29 May

Towards Common Standards in the Construction Industry

Uncategorized, 2024.0529

by Jeffrey C Kadlowec, Registered Architect

The construction industry is experiencing a myriad of changes brought on by the fourth industrial revolution (Industry 4.0) over the past decade. Globalization, digitalization, internet of things (IoT), cyber-physical systems (CPS), and artificial intelligence (AI) continue to impact standard processes while changing the traditional ways business is conducted [Kagan 2023]. Typical activities and the enterprises that conduct them are heavily regulated, creating a lag behind advanced innovations seen in information technology (IT). As these modern methods are applied throughout the industry, there is a growing need for implementation of new digital standards.

Documentation is an extremely important component of the workflow in design and construction yet remains poorly structured. Development, training and implementation of standardization is a time-consuming and labor-intensive process [Kagan 2023]. There is a large disparity with multi-level requirements. Transitioning to a parametric approach is difficult. The structure of documents is weakly funded. Systems of interaction between participants are ineffective. Harmonizing national and international standards is a complex task due to incompatibility. Standard Machine Applicable, Readable and Transferable (SMART) technology seeks to merge human operations with machine-oriented information.

Standardization can restrict the implementation of change to processes promoted by the development of new technology. These negative effects of standards are overemphasized and greatly offset by the benefits of efficiency, compatibility, interoperability, and cost reduction [Choi 2022]. Standards remain an essential and often unrecognized factor of economic growth and the integration of productive innovations. Construction is a highly standardized market sector from building and zoning codes, means and methods, materials and equipment, through related organizations and governing agencies. Understanding the interplay of these standards practices and the interdependency of building systems is crucial to project success.

Cost models and parametric methods provide more reliable estimates for planning and budgeting of government infrastructure projects by simulating conditions to aid in decision making [Waliulu 2021]. Result from a Pareto analysis of the components for a Type C building show significant costs in construction of walls, roofs and ceilings, soil and foundation, and concrete (see Table 1). The accuracy of the significant cost model (CSM) method aids in initial planning stages and estimating of construction costs.

Table 1. Cost significant items in the construction of Type C buildings [Waliulu 2021].

The economic development of nations is highly dependent upon the construction industry with growing attention towards technical standards and technological innovation [Xue 2018]. Codes focus on the process of design, construction, installation, inspection, and approval creating universal building types and methods governed by law. There has been a gradual shift from the influence of labor and capital towards the impact of standards and the strategic benefits of reducing time and cost, improving quality and eliminating errors. Adjusting and adapting processes through construction standards is necessary to implement material, methods and technology.

Construction companies and independent contractors must adopt international construction standards (ICS) to remain competitive in the global marketplace. Company performance is directly dependent upon knowledge learning, technical expertise, human resources, organizational structure and relationship management [Ma 2020]. Contracts are a growing source of dispute as construction projects are become more complex and the structure of stakeholders more complicated [Saeb 2020]. Since most disputes arise from discord over interpretation, it is imperative that project scope including quality, schedule and budget be well defined. The terms and condition should be written in clear and concise language with dispute resolution methods focused towards resolving disputes quickly and fairly. Even with these the standard measures, the importance of mutual transparency and organizational independence remains paramount to project success.

References
Choi, Jae-ho; Lee, Yongsoo & Kwak, Young. (2022). A Socioeconomic Ripple Effect Analysis of Integrative National Construction Standards Codification Efforts: System Dynamics Approach. IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management. 69(6). DOI 10.1109/TEM.2020.302526.
Kagan, Pavel & Babushkin, Evgeniy. (2023). Application of Digital Standards in Construction. E3S Web of Conferences. 458. doi.org/10.1051/e3sconf/202345807022.
Ma, Dingyuan; Li, Xiaodong & Cheng, Chen. (2020). The Impact of the International Construction Standard Application Capability on Contractors’ Competitiveness: Chinese Contractors’ Experience. Journal of Civil Engineering and Management. 26(8): 757-774. doi.org/10.3846/jcem.2020.13749.
Saeb, Abdollah; Bin Mohd Danuri, Mohd; Zakaria, Norhanim & Bin Mohamed, Othman. (2020). A Case Study of Dispute Resolution Methods Pertaining to the Construction Standard Form in Iran. International Journal of Construction Education and Research. doi.org/10.1080/15578771.2019.1575937.
Waliulu, Yusroniya. (2021). Significant Construction Cost Model based on Standard Construction Cost Analysis for Infrastructure Buildings. International Conferences on Standardization and Metrology. doi.org/10.1063/5.0108766.
Xue, Hong & Zhang, Shou. (2018). Relationships between Engineering Construction Standards and Economic Growth in the Construction Industry: The Case of China’s Construction Industry. KSCE Journal of Civil Engineering. 22(5): 1606-1613. DOI 10.1007/s12205-017-1990-y.