Reducing Construction Costs

Reducing Construction Costs
Author: National Research Council
Publisher: National Academies Press
Total Pages: 68
Release: 2007-10-09
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 030917998X

The National Academy of Construction (NAC) has determined that disputes, and their accompanying inefficiencies and costs, constitute a significant problem for the industry. In 2002, the NAC assessed the industry's progress in attacking this problem and determined that although the tools, techniques, and processes for preventing and efficiently resolving disputes are already in place, they are not being widely used. In 2003, the NAC helped to persuade the Center for Construction Industry Studies (CCIS) at the University of Texas and the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation to finance and conduct empirical research to develop accurate information about the relative transaction costs of various forms of dispute resolution. In 2004 the NAC teamed with the Federal Facilities Council (FFC) of the National Research Council to sponsor the "Government/Industry Forum on Reducing Construction Costs: Uses of Best Dispute Resolution Practices by Project Owners." The forum was held on September 23, 2004, at the National Academy of Sciences in Washington, D.C. Speakers and panelists at the forum addressed several topics. Reducing Construction Costs addresses topics such as the root causes of disputes and the impact of disputes on project costs and the economics of the construction industry. A second topic addressed was dispute resolution tools and techniques for preventing, managing, and resolving construction- related disputes. This report documents examples of successful uses of dispute resolution tools and techniques on some high-profile projects, and also provides ways to encourage greater use of dispute resolution tools throughout the industry. This report addresses steps that owners of construction projects (who have the greatest ability to influence how their projects are conducted) should take in order to make their projects more successful.

The Power of Existing Buildings

The Power of Existing Buildings
Author: Robert Sroufe
Publisher: Island Press
Total Pages: 234
Release: 2019-11-12
Genre: Architecture
ISBN: 164283050X

Your building has the potential to change the world. Existing buildings consume approximately 40 percent of the energy and emit nearly half of the carbon dioxide in the US each year. In recognition of the significant contribution of buildings to climate change, the idea of building green has become increasingly popular. But is it enough? If an energy-efficient building is new construction, it may take 10 to 80 years to overcome the climate change impacts of the building process. New buildings are sexy, but few realize the value in existing buildings and how easy it is to get to “zero energy” or low-energy consumption through deep energy retrofits. Existing buildings can and should be retrofit to reduce environmental impacts that contribute to climate change, while improving human health and productivity for building occupants. In The Power of Existing Buildings, academic sustainability expert Robert Sroufe, and construction and building experts Craig Stevenson and Beth Eckenrode, explain how to realize the potential of existing buildings and make them perform like new. This step-by-step guide will help readers to: understand where to start a project; develop financial models and realize costs savings; assemble an expert team; and align goals with numerous sustainability programs. The Power of Existing Buildings will challenge you to rethink spaces where people work and play, while determining how existing buildings can save the world. The insights and practical experience of Sroufe, Stevenson, and Eckenrode, along with the project case study examples, provide new insights on investing in existing buildings for building owners, engineers, occupants, architects, and real estate and construction professionals. The Power of Existing Buildings helps decision-makers move beyond incremental changes to holistic, results-oriented solutions.

Sustainable Construction

Sustainable Construction
Author: Charles J. Kibert
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
Total Pages: 433
Release: 2008
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 0470114215

'Sustainable Construction' uses the latest US Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design standard to explain the best practices in building procurement and delivery systems.

Building the Skyline

Building the Skyline
Author: Jason M. Barr
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Total Pages: 457
Release: 2016-05-12
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 0199344388

The Manhattan skyline is one of the great wonders of the modern world. But how and why did it form? Much has been written about the city's architecture and its general history, but little work has explored the economic forces that created the skyline. In Building the Skyline, Jason Barr chronicles the economic history of the Manhattan skyline. In the process, he debunks some widely held misconceptions about the city's history. Starting with Manhattan's natural and geological history, Barr moves on to how these formations influenced early land use and the development of neighborhoods, including the dense tenement neighborhoods of Five Points and the Lower East Side, and how these early decisions eventually impacted the location of skyscrapers built during the Skyscraper Revolution at the end of the 19th century. Barr then explores the economic history of skyscrapers and the skyline, investigating the reasons for their heights, frequencies, locations, and shapes. He discusses why skyscrapers emerged downtown and why they appeared three miles to the north in midtown-but not in between the two areas. Contrary to popular belief, this was not due to the depths of Manhattan's bedrock, nor the presence of Grand Central Station. Rather, midtown's emergence was a response to the economic and demographic forces that were taking place north of 14th Street after the Civil War. Building the Skyline also presents the first rigorous investigation of the causes of the building boom during the Roaring Twenties. Contrary to conventional wisdom, the boom was largely a rational response to the economic growth of the nation and city. The last chapter investigates the value of Manhattan Island and the relationship between skyscrapers and land prices. Finally, an Epilogue offers policy recommendations for a resilient and robust future skyline.

Housing Market Dynamics in Africa

Housing Market Dynamics in Africa
Author: El-hadj M. Bah
Publisher: Springer
Total Pages: 285
Release: 2018-03-12
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 1137597925

This open access book utilizes new data to thoroughly analyze the main factors currently shaping the African housing market. Some of these factors include the supply and demand for housing finance, land tenure security issues, construction cost conundrum, infrastructure provision, and low-cost housing alternatives. Through detailed analysis, the authors investigate the political economy surrounding the continent’s housing market and the constraints that behind-the-scenes policy makers need to address in their attempts to provide affordable housing for the majority in need. With Africa’s urban population growing rapidly, this study highlights how broad demographic shifts and rapid urbanization are placing enormous pressure on the limited infrastructure in many cities and stretching the economic and social fabric of municipalities to their breaking point. But beyond providing a snapshot of the present conditions of the African housing market, the book offers recommendations and actionable measures for policy makers and other stakeholders on how best to provide affordable housing and alleviate Africa’s housing deficit. This work will be of particular interest to practitioners, non-governmental organizations, private sector actors, students and researchers of economic policy, international development, and urban development.

Markup & Profit

Markup & Profit
Author: Michael Stone
Publisher: Craftsman Book Co
Total Pages: 316
Release: 1999-01-01
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 9781572180710

In order to succeed in a construction business you have to be able to mark up the price of your jobs to cover overhead expenses and make a decent profit. The problem is how much to mark it up. You don't want to lose jobs because you charge too much, and you don't want to work for free because you've charged too little. If you know how much to mark up you can apply it to your job costs and arrive at the right sales price for your work. This book gives you the background and the calculations necessary to easily figure the markup that is right for your business. Includes a CD-ROM with forms and checklists for your use.

RSMeans Cost Data

RSMeans Cost Data
Author: RSMeans
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
Total Pages: 509
Release: 2012-02-21
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 1118348443

RSMeans Cost Data RSMeans Cost Data for Students RSMeans Cost Data, Student Edition provides a thorough introduction to cost estimating in a self-contained print and online package. With clear explanations and a hands-on, example-driven approach, it is the ideal reference for students and new professionals who need to learn how to perform cost estimating for building construction. Features include: Commercial and residential construction cost data in print and online formats Complete how-to guidance on the essentials of cost estimating A supplemental website with plans, specifications, problem sets, and a full sample estimate With more than 930 Location Factors in the United States and Canada, the data includes up-to-date system prices for more than 100 standard assemblies and in-place costs for thousands of alternates—making it easy to customize budget estimates and compare system costs. UNIT PRICES (organized in MasterFormatTM 2010) 1 General Requirements 2 Existing Conditions 3 Concrete 4 Masonry 5 Metals 6 Woods, Plastics & Composites 7 Thermal & Moisture Protection 8 Openings 9 Finishes 10 Specialties 11 Equipment 12 Furnishings 13 Special Construction 14 Conveying Equipment 21 Fire Suppression 22 Plumbing 23 Heating, Ventilating & Air Conditioning 26 Electrical 27 Communications 28 Electronic Safety & Security 31 Earthwork 32 Exterior Improvements 33 Utilities ASSEMBLIES A Substructure B Shell C Interiors D Services E Equipment & Furnishings F Special Construction G Building Site Work REFERENCE INFORMATION Equipment Rental Costs Crews Cost Indexes Reference Tables Square Foot Costs RSMeans is the leading source of cost data for construction in North America. Visit rsmeans.com to learn more.

Estimating Building Costs

Estimating Building Costs
Author: Calin M. Popescu
Publisher: CRC Press
Total Pages: 670
Release: 2003-04-22
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 0824748549

Companies live or die on the basis of estimating their costs. Preparing estimates and bidding for new jobs is a complex and often costly process. There is no substitute for on the job training -- until now. Drawing on the authors' combined experience of more than 70 years, Estimating Building Costs presents state-of-the-art principles, practices, and techniques for assessing these expenditures that can be applied regardless of changes in the costs of materials, equipment, and labor. The book is an efficient and practical tool for developing contracts or controlling project costs. The authors cover the major components of the direct cost: estimating procedures and cost trends related to materials, construction equipment, and skilled and unskilled labor. They describe various types of building estimates encountered during the lifecycle of a project, as well as the role and accuracy of each. The book provides an overview of the industry, cost indexes in use, approaches to preparing a detailed estimate, and an in-depth description of the organization and function of the estimating group. Including CSI Master Format and UniFormat codes, estimating forms, a list of available estimating software packages, a detailed construction site and investigation report, the book provides a cost estimating methodology that readers can tailor to their own organizational needs.