Faculty of Engineering, Built Environment and Information Technology
School for the Built Environment
Department of Construction Economics
Selected Highlights from Research Findings
Standardised systems for the classification of construction information offer numerous advantages for the construction industry. Such standards contain instructions or requirements regarding the execution and quality of work, and therefore reduce the amount of information that has to be included in other procurement documents, such as descriptions on architectural or engineering drawings and technical specifications or descriptions in bills of quantities and schedules of rates.
The development of new classification systems for organising construction information has received a significant amount of attention worldwide. In some countries, computerised specification systems have reached a level of sophistication where the traditional word processing method is being supplanted by an object-orientated approach that organises construction information without human intervention.
South Africa, however, lags behind many other countries in this regard. Inadequate and unreliable procurement documentation is a frequent cause of delays, disputes and unnecessary expenditure in the South African construction industry.
Research was therefore conducted to investigate whether the adoption of a national standard or code of practice for the classification of construction information would improve the quality of procurement documentation. It was found that there is a marked lack of uniformity in procurement practices, and that the South African construction industry has made little use of the advantages offered by recent advances in construction information technology.
Based on these findings, it was recommended that South Africa should consider establishing a national standard to improve the efficiency of integrating construction information via information technology connectivity and interoperability.
It was also proposed that the Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) should ensure that ongoing training programmes are available for clients and professionals, thereby allowing them to keep people abreast of the latest best practices. Prof MJ Maritz
Construction Economics
+27 (0) 12 420 2584
tinus.maritz@up.ac.za
A prominent feature of public life in South Africa the last decade has been an increasing demand for more participation in the formulation and making of decisions affecting the public’s quality of life.
Research was done to compare the public participation process in a lower socio-economic area with that in a higher socio-economic area to determine if the process and focus of the public participation process differ in accordance with the socio-economic status of an area.
The study compares the public participation process in two case studies: the Mapobane and Muckleneuk areas in Pretoria, with specific reference to the Mabopane Inter-modal Facility Redevelopment Project, and the Gautrain Rapid Rail Project going through the Muckleneuk neighbourhood, respectively.
Findings, published in Acta Structilia, indicate that the driving force for participation in the higher socio-economic areas is based more on the effect that the proposed development planning would have on the whole area and includes issues such as the impact on the environment, the community and changes in the character of the area.
The focus of the public participation process in an area with a lower socio-economic status tends to be on the influence on job creation and the impact it has on the affected individual for example more competition among the informal traders due to an influx of people selling similar products.
The findings of this study will help development planners to better understand the communities that they deal with in order to plan the participation process to achieve relevant results.
Prof CE Cloete
Construction Economics
+27 (0) 12 420 4545
chris.cloete@up.ac.za
Suretyship is one of the performance risk management measures that have become the norm in modern construction contracts. Most of the standard conditions of contract currently in use in South Africa offer pro-forma deeds of suretyship and guarantee forms.
However, consultants often use in-house construction contract documents that vary substantially from these pro-forma deeds and forms. Such variations may lead to poor interpretation and application.
Research was conducted to investigate the effect of suretyship on “Rapid Delivery Public Sector Construction Projects” (RDPSCP). It was found that surety requirements are a frequent cause of time delays in such projects, irrespective of whether pro-forma or in-house deeds or forms are used.
Physical project start dates are generally set within weeks after the contract has been awarded. However, emerging contractors frequently lack the capacity to provide a surety to the satisfaction of the client within this time period, with the consequence that another contractor has to be appointed to complete the project.
Due to the time required to appoint the second contractor and issue contractual/ statutory notices for non-performance to the original contractor, the projects may therefore suffer significant delays.
The study also found that the standard conditions of contract currently employed in the execution of construction contracts have been designed from an entirely commercial and legal perspective.
Hence, they largely ignore the negative practical implications of construction suretyship for progress on site. In order to avoid delays and disputes, consultants might therefore have no choice but to apply specially drafted general conditions of contract to suit “RDPSCP.”
On the basis of these findings, a call is made for the re-evaluation of suretyship requirements on “RDPSCP.” Prof MJ Maritz
Construction Economics
+27 (0) 12 420 2584
tinus.maritz@up.ac.za
Environmental protection, rehabilitation and landscape beautification have come to be regarded as essential aspects of land development. Consequently, landscape work generally forms an integral part of land development projects such as building works and civil works.
Landscape projects generally make use of standard forms of contract that are commonly applied in the construction industry. These contracts have been developed over many years to accommodate changing client and contractor needs, increasing levels of technological skill and the development of new materials and construction methods.
However, they generally do not allow for circumstances that are unique to landscape contracting. A study was conducted to review the problems in the field of landscape contracting and landscape maintenance brought about by the lack of suitable contracts and subcontracts.
The study confirmed that standard forms of contract, all of which have been written specifically for building or civil works type projects, are often inappropriate for the varied nature and wide scope of landscape projects – a limitation that poses a serious challenge to the landscape industry.
On the basis of these findings, recommendations were formulated on how landscape work might be effectively reconciled with standard forms of contract that are generally in use in South Africa.
Prof MJ Maritz
Construction Economics
+27 (0) 12 420 2584
tinus.maritz@up.ac.za
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