Week 1

Lecture 1:
Introduction to Commercial Construction

CON1003- Construction Methods, Materials and Codes

 Course Outcomes
1. Describe construction components and assemblies
used in building projects.
2. Analyze various methods, systems and techniques
used in the construction of building projects.
3. Identify commonly used building materials and their
applications in construction.
4. Interpret information from drawings, details, and
specifications used in ICI buildings and housing
projects to ascertain construction materials and
methods.
 Learning Outcomes
After this lecture, learners will be able to:

❖ Classify low-rise industrial, commercial and institutional

building systems
❖ Describe basic commercial construction activities and
sequence
❖ Identify basic construction materials and major
equipment used in building projects
❖ Understand MasterFormat
Learning Outcomes Continue
❖ Describe methods used in the pre-planning phases
of a construction project
❖ Describe methods used during the building
phase of the construction project
❖ Describe methods used in the procurement
of contractors and deliverables
❖ Describe close-out methods used for
finishing a construction project
ConstructionIndustry

Construction Industry (3 Major Sectors):

❖ Building construction
❖ Infrastructure construction
❖ Industrial construction
Each sector of construction is different from the
other with regard to funding arrangements,
methods of procurement, manufacturers and
suppliers, construction materials and components,
construction equipment, and construction methods
 Construction Sectors - Building
Construction:

❖ Involves construction of a building on a piece of

property
❖ Mostly includes residential, commercial, and
institutional buildings
❖ Mainly new construction
❖ Also includes renovation, repair, and extension
 ConstructionSectors

Source: Jawad Butt;Adapted

 Construction Sectors - Residential
Building Construction:

❖ Individual/apartment buildings
❖ Mostly site-built
❖ Some small houses could be
pre-manufactured
❖ Mostly wood/concrete framing
❖ Sloped/flat roofs
❖ Wood/masonry finishing
materials Source: (kingstonherald.com)

❖ Simple construction drawings

Construction Sectors -Infrastructure
Construction:
❖ Involves big construction
projects such as highways,
bridges, dams, subways,
tunnels, water control and
distribution systems,
communication towers,
sewerage systems, etc.
❖ Also classified as heavy or
civil construction Source: Spence and Kultermann

❖ Constructed to serve the

public
 Construction Sectors -Infrastructure
Construction Cont.
❖ In general, extremely
large project and very
high cost
❖ Greater technical
sophistication
❖ Requires special
construction materials
❖ Generally publicly
funded
Confederation Bridge
(Source: www.focusedonlight.com)
 Construction Sectors - Industrial
Construction:

❖ Refers to the buildings of large-scale manufacturing,

processing, and chemical plants or utility generation
installations
❖ Also includes ware houses and distribution centres
❖ Generally financed by the industrial/governmental
organizations
❖ Contributes to the economic development of a country
 Construction Sectors - Industrial
Construction: - Cont.
❖ Requires increased www.olympiasteelbuildings.ca
ceiling height (up to 36
feet)
❖ Large scale buildings and
uses large-size doors
❖ Includes large open bays www.olympiasteelbuildings.ca

❖ Includes space for trailer

parking and outside
storage
 Construction Sectors - Industrial
Construction:- Cont..
Industrial Construction:
❖ Mostly structural
steel framing
❖ Metal decking
❖ Low sloped or flat
roofing
❖ Mostly precast
concrete panels and
Lafarge Canada Silos (Source: www.emporis.com)
metal sidings in wall
envelope
Construction Sectors CommercialConstruction:

❖ Refers to the large-scale

buildings that are mainly
used for commercial
purposes, such as shopping
malls and office buildings
❖ Large apartment
complexes with
commercial facilities can
also be included under this
sector
Marilyn Monroe Towers
(Source: www.toddlee.ca)
Construction Sectors CommercialConstruction:

❖ Mostly structural steel or

concrete framing
❖ Curtain walls in building
envelope system
❖ Flat roofing
❖ Greater technical
sophistication
❖ Large size and high cost

Scotia Plaza in 40 King Street West, Toronto

 Construction Sectors - InstitutionalConstruction:

❖ Refers to the buildings

for schools, colleges,
universities, hospitals,
court houses, libraries,
convention centres,
community centres,
police stations, etc.
❖ Large size and high cost
George Brown College Casa Loma Campus
Source: www.georgebrown.ca
 Construction Sectors - InstitutionalConstruction:

❖ Structural steel or
concrete framing
❖ Flat roofing
❖ May have special use
areas (for example, X-ray
Source: eliteconstruction.com
room in hospitals)
❖ Greater technical
sophistication

Source: www.torontopubliclibrary.ca
 Building Categories

❖ Small buildings Moscow City

high-rise
"Federation"
building complex
❖ Large buildings
❖ Complex buildings

Merchandise Mart in Chicago

 Building Categories – cont.
❖ OBC – Part 9: Small buildings are:
➢ Three (3) storeys or less
➢ Up to 600 square metres in floorarea
❖ OBC – Part 3, et al.: Large buildings are:
➢ Over three (3) storeys in height
➢ Greater than 600 square metres in floor area
❖ OBC – Part 3, et al.: Complex buildings are:
➢ Over 18 metres high for residential and careoccupancies
➢ Over 36 metres high for business orcommercial
occupancies
Source: HarshaMunasinghe
 Building Categories – cont..
❖ Low-rise buildings (up to 3 or 4-storey high)
❖ Mid-rise buildings (4/5 to 10/11-storey high)
❖ High-rise buildings (> 10/11-storey height)

Mid-rise Building:
The Hive
Condominium, The
Queensway,Toronto
High-rise
Buildings:
City of
Toronto
Downtown
Low-rise Buildings

Definition:
❖ A low-rise building is a structure that has few
storeys and usually without elevators
❖ Low-rise buildings generally go up to about 3 or 4
storeys (in Ontario, up to 3 storeys)
❖ They are mostly used for residential purposes
❖ Many Industrial, Commercial, and Institutional
(ICI) and civil buildings can also be low-rise
 Low-rise Buildings – cont.

Major Types:
❖ Residential buildings
❖ Industrial buildings
❖ Commercial ICI Buildings
buildings
❖ Institutional
buildings
❖ Civil buildings
 Construction of Low-riseICI
Buildings
Generally Goes through the Following Stages:
❖ Pre-construction works
➢ Preliminary reports and permits
➢ Initial mobilization and setup

❖ Construction activities
❖ Close-out

Source: Jawad Butt;Adapted

The process by which a building or other project is designed and
constructed can be divided into four discreet project phases

❖ The pre-design phase sets the initial objectives and criteria

under which a building will beplanned
❖ The design phase determines the actual geometry, materials,
and performance characteristics
❖ The preconstruction phase selects the various project
participants and outlines their contractual agreements.
❖ Finally, the construction phase is involved with the physical
realization of the finished building
Source: Spence and Kultermann
Pre-Design and Design Development
Owners most often procure the services of an architect or an
architect/engineering/contracting firm (AEC) to help in the
development of project definition and feasibility.
❖ Once an architect or A E C firm has been identified, the pre-design
portion of the work can begin
❖ Design sketches and feasibility studies are developed as a series of
alternatives for approval by the owner. Early design efforts focus on
establishing what is known as the design intent
❖ During design development, initial design ideas are further developed
into detailed drawings of the building, indicating exact sizes and
relationships between building elements
❖ Since plans, sections, and elevations cannot show all the specific aspects
of the construction, larger-scale detail drawings are used to explain the
joining of materials, elements, and components of the various building
assemblies
Source: Spence and Kultermann
THE C O N S T R U C T I O N PROCESS

❖ After the execution of an agreement, the construction stage of a project involves

the contractors planning, administration, and completion of the actual
construction of the final building. Construction is without question the most
demanding stage of any project

❖ The notice to proceed is a written directive from the owner to the contractor that
sets the date that the contractor can begin the work under the conditions of the
contract
❖ The directive identifies the contract delivery method and establishes the start of
the construction schedule. The architect and other members of the design team
are typically responsible for monitoring the contractor’s compliance with the
contract documents by conducting site visits, evaluating submittals, reviewing

❖ The construction phase typically ends when the owner submits the final
payment to the contractor. During the construction phase of a project,
the contractor is the primary participant of the ongoing work

Source: Spence and Kultermann

THE PROJECT D E L I V E R Y PROCESS
Crucial for the successful delivery of a complex building project is the selection
of a qualified contractor and an effective project delivery process. A project
delivery method governs the conditions under which a construction project will
be completed, and defines the relationships between the owner, architect or A E C
firm, and contractor

Construction Contractors
Construction contractors perform the on-site construction of a project.They are
generally divided into general contractors and specialty contractors. General
contractors (GC) assume the responsibility for the construction of an entire
project at a specific cost and by a specified date
❖ They are responsible for developing project schedules and sequencing,
and coordinating the work of all subcontractors. The general contractor
also determines the actual methods and techniques of construction, and
implements safety precautions on the building site.A general contractor
signs contracts with subcontractors who perform the focused labor
within their technical areas, such as the electrical, plumbing, roofing,
bricklaying, carpentry, or concrete
Source: Spence and Kultermann
THE PROJECT D E L I V E R Y PROCESS

General contractors assume the responsibility for the construction of an entire

project at a specific cost and by a specified date.The general contractor signs
contracts with subcontractors, who perform the required work within their
technical areas, such as this electrician

Selecting the Contractor

A number of different options are available in the selection of a contractor for
construction. For publicly financed projects, construction contractors are
generally sought through a process of competitive bidding. In this method,
qualified construction contractors are invited to bid on the project on a
competitive basis, with the contract often being awarded to the contractor that
submits the lowest bid. A variation of this process used more on privately funded
projects is called invitational bidding wherein only preselected contractors are
asked to provide bids on a project.
Source: Spence and Kultermann
Project Delivery Methods and Types of Construction Contracts
❖ A project delivery method determines how a construction project will be
completed; delegates the responsibilities, rewards, and risks between
participants; and regulates the relationship between the owner and the contractor

A number of options exist to define the contractual relationship between the

owner and contractor on a particular project.The three most common project
delivery methods currently in use are:
•Design-Bid-Build (DBB)
•Design-Build
•Construction Management (CM)

Design-Bid-Build
Design-Bid-Build (DBB) is the traditional method of project delivery that moves
sequentially from conception of a project through its construction. The owner
contracts initially with an architect to define the project scope, perform pre-
design services, and produce the construction documents. Once the construction
documents are complete, the project is sent out for proposals to qualified
contractors

Source: Spence and Kultermann

Project Delivery Methods and Types of Construction Contracts
Design-Build

In the design-build contracting method, the owner contracts with a single party
that completes all portions of the work from design through construction. Rather
than having multiple contracts with the architect and contractor, the design-build
method assigns a single entity with full responsibility

Construction Management (C M )
Owners with less experience in the construction process may choose to hire a
construction manager to provide management during the design phase, and
oversight and supervision during both the bidding and construction phase of a
project.“Construction management” is an umbrella term applied to a variety of
project delivery arrangements in which specific construction management
services are provided by a separate management firm that completes the
services traditionally provided by a general contractor

Source: Spence and Kultermann

Integrated Design Process
Integrated Design Process (IDP) is a relatively new project delivery approach
that attempts to bring together all the diverse participants of a project at the
beginning of the design phase. A project team including the owner, architect or
A E C firm, engineers, energy and green design consultants, contractor,
construction manager, material suppliers, facilities manager, and regulatory
officials is established at the onset of building planning and design. The team
meets for a brainstorming session at the beginning of a project and continues to
work collaboratively in establishing design intent and functional requirements.
By including all stakeholders early in the design process, many coordination
issues can be solved efficiently throughout the design and construction
sequence. This approach considers the multifaceted systems involved in a
project as acting interdependently, and seeks to identify synergies throughout
the process. In general, integrated design is an approach that seeks to achieve
high performance on a wide variety of well-defined environmental and social
issues while staying within budgetary and scheduling constraints. It follows the
design through the entire project life, from pre-design through occupancy and
into operation.

Source: Spence and Kultermann

Project Close Out
Prior to all construction being concluded, a number of administrative
benchmarks must be met to complete the contractual obligations between the
owner and the contractor. When the contractor determines that the work is
nearing completion, the architect or construction manager is asked to return to
the site and conduct an inspection of substantial completion. The inspection
occurs at a point when all major portions of the work have been completed but a
number of final details have yet to be finished. A listing of the remaining items to
be installed or repaired is called a punch list.The punch list is initially prepared
by the contractor and then added to by the architect and engineering consultants
during their inspections.
During project close out, the contractor is obligated to collate and submit all
product and equipment warranties for the installed work to the owner.Warranties
are common for such items as windows; roofing; appliances; and electrical,
heating, and other mechanical equipment. The contractor also typically provides
a warranty that the finished product is free of all defects and agrees that any work
that requires it will be corrected within a one-year period. Before a final
certificate of completion can be issued, the inspecting authority must
substantiate that all work is installed and complete, and that the quality of
workmanship meets the specified standards.
Source: Spence and Kultermann
 Construction of Low-rise ICI Buildings
Preliminary Reports and Permits:
❖ Preliminary reports
❖ Topographicsurvey
❖ Geotechnical investigation
❖ Environmental investigation

❖ Site plan approval

❖ Entrance permit
❖ Site servicing permit
❖ Building permit
Source: Jawad Butt;Adapted
 Construction of Low-rise ICI Buildings- Cont.

▪ Initial Mobilization and Setup:

❖ Access road

❖ Site boundary establishment

❖ Control points establishment

❖ Field trailer setting up

❖ Temporary utilities

❖ Logistics layout, etc.

Source: Jawad Butt;Adapted

 Construction of Low-rise ICI Buildings –Cont.

Sequential Construction Activities:

❖ Site grading
❖ Site servicing
➢ Storm, water, and sanitary (civil) site servicing
➢ Electrical site servicing
❖ Construction of exterior improvements (can
proceed concurrently with building portion)
➢ Parking lot
➢ Curbs
➢ Sidewalks
➢ Landscaping

Source: Jawad Butt;Adapted

 Construction of Low-rise ICI Buildings:
Cont.
Sequential Construction Activities (Building Portion):
❖ Construction of building foundations
➢ Excavation for foundation trenches or pits
➢ Construction of footings and walls

❖ Construction of framing systems (wood, structural

steel, or concrete framing)
❖ Installation of underground mechanical and
electrical systems
➢ Storm, water, and sanitary line distribution
➢ Electrical line distribution

Source: Jawad Butt;Adapted

 Construction of Low-rise ICI Buildings:
Sequential Construction Activities (Building Portion):
❖ Construction of floor slabs
❖ Construction of building envelope
➢ Exterior wall systems
➢ Roofing system
➢ Glazing systems and doors
❖ Construction of partition walls
❖ Installation of electrical and mechanical rough-ins
for building units (in tandem with the above)
➢ Sprinkler system distribution
➢ Mechanical equipment installation
➢ Electrical system distribution
Source: Jawad Butt;Adapted
 Construction of Low-riseICI
Buildings –Cont..
• Sequential Construction Activities (Building Portion):
❖ Construction of finishes (from inside after the shell
• building construction is complete)
➢ Mechanical and electrical systems
➢ Walls (main walls and partition walls)
➢ Floors
➢ Ceilings
➢ Doors and windows

Source: Jawad Butt;Adapted

 Construction of Low-rise ICI Buildings –
Cont..
Close-out:
❖ Completion of all works
❖ Keying
❖ Handing over the building to the owner
❖ Handing over the turnover documents to the
owner
➢ As-built drawings
➢ Warranties
➢ Source list of suppliers and trades
➢ Operation and maintenancemanuals
➢ Equipment commissioning reports, etc.
❖ Archiving of records
Source: Jawad Butt;Adapted
 Construction Materials

Construction Materials Groups:

❖Metallic Materials – refined from ores extracted
from soils
➢ Steel
➢ Aluminum
➢ Copper
➢ Tin
➢ Zinc, etc.
Construction Materials – Cont.

Construction Materials Groups:

❖Non-metallic Inorganic Materials – also extracted
from soils
➢ Stone
➢ Sand
➢ Brick
➢ Cement
➢ Glass, etc.
 ConstructionMaterials – Cont..

Construction Materials Groups:

❖Polymer Materials – natural and synthetic
materials
➢ Flooring, roofing, and insulation materials
➢ Plastic pipes and conduits
➢ Wires and cables
➢ Textiles
➢ Adhesives, etc.
Construction Materials Cont.

• Construction
• Materials Groups:
❖Organic Materials Composites
– Also naturaland ➢ Cement concrete
• synthetic materials ➢ Asphaltic concrete
➢ Wood ➢ Fiber-reinforced concrete
➢ Bitumen ➢ Glue-laminated lumber
➢ Rubber, etc. ➢ Glue-laminated timber, etc.
Basic ConstructionMaterials:

❖ Cement and concrete

❖ Asphalt and asphaltic concrete
❖ Clay brick, concrete masonry, and stone masonry
❖ Reinforcing and structural steels
❖ Wood
 Construction Equipment

Depending on the Applications, Construction

Machinery are Classified into the Following
Categories:
❖ Earthmoving equipment
❖ Construction vehicles
❖ Materials handling equipment
❖ Construction equipment
 Flow

Source: Prof. Dr. NermanRustempasic

International Burch University
 MasterFormat
➢ Construction specifications for buildings and other projectsare
written based on MasterFormat.
➢ MasterFormat was developed by Construction Specifications
Institute (CSI) and Construction Specifications Canada.
➢ Used by US and Canadian construction companies andmaterials
suppliers.
➢ MasterFormat system provides a standard for writing specifications
based on a system of descriptive titles and numbers to organize
construction activities, products, and requirements into a standard
order that serves as a communication tool for all participants in
construction industry.
➢ Consists of 50 basic groupings called divisions (34 areactive).
 MasterFormat – Cont.

➢ Each division has a title and identifyingnumber.

➢ Division one describes the general requirements fora
construction project.
➢ Divisions two through nineteen deal mainly with the
construction materials and construction methods forbuildings.
➢ Divisions twenty through twenty-nine cover fire suppression,
plumbing, HVAC, building automation, electrical, and
communication systems
➢ Divisions thirty through thirty-four cover earthwork,exterior
improvements, utilities and transportation
 Lesson Summary
❖ Different sectors of construction industry
❖ Different building categories and low-rise buildings
❖ Sequential construction activities involved in
construction of low-rise ICI building projects
❖ Different construction materials
❖ Various construction equipment
❖ MasterFormat