UNIT 2 Construction Processes

Read, translate the following text and be ready to fulfil the tests:

In the modern industrialized world construction usually involves the translation of designs into reality. A formal design team may be assembled to plan the physical proceedings and to integrate those proceedings with the other parts. The design usually consists of drawings and specifications, usually prepared by a design team including surveyors, civil engineers, cost engineers (or quantity surveyors), mechanical engineers, electrical engineers, structural engineers, fire protection engineers, planning consultants, architectural consultants and archaeological consultants.

The design team is most commonly employed by (i.e. in contract with) the property owner. Under this system, once the design is completed by the design team, a number of construction companies or construction management companies may then be asked to make a bid for the work, either based directly on the design, or on the basis of drawings and a bill of quantities provided by a quantity surveyor. Following evaluation of bids, the owner will typically award a contract to the most cost efficient bidder. The modern trend in design is toward integration of previously separated specialties, especially among large firms. In the past architects, interior designers, engineers, developers, construction managers and general contractors were more likely to be entirely separate companies, even in the larger firms. Presently, a firm that is nominally an "architecture" or "construction management" firm may have experts from all related fields as employees, or to have an associated company that provides each necessary skill. Thus, each such firm may offer itself as "one-stop shopping" for a construction project, from beginning to end. This is designated as a "design-build" contract where the contractor is given a performance specification and must undertake the project from design to construction, while adhering to the performance specifications.

Several project structures can assist the owner in this integration, including design-build, partnering and construction management. In general, each of these project structures allows the owner to integrate the services of architects, interior designers, engineers and constructors throughout design and construction. In response, many companies are growing beyond traditional offerings of design or construction services alone and are placing more emphasis on establishing relationships with other necessary participants through the design-build process.

The increasing complexity of construction projects creates the need for design professionals, trained in all phases of the project's life-cycle, and develops an appreciation of the building as an advanced technological system requiring close integration of many sub-systems and their individual components, including sustainability. Building engineering is an emerging discipline that attempts to meet this new challenge.

Construction phases:

Idea - a concept never intended to be built, may be an aesthetic or structural design exercise.

Proposed - a building concept that is under review.

Approved - a building concept that will be constructed in the near future.

Deferred - a building concept that may be constructed in the far future.

Cancelled - a building concept that usually has lost funding or support, in some cases construction already started.

Under-construction - a fully designed building currently being built.

Topped-out - a fully designed building that has reached its highest point.

Complete/built - a fully designed building that has been fully built, excluding future expansions.

Read and memorize the active vocabulary to the text:

Active Vocabulary

1. team команда, бригада

2. proceedings производство, работа

3. drawing чертеж

4. surveyor геодезист, топограф

5. quantity surveyor сметчик

6. developer разработчик, застройщик

7. related fields смежные области

8. one-stop shopping (здесь) единый цех

9. “design-build" contract контракт на проектирование и строительство

10. performance выполнение, исполнение, работа

11. to undertake предпринимать, гарантировать

12. adhering to придерживаясь чего-л.

13. partnering партнерство

14. to grow beyond выходить за пределы

15. emphasis особое значение, акцент

16. establishing налаживание

17. participant участник

18. complexity сложность

19. life-cycle продолжительность

20. appreciation оценка, определение

21. advanced передовой, самый современный

22. sustainability устойчивость; экологичность

CONTROL TESTS

TEST I

Decide whether these statements are true or false:

1. a). In the modern industrialized world construction usually involves planning of the physical proceedings.

b). In the modern industrialized world construction usually requires close integration of many sub-systems.

c). In the modern industrialized world construction usually involves the translation of designs into reality.

2. a). The design usually consists of drawings and specifications, usually prepared by a design team.

b). The design usually consists of a bill of quantities provided by a quantity surveyor.

c). The design usually consists of building concepts that may be constructed in the far future.

3. a). Following evaluation of bids, the owner will typically award a contract to the largest firm among the bidders.

b). Following evaluation of bids, the owner will typically award a contract to the most cost efficient bidder.

c). Following evaluation of bids, the owner will typically award a contract to the

firm that is nominally an "architecture" or "construction management" firm.

4. a). In the past architects, interior designers, engineers, developers, construction managers and general contractors formed joint companies.

b). In the past architects, interior designers, engineers, developers, construction managers and general contractors formed a "one-stop shopping" for a construction project.

c). In the past architects, interior designers, engineers, developers, construction managers and general contractors were more likely to be entirely separate companies.

5. a). The increasing complexity of construction projects creates the need for design professionals, trained in all phases of the project's life-cycle.

b). The increasing complexity of construction projects creates the need for a building concept that will be constructed in the near future.

c). The increasing complexity of construction projects creates the need for a "design-build" contract.

TEST II

Match words in columns A and B (synonym match):

A B

1. performance a). property b). preparation

c). maintenance d). productivity

2. proceedings a). surveying b). operation

c). application d). renovation

3. evaluation a). manifestation b). efficiency

c). assessmentd). density

4. to consist a). to compose b). to produce

c). to mean d). to apply

5. to prepare a). to repair b). to restore

c). to elevate d). to arrange

6. protection a). influence b). defense

c). appliance d). impact

7. to undertake a). to flank b). to deform

c). to launchd). to cause

8. response a). roofer b). reply

c). support d). curve

9. bid a). claim b). vault

c). shell d). load

10. advanced a). rigid b). regressive

c). protective d). progressive

TEST III

Select the best possible answer out of the choices from the list to the statements (multiple choice):

1. A formal design team may be assembled… .

a. to make a bid for the work

b. to undertake the project from design to construction

c. to plan the physical proceedings

d. to involve the translation of designs into reality

2.The modern trend in design is toward… .

a. increasing complexity of construction projects

b."one-stop shopping" for a construction project

c. growing beyond traditional offerings of design

d.integration of previously separated specialties

3. Once the design is completed, a number of construction companies or construction management companies may then be asked… .

a. to employ experts from all related fields

b. to make a bid for the work

c. to assist the owner in the integration

d. toaward a contract to the most cost efficient bidder

4. Several project structures can assist the owner in the integration including…

a. design-build, partneringand construction management

b. training of design professionals

c.preparation of drawings and specifications

d. meeting new challenges

5.A firm that is nominally an "architecture" or "construction management" firm may… .

a. establishrelationships with other necessary participants

b.undertake the project from design to construction

c. have experts from all related fields as employees

d. develop an appreciation of the building

TEST IV