Unit 3: P lanning construction work processes and efficient use of resources in construction and the. 34 Monitoring programmes and resources This topic guide explores how to monitor construction project programmes to ensure that resources are delivered in sufficient time for installation into the project. This is a valuable skill as contractual penalties can be applied if a contractor overruns the agreed completion dates. You will need to develop an understanding of the systems available for monitoring resources, time and waste. These systems may be organisational or commercially produced. External factors can have a considerable bearing on a programme of work. You need to understand how and what effect they can have on a project s activities, tasks and time considerations. Having the skill set to re-evaluate a construction programme will help you to accommodate the influences that external factors frequently bring to bear on work sequencing, durations and completion. In this way, improvements can be made so that a programme is brought back into line with the original completion date. This topic guide will cover: progress meetings the use of software reporting manual monitoring waste accounting for external factors technical factors. 1
1 Progress meetings Key terms Completion date the agreed contract finish date when the project is handed over to the client along with all contractual responsibilities. Liquidated damages an amount of money that a client imposes into the contract to cover loss and expenses as a result of the main contractor overrunning the agreed completion date, for example loss of commercial rents and leases. Progress meetings are often conducted by the client s representative this may be the architect or project manager. They are, in essence, external checks on the main contractor s progress on site. The main contractor has to contractually produce a project programme which is agreed at the pre-start meeting before work commences. Depending on the contract s size and the complexity of the job, the sub-contractors may also be involved in progress meetings with the main contractor and client, or just the main contractor. The client will measure the amount of production on site and check this against the agreed contract programme to establish what the overall position is. This will be formally recorded within the minutes of the progress meeting against each activity on the programme which is currently being worked on. Progress meetings are important because they help to maintain the client s agreed completion date. Failure to achieve this may involve the application of liquidated damages against the main contractor. 2 Software reporting procedures A number of commercially available systems can be used to produce a digital contract programme, as discussed in Topic guide 3.3. These enable activities to be resourced with labour, plant and materials, and with sequence and logic rules applied to each activity. The software can be loaded with progress data, costs and current resource allocations, which can be interrogated to identify where costs are being incurred beyond what was planned and highlighting possible future delays. This enables a series of extensive progress reports to be produced that cover many aspects of time and cost. In this way, corrective action can be taken to bring the programme back in line with the overall master programme. Microsoft Project is one software system that is used extensively for the monitoring and control of construction projects. 3 Manual monitoring The manual monitoring of a Gantt chart can normally be done by placing a vertical line across the chart and moving it day by day. Each of the activities on the programme can be split horizontally. The bottom section can then be coloured in with the percentage of work undertaken on each activity. This will give you an indication of how well you are progressing against the planned programme. The advantages of this monitoring system are that it is visual and can be easily understood by everyone connected with the project. 2
Current date Progress bars Figure 3.4.1: A Gantt chart that shows a vertical line to help manually monitor progress. For example, in Figure 3.4.1 the first activity should have its progress bar fully purple but it is only 75 per cent complete. The second activity is also behind at 50 per cent. This simple yet effective method allows you to control a number of activities on the construction project. Portfolio activity (5.1) This assessment criterion requires that you implement a system for monitoring and recording the works programme and the use of resources, time and waste within your own organisation s contract progress on site. You may elect to implement a manual system or an electronic one, dependent on availability within your organisation. 4 Waste A waste management plan (WMP) should include systems for monitoring the levels of waste that are produced. These should consider: targeted waste skip use versus actual number of skips used value of credits obtained through the use of segregated waste collections monitoring the level of materials packaging monitoring the estimated quantities against actual used and installed. Any site-produced waste should be designed out if possible by the careful consideration of material sizes, dimensions and modular coordination. Any waste created on site is lost financial revenue as most construction waste has no commercial value. Materials procurement should be undertaken sustainably through discussions with suppliers about the amount of waste produced by the installation of their product. Arranging for specific sizes to be cut within the manufacturing process will reduce the value of site waste and lead to economic savings and increased profitability. Sustainable procurement of materials is therefore an essential element that should be planned for effectively. Sustainable resourcing of materials should include: the value of embodied energy in the production, manufacture and delivery to site of the sustainable material 3
the value of transport costs and distances travelled the use of life cycle costing to evaluate materials in terms of long-term sustainability an evaluation label associated with sustainable materials and their impact on the environment. Portfolio activity (5.2) This assessment criterion asks you to agree any necessary alterations to the works programme and the use of resources, time and waste which will meet changed circumstances, or offer efficiency benefits. Recording this outcome could be through the minutes of progress meetings, a client s or architect s written instruction, or revised construction programmes witnessed by a work-based recorder. Portfolio activity (5.3) This assessment criterion asks you to use the results of monitoring to improve future production, planning and the use of resources, time and waste. Evidence to meet this criterion could be in the form of simple calculations that support monitoring in terms of exceeding or underperforming resource allocations. Portfolio activity (5.3, 6.1, 6.3) Assessment criterion 6.1 requires you to explain how to implement a system for monitoring and recording the works programme and the use of resources, time and waste. Assessment criterion 6.3 asks you to explain how the results of monitoring can be used to improve future production, planning and the use of resources, time and waste. Evidence for assessment criteria 5.3, 6.1 and 6.3 could be through the production of monitoring reports that explain the results of alterations to outputs, relocation of resources, or the use of new techniques to improve the contract duration and completion date. 5 External factors These are factors that are beyond the control of operations on site and which may often have a profound effect on a contract s completion date. The effect on the contractor will depend on the contractual arrangements set out in the contract documents. In general, the party that has accepted to carry the bulk of the risks will be liable for the bulk of the damages. Effect of other related programmes Most medium to large contractors will be running several contracts at the same time, and so, rather than being run one after the other in a consecutive manner, they are run to the capacity of the organisation. Resources of labour, plant and equipment are moved and planned between the current contracts that are being run. Careful coordination via resource meetings is therefore essential. If one contract is behind programme and the penalties for non-completion are severe, then resources may be taken from other contracts to reduce the delay and bring the project back on programme. 4
Portfolio activity (3.2) To meet assessment criterion 3.2 you will need to undertake an assessment of each activity on your programme in terms of any significant external factors. A method of achieving this may be to risk-assess each activity as to how any identified external factors may have an influence on the programme. Record these discussions with a manager and produce the final programme. Supply availability, sources and lead times When a contract has been procured it must be analysed immediately for any resources with a long lead-in time; these will need to be ordered straight away to avoid any delays to the agreed contract programme. For example, external glass cladding systems are often bespoke in their design and construction, and so require a lead-in time of months, while the lead-in time for ordering ready mix concrete for foundations will only be a couple of days. Similarly, if a shortage exists on a certain product or if it has been discontinued, then you will need to make arrangements to contact the designer and seek further instructions. Portfolio activity (4.2) This assessment criterion stretches that of 3.2 into a written explanation of how to assess the activities against the requirements of significant external factors. You will need to explain how you will evaluate, assess or analyse an activity in the programme as a result of any external factors applying pressure to that particular task. Detail your findings. Contingencies Every contract includes a contingency sum that covers unforeseen works. For example, there could be the discovery of an underground obstruction, such as buried, unplotted live services, that requires the foundations to be redesigned. The designer for a project can cover many aspects apart from those which cannot be seen. Groundworks are the main area where the unexpected may need to be accommodated. Special working conditions and seasonal weather conditions Heat, cold, humidity and the weather all have an effect on a construction programme. Ground water, especially, will cause problems associated with the construction of the foundations, as it will need to be removed to provide a safe working environment. The seasons bring new issues to be accommodated within a contract programme. Daylight is shorter in winter and so additional temporary lighting has to be provided to make full use of the working day. Earlier starts can also be considered as part of the adaptation of the working week. The winter months, especially in northern latitudes, can bring snow which may stop production on site if work cannot be covered up or sheltered. 5
Impact on occupiers and near neighbours The Considerate Constructors Scheme has been developed to help minimise the effect that a project s construction works may have on the surrounding environment. You can find out more about the scheme at: www.ccscheme.org.uk/ The reduction in impact is also a sustainable theme that must be considered for the wider benefit of the surrounding community. If large excavation works are undertaken on a site, the disposal of excavated materials often has a high impact on the surrounding environment. Wheel washers have to be employed on site to clean excess mud from lorry wheels. Road sweepers will regularly sweep the access roads surrounding the site to remove mud and debris. Working hours often have a marked effect on the surrounding neighbours. Periods where excessive noise may occur on site will have to be carefully coordinated in order not to cause a disturbance. Working near schools also impacts on resource deliveries, which should be avoided around school start and finish times to avoid any conflicts and reduce the risk to children. Site conditions Access and egress in inner city locations can have a marked effect on the contract programme. For example, working in London may involve congestion charges and restricted times of the day when deliveries can be made. Deep excavations take time to construct safely. Tall structures will take time to erect, as each storey takes longer to erect as it climbs further from the ground. Each site has its own unique features that must be carefully considered. One unknown site condition that has a detrimental effect is the discovery of archaeological and historically valuable resources on a site. Work must be stopped immediately and an archaeologist and English Heritage, or in Wales, Cadw, must be informed. Delays can stretch into years as the site is examined and any finds preserved and removed. Portfolio activity (6.2) To meet assessment criterion 6.2, you need to examine the process for agreeing any necessary alterations to the works programme and the use of resources, time and waste which will meet changed circumstances, or offer efficiency benefits. This can be as a result of an external factor that has had an influence on your project s construction programme. The programme then needs to be revised in terms of delays and acceleration of any tasks. 6 Technical factors We are now going to look at some of the more technical factors that can influence the production, monitoring and review of a contract programme. 6
Portfolio activity (2.2) Assessment criterion 2.2 asks you to evaluate the required resources against project technical factors for specified areas of work. This is going to involve the manager of the project. You will need to coordinate the required resources with the specified work activity. Primary questions that will need answering are listed below. What are the quantities required? When are they required (delivery schedule/phased delivery)? What are the elements of the resources that have long lead-in delivery periods? What attendances or preliminary items does the resource required (e.g. cranes to offload, disposal of packaging, plinth bases, etc.)? What temporary works are required to be undertaken before installation? Compliance with legal and regulatory constraints, and industry recognised standards The three main legal constraints that affect a construction project are: planning permission in terms of policies, working times and noise building regulations inspection Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. Planning permission has to be sought for a construction project to commence. This can take a number of months, especially if it has to go to a public enquiry. Building regulations state that work should be inspected and signed off. If any work is found not to comply then it has to be corrected, with obvious delays to the programme. Quality is also an issue for the finished building. Quality relies on good work and the use and installation of construction materials in accordance with the recommended methods. Technical performance standards Certain performance standards may have to be maintained in order to meet the specification requirements for the building project. These often involve: performance standards for heating and lighting British Standards European Standards manufacturers specific standards, for example fire alarms building services standards, for example energy use Green Deal standards standards required to meet grants from the government. Life cycle costing This sustainable approach examines the increased funding of materials quality features at the initial design stages of a project to generate sufficient cost savings over the whole life of a building. For example, spending more on a pitched roof rather than a flat one will save expensive future maintenance on the flat roof. 7
This has an effect on the contract programme through: increased installation times of more complex materials and systems increased commissioning time increased design time and procurement. Sustainability Sustainability is a key function of any building that is currently designed, in order to meet the carbon reduction measures that are increasingly creeping into building control legislation for new building projects. Sustainability can be achieved in several ways, through: low carbon and embodied carbon the utilisation of materials that contain low elements of these have to be suitably sourced the installation of alternative energy sources into the project, adding extra work and time to a programme the installation of energy saving measures built into the project, for example south-facing glazed elevations to maximise daylight and utilise any heat gain from the sun s rays. Checklist By the end of this topic guide you should have completed the following towards being able to monitor programmes and resources, and produced evidence against each one: implement a system for monitoring and recording the works programme and the use of resources, time and waste agree any necessary alterations to the works programme and the use of resources, time and waste which will meet changed circumstances, or offer efficiency benefits use the results of monitoring to improve future production, planning and the use of resources, time and waste produce work programmes that efficiently control workflow, the use of resources, time and wastage on your project. Further reading and resources Website for RICS iconsult the technical information arm of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors: https://consultations.rics.org/consult.ti/life_cycle_costing/consultationhome Hunkeler, D., Lichtenvort, K. and Rebitzer, G., Environmental Life Cycle Costing (CRC Press, 2008) ISBN 9781420054705 Acknowledgements The publisher would like to thank the following for their kind permission to reproduce their photographs: Rough Guides: Roger Mapp (1) All other images Pearson Education Every effort has been made to trace the copyright holders and we apologise in advance for any unintentional omissions. We would be pleased to insert the appropriate acknowledgement in any subsequent edition of this publication. 8
About the author Simon Topliss has worked in higher education for the past 17 years as a tutor on the Higher National Certificates and Diplomas. His experience covers qualification development, including Higher Education Apprenticeship Frameworks. Simon works as an External Examiner for Level 4/5 qualifications, both within the UK and internationally. Simon has contributed to over 18 published textbooks by Pearson, all covering construction-related qualifications. 9