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CHECKING CONSTRUCTION QUALITY
What does construction quality stand for?
The construction quality stands for adhering to IS standards and delivering on the following aspects:
- Quality in Design – Name and brand of structural consultant and the architect.
- Quality in Procurement - Category of vendors from which we procure construction. materials like tiles, wood, cement, etc., brands of materials used like paints, adhesives, tiles etc.
- Quality of the construction contractor.
- Quality in Execution - Quality checks are done on the construction materials, tests and audits done from third parties to maintain quality standards
What are different construction technologies and how do they affect quality?
| Sr. No. | Technology | Details | Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Conventional Techniques | In-situ method or wet construction method, in the conventional formwork, standard framed panels are tied together over their backs with wailings, which are essentially horizontal members. | Bricks remain cooler as compared to concrete, modifications later are easy to be implemented. | Wall forms are prone to edge and corner damages, increased pressures by wet concrete can lead to a leak of grout and hence, a bad finish to the wall. |
| 2 | Aluminum Form Technology | Commonly known as “MIVAN” is a popular type of aluminum formwork technology. The formwork and floor slab structures provide a structural system in one continuous pour. Using this technology, large room sized walls and floor slabs are erected at the site. | Concrete shapes constructed with the utmost consistency, accuracy, and high quality.Highly durable structures produced. | Making modifications is not easy. |
| 3 | Tunnel Form Technology | In this technology, a stable structure is put up on a 24-hour cycle basis. The tunnel form technique is commonly used for multi-storied buildings as it reduces cycle time. | A sturdy and durable structure formed. | Making modifications is not easy. |
| 4 | Prefabrication | It is the practice of assembling components of a structure not at the place of the actual project, but at a factory. Then, the entire assembly or sub-assembly is transported to the construction site and assembling it with the main structure. | Indoor fabrication can reduce the impacts of severe weather. Reduces inaccuracy in construction. |
What are some good sustainable practices that should be followed in a project? Is there a rating which indicates environment friendliness of a project?
The Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) has launched IGBC Green New Buildings rating system. This rating program is a tool which enables the designer to apply green concepts and reduce environmental impacts that are measurable. IGBC recognizes Green New Buildings that achieve one of the rating levels with a formal letter of certification and a mountable plaque.
| Certification Level | Recognition |
|---|---|
| Certified | Best Practices |
| Silver | Outstanding Performance |
| Gold | National Excellence |
| Platinum | Global Leadership |
Following practices are identified as green practices by IGBC to provide the rating:
Sustainable Architecture and Design:
- Developers should retain the site features like topology, trees, natural rocks, site contour and water bodies.
- They should also adopt architectural design features like skylights, daylighting, passive cooling technique etc. to reduce energy consumption.
Site selection and planning:
- Providing basic amenities like ATM, School, Pharmacy etc. at a walking distance reduces automobile use.
- Encouraging the use of non-fossil fuel vehicles by providing charging facilities for low-emitting vehicles.
- Avoiding disturbance to natural topography or vegetation by retaining such area in design.
- Preserving existing fully-grown trees and planting new tree saplings.
- Reducing heat island effect by providing covered parking, vegetation on exposed roof area and using high reflective materials.
- Reducing light pollution by reducing upward lighting and reducing lighting power density.
- Ensuring building design caters to differently abled and senior citizens.
- Promoting welfare of construction workforce by providing safe and healthy work conditions.
Water conservation:
- Enhancing ground water table and reducing municipal water demand through effective rainwater harvesting.
- Limiting the use of turf on the site to conserve water and ensuring that landscaped area is planted with drought tolerant species.
- Treating waste water generated on-site, so as to avoid polluting the receiving streams by safe disposal and using treated waste water, thereby reducing dependence on potable water.
Energy efficiency:
- Encouraging use of eco-friendly refrigerants and halons in the building, thereby minimizing negative impact on the ozone layer.
- Encouraging the use of on-site and off-site renewable technologies.
- Encouraging sub-metering and continuous monitoring to identify improvement opportunities in building’s energy performance.
Building materials and resources:
- Facilitating segregation of waste at source to encourage reuse or recycling of materials, thereby avoiding waste being sent to landfills.
- Using certified green building materials, products, and equipment, so as to reduce dependence on materials that have associated negative environmental impacts.
Indoor environmental quality:
- Providing adequate outdoor air ventilation, so as to avoid pollutants affecting indoor air quality
- Minimizing exposure of non-smokers to the adverse health impacts arising due to passive smoking in the building by creating smoking prohibited areas and designated smoking rooms.
- Continuously monitoring and controlling carbon dioxide level in the building to ensure occupant’s comfort and well-being.
- Encourage use of materials (Paints, coatings, adhesives, carpets, wood) and systems with low VOC emissions, so as to reduce adverse health impacts on building occupants.
