Construction Engineering Commons^™

The Function And Format Of Bills Of Quantities:An Irish Context, Tony Cunningham

Other Resources

The production of bills of quantities as a means of obtaining tenders has traditionally been viewed as a primary function of the quantity surveying profession.

This study investigates the function and format of bills of quantities in the Irish context. It explains the nature of bills, how they are compiled, and identifies the situations in which they may be used. The primary functions of the bill as a means of obtaining tenders and its status as a contract document are explored. The study also addresses particular aspects of the bill which may aid the effective management of construction projects for …

Thermal Mass Behaviour Of Concrete Panels Incorporating Phase Change Materials, Dervilla Niall, Roger West, Sarah Mccormack, Oliver Kinnane

Conference papers

Phase Change Materials (PCM) have been incorporated into a range of building envelope materials with varied success. This study investigates two different methods of combining concrete and phase change materials to form PCM/concrete composite panels. The first method involves adding microencapsulated paraffin to fresh concrete during the mixing process. The second method involves vacuum impregnating butyl stearate into lightweight aggregate which is then included in the concrete mix design. The primary aim of the study is to determine which method is the most effective way to improve the thermal mass characteristics of a concrete panel in the context of a …

Bs News March/April

Building Services Engineering

No abstract provided.

Measuring Internal Flush Doors In Accordance With Arm4 - An Introductory Worked Example, Tony Cunningham

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This demonstration is addressed to students taking (Irish) measurement or quantities modules at first year / entry level of quantity surveying related programmes. The worked example has been carried out using traditional handwritten quantity surveying processes on traditional dimension paper. It is acknowledged that this would be carried out using measurement software or on-screen measurement technology in actual practice. The traditional handwritten approach has been retained in order to enable novice students to develop the necessary measurement skills and build confidence through direct contact with drawn media and written taking off processes. In addition the presentation illustrates how the work …

A Comparative Life Cycle Assessment For Utilising Laminated Veneer Bamboo As A Primary Structural Material In High-Rise Residential Buildings, Philip Kavanagh

Masters

In a time when construction is ranked as one of the world’s least sustainable industries consuming about half of the world’s non-renewable resources (Hinson, 2012), it is important to develop and advance the methods and means by which we select and use building materials and how we design, engineer and construct our architecture. This research aimed to evaluate a method for utilising laminated veneer bamboo (LVB) as a primary structural material in high-rise residential buildings and evaluate the environmental potential of LVB through a comparative life cycle analysis (LCA). The process of life cycle analysis was completed through the development …

Bs News January/February

Building Services Engineering

No abstract provided.

Dispute Resolution Under The Principal Irish Forms Of Building Contract, Tony Cunningham

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The construction industry is known to be litigious (Latham, 1994). This is hardly surprising given the industry’s fragmented nature in which project teams comprising an extensive network of employers, designers and constructors are brought together to deliver once-off projects, following which, the organisation is almost always disbanded. The short term objectives of the various groupings are often competing and occasionally incompatible. For example, many employers will wish to minimise costs in developing a project, designers may resist pressures on budgets in order to safeguard their ‘brand’, and the commercial imperative of maximising profit will drive contractors towards charging what the …

Risk Allocation Under The Principal ‘Traditional’ Irish Forms Of Building Contract, Tony Cunningham

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Construction projects are risky ventures. Risks are inevitable and cannot be entirely eliminated but they can be transferred through appropriate wording in the clauses of a contract. Construction contracts allocate particular risks between the parties in order to identify who bears the cost if a particular risk comes to pass.

This study examines how contractual risks are allocated to the contracting parties under the Royal Institute of Architects in Ireland Form, 2012 version, where quantities form part of the contract, commonly known as ‘the Yellow Form’, and the Public Works Contract PW CF1 Form v 1.10, 2014 where the design …

Cost Control During The Pre-Contract Stage Of A Building Project – An Introduction, Tony Cunningham

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Cost overruns are commonplace on construction projects.

One of the most important tasks carried out by quantity surveyors (QS) involves providing advice to clients and design team colleagues to enable the design to be finalised within the approved budget. This financial management process is referred to as cost control. Cost control seeks to deliver a high degree of cost certainty during the various stages of the building project in order that the project can be completed within budget. Successful projects are those which are delivered to the required quality standards, on time, and within budget. Effective cost management therefore is …

Tender Documentation For Construction Projects - An Overview, Tony Cunningham

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The tender documents form the basis of the contractor’s offer to construct the works. The tender documents are the means by which the employer’s design and/or works requirements are communicated to the tendering contractors. These inform the contractor of the scope and detail of the project, the conditions under which the work will be executed, and they identify the rights and obligations of the various participants under the proposed contract. The tender documents enable contractors to price the works requirements and submit an offer (bid) which, if accepted by the employer becomes a binding contract. Some of the tender documents …

"Defining Job Titles And Career Paths In Bim", Malachy Mathews

Conference papers

Ireland is undergoing a digital transformation. Some industries particularly in the areas of travel and retail have been radically transformed. However many industries are facing their biggest challenge in their existence already weakened by the economic crisis and constrained by their legacy business, it will be difficult for them to adapt and embrace the new rules dictated by digital change. Irelands design and construction industry is on the cusp of a digital transformation with early adopters now deriving some benefits from a move to a building information modeling (BIM) process. Digital transformation cannot happen unless there are personnel with the …

Appointing Main Contractors For Construction Work In The Republic Of Ireland. – An Overview., Tony Cunningham

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This study examines the various options available for a client to appoint a contractor. The study investigates open tendering, selective tendering, prequalification, two stage selective tendering, competitive dialogue, negotiation and serial tendering. In most building contracts the contractor is selected on the basis of competitive tendering. The price which the contractor quotes for the job is heavily influenced by both the amount and intensity of the competition. Even in the case of negotiated tenders there is implicit competition, as the employer can break off negotiations. If there is no competition the contractor can, in effect, ‘name his price’. This study …

Bs News November/December

Building Services Engineering

No abstract provided.

Composing Descriptions For Bills Of Quantities In Accordance With Arm 4 – Worked Examples, Tony Cunningham

Other Resources

Two basic skills are at the heart of the measurement process: quantification and description. Descriptions answer the question, what is it? This paper examines the process of composing descriptions for bills of quantities measured in accordance with the ARM4 (Agreed Rules of Measurement). This process involves ‘translating’ design information contained in models, drawings and specifications into bill descriptions in order to enable tendering contractors to accurately price the work. The quantity surveyor’s task is to effectively communicate the cost significant information so that the estimator can visualise what is being described.

Descriptions contained in bills of quantities measured in accordance …

Measuring Building Perimeters And Centrelines - Worked Examples, Tony Cunningham

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Quantity surveyors are expected to be able to measure the perimeters of buildings as part of their routine practice. Building perimeter measurements are very useful in finding out the overall lengths of foundations, external walls, external wall finishes and associated items. One of the earliest difficulties faced by quantity surveying and construction management students, is mastering the technique of calculating perimeters of awkwardly shaped building plans. The student is typically required to calculate a perimeter and adjust this to derive the centrelines of various elements in the associated construction details. In this paper, the author aims to explain these processes, …

Bim; Postgraduate Multidisciplinary Collaborative Education, Malachy Mathews

Conference papers

BIM Technologies and Process are steadily increasing in the design and construction industry. The amount of undergraduate courses delivering BIM based applied and theory courses is also on the rise. These students will be entering a job market where their skillsets in digital modelling and collaborative practice will be in demand. However, existing AEC (architectural, engineering, construction) professionals are recognising the changes happening in the industry. Each domain is influenced and challenged by BIM. The traditional process and workflows will change as BIM adoption grows. Tobin [1] states the long-term impact of any innovation is often not understood when it …

Bs News September/October

Building Services Engineering

No abstract provided.

Bs News July/August

Building Services Engineering

No abstract provided.

Bs News May/June

Building Services Engineering

No abstract provided.

Bs News March/April

Building Services Engineering

No abstract provided.

Bs News January/February

Building Services Engineering

No abstract provided.

Bs News November/December

Building Services Engineering

No abstract provided.

Bs News September/October

Building Services Engineering

No abstract provided.

Bs News July/August

Building Services Engineering

No abstract provided.

Bs News May/June

Building Services Engineering

No abstract provided.

Bs News March/April

Building Services Engineering

No abstract provided.

An Introduction To Taking Off Building Quantities:An Irish Approach, Tony Cunningham

Other Resources

The purpose of measuring building work is to establish the correct amount of work to be executed. Calculating well presented accurate quantities in a clear manner while adopting a logical approach will help to reduce errors and will save time if the measurements need to be referred to at a later date. This paper describes and demonstrates an approach to hand-written taking off procedure informed by the techniques adopted by Irish consulting quantity surveying practices. The paper also discusses the ‘direct billing’ system used inIrelandand contrasts this with the procedures demonstrated in various UK textbooks, identifying key differences between the …

Bs News January/February

Building Services Engineering

No abstract provided.

Managing Post Contract Variations Under The Principle ‘Traditional’ Irish Forms Of Contract - An Overview, Tony Cunningham

Other Resources

Variations are almost inevitable on all but the most simple of building contracts. This review examines the topic of variations in the context of the ‘traditionally’ procured building contracts in the Republic of Ireland. The study presents definitions of variations as set out in various contracts including the RIAI and GCCC Forms of Contract and identifies common sources of variations on building projects. The study sets out the legal framework supporting the right to vary work, establishes the nature of varied and/or extra work, and discusses the requirements for payment of such work. Variation procedures under the RIAI and GCCC …

Linking Effective Whole Life Cycle Cost Data To Parametric Building Information Models Using Bim Technologies, Dermot Kehily, Trevor Woods, Fiacra P. Mcdonnell

Conference papers

Abstract ̶ This paper demonstrates the capabilities of BIM (Building Information Modeling) in leveraging Whole Life Cycle Cost (WLCC) data requirements to perform WLCC calculations and produce WLLC estimates. The research determines the extent to which WLCC data, such as time, interest rates, escalation rates and real costs can be attached to parametric BIM data to be used effectively to create speedier and more accurate real-time WLLC analysis. Without incorporating WLCC data in the BIM, a complete picture of a construction project’s WLCC cannot be formed from the default outputs of the model. BIM 5D applications such as CostX utilise …