Department of Architecture Faculty of Technology University of Guyana Dip (Architecture) 2019/2020

ARH1207 Construction Technology I

The Function of a Building

Building are more or less enclosed and permanent structure for housing, commerce, industry, etc.,
distinguished from mobile structures and those not intended for occupancy.

Buildings do not exist in isolation. They are conceived to house, support, and inspire a range of human
activities in response to sociocultural, economic, and political needs, and are erected in natural and built
environments that constrain as well as offer opportunities for development. We should therefore
carefully consider the contextual forces that a site presents in planning the design and construction of
buildings.

Environmental forces
The microclimate, topography, and natural habitat of a site all influence design decisions at a very early
stage in the design process. To enhance human comfort as well as conserve energy and material
resources, responsive and sustainable design respects the indigenous qualities of a place, adapts the form
and layout of a building to the landscape, and takes into account the path of the sun, the rush of the wind,
and the flow of water on a site.

Regulatory Factors
In addition to environmental forces, there exist the regulatory forces of zoning ordinances. These
regulations take into account existing land-use patterns and prescribe the acceptable uses and activities
for a site as well as limit the size and shape of the building mass and where it may be located on the site.

Just as environmental and regulatory factors influence where and how development occurs, the
construction, use, and maintenance of buildings inevitably place a demand on transportation systems,
utilities, and other services. A fundamental question we face is how much development a site can sustain
without exceeding the capacity of these service systems, consuming too much energy, or causing
environmental damage.

Consideration of these contextual forces on site and building design cannot proceed without a brief
discussion of sustainability.
Department of Architecture Faculty of Technology University of Guyana Dip (Architecture) 2019/2020

Method of building
Construction methods are the procedures and techniques that are used during the building process. Given
the impact construction methods have on productivity, quality, and cost, their selection is a key decision
for the proper development of a construction project, and it is one of the main factors affecting the
productivity and efficiency of construction projects.

Most buildings (both residential and commercial) are built around a frame that provides the structure and
support for the building. Framing typically falls into two categories – heavy framing and light framing –
with light framing used in the majority of residential buildings.

Heavy framing includes construction methods such as post-and-beam construction, also known as timber
framing, where large, heavy timber beams are used instead of dimensional lumber (wood cut to
standardized dimensions such as 2×4, 2×6, etc.), and heavy steel framing that is normally seen in
skyscrapers and other large commercial buildings. Light framing is typically done using dimensional
lumber or light-gauge steel, with the building’s structural skeleton of wood or steel components
assembled piece by piece.

Other construction methods such as masonry (building with individual stones or bricks held together by
mortar), reinforced or unreinforced concrete (a material made from a mixture of gravel, sand, cement
and water), rammed-earth blocks (building blocks made of compressed earth), and Structural insulated
panels (SIPs) (sandwich panels with engineered wood on two sides and insulation in between) can be used
independently or in conjunction with frames to construct a building.

Traditional Building Construction

Traditional construction refers to the methods
and techniques employed for centuries to build
houses and other structures. By its very definition,
the word traditional means conventional,
customary and established. The term ‘traditional’
is often used to describe the types of linear
construction, where each individual step is not
only constructed entirely (or largely) on site, but
also needs to be completed before the project can
move on to the next phase. Fig 1: Traditional Building Construction
Department of Architecture Faculty of Technology University of Guyana Dip (Architecture) 2019/2020

A variety of materials can be used in the traditional construction process, from concrete floor slabs to
brick walls. Concrete clocks are often used in building foundations or for load bearing walls due to their
high level of strength and durability. Similar to concrete blocks, lightweight aerated block, also known as
aircrete block, is available. Aerated block can also be used for building foundations and walls, but has a
higher level of insulation.

The advantage of traditional construction techniques, particularly in housing construction, but also in
industrial building, is the level of uniqueness achieved. When working with an architect, a consumer has
choice and freedom to modify; the architect has the option of creativity. When more modern construction
techniques are utilized, most homes are built in a similar style. In the case of modular homes, the
components are fabricated at a factory to be constructed on site quickly. The use of traditional
construction techniques often results in a
sturdier home of higher quality.

The disadvantage of using traditional methods

of construction for housing and other building is
that the process takes longer. The construction
process is more involved and can require hiring
higher-skilled designers and builders. This can
add significant construction costs; materials and
labor are more expensive.
Fig 2: Traditional Building Construction

Industrialized Building System

A building system of mechanized production design in which the subsystems and components have been
integrated into an overall process, utilizing factors of planning, design, programming, production,
transportation, and on-site assembly techniques.

Systems Building
A construction method relying primarily on the use of standardized manufactured components; consists la
rgely of assembling these parts rather than fabricating them at the site.
Department of Architecture Faculty of Technology University of Guyana Dip (Architecture) 2019/2020

Prefabricated Building Construction

A prefabricated building, informally a prefab, is a

building that is manufactured and constructed using
prefabrication. It consists of factory-made
components or units that are transported and
assembled on-site to form the complete building.

The method controls construction costs by

economizing on time, wages, and materials.
Prefabricated units may include doors, stairs, Fig 3: Prefabricated Wall
window walls, wall panels, floor panels, roof trusses,
room-sized components, and even entire buildings.

A prefabricated building component that is mass-produced in an assembly line can be made in a shorter
time for lower cost than a similar element fabricated by highly paid skilled labourers at a building site.
Many contemporary building components also require specialized equipment for their construction that
cannot be economically moved from one building site to another. Savings in material costs and assembly
time are facilitated by locating the prefabrication operation at a permanent site. Materials that have
become highly specialized, with attendant fluctuations in price and availability, can be stockpiled at
prefabrication shops or factories. In addition, the standardization of building components makes it
possible for construction to take place where the raw material is least expensive.

Short description about prefab building methods:

Panelized Wood Framing

Typically used in roofing, these frames are built from long pieces of laminated timber, covered by
a plywood or other board roof deck. The frames can be up to 72 feet in length. These roof panels
save time on the construction site, and make roof construction much safer.

Sandwich Paneling

Sandwich panels are made from two thin facings of materials such as plywood, stainless steel, or
concrete. The facings are then bonded to an insulating core, typically made of foam, rubber, paper, or
cloth.
Department of Architecture Faculty of Technology University of Guyana Dip (Architecture) 2019/2020

Steel Framing

Steel has long been a popular building material for both residential and commercial construction. Steel
framing takes this strong and durable material and creates prefabricated panels from it. These panels can
then be used to construct buildings.

Timber Framing

Like steel framing, timber framing panels are built in

a factory and then used to quickly erect prefab
buildings. Many timber homes today are constructed
onsite using this prefab system.

Concrete Systems

Having concrete parts of a prefabricated building cast

in the factory allows for more versatility and saves
time. Although precast concrete panels and other
Fig 3: Prefabricated Wooden Floor
architectural elements are heavier than building
components made from other materials, they are typically more durable, and can improve a building’s
aesthetics.

Modular Systems

Modular construction systems make use of all prefab styles to create a complete building, made from
factory-constructed modules. The buildings are then brought to the construction site and connected to a
prepared foundation and each other.

Modular Building Construction

Modular buildings and modular homes are prefabricated
buildings or houses that consist of repeated sections called
modules. "Modular" is a construction method that involves
constructing sections away from the building site, then
delivering them to the intended site. Installation of the
prefabricated sections is completed on site. Prefabricated
Fig 4: Installation of Modular Unit
Department of Architecture Faculty of Technology University of Guyana Dip (Architecture) 2019/2020

sections are sometimes placed using a crane. The modules can be placed side-by-side, end-to-end, or
stacked, allowing a variety of configurations and styles. After placement the modules are joined together
using inter-module connections, also known as inter-connections. The inter-connections tie the individual
modules together to form the overall building structure.

Modular construction can be classified into two main types. Permanent Modular Construction (PMC) and
Relocatable Buildings (RB)

Permanent Modular Construction (PMC)

Permanent modular construction is a sustainable building method, which uses lean manufacturing
techniques to prefabricate single- or multi-story buildings in modular sections. PMC modules can be
adapted to existing buildings or assembled by themselves. These modules can be completed with MEP
appliances and interior finishes in less time than its site-built counterpart.

Relocatable Buildings
Relocatable Buildings (RB) are partial or
complete assemblies, fabricated in a
manufacturing plant with a modular
construction process. Although they are
relocatable, these buildings meet building
codes and state regulations. Relocatable
buildings are designed to be reused multiple
times and transported to various sites; they
are not permanently affixed to real estate but
are installed under manufacturer guidelines Fig 5: Installation of complete apartment

and local codes.

Some common applications include construction site offices, schools, medical clinics and points of sale.
RBs offer ease of relocation, fast installation, low-cost reconfiguration, flexibility and accelerated
depreciation for accounting purpose.
Department of Architecture Faculty of Technology University of Guyana Dip (Architecture) 2019/2020

Advantages
Faster Construction
Modular building projects are completed 30-50% times faster than those with conventional construction
methods. This is because modular construction can proceed simultaneously with site and foundation
work.

Elimination of Weather Delays

60-90% of the construction work is completed in a closed factory environment, and this mitigates the
impact of unfavorable weather. With conventional construction methods, work must often be suspended
completely on days with harsh weather conditions.

Flexibility
Many modular buildings can be disassembled and relocated for new purposes, reducing the demand for
raw materials and energy usage required for construction. Even if the the project used Permanent
Modular Construction, recovering materials and modules is simpler than in a normal building.

Less Material Waste

Waste is eliminated by recycling and controlling inventories. Building materials are also protected from
the weather since everything is kept inside the factory. Modular construction also makes it easier for
construction workers to prevent waste, since there is greater control over project conditions.

Cost-Effective
Affordability is a key feature of modular construction. When multiple similar pieces are being made all at
one, cost and time savings are achieved with economies of scale. Modular construction is especially useful
for projects with many identical buildings, since modules can be produced in series.

Disadvantages
Smaller Rooms
One of the main drawbacks of modular construction is that the homes can be large, but the room sizes
are usually smaller. The pieces of a modular home can’t be too big to transport by road, so they can’t
generally be more than 14 to 16 feet wide and 60 to 75 feet long.

Difficult Financing
Department of Architecture Faculty of Technology University of Guyana Dip (Architecture) 2019/2020

Modular homes need to be paid for in advance or finances on a step-by-step basis. In most cases, owners
can’t get a traditional bank loan until construction on the home is complete and will have to take out a
loan from their modular builder. These loans may carry higher interest rates than regular mortgages.

Reduced Resale Value

Despite their advantages, modular homes are difficult to resell due to the assumption that they are of
lower quality. Modern modular structure is seeking to revamp how these homes are commonly perceived,
but it may be awhile before the public sees them as equal to traditional brick and mortar structures.

Land Restrictions
Although they are growing in popularity, some local authorities may not allow you to build a modular
home. Aspiring homeowners will want to confirm that the area where they want to purchase land and
build the home will allow it.

Limited Design Options

On the flip side – modular homes are known to come with their own sets of disadvantages. Depending on
the company you choose to build your modular home with – you can be stuck with a limited amount of
material options and home layout possibilities. This implies that your home may have less flexibility in the
design than you anticipated.

Building Economics
Building Economics is the method employed in achieving the best “value for money” in building
construction whether being new or rehabilitation works. It is sometimes misunderstood to be cost
minimization. While it is in fact maximizing the difference between the cost of the building and its value,
either in use or exchange. The most economic building is the one that provides the value required at the
lowest cost.

Economic understanding regarding building designs usually aim for steering building decisions to achieve
for two situations: economic efficiency and/or cost effectiveness. For instance, a building design that,
besides assuring to be profitable is promising to be more profitable than other available solutions, can be
considered to be the economically efficient choice for an investor. Yet, a building decision that is
considered cost-effective, guarantees, for instance, that a design solution with benefits equal or better to
those of competing alternatives has lower costs. Cost-effectiveness is thus understood as a subset of
Department of Architecture Faculty of Technology University of Guyana Dip (Architecture) 2019/2020

economic efficiency; yet, both conditions can appear in one solution, but don’t have to. The use of
optimization thus reflects the strategy of achieving specific economic goals. Consequently, by minimizing
life-cycle costs or maximizing net benefits, an economic analysis is applied to determine the most cost-
effective or the economic efficient choice respectively.

LCC is conducted based on long-term costs and savings, keeping in mind the fact that they are
interconnected. The “life cycle” part means that LCC assesses all costs that occur over the building’s
lifetime including construction costs, maintaining, operating, and end-of-life related costs. To be more
specific, the lifespan of a building consists of five main stages: concept planning, design, construction,
operations, and replacement or disposal.

A similar understanding applies to the building sector. With the increasing need to deliver economic
solutions, developers, designers, planners, engineers and managers try to foresee, steer and control costs
at all stages of a buildings life-cycle. By overseeing a building project’s inherent costs and directing
attention toward its root causes, building projects can get useful decision support before, during and after
its realization, performed on large and small buildings, on partial building elements, or on isolated building
systems . Throughout the design, development and operation of building projects, LCC can thus be
successfully used to compare alternatives to find the most cost effective solution.