Construction productivity-how well, how quickly, and at what cost buildings and infrastructure can be constructed-directly affects prices for homes and consumer goods and the robustness of the national economy. Industry analysts differ on whether construction industry productivity is improving or declining. Still, advances in available and emerging technologies offer significant opportunities to improve construction efficiency substantially in the 21st century and to help meet other national challenges, such as environmental sustainability. Advancing the Competitiveness and Efficiency of the U.S. Construction Industry identifies five interrelated activities that could significantly improve the quality, timeliness, cost-effectiveness, and sustainability of construction projects. These activities include widespread deployment and use of interoperable technology applications; improved job-site efficiency through more effective interfacing of people, processes, materials, equipment, and information; greater use of prefabrication, preassembly, modularization, and off-site fabrication techniques and processes; innovative, widespread use of demonstration installations; and effective performance measurement to drive efficiency and support innovation. The book recommends that the National Institute of Standards and Technology work with industry leaders to develop a collaborative strategy to fully implement and deploy the five activities

Publisher's Note: Products purchased from Third Party sellers are not guaranteed by the publisher for quality, authenticity, or access to any online entitlements included with the product. Up-to-Date, Proven Construction Project Management Techniques Thoroughly revised to cover the latest technologies and standards, this practical resource provides all of the information necessary to efficiently execute every phase of any construction job. The book features complete details on estimating, purchasing, contract administration, team management, quality control and assurance, and other topics essential to completing a project on time and within budget. Project Management in Construction, Seventh Edition, covers new OSHA regulations and new contract formats that emphasize collaboration and teamwork. BIM and green buildings, topics of importance to all of today’s project managers, are explained.. Coverage includes: •Introduction to the construction industry •General conditions of the construction contract •ConsensusDOCS integrated project delivery contracts •Lean construction •Bonds and insurance •Organizing the project team •Estimating and buying out the job •Change orders •Quality control and quality assurance •Project documentation •Claims, disputes, arbitration, and mediation •Design-build •Sustainability and green buildings •Building information modeling •Interoperability

A panel of experts appointed by the National Research Council assessed the scientific and technical work of the Building and Fire Research Laboratory (BFRL) of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). The scope of the assessment included the following criteria: (1) the technical merit of the current laboratory programs relative to the current state of the art worldwide; (2) the adequacy of the laboratory facilities, equipment, and human resources, as they affect the quality of the laboratory technical programs; and (3) the degree to which the laboratory programs in measurement science and standards achieve their stated objectives and desired impact.

Modularization A practical, hands-on guide to offsite preassembly, beginning with the project as just a concept gleam in the CEO’s eye and winding all the way through implementation at the construction site. Modularization is a philosophy change! And along with that change, comes the need to understand the implementation requirements and project mindset adjustments that impact and influence all aspects of the modular project. To accomplish this, the book provides a complete (from beginning to end) identification and evaluation of the differences that make a modular project unique, starting with the very basics in terms of definitions and setting the groundwork of expectations by identifying benefits and challenges. Then, because the journey is as important as the destination, the reader is guided through the various project phases in a manner that reflects how they would be addressed in the workplace. From the very earliest identification of concepts, through early assessment and selection of the optimal choice to be finally carried into detailed design, the reader is acquainted with each phase of the development process, including explanations and relevant suggestions for many of the questions and issues that typically come up. A perfect reference for professional and technical leaders when developing the early, critical planning phases of modular projects, this guide offers useful examples and details on the fundamentals required to get a modular project started correctly and keep it on track. And, for those whom this is not their first foray into modular project management, this guide includes suggestions, examples, and/or lessons learned to make the subsequent module projects easier to implement. Recognized industry experts Michael Kluck and Dr. Jin Ouk Choi have authored this guide to modularization that is ideal for owners, contractors, project management, engineers, project controls, and procurement—in fact, anyone interested in improving current construction project management practices. In addition, its thought-provoking examples and project case studies provide the perfect platform for its instructional use in teaching modular concepts. Written from the perspective of both the Client/Owner and the EPC Contractor, this guide provides useful information needed for initial project management setup and technical details useful to working functional groups within the project. As such, it is truly a universal guide that can provide personnel at all levels within the project with the information needed to make project implementation more seamless. This book is written in terms of the large-scale industrial modularization project, but the steps and process are equally applicable to small-scale projects and projects outside the industrial construction realm. Some of the topics covered in this guide include: The basics (to set a basis for major topic presentations) Module configurations (“good, bad, and ugly”) A deep dive into modularization business case Module team and project interactions Module execution planning and timing Success factors, pitfalls and avoidance A walk through the “module project” A modular project case exercise – tying it all together Standardization – the next step What the future holds

"Prefab Architecture . . . is beyond theory, and beyond most of what we think we know about pods, containers, mods, and joints. This book is more than 'Prefabrication 101.' It is the Joy of Cooking writ large for the architecture and construction industries." From the Foreword by James Timberlake, FAIA THE DEFINITIVE REFERENCE ON PREFAB ARCHITECTURE FOR ARCHITECTS AND CONSTRUCTION PROFESSIONALS Written for architects and related design and construction professionals, Prefab Architecture is a guide to off-site construction, presenting the opportunities and challenges associated with designing and building with components, panels, and modules. It presents the drawbacks of building in situ (on-site) and demonstrates why prefabrication is the smarter choice for better integration of products and processes, more efficient delivery, and realizing more value in project life cycles. In addition, Prefab Architecture provides: A selected history of prefabrication from the Industrial Revolution to current computer numerical control, and a theory of production from integrated processes to lean manufacturing Coverage on the tradeoffs of off-site fabrication including scope, schedule, and cost with the associated principles of labor, risk, and quality Up-to-date products featuring examples of prefabricated structure, enclosure, service, and nterior building systems Documentation on the constraints and execution of manufacturing, factory production, transportation, and assembly Dozens of recent examples of prefab projects by contemporary architects and fabricators including KieranTimberlake, SHoP Architects, Office dA, Michelle Kaufmann, and many others In Prefab Architecture, the fresh approaches toward creating buildings that accurately convey ature and expanded green building methodologies make this book an important voice for adopting change in a construction industry entrenched in traditions of the past.

It’s often said that the construction professional has to be a “jack of all trades, and master of all.” This text covers a wide range of subjects, reflecting the breadth of knowledge needed to understand the dynamics of this large and complex industry. This edition includes updated chapters on planning and scheduling, a new chapter addressing linear scheduling methods, material regarding the historical background of construction as a profession, and includes an Instructor Resource of solutions to the end-of-chapter review exercises. This text has become a standard course text at many universities. The first four editions have enjoyed wide success as an introductory treatment of the subjects which are critical to success in the construction industry. This fifth edition preserves the features that have been most appreciated by its users throughout the years, and adds suggestions provided by instructors and students through formal surveys and informal feedback to the authors.

R&D Investment and Impact in the Global Construction Industry brings together contributions from leading industry researchers in a diverse group of countries to investigate the role of research and development (R&D) in the construction industry. Investment in R&D is a proven factor in economic growth, and helps develop a more productive and innovative industry. This book explores how policy makers and industry leaders can better target future investment; and how industry and researchers can manage their efforts to improve productivity whilst addressing the environmental and social needs of their communities. Case studies present projects where R&D ideas funded by both the private and public sectors have been translated from research into practice or policy, and examine drivers, successes and barriers to the delivery of R&D in industry. Based on research from members of the CIB Task Group 85 (R&D Investment and Impact) and concluding with key insights for maximising the impact of R&D in the future, the book holds valuable lessons for practitioners, policy makers and researchers across the international construction industry.