Acta Structilia : Journal for the Physical and Development Sciences - latest Issue

Risk identification is the first step in the risk-management process. A plethora of current studies in literature dwell overwhelmingly on risk identification much to the exclusion of the source, and the possible mitigation interventions. In a limited effort to address this deficiency in the body of knowledge, this article reports the results of a study conducted using 15 purposive semi-structured interviews and 198 questionnaires targeting clients, contractors and consultants in the building sector in Zambia. This study uses threats to identify improvement areas in the Zambian Construction Industry (ZCI). As a consequence, this research uses the pertinent risk factors as a point of critical analysis to recommend improvement areas for project risk management.Findings show that most of the risks could be categorised as managerial, technical and finance related and could severally be associated with clients, consultants, and contractors compared to project managers. These could be mitigated in the pre-contract phase and construction phase, with the most deficient knowledge areas being cost management, procurement management, integration management, communication management, and scope management. This article provides areas of focus for built environment professionals to improve project delivery and thereby enhance project execution efficiency.

Risiko-identifikasie is die eerste stap in die risikobestuursproses. ’n Oorvloed bestaande literatuurstudies handel oorweldigend oor die identifisering van risiko’s tot die uitsluiting van die bron en moontlike versagtende intervensies. In ’n beperkte poging om hierdie tekort aan kennis aan te spreek, het hierdie studie 15 doelgerigte semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude en 198 vraelysopnames gedoen wat kliënte, kontrakteurs en konsultante in die bousektor in Zambië teiken. Bevindinge toon dat meeste van die risiko’s gekategoriseer kan word as bestuurs-, tegniese en finansies verwant en kan afsonderlik met kliënte, konsultante en kontrakteurs geassosieer word met projekbestuurders. Dit kan verminder word in die voorkontrakfase en konstruksiefase, met die mees gebrekkige kennisareas, naamlik kostebestuur, verkrygingsbestuur, integrasiebestuur, kommunikasiebestuur en omvangsbestuur. Hierdie artikel bied fokusareas vir geboue in die omgewing om projeklewering te verbeter en sodoende die doeltreffendheid van projekuitvoering te verbeter.

There are numerous factors that influence the price of a farm and some of these factors are not monetary related. This makes the task of the valuer complex and increases the possibility of large differences in the estimated market value determined and the actual selling price. This article reports the results of a study that analysed the unique and distinctive attributes of farms, in order to determine whether it is possible to develop a linear multiple regression model for the valuation of farms (which satisfies accuracy requirements) with reasonably available data. The improvement of accuracy levels of Multiple Regression Analysis (MRA) models as well as the limitations of using these MRA models during farm evaluations was also studied. By following a stepwise regression approach, 60 farms, primarily located in the eco-zone “mixed bushveld” western area of the Limpopo province, were analysed using ten independent variables. Three models have been developed. The results showed that a fairly accurate regression model could be developed. However, a model that achieves a high level of accuracy could not be developed, due to multifaceted reasons, including non-farm factors and the size of the geographical areas. Accurate MRA valuation estimates will be to the advantage of individual farm owners regarding their municipal tax assessments. It will lead to a wider use of MRAs for the valuation of farms, but great circumspect should be taken when using MRA models in farm valuations. This is due to the possibility that the MRA models do not satisfy minimum accuracy requirements. It is difficult, but possible, to develop a fairly accurate MRA model for the valuation of farms. Therefore, if currently used MRA models are not fairly accurate for municipal valuation purposes, it should be possible to improve the accuracy. Further research is recommended in the use of other regression techniques such as non-linear, geographic weighted regression and quantile regression. These other techniques would, however, require a larger data sample, in order to provide meaningful results.

Daar is veelvuldige faktore wat die prys van ’n plaas beïnvloed, wat nie noodwendig suiwer finansieël van aard is nie. Dit maak die taak van die waardeerder moeilik en kompleks, wat weer veroorsaak dat die moontlikheid bestaan dat daar groot verskille tussen die gewaardeerde waardes en die verkooppryse van plase voorkom. Hierdie artikel rapporteer die resultate van ’n studie wat die unieke en onderskeidende eienskappe van plase ontleed ten einde te bepaal of dit moontlik is om ’n liniêre regressie-analiese model te ontwikkel (wat aan minimum akkuraatheidsvlakke voldoen) met redelik beskikbare inligting, vir die waardasie van plase. Die verbetering van die akkuraatheidsvlakke van MRAmodelle sowel as die beperkings van hierdie MRA-modelle, vir gebruik in plaas waardasies, is ook nagevors. Deur middel van ’n stapsgewyse regressie-analiese metode, is 60 plase wat hoofsaaklik in die “gemengde bosveld” ekosone, in die westelike gedeelte van die Limpopo-provinsie geleë is, ontleed deur van 10 onafhanklike veranderlikes gebruik te maak. Drie modelle is ontwikkel. Die resultate het aangetoon dat ’n regressiemodel ontwikkel kan word wat redelik akkuraat is, maar ’n model met ’n hoë mate van akkuraatheid kon nie ontwikkel word nie as gevolg van veelvuldige redes, insluitend redes wat nie direk verwant is aan plaasfaktore nie en die grootte van die geografiese gebiede. Alhoewel akkurate MRA-waardasies tot voordeel sal wees van plaas eienaars vir die bepaling van munisipale belastingwaardes en dit sal lei tot ’n wyer en meer algemene gebruik van MRA’s vir plaaswaardasies, moet groot versigtigheid aan die dag gelê word met die gebruik van MRA-modelle in plaaswaardasies omdat dit waarskynlik is dat die MRA-modelle nie aan minimum akkuraatheidvereistes voldoen nie. Dit is moeilik, tog moontlik, om ’n MRA-model vir plaaswaardasies te ontwikkel wat redelik akkuraat is. Dus, waar MRA-modelle vir munisipale waardasies gebruik word, wat nie redelik akkuraat is nie, behoort die akkuraatheid verhoog te kan word. ’n MRA-modelwaardasie sal egter nooit die waardasie van ’n ervare en kundige professionele waardeerder kan vervang, wanneer ’n maksimale akkurate waardasie benodig word nie.

Material waste and cost overrun have been identified as common problems in the construction industry. These problems occur at both pre- and post-contract stages of a construction project. As a result of a dearth of empirical research and low level of awareness, the majority of managers of construction projects in Nigeria pay hardly any attention to material waste issues that affect cost overrun. This article examines the material waste issues that affect cost overruns at the post-contract stage of building projects. The study covers building construction projects in Abuja, Nigeria. In-depth interviews were conducted with professionals using purposive sampling technique. It is purposive, because only building professionals handling projects that are worth over eight million USD are consulted/interviewed. The professionals included 15 project managers, nine quantity surveyors, five site engineers and one senior technical officer of a waste management department/unit. The interviews were on issues relating to material waste and cost overruns at the post-contract stage of a project. The collected data were analysed manually, using the deductive approach. This involves constant comparative analysis of the data to generate common patterns on material waste and cost overrun. The research found that poor quality-of-procurement management, construction management, and site management would cause material waste, which contributes to project cost overruns. A good-quality procurement management entails procuring the appropriate materials, at the right time and in accordance with specifications. Rework, site accidents, inadequate site security/fencing, poor site organisation and discipline,construction-site disputes, lack of experience, and lack of co-ordination among the parties all contribute to material waste and cost overruns. It can be concluded that proper attention to material waste issues has the potential to minimise the rate of cost overrun at the post-contract stage of a project. It is recommended that careful attention should be paid to the issues identified in this study, as they would help reduce the rate of material waste and cost overrun for projects.

Materiaalafval en koste-oorskryding word geïdentifiseer as algemene probleme in die konstruksiebedryf. Hierdie probleme vind plaas in beide vooren na-kontrakstadiums van ’n konstruksieprojek. As gevolg van ’n gebrek aan empiriese navorsing en lae vlak van bewustheid, gee die meeste bestuurders van konstruksieprojekte in Nigerië min aandag aan materiaalafvalkwessies wat kosteoorskryding beïnvloed. Hierdie artikel ondersoek die materiaalafvalkwessies wat koste-oorskryding in die na-kontrakstadium van bouprojekte beïnvloed. Die studie dek boukonstruksieprojekte in Abuja, Nigerië. In-diepte onderhoude met professionele persone is gehou met behulp van doelgerigte steekproefnemingstegnieke. Dit is doelgerig omdat slegs professionele persone wat projekte hanteer wat meer as agt miljoen dollar werd is, geraadpleeg/ ondervra is. Die professionele persone het 15 projekbestuurders, nege bourekenaars, vyf terreiningenieurs en een senior tegniese beampte van ’n afvalbestuursafdeling/-eenheid ingesluit. Die onderhoude het gegaan oor die kwessies wat verband hou met wesenlike afval en koste-oorskryding by die na-kontrakstadium van ’n projek. Die versamelde data is geanaliseer deur die deduktiewe benadering te gebruik. Dit behels konstante vergelykende analise van die data om algemene patrone op materiaalafval en koste-oorskryding te genereer. Die navorsing het bevind dat swak gehalte-van-verkrygingsbestuur, konstruksiebestuur en terreinbestuur materiaalafval tot gevolg sal hê, wat bydra tot die koste van die projekkoste. Goeie gehalte-verkrygingsbestuur behels die verkryging van toepaslike materiale, op die regte tyd en in ooreenstemming met spesifikasies. Herstelwerk, terreinongelukke, onvoldoende terreinbeveiliging/- heining, swak terreinorganisasie en dissipline, geskilpunte op die bouplek, gebrek aan ondervinding en gebrek aan koördinasie tussen partye dra alles by tot materiaalafval en koste-oorskryding. Daar kan tot die gevolgtrekking gekom word dat behoorlike aandag aan materiaalafvalkwessies die potensiaal het om die koers van koste-oorskryding in die na-kontrakstadium van ’n projek te verminder. Daar word aanbeveel dat deeglik aandag gegee word aan die probleme wat in hierdie studie geïdentifiseer word, aangesien hulle sal help om die hoeveelheid afval en die koste-oorskryding vir projekte te verminder.

The development of an optimal sustainable facilities management (SFM) strategy for university-built assets in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is desired. However, this requires an in-depth understanding of the perspectives of different stakeholders on the probable success factors. The elicitation of such perspective is considered imperative, as it allows Facilities Managers to engage with effective SFM planning in a manner that caters to the interest of these stakeholder groups. This study seeks to identify and, subsequently, assess these success factors, according to stakeholders’ perspectives. A sequential mixed method research design is utilised wherein 29 semi-structured interviews were conducted initially, followed by a questionnaire survey conducted with 113 respondents, in the second stage. Interviewees were purposively selected from a university of technology (UoT) in South Africa, whilst respondents were drawn from universities within SSA. Data from the first stage was analysed, using qualitative content analysis, and subsequently applied towards questionnaire development. The questionnaires appraised stakeholder perceptions of the criticality of success factors identified during the interviews. The Mean Item Score (MIS) was used to rank the responses. Results from the analysis indicate that ‘presence of a well-articulated FM plan for a specified interval’ and ‘adherence to the tenets of the SD agenda (supply chain)’ were selected as most critical of the success factors identified.It is expected that the study’s findings will contribute to the development of a viable SFM strategy in SSA universities.

Die ontwikkeling van ’n optimale volhoubare fasiliteitsbestuur (VFB)-strategie vir universiteitsgeboude bates in sub-Sahara-Afrika (SSA) word benodig. Dit vereis egter ’n grondige begrip van die perspektiewe van verskillende belanghebbendes oor die waarskynlike suksesfaktore. Hierdie perspektiewe word as noodsaaklik beskou, aangesien dit Fasiliteitsbestuurders in staat stel om effektiewe VFB-beplanning te kan doen op ’n wyse wat omsien na die behoeftes van hierdie belangegroepe. Hierdie studie poog om hierdie suksesfaktore te identifiseer en te evalueer, volgens belanghebbendes se perspektiewe. ’n Opeenvolgende gemengde metode navorsingsontwerp word gebruik waar 29 semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude aanvanklik uitgevoer is, terwyl ’n vraelys-opname met 113 respondente in die tweede fase gedoen is. Onderhoudvoerders is doelbewus gekies uit ’n universiteit van tegnologie (UoT) in Suid-Afrika, terwyl respondente van universiteite binne SSA getrek is. Data uit die eerste fase is geanaliseer met behulp van kwalitatiewe inhoudsanalise en daarna op die ontwikkeling van vraelyste toegepas. Die vraelyste het belanghebbendes se persepsies van die kritisiteit van suksesfaktore wat tydens die onderhoude geïdentifiseer is, beoordeel. Die gemiddelde item telling (MIS) is gebruik om die antwoorde te rangskik. Resultate uit die analise dui aan dat ’n teenwoordigheid van ’n goedgeartikuleerde FM-plan vir ’n bepaalde interval ‘en’ nakoming van die beginsels van die SD-agenda (toevoerketting) gekies is as die mees kritiese van die geïdentifiseerde suksesfaktore. Daar word verwag dat die studie se bevindings sal bydra tot die ontwikkeling van ’n lewensvatbare VFB-strategie in SSA-universiteite.

Building and infrastructure projects at the North- West Province Department of Public Works and Roads (NW DPWR) often perform poorly in terms of overrunning both the original approved timeline and the budget. Adding to poor time and cost performances, these projects often do not meet the desired functional requirements. This article reports on findings of a study which investigated the causes of these poor performances in the NW DPWR. Fifty potential causes of poor performance were identified from literature. These factors were grouped under three main related categories of owner-related, contractorrelated and consultant-related and were subjected to a questionnaire survey to identify the most critical causes of failure. The results were analysed using the Relative Importance Index (RII) and Spearman’s Rank Correlation Coefficients. The results indicated that the most significant causes of poor building and infrastructure project performance in the NW DPWR include underestimation of project cost, the lack of experience in executing projects, contractor’s cash-flow constraints, corruption and bribery during the bidding and contract award phase, as well as poor site management and supervision. Recommendations are made to prevent similar causes of projects failure in the NW DPWR in future.

Bou- en infrastruktuurprojekte by die Noordwes Provinsie se Departement van Openbare Werke en Paaie (NW DPWR) ondervind gereeld tydvertragings in projekvoltooiing sowel as probleme soos oorspandering en die gebrek aan voldoening aan funksionele spesifikasies. Hierdie artikel rapporteer resultate van ’n studie wat onderneem is ten einde die redes waarom projekte in die NW DPWR swak presteer, te ondersoek. Vanuit literatuur is vyftig potensiële redes vir projekfaling geïdentifiseer. Die redes is in drie verwante kategorieë gegroepeer, naamlik eienaarverwante, kontrakteurverwante en konsultantverwante kategorieë. Deur middel van ’n vraelysopname is die mees kritieke redes vir projekfaling geïdentifiseer. Die resulate is ontleed deur gebruik te maak van ’n Relatiewe Sterkte Indeks asook die Spearman Rangorde Korrelasie Koëffisiënte. Die resultate toon dat die mees beduidende redes vir projekfaling in NW DPWR sluit onderberaming van projekkoste, gebrekkige ervaring in projekimplementering, beperkte kontantvloei deur kontrakteurs, korrupsie en omkopery tydens die tenderproses en kontrakaanstellings, sowel as swak terreinbestuur en toesig in. Aanbevelings is gemaak om soortgelyke probleme met toekomstige projekte in die NW DPWR te beperk.

Given the number of role players and the complexity of the building process, disputes are inevitable. As an alternative to litigation, which is often costly and time consuming, Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) methods could be used. Arbitration, mediation, negotiation and adjudication are a few examples of ADR and, if understood correctly and implemented effectively, ADR could prove beneficial to all parties involved in disputes. This article investigates the current knowledge, implementation and benefits of ADR within the South African built environment. The focus population of the study is architectural professionals, as defined by the South African Council for the Architectural Profession (SACAP). A questionnaire was distributed among 581 architectural professionals to determine how informed these architectural professionals are about the different ADR methods, their implementation and resultant consequences. The real-world problem is that architectural professionals do not apply ADR methods because of the lack of knowledge regarding the implementation and benefits of ADR. It is considered that the unique contribution of this article lies in the fact that all architectural professionals in South Africa were asked to participate in the survey regarding ADR, its methods, implementations, and their knowledge thereof. This is the first evidence of many anecdotal statements made on the lack of implementation and knowledge regarding ADR methods within the architectural profession of South Africa. The findings reveal that the majority of the respondents are not familiar with the term ADR and could not provide a clear definition; 69.4% of architectural professionals do not discuss ADR methods with their client before entering into an agreement, and 58.4% of the population have hardly any or no knowledge regarding the methods and benefits of ADR. These observations indicate that a significant portion of architectural professionals are currently in breach of the SACAP Code of Conduct and could potentially lose their professional license. These results indicate a possible way forward to facilitate a larger implementation of ADR in future building projects.

Gegewe die aantal rolspelers en kompleksiteit van die konstruksiebedryf is dispute onvermydelik. As ’n alternatief tot litigasie, wat soms duur sowel as tydrowend kan wees, kan alternatiewe geskilbeslegtingsprosedures (ADR) gebruik word. Arbitrasie, bemiddeling/mediasie, onderhandeling en beoordeling is ’n paar voorbeelde van alternatiewe prosedures en, as dit korrek verstaan en geïmplementeer word, kan dit voordelig wees vir alle partye betrokke in die dispuut. Die studie ondersoek die huidige kennis, implementering en voordele van ADR. Die populasie vir die studie is gefokus op professionele persone in die boukunde, soos beskryf deur die Suid-Afrikaanse Raad vir die Argitektuurprofessie (SACAP). ’n Vraelys is versprei na 581 boukundiges om vas te stel wat boukundiges in die bedryf se huidige kennis is rakende die verskillende ADR-metodes, die implementering daarvan en die bypassende gevolge. Die werklike probleem is dat boukundiges nie die ADR-metodes toepas nie, weens die gebrek aan kennis rakende die implementering en voordele van ADR. Die unieke bydrae van hierdie artikel lê in die feit dat alle boukundiges in Suid Afrika gevra is om aan die opname oor ADR, metodes, implementering en hul kennis daarvan deel te neem. Dit is die eerste bewys van baie anekdotiese stellings oor die gebrek aan implementering en kennis aangaande ADRmetodes in die boukunde van Suid Afrika. Die resultate bewys dat die meerderheid boukundiges nie vertroud is met die term ADR nie en dus ook nie ’n duidelike definisie daarvan kan gee nie; 69.4% van die boukundiges bespreek nie ADR-metodes met hul kliënte voordat hulle ’n ooreenkoms teken nie. Daar is ook bewys dat 58.4% van die boukundiges min of geen kennis van die metodes en hul bypassende voordele het nie. Hierdie waarnemings dui daarop dat ’n merkwaardige hoeveelheid boukundiges huidiglik die SACAP-gedragskode oortree en dat hul professionele lisensies potensieel weggeneem kan word. Die resultate dui ook daarop dat daar ’n moontlike pad vorentoe is om ’n groter implementering van ADR in toekomstige bouprojekte te fasiliteer.