Aims:

The aim of this module is to provide a background to the UK construction industry; it will explain the historic evolution of the built environment, describe the current nature of the industry – its outputs, structure and processes, and outline the management inputs required at each stage and level.



Objectives: 

To provide, for those new to the study of construction, a solid appreciation of the nature and operation of the construction industry,
 To explain how the built environment evolved in the UK,
 To explain the construction development process and how it operates,
 To explain the nature of construction projects,
 To explain how projects are managed,
 To provide you with the necessary knowledge for more advanced studies in years 2 & 3.
Learning Outcomes:  

This module is designed to give you an understanding or appreciation of:

How the UK was urbanized,
 The evolution of building/architectural types & styles and the adoption of differing materials,
 How the management of projects has evolved,
 The nature of construction demand as defined by the national construction statistics,
 The nature of the structure of the UK construction industry,
 How the construction industry operates and the role of each project participant,
 The role & scope of construction project management,
 The principles of property development,
 The economic, social & environmental impact of construction,
 Ethics in the construction industry
 The complexities & difficulties of construction projects,
 Current & future challenges facing construction.   
Content:

The study of this module commences with an analysis of how the UK has ended-up with the built environment and construction industry that exists today. Examining from a historical perspective the manner in which the UK has been urbanized and the impact different events have had on building types and styles highlights the enormously rich fabric of buildings from every architectural period that exists within our towns and cities. Urbanisation reached such a density in some cities during the 19th century that the amount of deaths from disease resulting from the effects of overcrowding, caused by poor sanitation, poor water quality, poor hygiene and industrial pollution, caused the government to introduce regulation of the built environment. For the first time construction was subject to controls and attempts made to plan future development. Over time, and influenced by the demands of different types of buildings, the way in which construction projects have been delivered has changed; demand for increasingly complex buildings has required a wider range of specialist skills resulting in fragmented project teams and causing a split between those determining the design and those actually building.

Having set the historic context the module moves on to examine today’s construction industry. The government’s construction statistics are used to analyse the nature of construction demand; this highlights the relative importance of each industrial sector and the size and duration ranges of projects. The macro and micro drivers of construction demand are reviewed. The construction statistics also provide information relating to the number and size of construction organisations. This analysis is expanded to identify all those participants that contribute to the construction industry.

An understanding of the construction product and of those that are necessary to deliver it, the module proceeds to an explanation of the activities of each sequential stage of the project life cycle. This helps you appreciate the effort involved in taking a project from inception to occupation and highlights the unique characteristics of construction projects that makes their delivery complex and problematic. At this point in the module it is relevant to discuss the emergence of the project management discipline into the construction process. A detailed description of the role and scope of construction project management is presented together with an overview of the key project management control techniques that are essential to successful management of projects. A review of ethical concepts introduces you to a consideration of ethical and unethical practices in the construction industry.

The concepts relating to property and land, and of its ownership, are covered as part of a consideration of the commercial development of property.

The module concludes with a consideration that despite huge attempts at improvement to its performance the delivery of projects, especially major projects, is still prone to a degree of failure. This factor is reviewed against the substantial challenges set out in the Egan Report and by future challenges set out in the government’s Construction 2025 report.



Essential Reading:

Ashworth, A. (2002). Pre-contract Studies; Development Economics, Tendering & Estimating. 2ndedition. Oxford: Blackwell.

‘Building’ magazine. (published weekly).

Burke, R. (2007). Introduction to Project Management. Burke Publishing.

Morton, R. (2008). Construction UK; Introduction to the Industry. 2nd edition. Oxford: Blackwell.

UK Government. (2013). Construction 2025. London.

Reiss, G. (2007). Project Management Demystified. London: Taylor & Francis.

Strategic Forum for Construction. (1998). Rethinking Construction. London: DETR.

Thurley, S. (2014). The Building of England. London. William Collins.

Watkin, D. (2005). English Architecture: a concise history. London: Thames & Hudson.