Environmental Sustainable Engineering & Logistic

PART A

1. Challenges and issues influencing project cost and completion time

To achieve the desired profits, the project must be completed on time and within recommended budget estimates. The various challenges that can be faced during a construction project are as follows:

Environmental challenges

With increasing concern about sustainability, it has been becoming challenging for the construction industry to adopt sustainable practices. It is not only essential from the perspective of cost and energy efficiency but is also important from the legislative perspective and project efficiency. All nations of the world have upgraded to sustainable construction practices, and thus construction companies need to follow all legislation regarding resource utilization and the environmental impact of the project (Sayeeduddin and Chavan, 2016). The failure to consider this aspect can enhance the project cost in terms of legal penalties as well as inefficient resource utilization. Environmental issues, climate change, pollution, and scarcity of natural resources are also critical challenges faced by the organization.

Thus, sudden climate changes, natural calamities due to global warming, and resource shortages can cause unpredicted delays in the project's completion. Hence, it is required that the project have strategies to overcome such unpredicted environmental consequences and material or legislative challenges imposed by the environmental factors (Khatib, 2016). The project may also be delayed by the fact that there is a need to make some changes in design or technologies regarding the local environment.

Economic

Another factor that has a significant impact on the project cost is the economy. The economic aspect influences the material cost, availability, labor cost, as well as taxation. It also influences the purchasing decisions and ability of the customers. Inflation and fluctuation in interest rates can also affect project finance and investment (Banihashemi et al., 2017). Thus, for optimizing the project benefits, these factors must be taken into account so that possible risks can be eliminated. For instance, when inflation rates are high and minimum wages for labor are also high then in such circumstances project may be highly costly. The long-term nature of construction projects leads to considerable differences in the overall budget and project outcomes (Yılmaz and Bakış, 2015). When the economy is unstable, then it may also be difficult to have investors and potential buyers for the project, and thus the project can be delayed.

Historic and cultural issues

Cultural factors are also known to be important factors in affecting construction practices and outcomes. Most of the project sites have a strong influence on history, and thus the architecture of construction designs and sites is preferred to be inspired by historical aspects. However, such characteristic designs of a particular region can add extra to the cost as well as the project duration. The completion of a project with historic design and architecture needs additional time, resources, and cost. 

The factors such as employee engagement, work culture, technology, and motivation factors for construction employees strongly depend upon cultural factors. Thus, the behavior and practices of the workforce can affect the project completion (Almahmoud and Doloi, 2015). If the workforce is managed effectively and their cultural aspects are taken into account, then it can lead to better productivity and work can be completed in the planned duration of time. The management practices as well as the efficiency and performance of employees are strongly affected by cultural factors (Carvajal-Arango et al., 2019). Thus, the overall impact on the performance attribute of labor can bring significant differences in the project cost and time.

2. Types of renewable energy or sustainable sources suitable for this project

The proposed project of a new shopping center building can use various sustainable or renewable energy sources. The most suitable sources for the project are as follows:

Solar electric or photovoltaic (PV) system

Solar PV arrays can directly convert solar energy into electricity which can be used for the building (Hosseini and et.al., 2017). The PV modules can be installed on the building as well as on nearby structures of the building. The flat plate single-layer solar cells are highly efficient in terms of energy efficiency.

(Source: Solar for a Commercial or Public Building,  2019)

As compared to the residential or utility-scale systems, shopping malls will use commercial systems which are smaller in size and are capable of delivering the power for multiple buildings or various districts of the commercial building. The huge size of the building will also make it possible to locate the system in an impactful location or with less visibility such as above the parking structure or on the rooftop. It will also give the advantage of minimizing the power loss involved in long-distance transmission (Omardin, Abidin, and Ali, 2015). In addition to the PV systems, solar heat can also be used for heating water in conventional steam generators for producing electricity. This can be used by mirror-covered dishes which helps to concentrate the solar energy.

Bioenergy

Biomass such as organic waste of plants, wood, residue from forestry or agriculture, and organic components of waste products can also be used to produce energy (Yu and et.al., 2018). The existing biomass technology can also be used to break down organic matter to release stored energy from the sun. For instance, biopower or biofuel can be utilized for the electricity and heating needs of the building. Another example of using biomass energy is in the form of a wood pellet system or cordwood system (Sonebi, Ammar, and Diederich, 2016). The cordwood is burned to provide the heat supply which is then supplied to building heaters. Using technologies such as combined heat and power as small biomass systems can also be developed within buildings for generating power.

Solar ventilation air preheating or solar thermal system

The most competitive sustainable method for producing heat that can be used by the building is a solar water heating system. The heat energy from the sun is absorbed and transferred to heat the water. These systems have low maintenance costs and are highly reliable. In addition to this heating system buildings can also use ventilation preheating systems. This system heats the ventilation air and thus are highly energy-efficient solution for the applications that need a high volume of ventilation air. The solar energy absorbed and collected from the sun is then transferred to the thermal boundary layer of air. The system can be installed in the mall in the retrofit project as well. Since solar energy availability is one of the prime resources required for this system it is very low cost and reliable with minimum efforts in its maintenance and operations.

Wind energy

Wind energy is produced by the non-uniform solar heating of the surface of the earth. The flow of wind or motion energy harnesses the wind turbines for producing electricity and powering the energy requirements of shopping malls. The wind turbines consist of propeller-like blades that continuously rotate to harness energy present in the wind. However, before installing the turbine, it is necessary to ensure that wind speed and availability are adequate on the site. Most wind turbines have an operating life of around 20 years arequireres minimum maintenance  (Wang, Zhang, and Lu, 2018). For the proposed project roof roof-mounted wind system will be used so that it can make optimum use of cost, building design, and structure as well as noise. A small wind electric system will lower the electricity cost of the building by 50-70%.

(Source: Research Could Help Spur Adoption of Wind-Power Integrated Commercial Buildings, 2019)
(Source: Varney, 2018)

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PART B

1. Supply chain management and material resource procurement

The supply chain describes the hierarchy of supply contracts, which is essential for procuring building assets. It involves all products, services, logistics, raw materials, finished goods, and products. The first suppliers for the proposed project of the building mall are design consultant who gives energy- and cost-efficient designs for the building   (Zuofa and Ochieng, 2016). This is one of the key supply chain issues in construction projects: designers and suppliers of top-level have a fair agreement but as the chain develops, contractual liabilities are reduced and chain terminals are often not locked. The procurement of construction material resources involves various approaches to identifying, choosing, and obtaining materials required for the construction activity. For the procurement process, traditional procurement routes are followed.

Based on building design tender documents, including drawings, bills of quantities, and work schedules are prepared. Design consultants are often retained by the clients so that additional modifications to design can be made. Supply chain management emphasizes various aspects such as inventory management, time horizon, total cost approach, channel leadership, inventory levels speed of operations, and amount of sharing risks and rewards  (Kamali and Hewage, 2017). Material resource procurement involves a suitable approach for planning, controlling, and executing construction activities.

The purpose of such activities is to ensure that all necessary materials are available when required in the right quantity and quality. The construction material cost and quality can have a huge impact on project cost, quality, as well as work safety. Thus, project emphasis is made to lower the procurement cost without affecting quality. The first stage of material procurement involves the estimation of material required, planning, budgeting, and programming so that necessary decisions can be made. Based on planning, procurement is scheduled and purchased. However, the process or supply chain does not terminate at this stage and also involves further process of inspection and proper receiving of material.

Another important aspect of material management and procurement involves inventory control, storage warehousing, safe handling, and transport. With the emphasis on sustainable construction practices, construction projects are also paying attention to waste management so that resource utilization can be improved and cost optimization can be achieved. Several factors also cause delays in the procurement process, such as ineffective scheduling, delays in the approval of material from the client side, delayed purchase orders, or late delivery of the materials.

The supply chain planning phase includes various factors to be taken into analysis or consideration so that advanced software tools can be used to estimate the material quantity and designs. The classification of locally available materials, materials that need fabrication, and price factors also play a major role in supply chain management and procurement procedures   (Molavi and Barral, 2016). The modern procurement methods of the construction supply chain are beneficial in terms of higher productivity at low cost. It also minimizes the margin for equipment maintenance. Such kind of material management is also beneficial in providing longer-term coordination, project planning, and improved responsiveness from the delivery services.

2. Health and risk factors associated with the project

Construction sites are often associated with high-risk factors and huge damage to property as well as the lives of individuals. Thus, it is recommended that principles of health and safety (H&S) are strictly taken into consideration so that associated risk factors can be minimized (Sonebi, Ammar, and Diederich, 2016). There are various regulations, such as the management of H&S at work regulation (1999), personal protective equipment at work regulations (1992), and manual handling operations regulations. At the project site, workers may be required to handle heavy machinery as well as toxic material.

Thus, all workers must be provided with suitable training to handle such risky material during production activities. There must be facilities for dealing with emergency accident situations, and all employees must have protective clothing such as gloves, helmets, glasses, and other necessary suits. A construction project also involves shifting material from one place to another as well as working in complex situations such as on roofs or walls. Thus, there must be necessary protective arrangements so that risk factors such as fall risk, fire, exposure to harmful objects or equipment, transportation incidences, collapses, and drowning can take place during production. As per the health and safety principle, such types of risks must be regularly assessed and identified so that prevention and minimization strategies can be employed.

Long-term exposure to the construction environment, raw materials, heavy sound, and materials can impose various health complications. Thus the working conditions and duration must be improved so that health risks due to such factors can be reduced (Yılmaz and Bakış, 2015). The selection of suitable technology and education is also a critical aspect in reducing exposure to risk and related hazards. All employees must be provided training for safe work procedures so that fall risks and other safety risks related to equipment and materials can be handled. The construction sites must also have necessary and effective safety tools for avoiding any accidents. Health and safety in the construction project are necessary to take into consideration due to three main factors which are legislation, human resources, and financial reasons.

The failure to implement safety procedures at work can result in accidents and loss of life. In addition to the ethical perspective, it can also impose severe complications from the cost and legislative aspects. Negligence to workplace safety also causes dissatisfaction among employees and can influence their commitment towards work practice and quality of work. The limited work safety for the employees and project members can also result in compromises in project delivery time and cost quality. The safety hazards or accidents can cause an additional cost of utilized time for injured employees, termination of work activities, property damage, as well as loss of supervisory time.

Thus use of a suitable safety management system is vital from both humanitarian and business aspects. It lowers the damage to property and lives of human beings, enhances morale and industrial relations, quality, and control. Effective safety programs can prevent a maximum of workplace accidents. Various attributes or activities of the construction project, such as toxins, airborne fibers, electricity, asbestos, unintended collapse, vibration & hand syndrome, slips and trips, fall risk, and accidents related to material handling, are very risky and life-threatening (Kamali and Hewage, 2017). Thus safety principles such as risk assessment, monitoring, controlling, safety measures, and their evaluation and training programs must be done as an integral part of the construction project.

PART C

1. Active or passive system for the project  and its environmental impact

The development of active and passive systems for the building is beneficial for making construction sustainable. It enhances the energy efficiency and reduces the cost of electricity or energy consumption of the building. The proposed project can also use both active and passive systems for the building. The use of active techniques and systems enhances energy conservation and provides a more economical and sustainable solution to the problem. One example of such a system is the use of an active solar energy system. The use of PV panels, building integrated PV, and solar collectors can convert solar energy into electricity. Similarly, solar thermal energy systems can also convert solar radiation into thermal energy.

Apart from these systems, wind energy systems and geothermal systems are also part of the active systems for the buildings (Sonebi, Ammar, and Diederich, 2016). These systems explore the available potential of energy or sources of electricity instead of completely relying on non-renewable energy sources for the building's energy needs. In addition to these active methods, buildings can also be used or provided with passive techniques. For instance, passive solar systems can have direct, indirect, or isolated gain systems with the building. In direct gain systems, windows allow sunlight to directly enter into occupied space.

Similarly, an example of indirect gain includes thermal storage between indoor space and facade As a result of this, heat is stored in exterior walls or roofs and is then distributed indoors. The use of these active and passive systems contributes significantly to the environment. For instance, most of the buildings do not have any active or passive system. Thus, in such buildings or construction projects, all energy needs are fulfilled by the electricity generated by non-renewable energy sources.

However, it creates excessive exploitation of natural resources and also has serious implications related to the environment, such as pollution or climate change. Further, such resources are available in limited quantity only and thus for long-term and sustainable use, it is required that their alternatives be chosen and adopted at the earliest and a wider level. In this response, the active and passive systems can provide low-cost and easy alternative solutions to the traditional approaches of energy utilization. There is a wide scope of solar, wind, and other renewable energy sources that can be used with both active and passive systems in a cost- and environment-efficient manner.

CONCLUSION

It can be concluded from the report that sustainability is vital for cost optimization, energy efficiency, proper utilization of resources, and environmental safety, as well as for gaining a competitive advantage in the existing and future construction industry. It has also been analyzed from the study that construction service providers must consider health and safety aspects. It not only helps in the success of the project but also contributes to safe construction practices and compliance with regulations. It has also been evaluated from the study that the use of sustainable energy sources can make buildings more energy efficient and sustainable both in terms of economy and environment. Global Assignment Help Australia provides professional support for better in-depth understanding.