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Efficiency in the provision of production specifications for the South African construction industry
Get PDFIn most developed countries production specifications are based on national standardised specification systems, such as the National Building Specification or NBS (Great Britain), the National Specification System or NATSPEC (Australia), Master Specification Systems or MasterSpec (United States of America and Canada), General Materials and Workmanship Specifications or AMA (Sweden), and the National Standard Building Specification or STABU (the Netherlands). Standard specifications are primarily designed to shorten descriptions in the texts of new projects, whether in respect of descriptions on architectural or engineering drawings and technical specifications or descriptions in bills of quantities, schedules of rates, etcetera. In some countries the development of computerised specification systems has reached the point that these systems are supplanting the traditional word processing method. These systems are also providing links or interfaces to other information systems of the construction sector, such as design, products and cost information systems, etcetera.The South African construction industry, however, lags behind these countries that have been involved in the development of construction information systems or processes over the years. A call is therefore made to improve the efficiency of providing production specifications, as inadequate project information has been identified as one of the major causes of inefficiency in the building process
Efficiency in the provision of production specifications for the South African construction industry
No full textEnglish: In most developed countries production specifications are based on national
standardised specification systems, such as the National Building Specification
or NBS (Great Britain), the National Specification System or NATSPEC (Australia),
Master Specification Systems or MasterSpec (United States of America and
Canada), General Materials and Workmanship Specifications or AMA (Sweden),
and the National Standard Building Specification or STABU (the Netherlands).
Standard specifications are primarily designed to shorten descriptions in the
texts of new projects, whether in respect of descriptions on architectural or
engineering drawings and technical specifications or descriptions in bills of
quantities, schedules of rates, etcetera. In some countries the development
of computerised specification systems has reached the point that these systems
are supplanting the traditional word processing method. These systems are also
providing links or interfaces to other information systems of the construction
sector, such as design, products and cost information systems, etcetera.
The South African construction industry, however, lags behind these countries that
have been involved in the development of construction information systems
or processes over the years. A call is therefore made to improve the efficiency
of providing production specifications, as inadequate project information has
been identified as one of the major causes of inefficiency in the building process.Afrikaans: In meeste ontwikkelde lande word konstruksie inligtingstelsels gebasseer op
nasionale gestandaardiseerde spesifikasiestelsels, soos die National Building
Specification of NBS (Groot Brittanje), die National Specification System of
NATSPEC (Australië), Master Specification Systems of MasterSpec (Verenigde
State van Amerika en Kanada), General Materials and Workmanship Specifi
cations of AMA (Swede), en die National Standard Building Specification of
STABU (Nederland). Standaard of algemene spesifikasies bevat instruksies en/
of vereistes betreffende die uitvoering en gehalte van werk en verkort be
skrywings in ander verkrygingsdokumente, soos byvoorbeeld beskrywings op
argiteks of ingenieurstekeninge en tegniese spesifikasies of beskrywings in
hoeveelheidslyste en skedules van tariewe. In sekere lande het die ontwik
keling van gerekaniseerde spesifikasiestelsels die stadium bereik waar kon
vensionele woordverwerkingmetodes vervang word met ’n objekgeoriënteer
de benadering vir die organisering van konstruksie inligting sonder menslike
intervensie. Hierdie moderne stelsels voorsien ook skakeling of integrering met
ander inligtingstelsels wat in die konstruksiesektor gebruik word, soos byvoor
beeld met produksoek , tender en koste inligtingstelsels.
Die Suid Afrikaanse konstruksiebedryf het egter ’n agterstand teenoor lande wat
oor jare reeds met die ontwikkeling van konstruksie inligtingstelsels of prosesse
gemoeid is. Dit is algemene kennis dat gebrekkige projekinligting een van die
hoofoorsake van oneffektiwiteit in die bouproses is, en die feit kan nie weg
geredeneer word nie dat integrasie van inligting op tekeninge en in spesifi
kasies die hoogste prioriteit onder die veeltal betrokkenes in die veld van kon
struksie inligting behoort te geniet.Publisher's versio
Doubts raised on the validity of construction and payment guarantees
No full textEnglish: It has become common practice in the building industry for contractors to
provide employers with a construction guarantee. These guarantees, which
are defined as being on call or on demand, usually provide that a certificate
issued by the agent or the principal agent will provide conclusive proof that
the employer is entitled to call in the guarantee (Fenster, 1998). In a number
of recent decisions, such a conclusive proof provision has been the subject of
judicial scrutiny, and there is now an ever-increasing doubt as to the validity of
these guarantees.
The Joint Building Contracts Committee (JBCC) 1991 suite of contracts was
the first in South Africa to introduce the concept of construction and payment
guarantees that provided the requisite cover available on call from approved
financial institutions. In the process the construction guarantee replaced the
performance guarantee (surety) that prevailed in addition to the retention fund
in construction contracts. Various standard forms, which embodied the terms
and conditions of the guarantees, were prepared for this purpose by the JBCC.
These terms and conditions had been negotiated by the JBCC with the legal/
technical committees of the banking and insurance institutions and were fully
approved by them. However, for some time now concerns have been raised
regarding the difficulties experienced in getting all banks and/or their property
finance divisions to comply with the JBCC guarantees. Because the construction
and payment guarantees are so closely linked to the terms and conditions of
the JBCC principal and nominated/selected subcontract agreements, changes
made to the pro forma guarantees or agreements, which disturb the risk of the
guarantor, could very well render the guarantee null and void.
This article will report the interpretation of construction and payment guarantees
as held in recent court decisions, the findings of an investigation conducted
on perceived problems being experienced by the South African construction
industry with regard to these guarantees, and will present what is considered to
be best practice to ensuring the continued effective use thereof.Afrikaans: Deesdae is dit algemene praktyk vir aannemers in die boubedryf om aan
bouhere ’n konstruksiewaarborg te voorsien. Hierdie waarborge, wat gedefinieer
word as beskikbaar op aanvraag of oproep, voorsien gewoonlik dat ’n
sertifikaat wat deur die agent of die hoofagent uitgereik word afdoende bewys
sal wees dat die bouheer geregtig is om die waarborg op te roep (Fenster,
1998). In ’n aantal onlangse hofuitsprake het hierdie ongekwalifiseerde toepassing
van oproepbaarheid in gedrang gekom weens regterlike ondersoeke
en daar bestaan nou ’n groterwordende twyfel oor die geldigheid van
hierdie waarborge.
Die Gesamentlike Boukontraktekomitee (GBK) se 1991-kontraktestel was die
eerste in Suid-Afrika om die konsep van konstruksie- en betalingswaarborge
in te stel. Hierdie waarborge verskaf die vereiste dekking wat, wanneer dit
benodig sou word, deur goedgekeurde finansiële instellings beskikbaar gestel
word. Hiermee is die prestasiewaarborg (borgakte), wat naas die retensiefonds
algemeen in konstruksiekontrakte in gebruik was, deur die konstruksiewaarborg
vervang. Die GBK het verskeie standaardvorms, wat die terme en voorwaardes
van die waarborge omvat het, vir hierdie doel voorberei. Die GBK het op ‘n
deurlopende grondslag met die regs- of tegniese komitees van die bank- en
versekeringsinstansies oor gemelde terme en voorwaardes onderhandelinge
gevoer ten einde hulle volle goedkeuring en die ongekwalifiseerde toepassing
daarvan te verseker. Daar word egter reeds vir ’n geruime tyd kommer
uitgespreek oor die probleme wat ondervind word om te verseker dat al die
banke en/of hul eiendomfinansieringsafdelings die terme en voorwaardes
van die GBK-waarborge nakom. Omdat die terme en voorwaardes van
die konstruksie- en betalingswaarborge ten nouste verbind is met dié van
GBK se hoof boukontrakooreenkomste en genomineerde of geselekteerde
subkontrakooreenkomste, mag wysigings aan die pro forma-waarborge en
-ooreenkomste – wat verband hou met die risiko van die waarborggewer –
daartoe lei dat hierdie waarborge van nul en gener waarde is.
Onlangse hofbeslissings met betrekking tot die interpretasie van konstruksie- en
betalingswaarborge en bevindinge van ‘n ondersoek na beweerde probleme
wat deur die Suid-Afrikaanse konstruksiebedryf ondervind word met betrekking
tot die waarborge word in hierdie artikel rapporteer, en ‘n beste praktyk
riglyn om te verseker dat hierdie waarborge steeds effektief gebruik word,
word voorgestel.Publisher's versio
Incentive issues in the South African construction industry: Preliminary findings from project stakeholders
No full textEnglish: Incentives are regarded as motivational tools which can be used to propel
construction workforces to achieve project objectives. This article contributes to
the existing body of knowledge by evaluating the current practices of incentive
mechanisms in the South African construction industry and identifying the
challenges confronting the use of incentives. The study adopts both qualitative
and quantitative methods for data collection. For the quantitative approach, a
total number of 52 project stakeholders practising in Gauteng participated in the
survey by completing the structured questionnaire. The questionnaire survey is
used to obtain information from respondents, in order to assess their perceptions
on the impact of current practices of incentives on work productivity and the
construction industry. For the qualitative approach, personal interviews were
conducted with selected respondents to clarify their answers.
The findings reveal ‘unattainable project goals’, ‘poor communication
processes’, and ‘inappropriate contractual arrangement’ as the most significant
challenges confronting the use of incentives in the South African construction
industry. The findings reported in this article show problems frustrating the
absolute absorption of incentives in the industry, and also contribute to
redesigning the incentive plan so as to improve project performance.Afrikaans: Aansporingsmaatreëls word as motiveringswerktuig beskou wat gebruik kan
word om die werkerskorps aan te spoor om sodoende prestasiedoelwitte te
bereik. Hierdie artikel dra by tot die kennisgebied deur huidige praktyke van
aansporingsmeganismes in die Suid-Afrikaanse konstruksiebedryf te evalueer
asook die uitdagings wat met die gebruik van aansporingsmaatreëls gepaard
gaan. Die studie maak gebruik van beide kwalitatiewe en kwantitatiewe
metodes vir data-insamelingdoeleindes. Vir die kwalitatiewe benadering het
‘n totaal van 52 projekbelanghebbendes, wat in Gauteng praktiseer, aan die opname deelgeneem deur die gestruktureerde vraelys te voltooi. Die
vraelysopname is gebruik om inligting van respondente te bekom om sodoende
hul waarneming oor die impak van huidige praktyke van aansporingsmaatreëls
op produktiwiteit van arbeid en die konstruksiebedryf te toets. Vir die
kwalitatiewe benadering is persoonlike onderhoude gevoer met sommige van
die respondente om antwoorde te verklaar.
Die bevindinge toon “onbereikbare projekdoelwitte”, “swak kommunikasieprosesse”
en “nie-toepaslike kontraktuele ooreenkomste” as die belangrikste
uitdagings waarmee die aansporingskwessies in die Suid-Afrikaanse
konstruksiebedryf te make het. Die bevindinge wat in hierdie artikel uitgelig
word, dui op probleme wat ondervind word met die volkome aanvaarding en
dwarsboming van aansporingsmaatreëls in die bedryf. Verder dra die artikel
ook by tot ‘n nuwe benadering vir die herontwerp van die aansporingsplan om
projekprestasie te verbeter.Publisher's versio
Doubts raised on the validity of construction and payment guarantees
Get PDFIt has become common practice in the building industry for contractors to provide employers with a construction guarantee. These guarantees, which are defined as being on call or on demand, usually provide that a certificate issued by the agent or the principal agent will provide conclusive proof that the employer is entitled to call in the guarantee (Fenster, 1998). In a number of recent decisions, such a conclusive proof provision has been the subject of judicial scrutiny, and there is now an ever-increasing doubt as to the validity of these guarantees. The Joint Building Contracts Committee (JBCC) 1991 suite of contracts was the first in South Africa to introduce the concept of construction and payment guarantees that provided the requisite cover available on call from approved financial institutions. In the process the construction guarantee replaced the performance guarantee (surety) that prevailed in addition to the retention fund in construction contracts. Various standard forms, which embodied the terms and conditions of the guarantees, were prepared for this purpose by the JBCC. These terms and conditions had been negotiated by the JBCC with the legal/ technical committees of the banking and insurance institutions and were fully approved by them. However, for some time now concerns have been raised regarding the difficulties experienced in getting all banks and/or their property finance divisions to comply with the JBCC guarantees. Because the construction and payment guarantees are so closely linked to the terms and conditions of the JBCC principal and nominated/selected subcontract agreements, changes made to the pro forma guarantees or agreements, which disturb the risk of the guarantor, could very well render the guarantee null and void. This article will report the interpretation of construction and payment guarantees as held in recent court decisions, the findings of an investigation conducted on perceived problems being experienced by the South African construction industry with regard to these guarantees, and will present what is considered to be best practice to ensuring the continued effective use thereof
Landscaping: An analysis of current contracting processes and documentation
Get PDFLandscape work, forms an integral part of most land development projects, whether they are building works or civil works. Environmental protection, rehabilitation and landscape beautification are nowadays considered essential aspects in land developments. Building contracts for the construction industry have been developed over many years through the changing needs of clients and contractors, new levels of technological skills and development of new materials and construction methods. However, the varied nature and wide scope of landscape projects often make them difficult to be reconciled with standard forms of contract commonly in use in the construction industry. This article reviews the problem areas in the field of landscape contracting and landscape maintenance brought about by a lack of suitable forms of landscape contracts/subcontracts. Standard forms of contract generally do not allow for the circumstances that are unique to landscape contracting, and this short coming is regarded as a serious problem facing the landscape industry. This article will, therefore, also attempt to address the issue of how to effectively reconcile landscape work with standard forms of contract that are generally in use in South Africa, all of which have been written specifically for building or civil works type projects
The calculation of acceleration costs on construction projects
No full textEnglish: A lack of understanding often exists between contractors, client organisations and consultants as to what may, and what may not, be included in acceleration claims on construction projects. The aim of this article is to create a better understanding of the complexity of acceleration claims. It should also lead to new insights into claim procedures and the substantiation of acceleration costs. The impacts and delays which may result in acceleration claims on a project were analysed as they form the basis for establishing liability in terms of a particular contract. Matters of principle that are applicable to acceleration claims, regardless of the form of contract recommended for use in the South African construction industry, were also examined. The findings indicate that there are significant differences on a number of aspects regarding the calculation of acceleration costs on construction projects between contractors, consultants and employers/developers. The majority of the respondents, however, were of the opinion that of the various methods used for calculating acceleration costs, the time impact analysis is most frequently applied, but that the modified total cost approach is the method most suitable on projects where there is a significant increase in the scope of work, something that occurs regularly on construction projects.Afrikaans: Daar is dikwels onsekerheid by aannemers, kliënte-organisasies en konsultante oor wat mag, en wat mag nie, in versnellingseise op konstruksieprojekte ingesluit word. Die doel van hierdie artikel is om ’n beter begrip rakende die kompleksiteit van versnellingseise te bewerkstellig. Die artikel behoort ook te lei tot nuwe insigte oor die prosedures vir eise en die substansiëring van versnellingskoste. Die oorsake en vertragings wat aanleiding gee tot versnelling op ’n projek is ontleed aangesien dit die grondslag vir die bepaling van aanspreeklikheid ingevolge ’n spesifieke kontrak vorm. Belangrike prinsipiële aspekte wat op versnellingseise betrekking het, ongeag die kontrakvorm wat in die SuidAfrikaanse konstruksiebedryf vir gebruik aanbeveel word, is verder ondersoek. Die bevindinge dui daarop dat daar tussen aannemers, konsultante en kliënte/ ontwikkelaars aansienlike verskille op verskeie aspekte bestaan met betrekking tot die berekening van versnellingskoste op konstruksieprojekte. Meeste respondente was egter van mening dat die “time impact analysis”-benadering die meeste toegepas word, maar dat die “modified total cost”-benadering die mees geskikte metode is op projekte waar daar ’n beduidende toename in die omvang van werk is, iets wat dikwels op konstruksieprojekte voorkom.Publisher's versio
The calculation of acceleration costs on construction projects
No full textEnglish: A lack of understanding often exists between contractors, client organisations
and consultants as to what may, and what may not, be included in acceleration
claims on construction projects. The aim of this article is to create a better
understanding of the complexity of acceleration claims. It should also lead
to new insights into claim procedures and the substantiation of acceleration
costs. The impacts and delays which may result in acceleration claims on a
project were analysed as they form the basis for establishing liability in terms of
a particular contract. Matters of principle that are applicable to acceleration
claims, regardless of the form of contract recommended for use in the South
African construction industry, were also examined.
The findings indicate that there are significant differences on a number of
aspects regarding the calculation of acceleration costs on construction projects
between contractors, consultants and employers/developers. The majority of
the respondents, however, were of the opinion that of the various methods used
for calculating acceleration costs, the time impact analysis is most frequently
applied, but that the modified total cost approach is the method most suitable
on projects where there is a significant increase in the scope of work, something
that occurs regularly on construction projects.Afrikaans: Daar is dikwels onsekerheid by aannemers, kliënte-organisasies en konsultante
oor wat mag, en wat mag nie, in versnellingseise op konstruksieprojekte ingesluit
word. Die doel van hierdie artikel is om ’n beter begrip rakende die kompleksiteit
van versnellingseise te bewerkstellig. Die artikel behoort ook te lei tot nuwe
insigte oor die prosedures vir eise en die substansiëring van versnellingskoste.
Die oorsake en vertragings wat aanleiding gee tot versnelling op ’n projek is
ontleed aangesien dit die grondslag vir die bepaling van aanspreeklikheid
ingevolge ’n spesifieke kontrak vorm. Belangrike prinsipiële aspekte wat
op versnellingseise betrekking het, ongeag die kontrakvorm wat in die Suid-
Afrikaanse konstruksiebedryf vir gebruik aanbeveel word, is verder ondersoek.
Die bevindinge dui daarop dat daar tussen aannemers, konsultante en kliënte/
ontwikkelaars aansienlike verskille op verskeie aspekte bestaan met betrekking tot die berekening van versnellingskoste op konstruksieprojekte. Meeste
respondente was egter van mening dat die “time impact analysis”-benadering
die meeste toegepas word, maar dat die “modified total cost”-benadering die
mees geskikte metode is op projekte waar daar ’n beduidende toename in die
omvang van werk is, iets wat dikwels op konstruksieprojekte voorkom.Publisher's versio
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Get PDFThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
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