工程管理專業(yè)英語THE-CONSTRUCTION-INDUSTRY及翻譯

1、精選優(yōu)質(zhì)文檔-傾情為你奉上精選優(yōu)質(zhì)文檔-傾情為你奉上專心-專注-專業(yè)專心-專注-專業(yè)精選優(yōu)質(zhì)文檔-傾情為你奉上專心-專注-專業(yè)CHAPTER 1 THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRYCHAPTER OUTLINE INTRODUCTION TYPE OF INDUSTRY INDUSTRY SECTORS Residential Sector Commercial Building Sector Infrastructure and Heavy Highway Sector Industrial Sector RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT TRENDS IN

2、THE INDUSTRY Construction Ethics Demographics Opportunities CONCLUSIONSTUDENT LEARNING OBJECTIVESIn this chapter you will learn the following: 1. The principle characteristics that define the construction industry 2. The four major sectors of construction projects 3. The nature of research and devel

3、opment within the construction industry 4. Current trends within the construction industryINTRODUCTIONTo form by assembling parts is the dictionary definition for con.struct, but the phrase also is a metaphor for the construction process itself. Just as divergent materials come together to form a st

4、ructure, so. too. does a diverse group of people come together to make the project possible. To bring together numerous independent businesses and corporate personalities into one goal oriented process is the peculiar challenge of the construction industry. The organizationaJ cultures of architects,

5、 engineers, owners. builders. manufacturers. and suppliers may seem to work against the real need to forge a partnership that will ensure the success of a project. Yet, despite these very real chaIJenges in the industry, construction projects do get completed. In fact. it is difficult to think of an

6、 industry that is more basic to our economy and to our daily lives. The highways we drive on. the bridges we cross. the water we drink, the fuel we burn: all are made possible by the activities of the construction industry. Likewise. where we shop, where we work. where we worship and learn. and wher

7、e we live all exist because of the industry. Designers have visions; but until the contractor builds. those visions are just dreams on a sheet of paper. Construction is also very interwined with other aspects of our lives. It affects and is affected by developments in technology, computers, governme

8、nt policies, labor relations. and economic and political practices. Take. for instance, the technological leap of the skyscraper. Until the late 1800s. most buildings were four or five stories high. Masonry supported the structure from the ground. As the height of the building increased. the massing

9、 at the ground level also increased to support the additional Ioad. Thus, if the building were built too high, the mass at the bottom would be too thick. Another limitation to height was that people could only practicably climb four or five stories. Because floors on the upper levels were difficult

10、to rent. Owners had no economic incentive to build any higher. But with the development of cheap methods of producing iron and steel and the invention of the elevator. architects began designing higher buildings. This spurred construction activity: landowners were motivated to develop these new buil

11、dings because the return on their investment was higher. Over time. as technological advances have allowed. the skyscraper has gotten taller. Innovations in robotics and computer modeling have also affected the construction industry. By using computers for modeling structures and imitating wind and

12、seismic loads. architects and engineers can better anticipate natures constraints and create better designs to counteract them. With robots directing equipment during construction. contractors can gain more control over processes that require precision for success. such as the construction of the un

13、derwater tunnel between France and England. The desire for such projects leads to the development of technologies to make them possible, which in turn encourages similar projects to go forward.TYPES OF INDUSTRYConstruction is big business in the United States. According to the Bureau of Laborn Stati

14、stics. the industry employs nearly 6 million people and represents 5 percent of the work force, making it the nations largest single employer. The total value of construction in 2000 was $815 billion. which represents 8.1 percent of the gross domestic product (GDP). Opportunities in construction hav

15、e increased significantly in the last ten years. Construction employment in 2000 has risen by 49 percent since 1990. This is in contrast to employment as a whole. which has increased 21 percent. Although construction-related jobs are some of the best-paying in the country, they are often not a perso

16、ns first career choice. Look at any construction company, and you will find people from a varietV of backgrounds who. through experience and continuing cducation, have been promoted through the ranks. This profile is starting to change, however. with the profcssionalization of the field and the intr

17、oduction of undergraduate and graduate construction managemcnt programs at colleges and universities. Both the American Institute of Constructors (AIC) and the Construction Management AssociaOon of America (CMAA) have initiated professional certification programs.Construction projects can be awe-ins

18、piring in their breadth and complexity-from the Egyptian pyramids and Gothic cathedrals to soaring skyscrapers and enormous bridges. Yet the industry itself does not own thcse products, nor does it control their supply and demand. In fact. construction has relatively few assets compared with those o

19、f other industries. Its success or failure depends on the qualities of its people rather than on its technology or product. In this way, it is very much a service industry-one composed of many small businesses, especially in the residential and commercial building sectors. Construction does not requ

20、ire a patent or a large capitalinvestment; anyone with motivation.technical skills. and a sufficient cash flow can start a business and be successful. However, because of the industry s cyclical nature. it inevitably has slow periods. Without capital to get them through these slow times. these small

21、 moru and pop businesses are at risk. and many are forced out of the market.The risk factor is much higher in construction than it is in other industries because outside factors such as government funding, demographics, and market trends largely determine demand.Another reason for this high risk lie

22、s in the unpredictable nature of the work itself. Since construction takes place outside, it depends on weather conditions. Any extremes can affect productivity level. damage materials and work in place, create unsafe conditions. and even shut down the site entirely. Moreover. the industry is custom

23、-oriented. meaning that it is difficult to use mass-production techniques in either materials or methods. Each project has its own learning curve for both management and labor. Because all these factors make it difficult to accurately predict how much money will be necessary to complete the project,

24、 the industry has a higher risk of losing money than do industries that rely on more predictable factors.Financial institutions, medical services. accounting firms, and real estate companies have all been involved in recent mergers, consolidations, and conglomerations. Construction, however, is a st

25、udy of contrasts. At one time, general contractors constructed almost the entire project with their own work crews. But as buildings become more technically complex and the business of building them more sophisticated, the industry has turned increasingly to specialty trades. Thus, the contractors r

26、ole has evolved from boss to manager. However. in other aspects of the industry, the reverse is happening. While the technical complexities of projects have strongly influenced the trend toward subcontractor specialization. these same complexities are merging owners. contractors, and designers into

27、more collaborative units. In a very real way, this trend is leading constructors back to their roots-as the master builders. INDUSTRY SECTORSMost designers and builders concentrate their business and build expertise in a specific sector of the construction industry, each of which is supported by sep

28、arate material and equipment suppliers, manufacturers. and subcontractors. These distinct types have evolved because major differences exist in how projects within each sector are funded: in the building methods involved: and in the manner in vrhich designers, builders. and owners interact. These se

29、ctors are usually separated into the following four categories:1. Residential 2. Commericalbuilding 3. Infrastructure and heavy highway 4. IndustrialResidential SectorThe residential construction sector is comprised of individual homes. small condominiums, and apartment complexes. What all these bui

30、lding types have in common (apart from the fact that they house people) are the conditions under which they are constructed. Such projects tend to be privately funded by individual owners for their own use or for speculation. They are typically designed by architects. although the plan may come from

31、 a mass-produced catalog. In some instances. the homeowners or the builder may design the structure. Within this sector. there has been some movement toward pre-manufactured homes and products. But despite the tremendous potential in developing pre-manufactured components for the residential market.

32、 the tendency is still to build most components on site. As a site-built product. residential construction uses fairly low technology. Not surprisingly, most of the mom and pop operations are found in this sector. Because the technology needed to build residential buildings is readily available, the

33、 capital required to step into the business is fairly small: a pickup truck, some basic tools. and an understanding of construction. Supporting these operations are many other small businesses-lumberyards, tool and equipment rentals, specialty suppliers, and hardware stores. When the economy is stro

34、ng, these small businesses do well; but because residential sector projects are privately funded and homogenous in type, many companies go out of business when money gets tight. Interest rates and government policy toward housing investment also influence the sectors health. In a good economy, about

35、 one-half of construction spending takes place in the residential sector. Commercial Building SectorThis sector includes office buildings, large apartment complexes, shopping malls, theaters. schools. universities, and hospitals. Like residential buildings, these structures tend to be privately fund

36、ed,although some public funding is usually available for schools and hospitals. They are typically designed by an architect with support from an engineer and are built by general contractors as bid projects or by construction managers who assist during pre-construction and coordinate the constructio

37、n. The technical sophistication necessary for success is greater than in the residential sector. as is the capital needed to enter the field. These factors lead to fewer players. Within this sector, there is some specialization. Hospitals, which require a special knowledge of the activities that hap

38、pen in them. tend to be technically complex to design and require tight quality control during construction. Commercial structures such as shopping malls, office buildings, and theaters are built for quick turnaround and an eye to marketing and retail image. Firms build their reputations in these sp

39、ecialized fields, and owners choose designers and contractors based on their reputations. Larger firms tend to have various divisions that concentrate on specific segments of the market, meaning that they are generally able to weathereconomic ups and downs.Annual construction expenditures are high f

40、or this sector. accounting for more than 30 percent of the construction market. However, the sector is highly dependent on regional economic health. Houston in the 1970s, California in the 1980s, and the northeast in the 1990s experienced tremendous economic growth and construction success. But such

41、 success inevitably leads to overbuilding, which in turn leads to a real estate glut and very little continued construction activity as the economy slows and overbuilt real estate is absorbed. Such factors are part of the construction cycle.Infrastructure and Heavy Highway SectorConstruction in this

42、 sector enables the distribution of goods and people. Examples include roadways, bridges, canals. dams, and tunnels. These projects are designed principally by civil engineers and built by heavy construction contractors who have engineering backgrounds or support. Because of the complexity of the pr

43、ojects and the importance of equipment and technical know-how, relatively few firms are involved. and those that are tend to be very large.Most infrastructure projects are publicly funded because they serve the publics needs. Without a strong framework of infrastructure. the nations productivity dec

44、reases, and our standard of living is affected. However. the current condition of infrastructure in the United States requires greater attention. Consider the following statistics from the U.S. Markets Construction Overview (1998):By 1990. one-third of the interstate roadway system had outlived its

45、intended design life.In spite of increased export and import activities and the use of larger, more cost-effective vessels, only four U.S. ports can handle large ships.The number of seriously congested airports will increase from six to seventeen by the year 2002.It is estimated that we will need to

46、 build 3.353 new sewage treatment facilities by the year 2012 to keep up with demand.The need for building or rebuilding in this sector is great. Infrastructure projects tend to last for a long time and to continue despite regional economic ups and downs. Although they have traditionally been public

47、ly funded, a growing trend toward partnership with private industries may offset their impact on taxes.Industrial SectorSteel mills, petroleum refineries, chemical processing plants. and automobile profacilities. These projects are defined by the production activities within the facility rather than

48、 the facility itself. The design and construction of the shell depend on the needs of the process and production equipment. In the United States. most of these facilities are privately funded. However. in other countries, money may come from public sources. Quality and time are extremely important i

49、n these projects; productivity and therefore return on investment depend on how well the facility pcrforms. Because of the detailed complexity of each facility, this sector includes many specialties. Only a few designers and builders are qualified to work on any particular type of facility. Since th

50、e process technology is critical, designers and builders need to collaboratc closely throughout the project. As a result. builders and designers often deliver services as a single company.Opportunities in this sector have grown. The downsizing of the industry coupled with more efficient production p

51、rocesses has resulted in Increased demand for U.S. products and therefore increased demand for new or refurbished facilities. In addition. the urgent need to clean up hazardous materials at old industrial sites has spawned the new field of environmental construction. This field combines the talents

52、of scientists and engineers with specialized construction personnel. Presently, these sites are being cleaned using federal Superfund money or state funds. To date. 250.000 hazardous materials sites have been identified in the United States.RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENTTraditionally, construction focuses

53、 on cash flow and is almost completely driven by projects and their schedules. As a result. there is little incentive for individual companies to invest in research and development except in a propriety manner. The little investment that does exist is at the university level. Few U.S. engineering an

54、d construction companies have done any significant research aimed at improving construction processes. Not only are most projects pushed through with tight timetables. but new ideas risk failure and lawsuits. Thus, designers and owners tend to be very conservative when specifying products to be used

55、 on their projects. Moreover, even if a company does successfully invest in a new technology, it has no way to protect its investment. Most construction technologies are not patentable, meaning that a competitor could easily use them on its next project.International companies are starting to challe

56、nge this profile-for example, Japanese companies, which spend up to forty times as much as the United States on basic research and development in construction. Organizations such as the Center for Building Technology and the Construction Industry Institute. which are aimed at fostering creativity, r

57、esearch. and innovation. are starting to influence changes. To be effective. however, labor. the academy, government. and business must work together.TRENDS IN THE INDUSTRYThe construction industry has an image problem. According to the Jobs Rated Almanac (July, 2000), todays youth ranks constructio

58、n 247th out of a possible 250 career choices. Only lumberj ack, oil field laborer. and fishing came in lower. Whenever a contractor walks out on a homeowner before ajob is completed, a person is injured or killed on a construction site. traffic is disrupted because of construction activity, or a lab

59、or action closes down a job site, the industrys image is further tarnished. Unfortunately, it has few positive images to counteract the negative ones. In fact. construction is one of the noblest professions. Working with your hands. solving problems in the field. working collaboratively with many ot

60、her disciplines to create a real product that will be handed down to future generations: this is construction. It is hard to imagine another profession that has such a physical impact on the quality of peoples lives. The industry has much to be proud of, but it hasnt done a good job of letting other