An examination of the key drivers of amendments to the standard forms of contract in the South African construction industry

Abstract: Some of the perceived benefits of standard forms of contract are standardisation, uniformity, stability and the availability of well-established terms and conditions which allow predictability and greater certainty in legal relations. Thus, the standard forms are widely adopted in the construction industry to facilitate the contractual arrangements between contracting parties in a construction project. Having become commonplace in construction transactions, they are often generally accepted by the various contracting parties and their advisers. Notwithstanding its importance, literature suggests that it is practically unfeasible to devise a standard form of contract that would cater for all eventualities and construction issues that might occur in construction projects. As a result, the existing standard forms are sometimes amended or modified in order to fit the clients' requirements and also to suit the contractors' expectations. This paper therefore investigates the key factors that drive amendments to the standard forms of contract in the South African construction industry. Considering the fact that this paper presents findings that relied on a descriptive survey method, the mean item score was used for presenting the results. The data was obtained through an online questionnaire survey sent to the construction professionals who are usually involved in the selection of contract forms for the client in the Gauteng Province of South Africa (SA). The data was analysed using the statistical package for the social sciences (SPSS) and the results indicate that "altering risk allocation", "inserting additional obligation" and "correcting something which is not applicable" are the three prominent factors that highly drive the amendment of standard forms of contract in the Gauteng Province of South Africa

Environmental influences on sustainability dimensions in the South African construction industry

Abstract: The construction industry contributes significantly to the economic growth of developing countries including South Africa. The industry adds value to the quality of life of its citizen through the provision of necessary infrastructures. Notwithstanding its importance and contributions, the industry has been recognised as one of the largest environmental polluters. Its activities have significant impact on the quality of life of people and the environment. As such, sustainable development was recognised as prominent element for the improvement of quality of life through the maximisation and efficient use of natural resources to address issue related to social, economic and environment. Thus, this paper investigates the environmental sustainability dimensions that can influence the promotion of sustainable construction ideas in the South African construction industry. The participants were selected through non-probability convenience sampling techniques..

Waste control and management system in Polokwane Capricorn municipality district of South Africa

Abstract: The management of waste generated from the construction activities is a critical issue requiring serious and adequate attention. Construction waste constitutes nuisance to the construction environment and could lead to negative public impression of the construction industry as well as poor project performance, if not properly managed. Thus, this paper investigates the measures that can be taken for effective management of construction waste in the Polokwane municipality of South Africa. Data were collected using a questionnaire design. The targeted respondents were the contractors who are involve in various types of construction activities in Polokwane. Based on factors identified from the review of literature, the respondents were asked to rate the methods and measures that can be adopted for the effective control of construction waste in Polokwane..

Construction 4.0 technologies in a developing economy: awareness, adoption readiness and challenges

Purpose – Construction 4.0 technology is a novel innovative technology that has been proved to enhance project performance. However, information on the concept's awareness, adoption readiness and challenges in developing economies is still scanty. The purpose of the study is to appraise awareness, adoption readiness and challenges of Construction 4.0 technologies in Nigeria to bring to the fore the state of art of these innovative technologies in the study area. Design/methodology/approach – The study used a convenient sampling technique to select 129 construction professionals (architects, engineers and quantity surveyors) in Osun State, Nigeria, who provided data for the study through a closed-ended structure questionnaire survey. The quantitative data supplied were analysed using frequency, percentile, Cronbach's alpha, mean score (MS) analysis and analysis of variance (ANOVA). Findings – The overall awareness level of construction professionals in the study area about Construction 4.0 technologies is at a moderate level (MS = 3.03). The analysis of each component of the Construction 4.0 technologies shows that BIM (MS = 3.69) has the highest level of awareness, while augmented reality (MS = 2.51) has the least awareness level. More results show a significant difference in the opinion of the respondents, a significant difference in the respondents on 36% of the components of Construction 4.0 technologies. The adoption readiness of the Nigerian construction industry (NCI) to Construction 4.0 technologies is at an initial level (MS = 2.86). However, the 3D printing (MS = 3.36) and augmented reality (MS = 2.49) have the highest and lowest adoption readiness ratings, respectively. There is no significant difference in how respondents ranked the NCI adoption readiness on 73% of the components of Construction 4.0 technologies. The main challenges of Construction 4.0 technologies in the study area are lack of standardisation (MS = 4.02), lack of investment in research and development and cost of implementation (MS = 3.87) each. The result shows that there is perfect unanimity in the way respondents ranked the challenges of Construction 4.0. Practical implications – The study provided information on the status quo of Construction 4.0 technologies in the NCI to enhance improvement in practice and the attendant project delivery. Originality/value – The study attempted to bring to the fore the state of the art on awareness, adoption readiness and challenges of Construction 4.0 technologies in Nigeria. The study's information will be valuable to improve project delivery

Requirements for the effective statutory adjudication practice in the South African construction industry

The concept of adjudication was introduced into the South African construction industry as a result of payment default, which is one of the crippling constraints to effective project delivery, as well as a major cause of dispute within the South African construction industry. The general poor payment practices and unpredictability of payments in the industry have not only given rise to substantial additional financing and transactional cost, but have also generated an extremely negative contracting environment. To mitigate this problem, Prompt Payment Regulations and Adjudication Standards were proposed by the Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB). The proposed Prompt Payment Regulations and Adjudication Standards identify statutory adjudication as a promising solution to the payment problem. The regulations have been gazetted for public comment and might soon receive final approval for their introduction and usage. However, for statutory adjudication to be effective in any jurisdiction, it is important to identify and provide the supporting structures that have to be in place. This research specifically determines the institutional requirements for effective implementation of statutory adjudication in the South African construction industry. To achieve this aim, the research identifies the specific institutional roles in the effective implementation of statutory adjudication, examines the key features of the proposed CIDB Prompt Payment Regulations and Adjudication Standards in comparison with similar standards in other jurisdictions, identifies teething problems and critical challenges to effective implementation of statutory adjudication and suggests ways of combating the challenges, determines institutional requirements needed for effective statutory adjudication implementation and develops an implementation framework that will enhance the effectiveness of statutory adjudication practice in South Africa. The set objectives were achieved using a qualitative research approach informed by the interpretivist philosophical paradigm. Data were collected through documents and semi-structured interviews from leading professionals that are directly involved in statutory adjudication implementation in selected jurisdictions where statutory adjudication is practiced. The study employed the thematic analytic approach to identify, analyse and report patterns within data received. The main findings from the analysis show that institutions play strategic roles in promoting the effective implementation of the legislation supporting statutory adjudication. Also, the features within the proposed CIDB payment and adjudication regulations are encompassing enough to provide the necessary legal framework needed for effective statutory adjudication performance in South Africa, if adequately implemented. Furthermore, the findings revealed that the effectiveness of statutory adjudication and the realization of the benefits it has to offer are hinge on a number of factors. These factors are: (i) the features of the legislation itself (i.e., policy objectives and the application of the legislation), (ii) the process of implementation, (iii) institutional support and (iv) the presence of success factors (i.e., the drivers and enablers of successful implementation). The findings led to the development of an effective framework for successful implementation of adjudication in South Africa. The framework can help give informed choices and directions on practices and processes of effective statutory adjudication. Thus, the findings in this research would benefit the South African construction industry and serve as guide to other jurisdictions contemplating introducing statutory adjudication.Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2016.tm2016Town and Regional PlanningPhDUnrestricte

Benefits of adopting smart building technologies in building construction of developing countries: review of literature

Abstract Smart building technology has received a broad audience due to digitalisation and benefits in the construction industry. With global interest, the construction of smart buildings has become a new trend in development. Many studies identified a significant interest in the smart building technology application more than in conventional buildings. However, in developing countries, construction professionals have paid little attention to the adoption of smart building technology. Therefore, this paper aims to identify the benefits that are attached to the adoption of smart building technology (SBT) in the construction industry. The study is based on a systematic review of published articles in peer-reviewed journals and conferences. A total of 55 papers comprising conferences and journal articles retrieved from Scopus database were utilised for the study. The study's findings revealed efficient energy consumption, cost-effective building maintenance and operation, job creation, health care management, real-time monitoring, safety and security, among others, as benefits of smart building technologies (SBTs). For smart building technology to thrive in emerging economies, a comprehensive understanding of its benefits is highly imperative. This will not only promote construction professionals' knowledge of its concept but also enhance its successful adoption in these regions. Thus, the paper provides some insights into the benefit of smart building technology in developing countries while suggesting the formation of a synergic structure between the research community and practitioners in the construction sector. Article highlight Smart building promotes sustainability in the construction industry. Productivity, collaboration and security increase smart building adoption. Rigorous studies on smart building benefits are limited in developing countries

Green building research in South Africa: A scoping review and future roadmaps

The construction industry is recognised to pose serious environmental threats due to its anthropogenic activities. To confront this challenge, green building has been famed as an auspicious strategy to alleviate energy-related carbon emissions alongside climate change mitigation. Consequently, it has birthed diverse empirical studies and holistic reviews by the research community. However, these previous studies have been carried out from a global and continental viewpoint regardless of the green building development specifically in emerging economies. This present study seeks to fill the sparse research upshots on the synthesis of green building research at the country level with core focus on South Africa. In this light, the current study provides a scoping overview of the intellectual exploration on green building research in the South African context. The study's findings highlight the varying growth regarding the subject matter, the drivers, drawbacks, and socio-economic issues confronting in developing green building projects in the country. To optimize the advancement of green building in the region, this study recommends the implementation of financing schemes, utilization of advanced digital technologies, and promotion of green and sustainable building curricula across the institutions as well as post-occupancy-related studies within the green building spectrum towards a safe and salutogenic built-environment in the country