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ABSTRACT
Whilst the Construction Industry Review Committee (CIRC) report highlights the room for improving
design buildability in Hong Kong, very few studies have been conducted to examine the issues in the
local context. This paper, therefore, aims to expound the current state of buildability performance in
Hong Kong, and recommends strategies for needed improvements. Various indicators, including
construction cost, output statistics, and the degree of involvement of construction experts in design
development, have been examined. The analysis has been supplemented and confirmed through
the interview of practitioners whose views echoed the CIRCs findings that little emphasis is placed on
buildability during design development. To reduce the waste of resources and the constraints due to
comparatively low productivity, measures to uplift the standards of design buildability are necessary.
To this end, the increased use of prefabrication and the benchmarking of building designs using a
Buildability Assessment Model (BAM) are proposed. The deliberations in the formulation of the BAM
have built the solid ground works for developing improvement measures to uplift the overall buildability
of building designs in Hong Kong, in addition to fostering a sustainable built environment.
KEYWORDS
Design
Productivity
Buildability Assessment Model
1
Department of Building and Real Estate, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Email: f.wong@polyu.edu.hk
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INTRODUCTION
The construction industry in Hong Kong has long
made major contribution to its GDP, which,
through the multiplier effect, has provided
extensive job opportunities for the local workforce
(Chiang, et al, 2004). On one hand, the industry
has enjoyed a good reputation in the rapid
construction of high-rise buildings and the use of
specialised construction techniques (TDC, 2004).
On the other hand, its image has been tarnished
by unsafe site practices and the lack of drive in
enhancing long-term competitiveness. The
problematic industr y structure, which
encompasses exploitative multi-layered
subcontracting and a fragmented production
process, has failed to catch up with surging social
expectations (HKHA, 2000; CIRC, 2001).
These have culminated in knotty problems
including, inter alia, higher construction costs over
other developed countries (HKHA, 2000; WB,
2000).
Against this background, the then-Chief Executive
of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
appointed the Construction Industry Review
Committee (CIRC) to examine the current state
of the construction industry and suggest actions
and strategies for improvement. The CIRC (2001)
then put for ward measures to enhance
construction efficiency and productivity, and were
aimed at realising the vision of an integrated
construction industry that is capable of continuous
strides towards excellence in a market-driven
environment. In particular, the report highlighted
that little emphasis has been placed on
buildability, and pointed out that considerations
of buildability at the start of project designs would
lead to the wider adoption of cost-saving and
labour-saving construction technologies, as well
as a minimisation of material waste.
In Hong Kong, where most construction sites are
congested with restrictive surroundings in busy
urban areas, buildability becomes critical in
ensuring smooth project delivery. Construction
programmes are usually tight due to high land
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THE CONCEPT OF
BUILDABILITY
Despite the emergence of many interpretations
of buildability (Griffith, 1987; Ferguson,
1989; McGeorge, et al, 1992; SAB, 1993;
Low and Abeyegoonasekera, 2001; BCA,
2005a), the definition that was developed by
the UK pioneer proponent of buildability, the
Construction Industry Research and Information
Association (CIRIA) (1983), is by far the most
succinct, and hence, frequently, publicised one.
According to this definition, buildability
represents the extent to which the design of a
building facilitates ease of construction, subject
to the overall requirements for the completed
building . As one of the technical design
requirements, buildability can be translated into
practical terms as a factor that facilitates the
ease of construction through a visualisation of
building designs and re-moulding them, if
necessary, before construction starts. A similar
concept of constructability evolved in Australia
and the US, and it deals with both design and
management functions. The significance of
accessibility considerations at the early project
stages of Conceptual Planning and Design on
the construction process is also substantiated
(CII Australia, 1996b).
Surveying and Built Environment Vol 17(2), 37-48 December 2006 ISSN 1816-9554
CURRENT STATE OF
BUILDABILITY PERFORMANCE
Buildability is such an abstract concept that it
makes direct measurements difficult. However,
by understanding the current state of building
performance related to buildability, we can draw
some inferences from some indicators, as follows.
Construction productivity
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design features enhancing buildability, and sitespecific factors reflecting design considerations
with an aim of adapting to site conditions. A
bonus score is given for innovative ideas that
have not been covered by the Model.
The assessment is based only on design
documents instead of on other process variables
or subjective judgements, though process
considerations did form part of the initial survey
on the relative importance of a comprehensive
list of buildability attributes. The criteria for
assessment were also self-explanatory and
unambiguous for users. Therefore, the BAM is
objective and manageable for design
professionals who can self-check the buildability
status of their designs. In the long run, the BAM
can be used to benchmark the buildability
performance of different building designs, which
can eventually help design professionals develop
more buildable designs when suitable incentives
or punitive measures are introduced. In this
connection, it is worth pointing out that Singapore
initially promoted their BDAS with an incentive
approach, but in an attempt to bring forth the
buildability concept to critical mass, buildability
legislation was enacted to the effect of enforcing
minimum Buildable Scores before building plan
approval (Lam, 2002). This measure has borne
fruit in the form of productivity gains in recent
years (BCA, 2005b, 2005c).
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RECOMMENDATION FOR
FURTHER STUDIES
Upon its completion, the prototype BAM will be
validated by using it to score completed projects
with known buildability performance. Building
projects from the public and private sectors
currently being built or completed have been
targeted for an extensive case study. Before long,
it is hoped that a data bank of buildability scores
for different types of building projects in Hong
Kong can be established for benchmarking
purposes.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The work described in this paper was fully
supported by a grant from the Research Grants
Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative
Region, Peoples Republic of China (RGC Project
No. PolyU5155/04E).
CONCLUSION
REFERENCES
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BCA, Singapore.
Building and Construction Authority (BCA)
(2005b), Buildable Designs, available online at:
http://www.bca.gov.sg/BuildableDesign/
buildable_design_buildability_score.html
(accessed in December 2005).
Building and Construction Authority (BCA)
(2005c). Site Productivity, available online at:
http://www.bca.gov.sg/productivity/
site_productivity_statistics.html (accessed in
December 2005).
Buildings Department (2001), Joint Practice
Note No. 1: Green and Innovative Buildings,
Buildings Department , available online at:
http://www.info.gov.hk/bd/english/
documents/joint/JPN01.pdf.
Chan APC (1996), Property Market in Hong
Kong, Proceedings of CIB W89 Construction
Modernization and Education, 21-24 October
1996, Beijing, 1996.
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References
Time
Cost
Quality
Safety
Others
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+
+
+
+
Coefficient A
Coefficient B
Coefficient C
Coefficient D
Coefficient E
x
x
x
x
x
(Vs
(A1
(Ae
(Ar
(Ai
BIs)
BI1)
BIe)
BIr)
BIi)
(the structure)
(the slabs)
(the building envelopes)
(the roof)
(the internal walls)
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