Construction of Commercial Building on a Brownfield Site - Case Study Example

Author’s Name Instructors’ Name Course Date Construction of Commercial Building on a Brownfield Site Introduction The following report seeks to analyze the some of the measures to be taken in the construction process of a six story commercial building by the Algazal Construction Company. The building is being set on a site that had been used by the chemical manufacturing company in the pharmaceutical industry thus requiring brownfield remediation process. The report will start with possible techniques of remediation process. These will be followed by walling, flooring and finishing options to be applied. Further damp proofing methods to be used will be outlined. In addition, the characteristics of some of the materials to be used will be provided. Finally, the paper covers the steps to be taken in ensuring quality control in the building construction. Brownfield Remediation Brown field remediation is the removal of environmental contaminants that might affect the development of a given site. The presence of such contaminants might be due to disposal and accumulation of the same (Chen 2010). The project of building a commercial complex in the site will therefore involve remediation process due the presence of chemicals from the pharmaceutical industry. There are several methods, which can be applied in the process of brownfield remediation. However, the following section seeks to discuss four main brownfield techniques as outlined below: Bioremediation Bioremediation is the process of removing contaminants in the soil with biological means. The process also involves the use of plants through phytoremediation. In some cases, bioremediation is used together with a pump and treat system. In this process, specifically bred or naturally occurring bacteria are used in consuming environmental contaminants (Dixon et al 2008). This method is called bio-gac system. Favorable environmental in the ground are provided to allow for the continuous growth of bacterial population. Further, ground water can as well be recycled for the same purpose (Hollander et al 2010). In some cases, the population of bacteria can be high in such a way that they affect the process of pumping and filtration. This calls for the draining of the vessel. However, it is important to ensure that the level of the ground water remains favorable in order to avoid killing the bacteria. In addition, bioremediation also include utilization of vapor extraction system which leads to the generation of a high vacuum in a process called dual-phase extraction. The process helps in the extraction of some contaminated groundwater as well as contaminated vapors. However, the process requires a large of energy especially in pulling water as compared to using a submersible pump. On the other hand, mycoremediation is also another form of bioremediation (Chen 2010). It includes the use of fungi in the decontamination of soil. Mycoremediation focus is ensuring that the right species of fungi has been determined in the extraction of a given pollutant. A similar process as mycoremediation is the microfiltration, which consists of using mycelia mats in filtering of toxic wastes as well as microorganisms from polluted water. Chemical Remediation Chemical remediation includes the use of chemical substances, which are added on the ground to instigate reaction with contaminants. There are several reactions involved such as solidification, stabilization and oxidation. Solidification is the addition of material on the site that will result into binding with specific contaminants. The process is not intended to remove contaminants from the ground but helps in preventing the spread of contamination (Chen 2010). The reaction and spread of contaminated materials is thus stopped. For instance, the mixing of cement and soil will result into the formation of so.id block. This block can then be used to trap pollutants and preventing the spread of rainwater on the site. On the other hand, stabilization is the use of materials that react chemically with specific contaminants (Sarni 2010). This process requires proper selection of such materials to encourage expected reaction. However, improper use of substances could lead to more harmful results in the process. The main objective of stabilization is the alteration of the chemical components of the contaminants in order to make them less harmful as well as becoming easier to control and maintain. It is also intended to remove them and stopping them from spreading through binding. This process is mostly applicable in sites that are contaminated with heavy concentration of metals such as mercury and arsenic. Further, oxidation is also used as a chemical technique (Hollander et al 2010). It involves the use of strong oxidants, which ensures that oxygen content in the soil is increased. Strong chemical oxidants such as hydrogen peroxide are used by pumping them into the ground. The pumped oxidant is mixed with the ground water as the soil, encouraging chemical reaction with contaminants before it is pumped back to the surface. In addition, sometimes oxidation process is used to increase oxygen levels of the groundwater and of the soil. This encourages the growth of bacteria, which are naturally occurring as well as increase of other microbes. The objective is to ensure that the microorganism helps in breaking down of some types of chemical pollution. Excavation and dredging Excavation involves the removal of contaminated soil or other materials from the ground (Sarni 2010). The two techniques are examples of physical remediation and are the most common in construction. Excavation can be a simple process of hauling of the soil away, followed by replacement of the same with uncontaminated soil. However, the process might involve a complex procedure such aeration, which air circulation using a given substance. It can as well involve the process of bioremediation. In some cases, the soil is contaminated with substances that cannot easily be separated, including nuclear and radioactive materials. In such circumstances, the contaminated soil is hauled off to a safe place, where it is securely stored (Hollander et al 2010). On the other hand, dredging is the removal of sediments from the underwater. The process involves the use of special equipment, which is operated from the shoreline, ships or barges. However, it also refers to the process of pumping or scrapping of solid materials from the water body. The water bodies can vary from sea to shallow water reservoirs. Pump and Treat Pump and treat is almost similar to dredging but in this case, contaminated ground water is pumped and treated instead of soiled materials. The contaminated ground water, once pumped out, is treated, purified and then returned back to the ground (Sarni 2010). The ground water is pumped out using a vacuum pump, which brings it to the surface, where various techniques are used in treating the water, based on the type and level of contamination. Incase petroleum products have contaminated the ground water, activated carbon can be used in treating it while some contaminants can be used removed by running the water through filters. Biological and air stripping methods can as well be used in this process (Hollander et al 2010). Pump and treat is a form of physical process of remediation. Type of walls in the Building The work of building walls is to provide support to the floors, roofs and celling (Punmia et al 2007). Different types of walls are going to be built in the building. Among these, include partition walls. These walls will be used in the separating or division of rooms. Various materials are going to be used including concrete, timber, metal and glass blocks, among others. The main aim will be to divide the building depending on the size rooms, based on the type of business intended to be started. Firewalls will be provided in some section in order to prevent the spread of fires in case they occur (Great Britain 2006). Special materials will be used in sealing their penetrations. Further, there will be movable partitions to allow quick and free movement from and to some rooms. Most of these walls will be sliding, just like sliding doors. Flooring Materials to be used Various types of flooring are available to be used in the construction (Great Britain 2006). It is important that one choose the right based on the kind of traffic expected on the building. At the same time, health and environmental impacts should be considered in choosing the best type of flooring to be used. However, the common types of flooring include tiles, linoleum, vinyl, carpeting, wood and bamboo. Further, as is the case with many PVC products, carpeting is made with nylon, currently, which a non-biodegradable product. In this construction project, carpeting will be used in flooring. Carpeting has been widely used in ensuring sustainability of flooring. There are many benefits associated with carpeting. One of these is that carpeting provides softness and dampens noise, thus making it the popular choice for many developers (Great Britain 2006). In this building, both carpet and carpet padding that is made from recycled and natural fibers will be used. However, most preferred type will come from sea grass or wool. In addition, in order to ensure that durability is considered in carpeting, carpet tiles will be used various sections of the floor especially where traffic is high. This will ensure Individual replacement of tiles in case there is any damage (Grosse 2007). The choice of carpeting using tiles is because they will ensure that dust, dirt and other allergens are collected. Carpeting enhances insulation, good for aesthetic and sustainability. Finally, the region contains recycling plant, thus in case some carpets is damaged, and then they can be taken to the plant, acting as a source of income for the management of the complex. Exterior and Interior Finishes In this building, there will be various types of interior and exterior finishes to be used as described below. External finishes will mostly include pebbles finish. Pebbles finishes are attractive and simple, obtained though pasting of small pebbles on the wall with the use of cement mortar as a form of adhesive (Osborn 2012). The choice of pebbles is because they bring out a flowing effect, which brings a natural beauty on the walls. Further, since many people will use the building, the stains or dirt from activities on will not be such conspicuous. The rear side of the building will consist of flake finish. The objective is to bring out the elevation treatment to the building (Mitchell 2008). However, some sections of interior will fixed with flake finishes. It should be noted that most of the interior sections would have tile cladding. Different types will be used such as glazed, granite or marble tiles. Further, various shapes and colors will be used in the process of cladding. Methods of Dump Roofing Various methods of damping proofing are used in the construction industry. These include application of DPC course, cavity wall, surface treatment, integral treatment and guniting (Kohn & Katz 2002). Providing damp proof course (DPC) is used between the source of the dampness and the building component. The material has water repellent material such as mastic asphalt, bitumen, plastic sheets or cement concrete. Further, the material should cover the entire width of the still and laid on the same level surface with the mortar (Grosse 2007). In addition, the joints are supposed to be at critical points and at minimum. On the other hand, cavity wall damp proofing is a filing that is fixed between gaps in either external or internal walls (Ching 2008). The cavity assists in ensuring that the wall does not excess water through providing of barrier where unwanted moisture is blocked. The cavity should however have damp proof materials. Further, guniting is the process of forcing the mixture of water and cement into the surface using cement gun. Later a ratio of 1: 4 or 1:3 between cement and mortar is applied on the surface by being pressured using compressed air (Grosse 2007). This allows for the impervious layer of mortar to be created. Surface treatment is another form of damp proofing. The process involves the application of a layer that contains compounds of water repellant on the surface (Ching 2008). There are several water proofing agents that are used in this treatment such as sulphates of zinc, magnesium and magnesium, as well as silicates of potassium and sodium. Internal treatment can as well be applied in the damp proofing process. It involves mixing of compounds, which are commercially available with the concrete of water to forma-wet mix. The compounds are found in talc, chalk, flutter earth as well as other chemical compounds such as aluminum sulphate, calcium chloride, among others. The commercial building will however use the DPC and the cavity wall. These are because the two forms of damp proofing systems are applicable in both internal and external walls (Grosse 2007). At the same time, they are durable and provide good protection of structures from moisture. Characteristics of Materials used Concrete Concrete is one of the most important components in building and construction. It refers to artificial stone-like materials that are used in various structural purposes (Allen & Iano 2013). The material is made through mixing of cement, which acts as a binding material, and other inert materials such as shale, brick chips, stone chips, gravel, and pebbles with water. The mixture is allowed to harden through hydration (Ching 2008). Some of the characteristics that make concrete used in many structures are that it is economical if the above materials are readily available. In addition, concrete is durable and requires lower maintenance compared to other materials. At the same time, one can be able to cast or mould concreted to any desired size or shape. It is also non-combustible thus making it to be fire safe material and able to withstand high temperatures. Steel The structure well consist of steel in some sections. The common characteristic associated with steel is that it is a strong material that provides durability of the structure. Framing parts or the whole structure with steel ensures that the building is firm and well grounded, making it withstand possible forces such as floods of earthquakes. It is as well economical in that one will need shorter time when framing (Allen & Iano 2013). At the same time, minimal labor is needed compared to some other forms of materials such as concrete. Further, the material is light thus making it light when transporting. This property also reduces wastes while constructing. Steel can also withstand over 10000c, making it conducive where bush fires are common. Timber/Wood Wood is known to have good thermal properties in that the material does not practically expand after being exposed to heat. The effects of heat on wood make sit dry out and then gains strengths as opposed to steel that loses strength (Allen & Iano 2013). Since the specific heat of wood is high, then it requires a lot of energy to either decrease or increase the temperature of one kilo of wood. Wood is as well good for sound absorption. It thus prevents noise and echo through absorbing of sound. It can therefore be used in concert or social halls. Wood is also resistant to electric current thus being preferred as one of the healthy materials in construction. Aluminum Aluminum is known for being light as well as being strong. It is not susceptible to brittle fractures and it is not affected by moisture (Gambhir & Jamwal 2014). In addition, the maintenance cost is relativity low. This is because most of the aluminum products are either coated or treated. The anodization process helps in increasing the layer of the natural’s oxide, which assists the material to withstand any attack especially in aggressive environments. The process also gives aluminum various colors since the surface film remains to be porous, thus accepting coloring agents such as pigments (Allen & Iano 2013). This makes aluminum have a good quality of its surface and thus enhancing maintenance. Quality Control Procedures Quality control and ensuring of safety at work place is critical. It is one of biggest concerns among project managers. Failures and defects in the construction process can lead to large losses and costs (Hans Sommer 2010). For instance, re-construction may be needed due to minor failures or defects, which can harm the operations at a work place. The results of such processes are delays and heavy costs to the entire project. There are other indirect costs such as insurance, regulation and inspection processes, which are due to increased direct costs. It thus the responsibility of every project manager to ensure that job is correctly done to minimize occurrences of accidents at work places (Ching 2008). One of the control measures that the project will ensure is at the designing stage. It is at this stage that major decisions that will have a great impact on the project are made. The preliminary stages of this construction project include determining the component configurations, specification of materials as well as deciding on how functional performance would be achieved (Ching 2008). Therefore, emphasis will put on the kind of materials to be used and their specifications. This will help in avoiding some of the challenges that would have been met in the construction process. It is critical to note that the quality control process during implementation simply includes ensuring conformance to the original design where actual performance equals planned functional performance. The documentation of specification will be extremely important in ensuring that all requirements are followed. These requirements should be needed to be clear and verifiable (Hans Sommer 2010). This will help in making all stakeholders including suppliers aware of the specification requirements and thus assist them in conformance. In order to ensure that everything goes well in the construction process, studies of duties and responsibilities will be done. This is intended to prevent role collision among players in the process. Further, tender specification will explained to all parties concerned. It will help in bringing in the right materials as per the design (Ching 2008). However, this will highly depend on the design process and how efficiently it would be done. In this process, following of codes of practice standards and work instructions will be emphasized all through. This will be in an effort to maintain quality of materials and work being performed. Proper coordination with the purchasing and procurement departments will be ensured. These include development of effective rejection and acceptance procedures of materials purchased (Hans Sommer 2010). There will be checklist to be followed before acceptance of materials purchased is done (Ching 2008). The intention will be to emphasis on the specifications. In this connection, proper sampling of cement, steel, water, aggregate, among other materials will be conducted to ascertain the level of conformance to the standards of work and specifications. Further, together with other stakeholders, procedures will be set to guide on the quality control measures at strategic points but more so at storage of raw materials, mixing as well as placing of concrete. The preplanned schedules of deshuttering and curing will be strictly followed. At the same time, a system will be evolved of ensuring that the quality of workmanship is checked in all activities in the construction process. Various personnel will be given specific roles as a result. The system is aimed at ensuring that evaluation and monitoring processes successful (Hans Sommer 2010). Corrective steps should be recommended before continuing to the next step (Ching 2008). In some instances, punishments will be recommended including suing parties concerned, in most extreme breaches. On the same note, incentive programs will integrated in the system to reward those work hard and follow instructions to the letter. On regular basis, there will be maintenance and repair processes to ensure that equipment and machines are in good condition (Tang 2005). This will also include calibration of equipment and plants. The aim is to reduce risks of accidents while operating facilities at the site (Ching 2008). However, workers will be encouraged to carry work instruction cards in their pockets in order to minimize mistakes. Further, spare parts or materials will be kept at safe stores to avoid being misused. However, some spare parts or equipment such as vibrators must be at the site for any emergency. Besides the above measures, there will be frequent meeting to review work progress and recommending changes in some sections. At the same time, training will as well be carried out occasionally, when necessary on various aspects. These will range from new machine operations to ways of maintaining or improving work quality. Conclusion The report has analyzed different aspects of the project starting with remediation techniques that will be applied on the site. Further, the best types of walls have as well been given, including floor and flooring materials and best interiors and exterior finishes for the building. At the same time, damp proofing methods to be used in the construction include DPC and cavity walls. This was followed by the characteristics of some of the materials to be used in the construction and the reasons for the same. Finally, the report has included measures to be taken in ensuring that quality of materials and workmanship is maintained in the implementation process. References Allen, E., & Iano, J. (2013). Fundamentals of building construction: materials and methods. Chen, G. (2010). Building construction: project management, construction administration, drawings, specs, detailing tips, schedules, checklists, and secrets others don't tell you. Irvine, Calif, ArchiteG, Inc. Ching, F. D. K. (2008). Building Construction Illustrated. Hoboken, John Wiley & Sons. Dixon, T., Raco, M., & Catney, P. (2008). Sustainable Brownfield Regeneration Liveable Places from Problem Spaces. Chichester, John Wiley & Sons. Gambhir, M. L., & Jamwal, N. (2014). Building and construction materials testing and quality control. New Delhi, McGraw Hill Education. Great Britain. (2006). Flooring. London, The Stationery Office. Grosse, C. U. (2007). Advances in Construction Materials 2007. 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