CEM238-Construction Cost Engineering

Module Provider: School of Construction Management and Engineering, School of Built Environment
Number of credits: 10 [5 ECTS credits]
Level:7
Terms in which taught: Spring term module
Pre-requisites:
Non-modular pre-requisites:
Co-requisites:
Modules excluded:
Current from: 2022/3

Module Convenor: Dr Upeksha Madanayake
Email: u.h.madanayake@reading.ac.uk

Type of module:

Summary module description:

Buildings and related facilities are expensive to construct, maintain, refurbish and operate. Meeting these costs requires significant expenditure and investment by the developer, building owner or the occupier. It is therefore important that these costs are accurately estimated and budgeted for before construction work starts; controlled and planned for during construction as well as forecasted for the operational life of the building.

This is a two-week module that covers the basic principles and techniques of building construction, quantification and measurement of construction work during the first week. The first week of the module covers the fundamentals of construction technology and measurement of construction works. It feeds-forward to the second week of the module, which goes into details of advanced construction technologies, cost planning and commercial management. The first week is particularly targeted at non-cognate students who require a basic understanding of building construction and quantification of construction costs.    

During the second week, the module covers the techniques used to accurately estimate and budget for construction work; control and manage these costs during construction as well as forecast the operational life of the building.

Those students who may already have learned this material on an earlier qualification or have relevant experience within the construction industry may be exempted from the requirement to attend the first week of the module upon provision of a valid and equivalent qualification transcript or employment letter confirming that the student has the required basic knowledge in the area. However, the students will still need to complete the week 1 assessments as they contribute 40% of the overall mark.  The exemption to attend week 1 classes is subject to approval by the Programme Director. There is no exemption to completing the week 1 assessments.

Aims:

The aim is to equip students with the necessary skills and knowledge to estimate, plan, manage, control and engineer building costs across all stages of the construction and development process: from financial feasibility appraisal, design, construction procurement, construction operations, commissioning, maintenance and refurbishment to demolition.

Assessable learning outcomes:

On completion of this module, students will be able to:

• Demonstrate knowledge of the various principles, techniques and standard methods of measurement and the practices of quantification, definition and costing of construction works.


• Apply the understanding of how these are appropriately used at different stages of the construction process and in different circumstances.


• Undertake simple, practical exercises of taking-off quantities of construction work items at appropriate level of detail, using traditional dim paper as well as with a computer programme.


• Know the key sources of cost information relating to estimating, measurement and specification of building work.


• Understand the production of bills of quantities, cost estimates and other construction cost-related documentation


• Understand the concepts of financial cost, price and value regarding construction and building development.


• Have an understanding of, and ability to apply the techniques of cost estimating, cost planning, cost management and cost control in construction development and operations.


• Be capable of analysing design alternatives, construction operations and programmes for cost effectiveness and value maximisation.

Additional outcomes:

Outline content:

• Construction engineering cost factors: Techniques for mensuration, quantification, and definition of construction works.


• Cost Management at project inception and design stage: Cost modelling and forecasting, approximate estimating, cost planning of design and cost control systems.


• Design economics, value management and whole life costing: Time value of building and building component costs, micro-economics of building development ownership and occupation, obsolescence and deterioration of buildings, life cycle cost analysis and planning.

Brief description of teaching and learning methods:

The module will be delivered by lectures, tutorial discussions and the undertaking of practical tasks on cost management and cost engineering. Some lectures will be given by specialist experts in aspects of construction cost management.

Contact hours:

	Autumn	Spring	Summer
Lectures		32
Tutorials		14
Practicals classes and workshops		8
Guided independent study:		46
Total hours by term	0	100	0
Total hours for module	100

Summative Assessment Methods:

Method	Percentage
Written assignment including essay	60
Set exercise	20
Class test administered by School	20

Summative assessment- Examinations:

Summative assessment- Coursework and in-class tests:

At the end of week 1 of the module, computer-based (online) tests will contribute 20% of the overall assessment and a short measurement assignment will contribute a further 20% of the overall assessment. 

At the end of week 2 of the module, a written assignment will contribute 60% of the overall assessment.

Formative assessment methods:

During week 1 of the module, in-class tasks and exercises will be set during the tutorials, for which model answers shall be provided and discussed.

Penalties for late submission:

The below information applies to students on taught programmes except those on Postgraduate Flexible programmes. Penalties for late submission, and the associated procedures, which apply to Postgraduate Flexible programmes are specified in the policy £Penalties for late submission for Postgraduate Flexible programmes£, which can be found here: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/cqsd-old-site-documents/penaltiesforlatesubmissionpgflexible.pdf
The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of five working days;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than five working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/cqsd-old-site-documents/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf
You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Assessment requirements for a pass:
A mark of 50% overall

Reassessment arrangements:
Students are required to contact the School to confirm reassessment arrangements.

Additional Costs (specified where applicable):

1) Required text books:  None

2) Specialist equipment or materials:  None

3) Specialist clothing, footwear or headgear:  None

4) Printing and binding:  None

5) Computers and devices with a particular specification:  None

6) Travel, accommodation and subsistence:  None

Last updated: 19 January 2023