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Integrated Innovation in Construction Management
Integrated Innovation in Construction Management
Construction Management
Hari Om Gupta
Dept of BEM, SPA, New Delhi
Thesis Project 2
Integrated Innovation in Construction Management
Introduction
Innovation is a continuous process in any field; same is the case with Construction
Management. Use of high-tech equipment, composite material, and state of the art
technology is always confused with innovation. Where as they are just constituents
of innovation. Integration of all such components will result in ‘Total Innovation’ or
‘Integrated Innovation’. In construction activities small things add up to bring about
the Time, Cost & Resource optimisation and most of such things are not derived in
offices or research laboratories but at the site, where actual work is happening.
Therefore role of Construction Manager and Contractor becomes very important.
During design stage of a project ‘X’, Decision was taken for the use of a new building
material, AAC blocks instead of traditional Bricks on the external face of the building.
As AAC blocks are lightweight and have better insulation properties than brick work.
This was being seen as innovation. The AAC block work was done at site as per
specifications laid down and everything was perfectly in line till time came for fixing
of the doors and windows on to the openings left for that purpose in masonry. As
done with brick masonry traditionally. It was then realised that the Edges of AAC
block work was brittle & weak, incapable of holding the doors and windows being
installed. As a solution it was decided to demolish AAC Block work along the
periphery of the opening and replace it with brickwork resulting in wastage of
resources, time and money. This could have been avoided through the Integration of
the new material into construction methodology.
Integrated innovation will comprise of such planning tools techniques that will result
in minimizing the costs (Especially through elimination of the reworks) and optimizing
the allocation of resources. That in turn will result in fulfilling the schedules and
gaining high quality. This could be achieved by identifying certain elements of
construction that can be produced in the factories and used in construction using the
JIT (just in time concept). The elements have to be identified by the managers in
every project based on the project characteristics thus finding the element to be
replaced is a customized innovative process.
Many points in the above discussion may look pretty normal but on ground these will
be a tough task to achieve and will require innovation and integration and this
‘Integrated innovation’ may be the future of construction management.
1. Early involvement of all key players in the project, enabling optimum solutions
to be identified to specific issues. Second tier contractors are an important
source of innovation and need to be fully integrated.
2. Enabling solutions to be selected on the basis of whole life value, and not on
the lowest cost basis.
Aim:
The Aim of the thesis work is to study and document Current Innovations and
Practices in the field of Construction Management.
Objective:
To learn about ‘Just in Time’ concept and its application to Construction Industry to
minimise waste and achieve Time, Cost and Resource optimisation.
The scope of this thesis work shall be limited to civil works of a building project.
Contents:
1. Introduction:
1.1. Context / Need.
1.2. Aim.
1.3. Objective.
1.4. Scope.
1.5. Methodology.
2. Literature Review:
2.1. Construction Process knowledge for integration and innovation by C B
Tatum.
2.2. Evaluation of Construction Technology, Shasidharan CSP, Seminar, May 03.
2.3. Identification of management Strategies for Construction and its
Implementation with CERP, Preetha G Raman, Seminar, Dec 04.
2.4. The prevalent theory of Construction is hindrance for Innovation, Lauri
Koskela & Reben Vrijhoef.
2.5. Just in time construction method: case study: innovation in the Malaysian
housing industry.
References: