Issue 1

Editorial

1. Odysseus Manoliadis:
Labour Productivity benchmarking in greek projects

2.Pramendra Srivastava:
Wetting Risk Premiums in EPC Bid Value Using Monte Carlo Simulation

3. Uroš Klanšek:
Using The Traveling Salesman Problem Solution for Optimal Route Scheduling in Construction Management

4. Renata Schneiderova Heralova:
Sustainable Buildings: Market Value And Market Share

5. Iva Kovacic, Stefan Faatz, Sabine T. Koeszegi, Michael Filzmoser:
Research Project Cost Benefits Of Integrated Planning: First Experiment-Results

6. Cesar Hernandez, Javier Pajares, Adolfo Lopez-Paredes:
A Portfolio Inspired Metric for Project Selection in Construction Management

7. Elzbieta Radziszewska-Zielina:
Public Procurement Procedure in Construction in Poland and problems with its application

8. Zlata Dolaček-Alduk, Miroslav Blanda:
Concrete Structures' Quality Control in Practice

1. Odysseus Manoliadis:

Labour Productivity benchmarking in greek projects

Abstract:
New management thinking like that of lean construction has suggested principles and techniques that can result in better project performance. This paper aims to demonstrate the conceptual benchmarking principles for construction labour productivity and implement these in some projects in Greece, by the use of indices and measures of benchmarking in labour productivity. Indices such as the disruption index (DI), performance ratio (PR), project management index (PMI), and project waste index (PWI) are calculated. From the application of the above indices it was concluded that the benchmarks of labour productivity was found to be an important delineator between good and poorly performing projects.

Keywords:
labour productivity, benchmarking, performance, construction

2.Pramendra Srivastava:

Wetting Risk Premiums in EPC Bid Value Using Monte Carlo Simulation

Abstract:
EPC Project conceals challenges for Proposal Mangers to speculate the possible risks at the time of bidding. It is further challenge for project managers to keep the project activities in control within the limits set during bid process, without allowing any risk factor to creep in. The challenges lie in identifying the risks, breaking down risks to enable measurement and controls, estimating realistic and probabilistic risk premiums to be wetted into bid value. This paper expounds a simple and generic ways to characterize EPC project risks into measurable entities and evaluates risk impacts on costs and schedule using stochastic process of running Monte Carlo simulations integrated with Markov dependency. Here is a step by step approach in identifying the tangible, intangible and macro level risk factors; evaluates their risk premiums, rank and prioritize them; thus precipitating several decision points for optimal
risk cover strategies aligning with project execution philosophies.

Keywords:
EPC Risk Management, EPC Risk characterization, EPC Bidding Strategies, Wetting Risk Premium, Probabilistic Risk Estimation, Monte Carlo Simulations, Bidding

3. Uroš Klanšek:

Using The Traveling Salesman Problem Solution for Optimal Route Scheduling in Construction Management

Abstract:
This paper presents the optimal route scheduling in construction management by using the solution of the traveling salesman
problem (TSP). The TSP is a well-known combinatorial optimization problem which holds a considerable potential for applications in construction management. The aim of this paper is to bring forward the solution of the TSP to the wider expert community. For this purpose, the TSP model formulation, the applicability of the TSP optimization model and the commercially available software for modelling and solving the TSP are presented. An example of the optimal route scheduling by using the solution of the TSP is demonstrated at the end of the paper to show the applicability of the TSP model.

Keywords:
Construction Management, Route Scheduling, Optimization, Traveling Salesman Problem, Mixed Integer Linear Programming

4. Renata Schneiderova Heralova:

Sustainable Buildings: Market Value And Market Share

Abstract:
The holistic look at the buildings over their life cycle and the implementation of the principles of sustainable development are two main trends, which could be observed in the realty market and in the construction sector in recent years. Environmental concerns and social well-being are beginning to influence the property markets and the pricing of properties. Users and owners of properties already begin to consider benefits and risks associated with ownership and using sustainable buildings. This fact is beginning to reflect in the increasing share of sustainable buildings on the realty market. Is their market value different in comparison with common properties? It is necessary to combine knowledge and experience from economic field with technical experiences and knowledge of social issues and relation to environment within assessment of sustainability buildings. Sustainable buildings are mostly more resistant to obsolescence. Their service could be cheaper, they may offer higher quality of life and they might increase the owner image. This can reflect in higher market value of sustainable buildings in comparison with conformal buildings. This paper deals with application of basic appraisal methods in terms of sustainable building assessment, especially with difficulties how to argue their higher value.
This paper summarizes the market share of sustainability buildings in the Czech Republic on example of family houses.

Keywords:
market value, appraisal, sustainability, whole life costing

5. Iva Kovacic, Stefan Faatz, Sabine T. Koeszegi, Michael Filzmoser:

Research Project Cost Benefits Of Integrated Planning: First Experiment-Results

Abstract:
Beyond the classical planning goals, design processes for sustainable buildings feature a high number of integrated planning objectives that link economical, ecological and socio-cultural aspects.
With increasing demands on building performance, the number of tools for evaluation, prediction and simulation of the energy, cost and emissions efficiency is rising, as is the number of experts and the relevant professional languages applied in their planning processes. Therefore we argue that the design and planning processes for sustainable buildings represent dynamic social systems characterised by a high level of complexity. The communication and decision making mechanisms as well as the organisational structures used in the planning processes deserve particular interest as they directly influence the achievement of the desired building performance. This paper presents the interdisciplinary research project:”Cost-Benefits of Integrated Planning,” (Co_Be) and the experimental study conducted within this framework. This experiment was organised as a student-competition role-play for the design of a temporary smoothie-bar in order to compare the integrated with the traditionally sequential planning practice. Preliminary qualitative and quantitative results of this experiment are provided.

Keywords:
Integral design, Integral Planning, Sustainable Building, Planning Process Analyses

6. Cesar Hernandez, Javier Pajares, Adolfo Lopez-Paredes:

A Portfolio Inpired Metric for Project Selection in Construction Management

Abstract:
In this paper we adopt a portfolio management approach to make project selection decisions easer in construction management. In particular, we suggest to extend value-based analysis to project selection within a Portfolio of related projects. We define a new value based indicator,“Project Value to Portfolio Value” (PV2PV) to asses the added value of a new project to the value of the firm’s actual portfolio of projects. The PV2PV indicator allows us to establish the modified ranking of the individual
projects of the portfolio should a new incoming project be included in the firm’s portfolio of standing projects. The approach not only is useful for construction corporations but for some financial corporations like Spanish banks, which after the construction bubble have become“project and facility owners”.

Keywords:
Project Portfolio Management, Portfolio Evaluation and
Selection, Value-Based Analysis, Construction Management

7. Elzbieta Radziszewska-Zielina:

Public Procurement Procedure in Construction in Poland and problems with its application

Abstract:
Public procurement law in Poland is applied during the construction of civil structures financed from public funds. Provisions related to this law often change, which makes their application difficult. The article describes public procurement procedures in the field of construction in Poland which is limited to two basic modes of tender. The most common mistakes made by customers related to the implementation of this procedure had also been presented. The author analyzed procedures related to public procurement in Poland. She also met with and conducted interviews with a few representatives of Polish gminas responsible for the organization and conduct of construction tenders. The aim of these interviews was to discover problems related to the implementation of public procurement procedures and the most common mistakes that had been made. Furthermore, the author had analyzed the available tender documentation taking into account problematic documents. The tender procedure had been clearly presented in the article in points and table listings. Aspects pertaining to problems and the reasons why mistakes had been made by customers had also been presented. These mistakes are mainly related to the subject of order, concern the conditions of participation in the proceedings and the specification of essential terms and conditions of the order. Consequences of these mistakes may be appeals and annulment of proceedings.

Keywords:
Public Procurement Law, construction, tender, customer

8. Zlata Dolaček-Alduk, Miroslav Blanda:

Concrete Structures' Quality Control in Practice

Abstract:
The Croatian civil engineering is characterized by a lack of systematic approach to planning, control and quality assurance in all phases of project realization. The results obtained in establishing the quality management system in some segments of civil engineering production represent initial trends in solving this problem. Benefits are of two types: the achievement of quality for the contractor and obtaining that quaity is being achieved for clients. Execution of
concrete structures is a complex process that includes various activities. The basic principle of the development and the application of quality management system during the execution of concrete structures is the process approach. Defining the processes, identification and interaction of sub-processes are performed with the objective of quality monitoring and control that are required in order to achieve concrete structures’ specifications. Quality management system in the area of execution of concrete structures must also comply with national acts, rules, regulations and standards that are essential for concrete structures design, execution and concrete production.

Keywords:
quality management system, execution of concrete structures, process