The modern Architectural, Engineering and Construction (AEC) industry is characterized by its fragmented, complex and multidisciplinary nature. Hence, the project success is heavily pivoted on its effective collaboration among the stakeholders during various project phases. The exchange and management of massive project information under various project delivery methods are cumbersome in modern day’s projects. Information Technology applications are playing a vital role in overcoming this difficulty; however the technological adoption and its full utilisation has always been slow in the emerging economies. Among these technologies, Building Information Modelling (BIM) dominates the AEC sector in developed countries; these countries are still experiencing the transition from 3D technologies to BIM in AEC industry. In South Africa, Building Information Modelling (BIM) is becoming the prime means of information exchange between various stakeholders involved in construction projects. Various aspects of BIM are explored and tools are developed continuously in order to make BIM more and more efficient for the whole life cycle of the construction projects. Nevertheless, in most implementations, BIM services are widely utilized in schematic design, design development and working drawings for both Engineering and Architecture as a graphical modelling and clash detection tool. But the developers of various BIM tools have listed many Project Management related benefits in their product portfolio. Nonetheless, it’s utilization in various project management knowledge areas according to PMBOK such as Integration, Scope, Time, Cost, Resource, Procurement, Communication, Quality, Risk, Safety, Environmental, Financial and Claim Management are not fully realized in South Africa. This paper investigates the BIM’s utilization on the above said Project Management knowledge areas and identifies its challenges towards project management utilisation and strategies to overcome the identified challenges. The research philosophy adopted in this study follows positivism and a deductive research approach is used to unwind the truth about BIM’s utilization for project management, challenges and the strategies among the South African AEC industry. A survey research strategy is used in this research; data are collected through questionnaires and interviews. Questionnaire responses were obtained from a sample of 34 BIM adopters, the sample includes architectural, engineering, contracting, quantity surveying and construction management firms, questions related to the project management applications, implementation challenges and effective utilization strategies of BIM were asked. The obtained non parametric responses data through the questionnaire are analysed using appropriate statistical tests. The questionnaire results are triangulated through 3 open ended interviews data. Conclusions from this study help the South African AEC sectors to realize and expand their utilization of BIM in project management processes. Further, the identified challenges and strategies in this study assist the AEC industry to plan for the effective utilization of BIM in their future projects

The first democratically elected government in South Africa came into power in 1994 and with this the whole country faced changes and new challenges. The construction industry faced the challenge of incorporating and empowering previously disadvantaged people that were part of the industry as well as new emerging contractors that entered the industry. Various training and mentoring programmes were initiated by government as well as quasi-government institutions which attempted to address these challenges. Having an effective mentoring programme in place in the construction industry is critical to the development and growth of the emerging contractors as well as the industry as a whole. This research focuses on a specific programme to establish if the need for training and mentoring programmes exist and which specific aspects of the training need the most attention. The study furthermore, investigates the effect the programme had on emerging contractors on the specific programme. Primary data was collected by means of a telephonic questionnaire to emerging contractors on the mentoring programme as well as the mentors and service providers of the programme. Secondary data was obtained from the literature reviewed and from relevant publications. The main findings were that a need for the training and mentoring of emerging contractors exists and the study emphasizes that there is a demand for the ongoing monitoring of emerging contractors after completion of the programme. The study furthermore reveals that all aspects of the training and mentoring programme is important but more time and effort should be spent on the management and financial aspects of the programme The research is limited to emerging contractors and mentors who participated in the East Cape Development Corporation (ECDC) mentoring programme in the Eastern Cape and is limited to two specific regions namely Port Elizabeth and East London. The findings from the study could be used by training providers as well as mentors to enhance the existing programme to ensure proper rounding of the emerging contractors.

Night time construction has adopted as a preferred method of scheduling to alleviate the problems caused by road works during the day. Over the past few years, night-time construction has been increased; it will inevitably continue to grow. Continued increase in the volume of roadwork done at night has resulted from a combination of road deterioration and traffic congestion. Although nighttime road construction is seen as the solution to alleviate the problems associated with day-time repairs and congestion, it has its own challenges and problems. Cost, productivity, quality, noise and human factors are some of the few factors that night-time road construction brings. This study is aimed at understanding the factors that influence the productivity of night-time construction and proposing strategies to improve productivity in the South African context. It is commonly known that quality and productivity differs from one roadwork site to another during night-time road construction. Some roadwork sites can perform well while others are worse off. However, through literature, the factors categorised as human, management and external may influence the productivity regardless of the operation. The current study investigates the influence of these factors on the productivity of work done at night through structured questionnaire. The results of the study show that there is minimal if no effect on the productivity of work done at night. Human factors that influence the performance of the labour have no impact on productivity, whereas management and external factors have minimal impact on the productivity of night-time road construction projects.

A dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Science, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in fulfilment of requirements for the degree of Master of Science. Johannesburg, 1991. / Abstract not provided.

Research submitted to the faculty of engineering and built environment, university of Witwatersrand, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of master of science in building ( Project Management in construction) / The construction industry is one of the key drivers of economic development in any country. Yet the prevalence of construction project delays and cost overruns continues to be a worldwide chronic problem within the industry. The aim of this study is to evaluate the extent of application of A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) by construction project managers (CPMs) within South Africa’s built environment. The increase acceptance of project management as a profession indicates that the application of knowledge, processes, skills, tools, and techniques can have a significant impact on project success. Hence, it is imperative to ascertain whether or not CPMs in South Africa built environment are structurally applying PMBOK® Guide’ processes, tools and techniques when managing their construction projects. This study uses the term “structurally applying PMBOK® Guide” to mean appropriate application of the PMBOK® Guide’s knowledge, processes, tools and techniques. The sample population consists of 120 CPMs within South Africa’s built environment drawn from the nine provinces of South Africa. The result of this study confirm conclusions of previous studies that the prevalence of construction project delays and cost overrun is still high in South Africa’s built environment. The results also show that some CPMs do apply the PMBOK® Guide partially, but that, in general, CPMs do not apply the PMBOK® Guide structurally. The findings indicate that this limited structural application of the PMBOK® Guide is one of the major reasons for the prevalence of project delays and cost overruns within South Africa’s built environment. Therefore, this study stresses that stakeholders within South Africa’s built environment and in particular the South African Council for the Project and Construction Manager Professions (SACPCMP) should take measures to address these prevailing challenges attributable to inadequate PMBOK® Guide application as demonstrated in this study. Amongst the measures to address these challenges, this study recommends: firstly, the introduction of the PMBOK® as a compulsory component of a Construction Project Management course. Secondly, that the SACPCMP considers the Project Management Institute’s Project Management Professional exam as one of the Pr. CPM registration requirements as a demonstration of improved theoretical knowledge. Finally, that the built environment fraternity should review the structure of the Built Environment Bill of Quantity so that it is strictly aligned with the Work Breakdown Structure approach. This will assist CPMs to appropriately estimate and control the schedule and cost of each piece of work to avoid project delays and cost overruns. Key words: A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide), generally recognised, structurally, Built Environment, Construction Project Managers (CPMs). / GR2017

The study is a qualitative investigation of the implementation of green procurement in the construction sector at Local Government level. The focus is on the Metropolitan Municipalities of EThekwini, Nelson Mandela Bay and City of Cape Town. For the purpose of realising an extended comparative perspective, an additional three smaller municipalities were also reviewed. Green procurement is the tool used by governments to source the supply of products and services that are environmentally friendly to counter the global problem of climate change. The study commences with the exposition of the aspects of green procurement from the basis of the enabling legal framework to the scholarly contribution from which the study can be predicated. It becomes apparent from this review of legislation that there is a scope within the existing body of legislation for the use of green procurement as an environmental tool. Scholarly work addresses adoption of green procurement and considers, inter alia, the Bottom-up Approach, the Top-down Approach, and the Procura + Milestones model. Literature indicates that development has a negative impact on the environment, which includes vegetation loss, illegal dumping, and greenhouse gas emissions. Further, the literature recommends green lifecycle design and production of construction projects to reduce the impact of construction on the environment. A systematic investigation of municipalities by means of interviews with relevant municipal officials involved with the procurement of products and services, infrastructure services and environmental affairs officials made it possible to identify factors that impact on the implementation of green procurement. The investigation finds that the major obstacles to green procurement are socio-economic challenges that confront municipalities, lack of policy, and lack of awareness. Recommendations include the proposal of initiatives that encourage and improve the implementation of green procurement. The study hopes to inspire innovation in the implementation of green procurement in the construction sector.

Dissertation submitted in compliance with the requirements for the Masters Degree in Technology: Business Administration, Durban University of Technology, 2011. / This study presents an assessment of the perceptions of project managers and contractors regarding the critical success factors influencing project success in the Durban construction industry. To achieve this aim, questionnaires were administered to 95 project managers and 61 active grade four contractors in Durban. The critical success factors are encapsulated in components, that is, comfort, competence, communication and commitment (COMs). These components make up the four COMs model which forms a basis for evaluation of the questionnaires. An in-depth analysis review of the literature on the critical success factors in the construction industry has affirmed the four COMs model. The interpretation of this quantitative study was conducted with the use of descriptive and inferential statistics presented in a tabular format. The findings revealed that both project managers and contractors strongly support the critical success factors as significant in achieving project success. There was no significant difference in their perception of critical success factors, given the biographic differences between them. Achieving project success has eluded the Durban construction industry to a point where it is battling to keep existing clients. The critical success factors identified in this study have provided a way forward for project managers and contractors. Hence, the results presented in this study can be used as a guideline for successful execution of construction projects in Durban. The Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) can play a pivotal role by providing an enabling environment which will facilitate the adoption of the results of this study. For example, the CIDB can amend its legislation on contracts by making them simple to comprehend. In this way the number of lawsuits between project managers and contractors would be drastically reduced.

Master of science in building by advanced coursework and research : A research report submitted to the faculty of engineering and built environment, university of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the master degree od science in building. / In 1997, the South African government introduced Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) as an innovative procurement mechanism, in the form of a policy to regulate the delivery of public assets and services over a protracted period or concession. PPPs involve private sector entities in the form of a consortium or Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV), which signs a Project Agreement with Government and takes responsibility for delivering the infrastructure and long-term service though funding, designing, building, operating and maintaining the asset or service for the duration of the concession period. The benefits of this type of procurement arise from the transfer of risk to the private entity, incentivising the entity to deliver value for money (VFM) and creating value by delivering innovative and integrated project solutions, which aim to reduce the whole life cost and maximise functionality of an asset. The aim of this research is to examine the role of facilities management at the design stage in the delivery of office accommodation through the Public Private Partnership (PPP) model and how this could reduce maintenance costs throughout the whole life of the asset. The research consists of one case study on a large and complex office accommodation-type service PPP project. It focuses on the three design defects identified, namely, the reinforced concrete floors, roof skylights and grey water tanks, and how these led to further maintenance costs that could have been avoided if proper facilities management was implemented in the design phase of the PPP. The data obtained is self-report interviews, peer review journals, public and private sector issues project documentation and expert opinions. The findings of the research indicate that the early involvement of facilities in the design phase can potentially mitigate the risk of design defects, reduce the cost of maintenance during the operational phase, improve communication with the professional team and increase the level of accountability. On the other hand, if these conditions are not met the design process suffers, as in this specific case of the headquarters of the accommodation serviced PPP project. 3 The research proved that these is limited literature on the collaboration of facilities management and design in the South African economy, as it is an emerging market which is constantly facing new developments and changes. However, the research proves due to the governance structures of PPPs, the organisation of the different private sector parties in the project development shows limited interaction. This research yielded a number of recommendations for further study of assessing the viability and feasibility of a fully integrated design solution and due to the limited literature in office accommodation service-type PPP projects other case studies of a similar nature must be analysed, in conjunction with further quantitative and qualitative research to confirm the validity of the findings. . / GR2017

Thesis is submitted in partial fulfilment for the degree of Master of Science in Building (Project Management in Construction) to the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment, School of Construction Economics and Management at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2017 / The prevalence and persistence of problems of late project delivery, cost overruns, poor quality and many others, coupled with the lack of concrete solutions to eliminate the causes of these problems over many years have driven construction industries around the world to reconsider their design and construction processes that are used to deliver projects. A government led study in the UK recommended re-thinking the design and construction process; learning from the manufacturing industry. The process protocol was developed as a result, in order to bring about a common and agreed project delivery process. Other construction industries around the world have considered adopting similar models, believing change intended to introduce process-thinking for consistency and standardisation is required to improve project delivery. In South Africa, the existence of a common and agreed project delivery process is not clear. This study has endeavoured to explore the current phenomenon among professional councils and bodies on the existence of a common and agreed design and construction process. The research is a general opinion survey without the need for a statistical analysis. Therefore, utilising the qualitative research method was deemed to be most appropriate at this high level stage. From the research findings, it has been concluded that while there are six stages recognised by all professional councils and associations, these stages are not used as a project delivery process. The six stages are only applied to the measurement of the professional fees due at a given stage though not applied the same way by all professional disciplines. The underlying details in the stages overlap between disciplines in some instances and are inconsistent as well. The general consensus, from the research participants, is that a more defined and agreed process is required. The government has already taken the lead with the initiative of developing the Infrastructure Delivery Management System (IDMS) for public infrastructure projects. There is unanimous agreement among the research participants that the IDMS would be appropriate to be applied throughout the industry as a starting point for process standardisation. / XL2018

The South African construction industry is diverse in nature and faces various challenges. A sense of urgency in project delivery has grown significantly, which has fed the need for new construction methods to be used in an attempt to improve productivity. Precast concrete in particular has been the preferred route to eradicate poor productivity and improve project delivery times. However, the building environment of South Africa is unique to the rest of the world and these circumstances may have a profound effect on the use and productivity of precast concrete construction in South Africa. This study identifies the various factors influencing the selection of precast concrete as a construction method in high rise commercial construction projects in South Africa. The main objectives of the research is to understand the construction process, to identify factors affecting productivity and finally identify factors affecting the selection of precast concrete construction in South Africa. A review of current literature relating to precast concrete and cast-in-situ concrete was conducted from which questionnaires were developed to evaluate the information through a South African perspective. A sample population of 30 individuals representing a variety of contractors were selected for the distribution of questionnaires .The conclusion to the research did not only highlight major differences in techniques but yielded overall results that portrayed South Africa’s dislike with precast concrete construction. The results obtained identified that expertise, technology, and excessive costs make precast concrete a technique in South Africa that is not viable, particularly for productivity improvement. The precast building process has therefore much to overcome before being accepted as a norm in the industry.