Construction Methodology

Contents

Management Systems

Construction Documentation & Performance Design

Procurement

Establishment & Site Management

Working in the Commercial Environment

Construction

Completion & Handover

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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1Construction Methodology

 

1.           Management Systems

Safety, environmental and quality management are critical considerations in the daily operations of every Greenify Consulting site. Greenify Consulting has developed detailed management systems for implementing and controlling construction safety, environmental, and quality assurance programmes. These systems have been independently certified and regular internal and external auditing ensures system adherence. These plans are coordinated with the overall management of the project in our Project Management Plan, which defines all stakeholders, describes these roles and responsibility of the team members and integrates aspects of project delivery such as design and procurement with for example the safety and quality plans. Each project team has a dedicated Project Coordinator, who is responsible for maintaining the management systems. Initial examples of the safety, quality and environmental plans which will be implemented on the project are included in our submission.

2.           Construction Documentation and Performance Design

During the initial phase of the project Greenify Consulting will have a full-time Design Manager and a Project Engineer to manage the contractor’s responsibilities in collaboration and coordination with the Architect and the other Consultants. The underlining feature of                                   Building is its unique architectural design in which the geometry of the building throughout is irregular, which features extensive exposed structural elements and which requires detailed and exact coordination of the detail design at trade interfaces. This challenging architectural design leaves no opportunity for design development and detail finalisation parallel to construction.

Consequently all inputs from subcontractor design and shop drawings are required to be included in the AFC (approved for construction) construction documentation from the Architect and Structural Engineer. The AFC documents will also include all dimensional and other information necessary for construction. Consequently, the program for issuing AFC documentation must include adequate provision for the appointment of trade subcontractors and their initial design works. Our tender program includes this process in producing the AFC documentation as a critical path activity upon which the initial structural activities are dependent.

Greenify Consulting will issue a Construction Documentation Program including all critical dates for subcontractor design and shop drawings and dates for the issue of AFC documents by the Consultants. Weekly design meetings will be held during the initial phase of the Project with the full participation of the Consultants an essential element in ensuring optimal progress.

The most challenging performance-design aspect of this Project is the facade. Greenify Consulting will dedicate an Engineer and an external Façade Consultant in managing this process. They will report directly to the Project Director, who has extensive experience in managing the procurement and construction of specialist facades and steel/glass structures. Because of its broad extent, the façade design will be managed in coordination with, but independent of, the other contractors design responsibilities. The technically complex façade engineering and the extent of the different façades will require very much a collaborative approach from FJMT, Façade Engineer, the Façade Contractor and Greenify Consulting to ensure the best possible realisation of the concept design. A collaborative approach, with Greenify Consulting maintaining its full responsibility to deliver, will ensure that technical  issues which will inevitably arise are managed and resolved efficiently and to the satisfaction of the Architect and Client.

Greenify Consulting understands and supports the intent of the Contractor’s Proposal process and will put it into practice to minimise any contractual impact in the resolution of minor design details. We would however anticipate that should more extensive or systemic design         issues requiring specialist designer input arise, that such issues would remain the responsibility of the Client’s Consultants.

Our design management will include our standard document control and drawing management systems, processes which are part of our overall QA system. Our document management will integrate with the Clients proposed electronic document management system.

3.           Procurement

 

3.1              Program

The high quality specification of a number of items designed into the Project will be a challenge in terms of timely procurement to meet the constraints of the construction program. Of  specific concern is the specialist façades. The required process of initial design, samples, mock- ups, detail design, manufacture and delivery is complex and resource intensive. Any delays in this process will impact on construction. For example, the design of the main façade to the faculty building interfaces with the structural steel meaning the façade design needs to be advanced before completing the structural steel final shop drawings. Provision for fixing the façade and structural steel to slab edges will be dependent on the façade design.

The timely procurement of a number of other critical trade items will be essential in  maintaining the construction program. Items, which require significant subcontractor design input prior to their manufacture, are most critical. At the Faculty of Law project this will include structural steel, the specialist facades, the precast panels and the lifts. A critical aspect in procuring these items is the delivery and subsequent approval of materials samples and shop drawings. The Architect has expressed a requirement for mock-ups and extensive samples.

Greenify Consulting’s Design Manager will carefully coordinate this process so as to minimise impact on the program.

3.2       Trade & Supplier Procurement

The technical complexity, construction challenges and quality requirements of the project means that selection of the right subcontractors will be absolutely critical in meeting the demands of the project. With the key trades driving the construction program whilst maintaining high quality and safety standards, only ‘first tier’ subcontractors will have the capacity and experience to succeed on this project. These include formwork, precast panel supply and installation, concrete placing, structural steel, glass-aluminium façades, mechanical, electrical, hydraulic, fire and lift services trades. Greenify Consulting will only award these trade packages to subcontractors meeting these qualifications.

 

Subcontractor tendering is based on a trade document package which includes head contract specification, design & contractual considerations supplemented with Greenify Consulting’s trade scope of works, construction methodology, program and site specific requirements. Our evaluation process will consider tenders in the based on the lowing criteria:

• Commercial consideration
• Ability to deliver in accordance with the program
• Technical and management skills included in the offer
• Ethical behaviour
• Trade specific requirements
• Safety and QA

Final contractor selection is determined after factoring the risk profile of the trade into the subcontractor tender performance on the above criteria.

3.3              Trade Package Management

The project works will be divided up into clearly defined trade packages. The extent of each package relates directly to the technical scope of the works. Critical in managing the trade packages is having clearly defined scopes of works including clear determination of the interfaces between the respective trades. Major considerations in managing the subcontractors efficiently and effectively include:

• Confirm all roles and responsibilities and establish lines of communication and
• Prepare detailed programs especially highlighting inspections and sign
• Establish and operate quality, safety and environmental plans for the Ensure that site personnel and subcontractors are aware of their roles and responsibilities.
• Establish and maintain good industrial relations and ensure subcontractors are aware of their
• Ensure that materials and quality are of a high standard and comply with the contract
• Exercise practices to mitigate the effects of works delays translating to overall contract

4.   Establishment & Site Management

Site Accommodation

 

Initial site accommodation will be situated inside the hoardings on      (refer Building Control Plan attached and in Schedule 6). Capacity for up to 180 personnel in demountable buildings will provide adequate facilities during the initial structure phase of the project. Access to the lower working levels will be by a stair scaf d tower. Primary pedestrian access will be fromand along a temporary walkway next to the Building. The Greenify Consulting project team will be established in the lower level of the additional location in the Building.

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4.1.2        Site Area & Access

 

During the initial structure phase the primary delivery areas will be the two car park ramp areas. Most delivery vehicles will be able to turn with in the designated delivery areas. For deliveries which need to be reversed from Road (or Client Avenue) or during periods of frequent activity, such as concrete pours, traffic control will be in place at the Road intersection with Road.Once the structure is sufficiently progressed, a temporary through roadway along the boundary will be established for light traffic such as forklifts. This will enhance horizontal material handling

 

4.1.3        Horizontal and Vertical Materials Handling

 

Based on the programming requirements of the lower levels of the structure, Greenify Consulting has selected two hammerhead tower cranes for the project. The cranes will be located to service the two site delivery areas and are positioned as indicated on the Building Control Plan. This two crane strategy will allow two formwork crews to perform. The southern crane (Liebherr 185) will be demobilised lowing completion of the teaching building structure. The northern crane (Liebherr 290) will be installed with sufficient boom reach to cover the site. This crane will service the complete site lowing the demobilisation of the southern crane.

Greenify Consulting has allowed for the Liebherr 290 to remain on-site during the initial installation of the Faculty Building Façade/Roof and the Light Tower. This will allow optimal materials handling during the structural steel elements of these complicated works and minimize the need for additional mobile cranes. Refer site materials handling plans at the various project stages.

An Alimak (Scando 20/32) man and materials hoists will be set-up to serve the levels of both Faculty and the Teaching buildings. One of the challenges of the project is effective materials distribution to the level 2 fit-out area and the level 3 podium area lowing the structure works. Greenify Consulting has included for a minimum of two materials hoists, one to load materials between level 1 external and level 3 external and a second hoist located internally in the  library area to serve level 2 from level 1. In addition to the hoists, a forklift and a Manitou type materials handler will handle the horizontal materials and waste distribution.

4.1.4        Materials Handling

 

Horizontal materials transport within each staged works area will be by an all-terrain forklift. A materials storage area will be established within each works compound with deliveries scheduled to minimise the impact of construction traffic through the Client precinct.

Supplementing the forklift will be a Franner type mobile crane typically on-site on a half-day basis as required. It will required to relocate the pedestrian hoardings to allow works progress. This can be handled quickly and efficiently by the all terrain forklift.

4.2      PD Works

 

The public domain (PD) works will be set-up to run autonomously from the     building. Some shared resources in terms of senior site management and site accommodation are planned but in other operation respects, the PD works will be run separately.

4.2.1  Site Accommodation

 

For each stage of the public domain works re-locatable office and ablution facilities will be provided within the main works area. Personnel will use the Building facilities for changing and lunch requirements.

 

4.2.2        Site Area and Access

 

The works area to each stage of the public domain works will have a fully enclosed perimeter A-Class type hoarding (full faced with plywood or colourbond). It is proposed the main pedestrian access ways through each work area will prefabricated walkway structures with full height cladding, which can quickly relocated section by section to accommodate the progress of the works. Where disabled access to buildings is required, temporary ramps will be put in place. The works area will have one or two vehicle access gates. The proposed site set-ups for each phase are indicated PD works control plans for each stage. Integral in the set-up of each stage will be directional signage for pedestrians, vehicles and emergency vehicles.

Comprehensive construction pedestrian and traffic management plans, based on the Client staging plans, will be produced in consultation with all users. Pedestrian and wheelchair access, emergency egress ways, hydrant and hose reel access, building service and emergency   vehicle access requirements will all be included in these plans. A strategy of low impact on Client operations through construction traffic and delivery traffic will be lowed. Materials and plant deliveries will be typically scheduled for early morning (between 6.00 and 7.00am) with works so planned that vehicle movements in or out of the works areas are absolutely minimised during normal working hours. During stage 1 the central section of the works will be      isolated through pedestrian routes. Vehicle access to this central section will be achieved by briefly opening up a section in the pedestrian hoarding at off-peak times. Any construction movements adjacent pedestrian areas will only be conducted under strict supervision of certified traffic controllers.

The requirement for the road works in stage 3 and stage 5 to be completed in short durations and at times of low impact to the Client traffic flow will be integrated into the scheduling of the works.

 

8Construction Methodology

5.           Working in Client Environment

Greenify Consulting understands restrictions working on the  Campus and the particular requirements of managing a large construction project in a live public environment. Specific measures will be introduced to ensure that the project operations interface efficiently with the day-to-day operations of the Client. The nature and the scale of the project is such, that some impact on the operations of the Client at various times will be inevitable. The Contractor’s responsibility will be to manage this impact to meet the expectations and requirements of the Client.

Greenify Consulting will assign a dedicated staff member to liaise with the Client in all matters relating to the project operations. Regular meetings are will be held, initially to establish a control plan, and then to monitor the progress of the project and its impact on the Client environment. This plan will include an agreed procedure for handling any incidents that should occur. It is also understood that the Client will have its own WH & S policies and procedures, aspects of which will be incorporated into the site WH & S plan as appropriate. Greenify Consulting has allowed for the general Client requirements stipulated in the tender documents.

In the planned site layout, specific measures are included to ensure minimum impact on the Client operations and to minimise any direct contact the Client public have with construction operations. These include:

• restricting vehicle and pedestrian access to the site area from Road (some limited pedestrian access may be required from )
• shielding the footpath from the site area through a full-faced hoarding (replacing the current chain mesh fence)
• using full-faced hoardings to fully enclose the public domain works areas when in the main Client Campus areas
• hoarding the pedestrian access ways through the public domain works to ensure complete separation from the works areas
• scheduling early morning plant and materials deliveries to the public domain works
• locating portable office and ablution facilities within each public domain works stage area to minimise the need for construction personnel to leave work areas
• coordinated directional and information signage to manage pedestrian and vehicle flows around the staged public domain works
• inclusion of explicit ‘code of conduct’ standards in the site induction of all construction personnel
• inclusion of the Client/Site Works interface as a specific area of responsibility of the full-time (during the main works) Greenify Consulting Site Safety Manager

Specific management plans for Traffic and Pedestrian Management, Erosion & Settlement Control (including airborne dust) and Environmental Noise Control will be coordinated and submitted to the Client. These will include specific measures on the public domain works and be structured to address the different requirements of the public domain stages.

Structure

 The principal challenge in the progressing the structural works is in achieving optimal construction durations within the operating restrictions of site access being limited to the north east and south east corners of the site. Greenify Consulting’s approach on the lower structure is to divide the floor areas into four manageable slab pours, typically lowing the post-tension design. Some corbel may require review to accommodate this sequence. The pour sequence is outlined in the attached plans. The existing temporary ramp allows access to the lower basement area. The basement 1 pours commence in the south west corner working back to the temporary ramp. It is envisaged that two formwork crews will work two slab areas in parallel.

The first suspended slab will low the lower level sequence. For this and the subsequent levels and boom tower located centrally and connected to a static line will provide concrete service. The line-pump will be set-up on the south-east delivery area, which can be efficiently serviced by concrete delivery vehicles. The use of a line pump with its small footprint will significantly improve the efficiency of the concrete pours and reduce the disruption to other site activities. It also allows the option of supplementing the line pump with a mobile boom pump to reduce the duration of the larger pours.

The level 1, 2 and 3 slabs low the same sequence as the lower levels working south to north and west to east with two formwork crews. Formwork methodology to the project will be generally be conventional with the irregularity of the concrete profiles precluded extensive use of system formwork. Conventional formwork will be combined with efficient propping systems to the high soffit areas such as the library void to ensure the quantity and duration of the propping is optimized. The teaching and faculty building structures will low the level three slab parallel and independent of one another. The construction of the Faculty tower will include the back-propping required to the bridge area.

Immediately lowing the completion of the concrete works to both teaching and faculty buildings the structural steel roof and faced support structures will be installed. For edge protection during the structure and initial access for the façade installation full perimeter scaf ds are planned.

6.1.2        Building Envelope

 Façade installation to the teaching and the faculty building will low the installation of the structural steel in both cases. Although different façade systems the priority will be to get the internal ‘skins’ of the facades on both structures fully installed to allow the dry internal trades to commence and also to dismantle scaf d to areas to allow the completion of the waterproofing membrane to the podium slab. The complex louvre systems and on the Faculty building, external skin façade can then low with the program critical path moving to the fit-out activities.

 

The podium waterproofing is critical to the program and to the long-term serviceability of the Project. Greenify Consulting’s strategy here will be three- d: firstly, ensure the design detailing covers all site situations and can be executed as designed, secondly, to schedule and manage the works adjacent the membrane areas to absolutely minimise the possibility of mechanical damage to the membrane installation and thirdly, to implement a strict regime of QA involving an independent waterproofing consultant.

 

6.1.3        Services & Fitout

 

Services rough-in and blockwork walls will commence to each level once back-propping is removed and any concrete remedial works are completed. The trade sequence will low through as indicated in the construction program on a trade-by-trade and floor-by-floor basis.           The critical factor will be to get the building external envelope watertight on program to ensure the dry trades can commence as scheduled. Installation of main plant, vertical services risers and lift installation works will be completed parallel to the works to each floor.

 

Areas requiring particular attention in bulding will be the fit-out to the library, seminar and moot court areas. Extensive specialist ceiling installations, timber panelling and complex services are found in these areas and additional scaf d access will be necessary. A principal strategy to these areas will be to complete areas through trade teams working in parallel. This will expedite program pressures in some of these crucial areas.

 

Testing of services and pre-commissioning will be completed on a floor-by-floor basis. Initial defect inspections and rectification to the fit-out trades will be completed prior to handing the floor over for installation of the joinery and FF&E. The final commissioning and preparation of occupation certificate are critical works approaching the end of the project. Greenify Consulting will take the lead role in ensuring all technical requirements for OC are in place will assist the PCA in coordinating the required documentation.

6.1.4        FF&E

 

The extent of the FF&E package is not yet fully established. Critical in the delivering and installing the furniture and equipment will be logistics of distributing it throughout the buildings without impacting on the completion works. Processes and security will be a major consideration in managing the delivery and installation process.

 

6.2              Public Domain Works

 

The establishment and the management of the site areas is covered in section 4.2. General the sequencing of the trades in public domain works is fixed both in terms of the stages and of the different trades within each stage. We understand the drivers (car parking, pedestrian flows, emergency and service access & egress) in the staging plans and have based our works program accordingly. Technically the works will require first class execution in with good supervision and control measures. We have for example allowed for external surveyors to provide control of subcontractor set-out of the works. Areas which we see as crucial will be the excavation and installation of new in-ground services. We have a concern that encountering not anticipated existing services could complicate these activities.

The other works area critical to the long-term serviceability of the works is the paving substructure and the paving butting and jointing. It is of paramount importance that the most appropriate technical specification is confirmed, and that then the site quality control ensures for compliance during the works execution. Greenify Consulting has dedicated supervisory staff for this purpose. Other specialist areas of the works are the sandstone works to the main gates, the metalwork to the boundary, the water feature and the street lighting and furniture.

 

7.           Completion and Defects

 

7.1                    Commissioning and Handover

This is a key and often neglected phase of building construction. Clear and efficient management of this stage of the project will ensure a clean handover of an operating and fully commissioned building to informed and trained building management.

Greenify Consulting’s Services Manager shall prepare the scope of the commissioning in conjunction with the design consultants. Comprehensive checklists will be prepared for each system and any necessary information will be obtained from the designers and the equipment manufacturers. An essential phase of the project is going from the static installations to fully functional operating systems. Greenify Consulting, the Services Consultants and the Services Subcontractors shall develop a detailed commissioning network early in the installation program. Items identified shall including

• Pre-commissioning checks and cleaning
• Power on and setting to work
• System commissioning and balancing
• Controls commissioning
• System interfaces and operation
• System proving/performance tests
• Certification of systems
• Client demonstrations and training
• Operating and maintenance manuals

The final aspect of the commissioning is the training and hand-over to the building operators. Greenify Consulting will agree a completion and hand-over program with the Client. This will identify final services commissioning and operator training activities. The main focus will be on the services to the building but all other operative and handover issues such as key systems, façade cleaning, maintenance of finishes and the like are covered. O&M documentation will be issued to the building operators prior to completion of the construction works. A series of one to one training sessions will be conducted prior to hand-over to ensure the building operators are trained and prepared appropriately to run and manage the facility lowing project completion.

7.2              Defects Management System (DMS)

The strategy of the Greenify Consulting defects management system is to achieve minimal defects at practical completion. The elimination of defects arising during the course of construction, or at the very least a reliable process for their timely resolution prior to completion requires the application of superior processes that are designed to identify and resolve defects as they arise through construction.

The system Greenify Consulting applies to the management and control of quality issues and defects is designed to:

• Ensure that tradesmen and their direct line supervisors see quality as their responsibility to enable quality issues to be resolved at the lowest possible level
• Ensure defects and quality issues are not allowed to accumulate
• Ensure inspections are carried out at the workface and that links are established with the company’s existing Quality Assurance systems
• Motivate and facilitate a cultural change in attitude in accepting quality issues and defects not as being the ‘norm’.

To reduce the occurrence of defects and to ensure their appropriate and timely management and rectification, Greenify Consulting have adopted a system, which compliments our Quality Management and Assurance Processes. The system was adopted as a result of research undertaken by the Client of NSW.

At Greenify Consulting our experience indicates that lack of care as opposed to lack of skill is the main contributing factor to the quality and defects problem. Consequently DMS is designed to address this situation by raising the profile of quality and improving the motivation of contractors and employees towards it.

DMS is designed to eliminate defects at source through the application of the lowing principles and techniques:

• Pre-commencement induction of the subcontractor’s supervisors and employees to communicate Greenify Consulting’s standards, expectations and the application of DMS prior to commencement of on-site
• A system of inspections administered by the tradesmen and direct-line supervisors backed up with check-sheets to ensure checking is carried out by the tradesmen performing the work in order to identify and resolve problems at the lowest possible level and thereby focus on getting things right first time and eliminate the need for costly revisits and
• A system of inspections carried out by Greenify Consulting supervisors to serve as a ‘safety net’ is a secondary The principle quality inspections and sign off are undertaken by direct line supervisors and tradesmen.
• The use of external specialist building consultants to monitor quality workmanship and finishes during the course of construction provides a third level of inspection and
• The use of completed tradesmen check-sheets and Greenify Consulting check-sheets as a means of rating and scoring subcontractor’s quality performance and identifying impediments to achieving the required quality
• The presentation and display of tradesmen/subcontractor ratings and scores through project newsletters or site notice board to add a competitive element to overcome resistance usually associated with other quality improvement
• The use of ‘tool box talks’ as a means of raising quality/defect issues with subcontractors/tradesmen

On the project these strategies will be rigorously applied. Integral in the installation, commissioning and handover processes mentioned in the previous sections will quality inspections by the Design Consultants and Project Manager. Any defects and non-conformance items raised through these inspections will flow directly back into our Defects Management System to ensure rectification without delay.