TECHNICAL ENGLISH APPLIED

TECHNICAL READING

Activity: From the list of topics below, choose a subtitle for each definition.

 Highway Construction
 Residential
 Building
 Commercial and Institutional
 Heavy Construction
 Specialized Industrial Construction
 Industrial

TYPES OF CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS

Construction involves a huge investment of money and manpower. The workers risk their lives using heavy equipment, hazardous
materials and tools and working at great heights. A slight negligence may prove to be too dangerous and costly. As such,
everything should be properly monitored to prevent accidents and injuries in the workplace. Construction projects also include site
preparation as well as electrical, mechanical and other specialty work. There are various kinds of construction projects. Some of
the most popular kinds of construction projects include the following:

o _____________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________ involves building clinics, sports facilities, large shopping

centers, hospitals, universities, warehouses, retail chain stores, skyscrapers, schools and other projects of various sizes and
types. Speciality engineers and architects are usually hired to design buildings. This segment has few competitors due to the
complexity and high cost of commercial and institutional buildings.

o _____________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________ is all about adding structure to the actual property and is

likely the most popular kind of construction project. Small renovations and room additions are some of the most common
projects done in this market segment. New construction projects often include building sheltered additions with walk-in access
for housing supplies, equipment, people or machinery and installation of utilities.

o _____________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________ include building single unit homes, subdivisions, cottages,

apartments, townhouses and condominiums. Engineers and architects usually design the building. The construction is given to
builders who employ subcontractors for mechanical, structural and electrical work. Residential projects should comply with
codes of practice and local building authority regulations. A lot of new builders prefer residential construction projects due to
its ease of entry in the industry of real estate. As such, it is a highly competitive market with potentially high rewards and risks.

o _____________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________ include repair, construction and alteration of roads, alleys,

parking areas, highways, runways and streets. This segment includes all related construction together with the highway
construction project.

MS. ELISA SALDAÑA P. BUILDINGS AND CIVIL WORKS III

 TECHNICAL ENGLISH APPLIED

o _____________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________ involves projects that are not accurately categorized as

highway or building. Dams, sewage treatment plants, dredging projects, flood control projects, water treatment plants and
sewer line projects are some examples of heavy construction.

o _____________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________ may only be a small segment of the construction industry,

but it’s very important. Such projects are usually owned by large, for-profit industrial companies like medicine, power
generation and manufacturing.

o _____________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________ involve large scale projects with a high level of

technological complexity like chemical processing plants, oil refineries, nuclear power plants and steel mills.
The large number of construction companies to pick from and the use of the internet have made it easier for people to decide how
to complete their construction projects. Remember that construction projects are a huge venture, so you need to make the right
decisions when there’s a project you need to complete. This way, you can be assured that your project will be completed safely
and properly.

MS. ELISA SALDAÑA P. BUILDINGS AND CIVIL WORKS III