Lets Learn About Construction Economics
WHAT IS DESIGN VARIABILITY?
BY MUHAMMAD ASYRAF DANIAL BIN EFFANDY (2018238454) 
Year
2020. Who would have thought that this year would be challenging for us? The
pandemic Covid-19 spread across all over the world. Because of that, among us
having a rough time dealing with our jobs, educations since we all stuck being
quarantine at home. some of us also have to deal with the loss of people they
love caused by the pandemic. All economics sector having a hard time to deal.
Same goes to the students from kindergarten, primary and secondary schools to
the university students, all of them have to continue their learning by online.
This situation might be tough for the students who are lacking in terms of
network to access the internet to search for the information. But we all have
the various of variability to solve all the challenges.
Since
I mentioned the variability word, let learn about design variability in
construction economics. Before we go through a lot deeper, we must know what is
construction economics.
Construction
economics is the application of the overall economy. It involves applying
economics techniques and skills to the study of building firms, the
construction process and the construction industry. Construction economics is a
small part of a much larger subject of built environment economics–it seeks to ensure
the efficient use of resources (e.g. costs) available to the industry, and to increase
the rate of growth of construction work in the most efficient manner
Economics
in general, is about the ‘choice’ of the way in which ‘scarce resources’ are and
ought to be allocated between all their possible users. Economics is simply
about deciding how to allocate scarce resources between all their possible
uses, and should be. Its consists of the application of the techniques and expertise
of economics to the construction projects.
In construction
economics study, it includes a various of thing’s needs, such as:
- A client’s requirements
- The possible effects on the surrounding area if the development is carry out
- The relationship of space and shape
- The assessment of the initial costs
- The reason for and methods of controlling costs
- The estimation of the life of buildings and material
In the construction
economics, there are aspects in respect of the cost studies of the building
construction that need to be taking care of. For example:
- The role of the surveyors, architects, engineers and the builders in the industry
- The division of the industry between design variables and construction process
- The size of the industry, its relationship to other industries and the national economy
- The types of development undertaken
- The types and sizes of construction firms and the availability of specialist contractors
- The
variation in building costs and factors that influence these variations such as
market conditions and regional location.
In general, there a
various characteristic of building construction, such as:
- The physical nature of the building and product
- The organization of the construction process
- The method of price determination
- The structure of the industry or companies
Cost control of project is applying the economic principles to the building sector. This explores not only the cost necessary for a specific project, but also the causes and effects of the determinants of this cost, such as the nature and life-cycle of the building.
DESIGN STAGE
- Every building that been built must have their own functions and purposes.
- For example:
- Schools used to learn something, practice the physical activities. The school conserves the valuable culture, tradition, values of the society and helps in promoting and developing these with the rolling of the time. It also spreads the store of culture to the next generation
- Hospital function as the place to cure people illness, to analyze the type of illness, to transfer the emergency accidents. There also specialist sectors such as x-ray and pediatrics.
- Generally, the phrase 'technical design' refers to project activities that take place after the completion of the detailed design (or 'developed design' or 'definition'), but before the construction contract is awarded or construction begins.(Designing Building,2020).
- This can be helpful in establishing milestones for the submission of progress reports, the preparation of information for approval, client gateways, and for making payments.
- Once the client is satisfied with the technical design, the lead consultant should freeze the design and specifications and introduce change control procedures and remaining statutory approvals and other approvals should be completed. (Designing Building,2020).
- In Malaysia, the client has to make compliance with Compliance with Building Act (the Uniform Building By-Law) & Authority or other related Agency requirements such as BOMBA (fire safety), TNB (electricity power) and SAJ (water supply in Johor).
AESTHETIC
- Aesthetics is a branch of philosophical analysis that relates to beauty and taste nature and expression; in other words, the appearance of objects. It comes from the Greek word 'aisthetikos' which refers to sensory perception and comprehension, or sensual awareness. Because aesthetics involves an enjoyment of beauty, it is influenced by an individual's subjective taste. (Designing Building,2020).
- Client always want a good aesthetic value of finishes quality building and appearances according to his requirements and budgets, for instance:
- Colors
- Types of finishes
- Shape and size
- Culture
- Context
FACTORS INFLUENCED FINAL
DESIGN
- User needs
- Planning and building requirements
- Site condition
- Location
- Aesthetic requirement
OTHER FACTORS
- Form of contract
- Period of completion
- Extend of prefabrication and standardization
- Consideration of maintenance
- Running cost
PLAN SHAPE
 |
| Example for plan shape |
- The simpler the shape of the building, the lowest its unit cost
- The more complicated/irregular the shape, the higher its unit cost
SIZE
Increases in the size of the building produce reductions in unit cost such as cost per square meter of gross floor area
For instance:
 |
| Example for the size |
STRUCTURAL FORM
- There are two types of structural form that can be choose for designing a building.
- Frames form such as wood, concrete and steel
- Load bearing form such as wall (load bearing wall and non-load bearing wall) and gross wall
STOREY HEIGHT
- This is closely linked to a building's average storage height, but its self refers to how high or how many levels of vertical construction are. Referring to this construction of high buildings, it usually affects four major building elements substantially due to the number of high-rise building stories i.e. frame framework design, exterior wall (mostly for office buildings curtain walling), lift installation and fire safety (as in services), all mostly vertical building elements. (Sahid et al., 2017)
- It determines by the requirement of the users of the building
- Variation of storey heights cause changes in the cost of building without altering the floor area. Walls and partitions only will be affected by a variation in storey height.
- Subsidiary item that affected by increase of building’s storey heights:
II. Longer service and longer pipe supply
III. Higher roof cost due to increase hoisting
IV. Possibility of additional cost in applying finishing and decoration to ceilings and involves additional scaffoldings
V. The need of costlier foundations to support increased load
TOTAL HEIGHT
- The increase in total height, increase their constructional cost of building.
- Factors that need to be taken into when high rise building are under consideration such as:
- To obtain a large floor are with good daylighting
- The effect of number of storey on cost varies.
- Beyond a certain number of storeys, the form of construction changes and unit cost usually rise.
- More expansive plant and equipment like tower cranes and concrete pumps is required for the construction of high rise building
- Increase of vertical circulation, staircase and lift / elevators
- Increase in maintenance cost, very costly at higher level
- Fees for professionals like engineers (design foundation, frame), electrician (mechanical and electrical) and tower cranes conductor.
- Fenestration applies to the building exterior openings, including installing windows, doors, and skylights. It is important to provide windows and other openings in the home because they enhance the overall atmosphere within the house, but they also work to crack the house seal, creating opportunities for sunlight, water, and cold air to reach the home. Therefore, account must be taken of the number of openings used in a house, as well as the nature of the materials used to build such openings along with the placement.
Sezakiza Follow. (2015, October 16). Introduction to
Construction Economics. Retrieved July 10, 2020, from
https://www.slideshare.net/izzahzahin/introduction-to-construction-economics
D. (2020, April 29). Technical design stage for building
projects. Retrieved July 10, 2020, from
https://www.designingbuildings.co.uk/wiki/Technical_design_stage_for_building_projects
D. (Ed.). (2020, June 09). Aesthetics and architecture.
Retrieved July 10, 2020, from https://www.designingbuildings.co.uk/wiki/Aesthetics_and_architecture
Sahid, N., Safiki, A., & Solikin, M. (2017). Building
Design Variables Usage as a Tool of Value Engineering during Designing. MATEC
Web of Conferences, 103.
https://doi.org/10.1051/matecconf/201710303019
J.M.K.C. Donev et al. (2018). Energy Education - Fenestration
[Online]. Available: https://energyeducation.ca/encyclopedia/Fenestration.
[Accessed: July 10, 2020].
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