Paul Bowen

Broadening project participation through a modified building sustainability assessment

Building assessment tools are used as a means to assess and encourage the adoption of sustainability-led thinking and practice in the delivery of buildings. However, the established tools focus primarily on the aspects of green or sustainable building (i.e. building as an end-product), rarely exploring the contributions towards sustainable product delivery (i.e. the building process). However, some principles of sustainable development are best implemented within the process rather than by being embedded in the product. By addressing the issues of equity via participation through stakeholder-oriented sustainability assessment, building assessment tools could be used to enhance significantly the overall sustainability of project delivery in the construction sector. A theoretical justification is advocated for implementing a participatory approach that is underpinning the development of a specification for a building sustainability assessment model currently under development. The barriers to participation in the construction process are considered as well as the need to develop innovative mechanisms to broaden membership of the construction project team. The philosophical approaches and resultant practices drawn from Environmental Assessment and the Process Protocol are presented as examples of potential solutions for incorporating stakeholder participation in a modified building assessment process.

Ethical behaviour in the South African construction industry

An opinion survey of South African architects, quantity surveyors, engineers and contractors regarding ethical behaviour within the construction industry reveals that South African contractors seem to possess a reputation for unethical conduct. The range of problems encountered includes collusion, bribery, negligence, fraud, dishonesty and unfair practices. While bribery in the form of payments and gifts is prevalent, fraud does not appear to be as serious a problem. Most construction professionals believe that the industry suffers from unfair tendering practices, as well as over‐claiming and/or withholding payment for service delivery. Negligence arises mainly from poor documentation and poor workmanship. Incidents of collusive tendering encompass cover pricing and bid cutting by contractors, while the primary form of fraudulent behaviour is deceit and misinformation. The Organisation for Economic Co‐operation and Developments bribery codes conditions could be used to counter unethical behaviour in the construction industry.

Workplace Stress Experienced by Construction Professionals in South Africa

Occupational stress affects the health and wellbeing of people who work. Using an online survey, opinions were sought from architects, civil engineers, quantity surveyors, and project and construction managers in South Africa. The contribution of this work lies in its examination of the work stress experienced by construction professionals in a developing country characterized by economic hardship and social problems, such as inequality and crime. Most respondents experience high levels of stress at work. Architects, more than engineers, quantity surveyors, and project and construction managers; and female, more than male professionals feel stressed. The extent to which professionals are able to control their job situations does not appear to have a major influence on stress. Tight deadlines and long working hours probably play a bigger role. All the professions would appreciate having more time to do a better job. Survey respondents do not expect managers and colleagues to consistently make their work easier, but do believe that they can be relied on in times of difficulty. Appropriate stress management should be implemented within the construction industry, and further research undertaken to explore the relationships between stress and type of work undertaken, and the effectiveness of stress management procedures.

Interpersonal communication in cost planning during the building design phase

Effective interpersonal communication is critically important in the design phase of a building project if a successful design brief is to be formulated and appropriate cost advice prepared. This paper explores the latter process in the context of communication theory, using structured interview surveys of building clients, architects and quantity surveyors in South Africa.

Corruption in the South African construction industry: a thematic analysis of verbatim comments from survey participants

Corruption is a pervasive stain on the construction industry in many countries. South Africa is no exception. A questionnaire survey showed that corruption there is perceived to be widespread. Beyond the quantitative survey findings, thematic analysis was used to explore the verbatim comments offered by many survey participants. This analysis clarified the nature and extent of corruption more precisely and four predominant themes emerged: involvement in corruption, forms of corruption, factors that may give rise to corrupt activities, and the means of combating corruption. Public officials are thought to be actively involved in acts of corruption, particularly in the soliciting of bribes and in tender manipulation. Professional consultants and other actors in the construction supply chain are not above reproach. Forms of corruption centre largely on appointment and tender irregularities, and to a lesser extent on contract administration and closeout irregularities. Factors instrumental in corruption include the skills shortage within the industry, a perceived absence of deterrents and sanctions, and poor ethical standards. Procedural impediments, fear of victimization and personal attitudes all act as barriers to combating corruption. While confirming opportunity, pressure and self-justification as the three pillars of the Cressey ‘Fraud Triangle’ theory of corruption, the research findings suggest that a more dynamic interpretation of this model is advisable. In addressing corruption, at least in the public sector, improvements in procurement processes are needed along with shifts towards higher standards of ethical behaviour among public sector employees at all levels. Greater procurement process transparency (in both public and private sectors of the industry) would address the worst effects of undue political interference and nepotism. The South African construction industry (particularly its statutory professional councils and contractor affiliation bodies), together with public sector agencies and private sector client associations, should collaborate to adopt a more proactive stance against corruption, and be more engaged with detecting and reporting it.

Job satisfaction of South African quantity surveyors

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to report on the significance of the relationship between job satisfaction experienced by South African quantity surveyors and demographic factors, workplace characteristics, choice of career, and instances of harassment and discrimination at work.Design/methodology/approach – Data were obtained via a web‐based national questionnaire survey of the registered quantity surveyors. The results were analysed in order to establish the degree of significance between perceived levels of job satisfaction and the identified factors.Findings – Demographic factors found to have a significant relationship with job satisfaction are gender and race. Workplace characteristics such as feelings of personal satisfaction, recognition, the opportunity to undertake challenging work and non‐repetitive work, the degree of supervision, participation in decision making, and the opportunity for social interaction at work were found to be significantly associated with job satisfaction. Signific...

HIV/AIDS in the South African construction industry: understanding the HIV/AIDS discourse for a sector‐specific response

HIV/AIDS is a pandemic with serious implications for South Africa in general, and the South African construction industry in particular. It is the single largest cause of death in South Africa. Against a backdrop of an acute shortage of housing and infrastructure provision, the prevalence of HIV/AIDS among construction workers is impacting negatively on the delivery capacity of the industry. The construction sector is uniquely vulnerable to the pandemic but there is limited industry‐specific research available. Industry‐specific interventions are limited to ‘awareness’ initiatives at project level. Political ambivalence is a major stumbling block. The institutional audit methodology is used to examine the impact of HIV/AIDS on the construction industry as a whole. This examination is conducted within the prevailing political context within which the industry operates. The construction sector urgently needs to develop mechanisms to manage the impact of the HIV/AIDS pandemic so that anticipated industry growth is not compromised by the economic, systemic and social impacts of the disease. In South Africa, the CIDB should provide more effective leadership; legislation is required to compel the universal adoption of HIV/AIDS programmes; and a change is needed in the mindset of key role players in the construction industry.

Sustainable housing for low‐income communities: lessons for South Africa in local and other developing world cases

South Africa’s housing backlog continues to grow amid delivery focused more on quantum than on a consideration of the principles of sustainable construction. South Africa needs to move away from its existing poor environmental and housing conditions in the informal and low‐income settlements and address its housing backlog by considering all the principles of sustainable construction. Using a case study approach, nine sustainable housing projects across the developing world and South Africa are assessed to draw best practice lessons for the construction of sustainable housing for low‐income communities in South Africa. An evaluation framework comprising 49 indicators drawn from the literature is used to assess each case’s application of seven principles of sustainable construction. Many sustainable practices have successfully been implemented in the projects reviewed, including energy‐ and water‐efficient systems, the reuse of old buildings, the use of non‐toxic products, the preservation of natural vegetation, and the provision of settlements that are dense and well located. Barriers to the implementation of sustainable practices were identified as low levels of user support; initial high costs of certain sustainable measures; and political factors. The ‘minimization of materials’ was the most widely adopted sustainability criterion, whilst the ‘reuse of materials’ was the least. User support and acceptability, together with adequate funding, are crucial to the success of sustainable settlements. The results provide lessons for South Africa to address the needs of the poor using a comprehensive sustainability approach.

HIV/AIDS in the South African construction industry: an empirical study

South Africa has one of the highest HIV/AIDS prevalence rates, with 11% of South Africans currently estimated to be HIV positive. The construction industry has one of the highest prevalence rates of any economic sector. To indicate the nature and extent of HIV/AIDS in the SA construction industry and to establish the degree of association between certain risk factors and the prevalence of HIV/AIDS, the results of HIV tests on 10 243 construction employees drawn from 55 companies nationwide are reported. In addition to the HIV test, a test for tuberculosis (TB) was conducted but proved inconclusive. Permanently employed, semi‐skilled operators and drivers, as well as skilled employees, have the highest prevalence rate of HIV/AIDS; even greater than casual labourers. The group displaying the next highest prevalence is temporarily employed general labourers. With regard to age, middle‐aged employees were shown to be the most at risk. Geographically, KwaZulu‐Natal exhibits the highest HIV prevalence rate, with the Western Cape the lowest. It is recommended that a compulsory, industry‐wide initiative be adopted, funded via levies, involving education, testing and treatment programmes supported via formal certification as part of the completion of work certification process.

Workplace Stress, Stress Effects, and Coping Mechanisms in the Construction Industry

AbstractMany construction professionals experience high levels of stress. Workplace stress leads to psychological, physiological, and sociological strain effects. Sufferers adopt different coping mechanisms in attempts to mitigate their condition. Using an online survey, opinions were sought from architects, civil engineers, quantity surveyors, and project and construction managers in South Africa. The contribution of the research reported in this paper lies in its examination of the work stress experienced by construction professionals in a developing country characterized by economic hardship and social problems, such as inequality and crime. Most respondents experience high levels of stress at work. Architects (more than engineers, quantity surveyors, and project and construction managers) and female (more than male) professionals feel stressed. Psychological effects of workplace stress include the feeling of not being appreciated by others for a job well-done, feeling dissatisfied with one’s own perfo...