Outline:

In continuation of our course for Construction management, we will discuss following in this article.

• Introduction
• Owners
• Architects
• Engineers
• Construction Professionals
• Contractors

Primary Players

A construction project is a collaborative teamwork involving people with different skills and expertise. Many stakeholders are involved depending on the complexity of the project

The three main stakeholders in construction projects are:
1. Owners
2. Architects (Design Professionals – Architects and Engineer)
3. Contractors
 Coordination between these three stakeholders depends on

• Project Delivery System
• Contractual relationship for the execution of project the project

Each of these parties provides different services and has specific responsibilities for achieving the goals of the project.

1. Owners

After identifying needs and deciding to build, the owner is responsible for his four main tasks:

1. Define Project Scope.
2. Developing programs and gathering end-user requirements, needs and expectations.
3. Determine the overall project budget including land acquisition (if required), development, design and construction costs.
4. provides funding and payments to designers and contractors on a regular basis.
   
   Owners can be classified in two types ;

Public owners are typically government agencies such as the General Services Administration, Army Corps of Engineers, and State Departments of Transportation. These agencies represent the general public and use taxpayer money to build courts, military bases, and federal highways etc.

Private owners : account for the majority of construction spending, in the form of individuals building single-family homes, contractors constructing buildings on a speculative basis, or state-owned enterprises owning large numbers of facilities. Funding comes from private sources such as banks, investment brokers and venture capitalists.

Construction cannot begin without a client. They are the driving force of the construction industry. Their demand for housing, commercial facilities, industrial products and infrastructure is the main motivation for construction. 

2 –Design Professionals

The construction process involves two types of professional 

• Designers (Architects)
• engineers

Architects deal with building function, life safety and aesthetics while Engineers work with systems. They typically work together to complete design features and take initiative depending on the type of facility being built. Construction managers coordinate and interact regularly with architects and engineers throughout the construction process.

The main responsibilities of the designer (Architects) are:

• Assisting owners to develop program and collect end user requirements.
• assisting owner by designing the facility to meet end user requirements and expectation.
• Assisting owner in the selection of products by considering the project budget and quality.
• Advise clients on specific aesthetic issues and develop graphic solutions to problems.
• Final blueprints, construction details and project specifications (in co-ordination with fellow engineers’ other disciplines).

Difference between Architectural design and engineering Design:

Architect deals with the general aesthetic and graphic design of the construction project, while engineers design the complete and cost-effective design of their discipline (Electrical, mechanical, Building Automation, Fire & Safety etc) which is customised with respect to the architectural design.

A. Architects

An architect is a licensed professional trained in the art and science of architectural design. They turn the owner’s program into a concept and refine that concept to create images and plans for others to build. In addition to completing a four- or five-year college program, architects must have years of experience and pass exams before they can be licensed. Architects design the aesthetic and functional outlines of buildings and other structures.

Architects also determine building materials and sometimes even interior design. When designing, architects comply with building codes, zoning laws, fire codes, and other regulations.

Several specific roles within a typical architectural firm support the architectural design function. Based on roles and responsibilities, architects are of three types , design architects , architectural technicians & Specification engineers.

Design Architects:  

Design architects are creators of aesthetic solutions. Their function is primarily to find creative expression. They communicate their ideas to the design staff through sketches and schematic renderings. As a general rule, architects do not participate in the actual drafting. while they assist Architectural engineers or CAD operators to prepare final construction drawings and documents.

Architectural CAD Technicians: 

Architectural technicians are typically drafters of architectural plans. They are the ones who create the drawings for the actual construction Work with preliminary sketches and concept drawings from the design architect.
Today, draftsmen have become computer operators, using CAD (Computer Aided Design) software to create drawings electronically. Some of CAD users have expanded their skills to incorporate 3D Building Information Modelling (BIM). As the information modelling trend continues, these technicians are becoming more and more valuable in the market.

Specification writers / Engineers:

Project Design specifications are prepared in conjunction with blue prints, which are the necessary part of any contract. Specifications provides the guidelines for construction works and material to be used. Blue prints and specifications are necessary parts of any tender documents.

B. Engineers

Engineers are usually the lead designers for heavy civil and industrial projects. Engineers are regulated by professional licensing requirements that include a four- or five-year college program, a specific number of years of experience, and the passing of a professional licensing exam. However, in building design, they are most often hired as consultants by the architects. In this scenario, they have no direct contact with the owner.

There are many different engineering specialties; the most common ones associated with construction activities are described next:

Structural Engineers :

Structural engineers design concrete, or steel structural systems that support a building and basically hold it up to withstand the forces of wind, gravity, and seismic activity. They design the foundations, beams, girders, and columns that make up the skeleton of the structure.

Mechanical Engineers :

Mechanical engineers design the heating, cooling, ventilating, plumbing, and fire suppression systems within a building. They coordinate their efforts with the architectural design, the structural design, and the electrical design.

Electrical Engineers :

Electrical engineers design and calculate electrical loads and determine the circuitry, lighting, motors, transformers, and telecommunications needed for a building. They typically work closely with the architect to ensure that the owner’s expectations are met and often coordinate their efforts with the mechanical engineer.

Civil Engineers :

Civil engineers design roads, bridges, tunnels, dams, site drainage, parking lots, runways, and water supply and sewage systems. Civil engineers play key role in the execution of infrastructure or Construction projects.

Landscape Architects :

Landscape architects are design professionals licensed and regulated by an entity separate from building architects. Large architectural firms may employ landscape architects on staff and utilize their services in the overall design. Landscape professional may be hired directly by the owner or work under a separate contract with the builder. Great landscape design can make an ordinary building look extraordinary. Likewise, an ill-conceived landscape design can make an extraordinary building look ordinary.

Landscape architects deal with

• The building site and outside environmental issues surrounding the structure.
• Plantings, sidewalks, retaining walls, and water features to enhance the project.

Interior Designers :

Not all projects will engage the services of an interior designer. They may be hired directly by the owner or be a consultant to the architect. The Contractor may or may not have direct dealings with the interior designer.

Interior Designers deals with ;

• Design building’s interior finishes or schemes.
• Make decisions regarding furniture selection and placement
• Selection of paint colours and accessories, light fixtures, window treatments, floor finishes, and ceiling treatments.

Construction Professional :

According to the American Institute of Constructors, the term constructor is generally used to define the professional responsible for all construction activities whether they work as a general contractor, a construction manager, or a specialty contractor. The profession of constructor includes job titles such as, but not limited to, project manager, general superintendent, project executive, operations manager, construction manager, and chief executive officer. The constructor’s job is to do the following:

• Interpret the plans and specifications and prepare cost estimates and time schedules to meet the requirements of the owner.

• Determine and implement the best construction practices, means, and methods to satisfy the owner’s requirements for time, cost, and quality.
• Oversee and manage all of the construction operations into a single, safe coordinated effort.

Construction Managers :

Construction managers may be employed by construction management firms, general contractors, architects, engineers, owners, or specialty contractors. The primary responsibility of the construction manager is to organize the project team to perform the construction work.

3. General Contractors

The general contractor, also known as the prime contractor or main contractor, enters into a contract with the owner to deliver the construction project in accordance with the plans and specifications that have been prepared by the architects and engineers. They may or may not actually perform any of the actual construction work with their own forces. they arrange subcontractors or trade contractors to perform the specialized craftwork such as excavation, concrete placement, painting, or plumbing. Generally general contractor maintains only a management staff and a field staff as permanent employees. The construction management staff includes estimators, schedulers, and purchasing agents, while the field management staff consists of superintendents, foremen, field engineers, and lead workers. The work of the trades is performed under separate subcontracts with various specialty contractors.

Speciality Contractors :

Specialty contractors are often referred to as subcontractors because they perform their work under a contract with another contractor (typically the general contractor) to do a portion of the contractor’s work, as opposed to contracting directly with an owner. These subcontractors, in turn, may engage other subcontractors. Thus, there can be several levels of subcontracting to a general contractor.

The Building Trades :

The inclusion of craftsmen as part of the construction profession is important. Because without them the building would not exist at all. These are the men and women who do the actual work (plumbers, electricians, masons, etc.). These skilled and semi-skilled workforce is the construction industry’s most valuable asset, yet their immense contribution is rarely recognized.