Constructability: A Key to Successful Project Delivery
Constructability is a project management tool that reviews a project’s design from a construction perspective. The process focuses on identifying and addressing major issues that have the potential to cause project delays, cost overruns or increase projects risks. Constructability reviews include expert construction personnel to ensure the design is feasible and can be built efficiently.
Can it be Built?
Constructability reviews the site constraints and how these will impact the construction of the project. Expert personnel look at likely construction methods including site access, craneage and plant, safety measures, traffic management, project scheduling and staging. The team then completes a risk assessment to identify major issues with the potential to cause delay, increase cost, and elevate safety risks. Project Owners and designers can then make project changes to project specifications, design details, etc to improve outcomes.
Tangible Outcomes
Effective constructability reviews can deliver real benefits to a project including;
Mitigation of Design Costs and Delays – Without construction input the design progresses down a path that is ignorant of site challenges. Issues identified late in the design phase require more extensive redesign and significantly impact the program and budget.
Mitigation of Construction Costs and Delays – Poor constructability input through the design stage results design details that do not consider site constraints. Resolving these issues during construction results in delays and re-work which impacts all stakeholders.
Reduce Safety, Quality and Environmental Risks – Good constructability reviews will identify opportunities to reduce risks. A common example is the design for manufactured assembly (DfMA) approach. Pre-fabricating components off-site in factories reduces construction time, improves product quality, and reduces safety risks. Constructability is crucial in assessing whether DfMA is suitable with transport, craneage and site space constraints typically the limiting factors.
Overcoming Optimism Bias – Input from construction personnel assists the design and planning teams in reducing optimism bias. Construction personnel have first-hand experience of the problems and issues that arise on projects. This experience provides valuable and practical perspectives to the design team and ensures more accurate evaluation of project risks.
In conclusion, constructability is an important project planning tool that confirms the design is feasible, is cost-effective, considers delivery risks and that the proposed schedule is achievable. Involving experienced construction personnel from early in the design stage allows for the identification and resolution of construction issues, leading to successful project outcomes.
Need help with constructability on your projects get in touch. The TMY Advisory team has extensive experience delivering complex construction projects.
