximizing or minimizing. It only depends on the levels of receiving objective results. Therefore before embarking on refurbishing buildings for sustainable development, one needs to figure out the levels of the receiving objective results.

Another problem that results from sustainable development is the availability of enough energy that is to be used throughout the process. From research findings, the energy used in refurbishing buildings for sustainable development is the influence of the energy towards the climate (Turner et al., 2016, p. 197). That is, it influences climate change. Before architects choose an approach to use in refurbishing buildings for sustainable development, the merits and demerits of the approach need to be researched. It is from the study that the process of refurbishing buildings for sustainability development becomes efficient.

Diverse Approaches to Sustainable Refurbishment

To avoid the challenges that result from the refurbishment of buildings, architects need to sustainable design strategies. An example of such an approach is to minimize the energy consumption of structures (Pombo, Rivela, and Neila, 2016, p. 92). However, there some factors that need to be considered before settling on a sustainable approach. The approach needs to include the aspects of economic, social, and ecological value. In the past times, sustainable development on buildings was based on the physical capacity. However, due to the advancement in technology, diverse approaches have emerged. These approaches depend on a number of factors. For instance, the size of the building and another local context such as the location of the building (Noori, Saruwono, Adnan and Rahmat, 2016, p. 257). Diverse approaches to sustainable refurbishment range from various frameworks. These frameworks range from methodological to theoretical. According to scholars, some architects base their frameworks in a market-available assessment tool aspect.

An example of a methodology is the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology. This kind of methodology is useful in the process of estimating the environmental impact of refurbishing a building. Therefore, the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is a methodology that best defines the environmental assessment of buildings due to its efficiency. An advantage of using the LCA methodology is that it allows architects to assess the global environmental impact, right from the relevant data. Another advantage of using the LCA methodology is that it makes it easier for building owners to have an accurate description of the entire structure including the costs to be incurred. To architects, the LCA methodology allows ease of shift of impacts. Normally, the impacts are the improvements of refurbishment.

Despite the advantages accrued from the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology, there exist some limitations. For example, the unavailability of adequate data that need to be used during refurbishing building. Due to this unavailability of data, the uncertainty of results is attained. Also, too much effort is required to describe a building in an LCA methodology context.

Nowadays, various environmental assessment tools are commonly used to evaluate sustainable buildings (Lund, Haddadi, Lohne and Bjørberg, 2016, p. 432). Various organizations develop different environmental assessment tools that best fit their conditions. The limitations to environmental assessment tools include site selection and the impact the assessment tool has on the ecology. From research findings, it is evident environmental assessment tools mitigate the ecological impact. Also, due to the difference in the environmental assessment tools across different organizations, scholars regard the assessment tool as an unsustainable tool because of the difference in conditions. Another limitation that emerges from environmental assessment tools is that it occasionally undermines certain themes that are essential during the refurbishment of buildings.

Conclusion

In conclusion, refurbishment of buildings is an effective measure of enabling sustainable development. Also, the refurbishment of buildings is an effective way of addressing the challenge of climate change (Pombo, Rivela and Neila, 2016, p. 88). As discussed earlier, there exist limitations in refurbishing buildings. For instance, architects need to adhere and comply with already existing structural components of the building. Due to such adherence, the cost of refurbishing buildings is expensive as compared to constructing structures from ground zero. Another limitation encountered in the refurbishment of buildings is the potential risks that emerge.

If well handled, refurbishment of buildings can be of great importance both economically and in environmental agendas. Different approaches to sustainable development have different limitations. For instance, the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology is the unavailability of data. As a result, architects are unable to find the uncertainties of the data. The environment assessment tool is limited to site selection. Therefore, by use of the environmental assessment tool, architects are unable to design measures due to the factor of site selection effectively.

References

Lou, E.C., Lee, A. and Welfle, A., 2017. Greenhouse gases (GHG) performance of refurbishment projects–Lessons from UK higher education student accommodation case studies. Journal of Cleaner Production, 154, pp.309-317.

Lund, O.B., Haddadi, A., Lohne, J. and Bjørberg, S., 2016. Sustainable Planning in Sustainable Refurbishment Projects–An Early Phase Evaluation. Energy Procedia, 96, pp.425-434.

Noori, A., Saruwono, M., Adnan, H. and Rahmat, I., 2016. Conflict, Complexity, and Uncertainty in Sustainable Refurbishment Building Projects. In InCIEC 2015 (pp. 251-258). Springer, Singapore.

Oregi, X., Hernandez, P. and Hernandez, R., 2017. Analysis of life-cycle boundaries for environmental and economic assessment of sustainable refurbishment projects. Energy and Buildings, 136, pp.12-25.

Pombo, O., Rivela, B. and Neila, J., 2016. The challenge of sustainable building renovation: assessment of current criteria and future outlook. Journal of Cleaner production, 123, pp.88-100.

Turner, K.G., Anderson, S., Gonzales-Chang, M., Costanza, R., Courville, S., Dalgaard, T.,

Dominati, E., Kubiszewski, I., Ogilvy, S., Porfirio, L. and Ratna, N., 2016. A review of methods, data, and models to assess changes in the value of ecosystem services from land degradation and restoration. Ecological Modelling, 319, pp.190-207.

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Did you find any useful knowledge relating to limitations of sustainable refurbishment in this post? What are the key facts that grabbed your attention? Let us know in the comments. Thank you.

Life Cycle Costing Sustainable Construction

The Effectiveness of Life Cycle Costing in Sustainable Construction

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The UK construction industry is a fast pace and ever changing industry, with an increasing emphasise towards sustainability. As the public awareness of sustainability enhances the pressure on the construction industry to consider the concept progresses. Life cycle costing (LCC) is a technique that allows monetary evaluation of alternative investment or design options taking into consideration all of the life cycle costs associated with a building. The costs generally related to LCC are made up of capital expenditure (CapEx), operating expenditure (OpEx), which comprises of operational and maintenance (O&M) costs, general in-use costs and disposal costs. The outcome of the process assumes that a slight increase in CapEx can result in considerable savings over the life span of a building. A review of the literature, relevant to the research subject will introduce the key principles of LCC and investigate the limitations and barriers preventing further application of the process within the construction industry. The research will also explore the term ‘sustainable development’ in addition to the implementation of sustainable construction within the construction sector.

Life Cycle Costing Construction Dissertation
Life Cycle Costing Construction Dissertation

Further, the aim of the research is to identify the extent to which life cycle costing can be integrated into sustainable design to deliver sustainable construction. The data collection was conducted using a questionnaire, which was distributed among industry professionals and online social groups. The results from this were then used to draw conclusions and recommend any area of further research

Dissertation Objectives

  • To examine the extent to which LLC and sustainable design are being effectively utilised in the construction industry today
  • To investigate the methodology and limitations of LLC and identify why it is not used more broadly within the industry
  • To analyse whether life cycle costing can be used effectively for reducing the environmental impact of construction projects
  • To construct a set of recommendations and decisive conclusions to help support the use of life cycle costing as a tool for sustainability

Dissertation Contents – Life Cycle Costing

1 – Introduction
Background
Rationale
Hypothesis
Aims and objectives
Structure

2 – Sustainability in the Construction Industry
Sustainability information
Importance of sustainability in construction
Demand for green construction

3 – Legislation
Regulation and Initiatives
Zero Carbon Homes for 2016
Sustainability assessment methods

4 – Costs
Substantiating the Economy
Capital Costs
Whole Life Costs
Resale Cost and Value
Reducing Costs

5 – Research Methodology
Methods of research
Qualitative methods
Case studies
Other methods
Quantitative methods
Surveys
Other methods
Triangulation of methods

6 – Survey
Analysis of Responses
General identifying questions
Questions on legislation
The cost of sustainability
Innovative versus traditional methods of construction

7 – Conclusions and Recommendations
Limitations
Conclusions
Aim and Objectives
Recommendations for further research

References

Appendix

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For more tips on how to write your own construction management dissertation visit our Construction Management Dissertation Topics today. It contains many dissertation topics and dissertation titles. I would very grateful if you can share this post on Twitter or Facebook. Thank you.

Timber Construction Structural Element

The Reasons Why Timber Is Selected As a Structural Element in Construction Projects

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Timber has been used as a construction material since the beginning of recorded history. Over the past 100 years its use as a structural element in large scale commercial or industrial buildings has fallen dramatically when compared to steel or concrete. An investigation into the properties and physical characteristics of timber has shown that with careful detailing and specification it can be used in almost any situation that steel or concrete is currently used in. It has also been demonstrated that timber is the most sustainable of the main construction materials provided it is produced under the auspices of the accredited certification schemes. This has led the researcher to question why it is not specified more often in the UK construction industry. A questionnaire was sent out to determine the attitudes to practitioners from several disciplines towards the use of timber as a structural element.

Timber Construction Structural Element
Timber Construction Structural Element

The results showed that timber is used less often than steel or concrete and the results show that in theory timber is suitable for most structural elements of a building; in practice it is rarely used due to the perceived difficulty in design and on site construction of the timber elements compared to similar steel or concrete designs. It is suggested that further research be conducted to establish if the actual difficulties in design and construction match the perceptions of the designers and contractors expressed in this research. It is further suggested that detailed research into the relative costs of timber, steel and concrete would identify whether the perception that ‘timber is an expensive option’ is true. The overall aim of the research is to compare timber with steel and concrete when used as a structural element. It is anticipated that the research will demonstrate that timber can replace steel or concrete as a structural element under certain circumstances and will attempt to establish why it is not more commonly used.

Dissertation Objectives

  1. Evaluate the physical characteristics of timber, focusing particularly on its use as a main structural element, comparing the properties to similar steel and concrete elements
  2. Identify whether the perception that timber is rarely used in commercial or industrial buildings is correct
  3. After establishing whether objective 2) is true, identify a trend which indicates why timber use is rare or, if 2) is false, the reason why there is the perception
  4. Establish whether the results of the research would have an influence on the choice of materials in the future

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I do hope enjoyed reading this post on the use of timber as a structural element in construction projects. There are many other titles available in the construction dissertation collection that should be of interest to construction management students and building professional. There are many dissertation titles that relate to other aspects of construction such as project management techniques, environmental management, building and construction methods to name a few. It took a lot of time to write this post and I would be grateful if you could share this post via Facebook and Twitter. Feel free to add your thoughts in the comments section. Thank you.

Health and Safety in Construction

Health and Safety in Construction

Title: Health Safety Construction – This report is as an advisory document to surveyors. It provides a critical appraisal of legal, economical and ethical issues relating to health and safety, considering the role of organisations and individual employees in complying with current legislation, and specifying limitations imposed on the conduct of the property professional.

Introduction

Health and safety is an area of concern which every surveyor and property professional must address. The costs of failing to do so may be felt by the professional in question, or may be borne by the property organisation or their clients. Understanding of health and safety issues necessitates knowledge related to three specific areas of concern – strict parameters regarding legislation, and economic concerns, and the more general but nonetheless important area of ethical conduct. Legal concerns comprise statutory regulations regarding site visitation, health and safety inspection, on site conduct, and provision of safe and reliable equipment. Economic issues are related to the necessity of budgeting for health and safety training, insurance against injury, and loss of revenue resulting from legal action in cases of health and safety breaches. Ethics relates to the individual nature and integrity of property professionals, and the establishment of specific codes of conduct within organisations.

Legal Constraints

When visiting premises or sites it is compulsory for a property professional to possess appropriate legal certification. To this end, certification via a valid CSCS (Construction Skills Certification Scheme) card is mandatory to gain access to all major UK construction sites (CITB, 2016). The purpose of schemes such as the CSCS is to ensure all construction professionals are competent and have the necessary training and qualifications for the work they will undertake (CITB, 2016). In addition, guidance issued by the Royal Institute of Chartered surveyors (RICS) states that, prior to any visit to a site or premises, a property professional should conduct a pre-assessment process to determine hazards that may be encountered on the visit (RICS,2011). To this end, it is important for the employer to have clearly understood procedures in place, and to provide suitable training and information for the employee (RICS,2011) This guidance should facilitate the organisation’s compliance with statutory regulations such as the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health 2002 (COSHH). Under COSHH legislation an employer must to decide how to prevent harm to health, for instance by appropriate risk assessment.

Consideration must be given to the risk associated in regards to work-related health and safety of an employee in the working environment. Under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 (HSWA) “employers must ensure, as far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare of all employees” (HSE, 2016). Section 2 of the act specifies general responsibilities owed by an organization to its employees. For example, for the purposes of site visits, the employer is obligated to provide personal protective equipment (PPE), and the employer must ensure the PPE meets the minimum required standards and is fit for purpose. This stipulation is further supported by Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992. In terms of this legislation, employers are also obliged to provide and maintain a safe working equipment (Rics, 2011). Compliance necessitates regular inspections to certify the fitness for purpose of PPE and all other on-site equipment. Failure to meet this requirement will result in a breach of section 2 of the HSWA, and may result in prosecution, as seen the case of HSE v Zurich Management Services Limited (Zurich) and Railcare Limited (Railcare).

health and safety in construction
health and safety in construction

Another key responsibility for employers is the provision of employee health and safety training. This should be facilitated by regular attendance on training courses covering current health and safety regulations. The employer must also provide employees with all relevant information regarding the company’s specific health and safety policies and procedures. It is important to note that the employer is not solely responsible for the health and safety of the organization. HSWA section 7 describes a statutory duty for the employee “to take reasonable care for the health and safety of himself and of other persons who may be affected by his acts of work” (Legislations.gov, 2016). Therefore, employees must follow procedures, training and policies given by their employers. If an employee is unclear on any policies, or feels they are not adequately trained to complete a task, they are obligated to communicate this to the employer. Breach of HSAW section 7, often results in litigation relating to professional negligence, as seen in the case of HSE v Barry.

Surveys and Reports

Lone working is common in the property industry. There is no legislation against this practice; however, in the absence of appropriate risk assessments provisions and procedures, lone working may be hazardous. For this reason, under the Management of HSAW Regulations 1999, assessment of risk pertaining to lone working must be conducted every day prior to work commencement. This is further enforced by the HSE regulations stipulating the responsibility of employers to ensure the safety of their works (HSE,2013); prior assessment should be supported by clearly established procedures for communicating with the lone worker, and scrupulous maintenance of records by employer and employee alike. If it is deemed overtly hazardous, lone working should not be considered, or an extensive rescue and recovery plan should be implemented to reduce risks.

Hazardous surveys must be conducted in accordance with current regulations. Rulings and standards to this effect may be obtained directly from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). This means that professionals are bound by strict methodologies when conducting surveys and writing reports.

Contract Administration

When acting as Contract Administrator (CA) the property professional is obligated under the Constructions Design Management Regulations to manage health and safety risks throughout the construction process (HSE, 2015). The CA should prepare a written construction phase plan detailing the main dangers inherent in any given project, and suggesting appropriate control measures. For example, working at height necessitates a plan for the installation of gable ends, toe boards and guardrails. In general, the acting CA should have the relevant training, knowledge and experience necessary to carry out his duties safely. Again, this is supported by HSE regulations specifying the employer’s responsibility to ensure all employees are suitably trained to conduct specific tasks to which they are assigned.

Economic limitations

Legally all organisations must meet certain criteria in order to comply with current health and safety legislation. Under the Employers’ Liability (compulsory insurance) Act 1969 employees based in Great Britain are required to obtain Employers’ Liability insurance (HSE, 2012). The cost of the insurance premium is solely dependent on the nature of the business and risks associated. The nature of activities in construction-related professions means that higher insurance premiums are to be expected. Failure to meet this requirement may result in fines of up to £2500 (HSE,2012). Additionally, the HSAW act 1974 requires employers to finance the provision of information and training to ensure the health and safety at work of their employees. For instance, it is mandatory for a construction-related company to provide for employee attendance at courses covering the incidence of work with hazardous material. Further expenditure will be incurred in the provision of equipment necessary to complete work safely, such as PPE. However, the cost of meeting statutory requirements may be subsidised, on the basis that it facilitates improved standards of health and safety. According to HSE documentation, in the year 2014, 3% of workers in the construction industry sustained a work related injury (HSE,2015). This amounted to 65,000 separate incidents, resulting in 1.7 million working days lost. Increasing health and safety standards will help to minimise the potential for work related injuries, consequently, decreasing the chances of loss in working days and resultant economic burden to employers.

Breach of HSAW regulations may pose significant economic threat to an organisation, as it often results in a monetary sanction. The HSE can bring prosecutions before the magistrates’ court in which penalties of up to £20,000 per breach may be imposed (RICS, 2011). Furthermore, under HSAW (offences) Act 2008 imprisonment is also a possibility for almost any offence (RICS, 2011). In more extreme cases, persons may be prosecuted under the Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007. The prosecution process whether it be for minor or substantial breaches, is bound to have a negative impact on the reputation of the organisation, resulting in a loss of clients and eventual a loss of earnings.

Ethics

There are grey areas which are not governed by legislation in this case the moral integrity of an organisation or professional is relied upon. Regardless of the type of task being carried building surveyors should recognise that they have a responsibility to the public and should at all times act in a manner which affirms this (2008,).

Conclusion and Recommendations

Interpreting legislation can be problematic; ambiguous terminology such as ‘reasonable and practicable’ is often cited to summarise the necessary level of compliance to legislation. Documents such as the Surveying Safely RICS guidance note 1st edition (Gn 74/2011) provide advice on how a property professional may meet current legislation. While these guidance notes are not enforced by law, in circumstances in which allegations of legislative breaches are made against a surveyor, a court or tribunal is likely to take account of the substance of RICS guidance. By conforming to such guidance notes, a surveyor should have at least partial defence against allegations of professional negligence. Hiring a health and safety office may also be advisable to ensure that an organisation is practising in such a way as to comply with current legislation. In relation to economic issues, good practice may minimise the incidence of expenses incurred in consequence of breaches of legislation. While ethical conduct is significantly related to personal and professional integrity, appropriate ethical conduct may be further encouraged by the establishment of codes of conduct within individual organisations. Such measures allow for in-house disciplinary proceedings, and bring the added advantage of improving the public image of the organisation in question.

References

CITB (2016) CSCS FAQs (Frequently asked questions)

Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (2011) Surveying safely 1st edition, guidance note. Coventry: Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors. 1-13

Health and Safety Executive (2013) Working alone Health and safety guidance on the risks of lone working. London: Health and Safety Executive 1-5

Health and Safety Executive (2012) Health and safety training A brief guide. London: Health and Safety Executive 1-6

Health and Safety Executive (2016) Principal contractors: roles and responsibilities.

Health and Safety Executive (2012) Employers’ Liability (Compulsory Insurance) Act 1969 A brief guide for employers. London: Health and Safety Executive 1-6

Health and Safety Executive (2016) Construction industry

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BREEAM Construction Dissertation

Do Environmental Assessment Methods Influence the Client’s Design Choices?

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Environmental assessment methods such as BREEAM were launched in the UK in the early 1990’s, to encourage clients of the construction industry to consider both the internal and external environment when designing new build and refurbishment construction projects. Do these assessment methodologies actually influence clients design choices, or are there other factors that need to be considered? Different professions within the design team appear to have contrasting views on the success that BREEAM has had in improving the quality of our buildings and their surroundings. Interviewing seven design team members provided a sound base on which to assess the impact BREEAM has and is having on clients of the construction industry. Of the design team members interviewed, those employed by clients in the public sector were very familiar with BREEAM and its assessment methodology, with the exception of the local authority architects who suggested that they would only apply the methodology when forced to do so. They were unconvinced of the assessments merits and preferred to use their own assessment guidelines, despite recommendations by central government to use BREEAM. Those design team members employed in the private sector had limited or no knowledge of BREEAM or other assessment methodologies. The results indicate that public sector clients who are bound by government instruction are employing BREEAM on many of their projects. In situations where clients have a choice, cost is still the bottom line that determines whether sustainable solutions are agreed. The fragmented nature of the construction industry has hindered the knowledge transfer of sustainable issues to professionals, which appears to have arrested the adoption of BREEAM.

BREEAM Dissertation
BREEAM Dissertation

BREEAM Influences

The aim of this research is to assess how BREEAM influences the design solutions and the workings of the design team process, on new build and refurbishment construction projects. There are two hypotheses that answer the main aim of this dissertation:

  1. BREEAM adds confusion and complexity to the design team process.
  2. Knowledge of BREEAM among construction professionals is limited as a result of its voluntary nature, and the fragmented characteristics of a construction industry with an inherent resistance to change.

In line with the above quote, more organisations are procuring green commercial buildings. The idea of having an assessment methodology encouraging clients of the construction industry to think about the impact that their new project will have on the environment, is essentially a good idea. In a world that is becoming increasingly concerned about its future it is important that clients and design team professionals can use these assessments to measure buildings’ specific environmental qualities. However, these tools are only useful if knowledge of their application is widely available and communicated to all those that require it and in a format that is straightforward and easily understood. There are a number of environmental assessment methods in use. However, in line with the above quote, this study will concentrate on BREEAM as it is considered to be the most familiar with clients and construction professionals. But, despite the sentiments of the above quote, it is unclear whether BREEAM has had a major impact on the construction industry and its clients. This dissertation aims to establish through qualitative research whether environmental assessment methods such as BREEAM are as influential as envisaged. It will address how BREEAM integrates itself into an already complex design process, within an industry that has inherent communication problems. The research will also examine other factors influencing clients’ decision-making processes, and establish how effective BREEAM is in the pursuit of sustainable practice.

I do hope enjoyed reading this post on environmental assessment methods and client decision making. There are many other titles available in the Construction Dissertation Collection that should be of interest to construction management students and building professional. There are many dissertation titles that relate to other aspects of construction such as project management techniques, environmental management, building and construction methods to name a few. It took a lot of time to write this post and I would be grateful if you could share this post via Facebook and Twitter. Feel free to add your thoughts in the comments section. Thank you.