the newsletter of tbd consultants - edition 1, 1st qtr 2006

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In this Edition

Bay Area Market
Facilities Management
Project Management
Industrial Buildings

Construction Management Specialists
111 Pine Street, Suite 1315
San Francisco, CA 94111
(415) 981-9430

www.TBDconsultants.com

 

Bay Area Market
Gordon Beveridge

Market conditions in the Bay Area remain volatile. Escalation has been spiraling upwards in the past two years - what is on the cards for the next couple of years, and what construction market sectors are being worst affected?

   

Facilities Management

What is ‘Facilities Management’, who does it, how and why? We take a look at the range of services that might fall under this heading.

Project Management
Tony Vallance

What services are involved in project management, and what approach would we advise be used when managing a construction project. Tony addresses these issues in this article.

Industrial Buildings

Industrial buildings cover a wide range of uses, including manufacturing facilities, incinerators, cement plants, blast furnaces, chemical plants, etc., and consequently the size and cost of such buildings can vary widely. With technology changing so rapidly, there is a growing need for industrial buildings to exhibit flexibility, both in the area of usage and in providing ability for expansion. The alternative is to design the buildings for a shorter life, realizing that the building is likely to be rendered obsolete long before it starts to deteriorate.

The image of a company is becoming very important, and presenting an ecological image is almost essential in some parts. The day of the belching smoke stacks may not yet be completely gone, but it’s going. These technology and fashion changes may not just affect the building once it is in use, but also while it under construction, resulting in a high proportion of change orders being likely on industrial buildings. The need for good cost control is therefore vital on these projects.

industrial buildings image There is also a trend towards more automation in production facilities, increasing the complexity of systems and services within the building, while reducing the need for restroom and canteen-type accommodation, because staff levels are substantially reduced. The cost of these process systems can dwarf the cost of the building itself, but the building is still a large investment that needs to be carefully control in an increasing competitive market.

With the global economy, many countries provide tax and other incentives to attract industrial facilities, in order to provide work for their population. Any company considering availing themselves of such incentives also needs to consider such aspects as the skills of the available workforce, the stability of the nation’s government, the available infrastructure, and the local quality of life, among other issues.

Providing facilities in other countries is one form of outsourcing, and another way of doing it is to utilize just-in-time logistics, with suppliers often setting up near their main client, resulting in an industrial campus.

Some cost issues include:

  • Since most industrial buildings tend to be single story structures, the type (and consequently the cost) of foundation and roof construction and finish become especially important because the cost cannot be spread over multiple floors.
  • The amount of cooling and air conditioning can be dictated both by the building location and the extent and type of process systems used in the facility.
  • Many industrial facilities lend themselves to industrial building construction, where much of the building is prefabricated off site, reducing costly onsite labor, and also improving on the construction schedule, which can be vital for these kinds of development.

Design consultant: Katie Levine of Vallance, Inc.