CONSTRUCTION PROCUREMENT

Construction Procurement



Construction Procurement

Introduction

Management of projects can be very complex especially when it involves technicalities involving engineering activities. It is because of this element of the strong hold on technical aspects that make researchers believe that engineers can make better project managers in construction projects and supply chain (Kibert,2008,9-17). The project engineer is working, that exceeds the limits design and project management, leading technical employees involved in the construction of structures or products (Kibert,2008,9-17).

The widespread practice of outsourcing labour has enabled large companies to stay out of physical activity in the construction and focus on the functions related to service delivery, "big business, responsible for a significant proportion of the production sector, is increasingly distant from the site of the works and the construction workers. Subcontractors and labour contractors, who have become major employers in the sector are small, sometimes very small size. Keeping in view the significance of many key players involved in the construction project, this paper discusses the effectiveness of the procurement strategy in the construction of the South Meads hospital.

South Meads Hospital

The following were the major parties involved in the construction of the hospital:

Parties

PFI Client: North Bristol NHS Trust

Client:The Hospital Company (South mead) Ltd

Contractor:Carillion Construction Ltd

FM Provider:Carillion Services Ltd

Project Team

M&E CM:Crown House Technologies Ltd

Architect:BDP Building Design Partnership

Structural Eng:TPS Consult

M&E Eng:DSSR

Effectiveness of the Procurement Strategies

Demolition and construction activities adjacent to live wards and departments were based on the design procurement strategy. A new 800 bed acute hospital is rapidly taking shape in north Bristol, a project which is making use of more than 6,000t of structural steelwork and aiming to achieve a BREEAM 'Excellent' rating. South mead Hospital is being constructed in two phases with most works being completed in phase 1. The main hospital which includes the clinical and ward blocks is programmed to complete at the end of March 2014 after which the new hospital will open. The second phase picks up the remaining elements including external works and landscape and will be complete towards the end of 2015.

Structurally the new main building is split in two, with a concrete framed clinical block containing operating theatres, medical rooms and the emergency department separated from a steel framed ward block by a large steel framed and glazed atrium / concourse. Both the clinical and ward block are subdivided into thirds, with two movement joints positioned along the structure's length. For the steel framed ward building the movement joints connect to the structure's three concrete cores. Due to space constraints, the usual double column movement joint configuration could not be employed and steelwork contractor Sever field-Reeve Structures has installed a single beam with a sliding joint. The ward block's frame is a beam and column structure supporting profiled metal decking with concrete unfilled floors designed compositely with the floor beams. Loads are transferred vertically down the columns which are supported on pad foundations or piles.

Achievement of the Strategy

Before demolition commenced, department facilities were re-provided. Many areas of the hospital facilities to be demolished were identified ...