Prof. Puti Farida Marzuki : Construction Management for Nation Constructed Facilities

By Shabrina Salsabila

Editor Shabrina Salsabila

BANDUNG, itb.ac.id - Construction management is a part of civil engineering studies that focused on the construction projects management to realize the concept and technical design produced by other parts of science civil engineering. Construction management aims to build a physical facility or infrastructure that very essential for human life.

Construction projects management became more complex because of a lot of parties that interact in it as well as the increasing demands on function quality, comfort, safety, aesthetics, and sustainability. So construction management is necessary to ensure the efficiency and productivity of a construction project to meet the expectations and requirements set. This was explained by Prof. Puti Farida Marzuki (Construction Management and Engineering Group Study FTSL ITB) in ITB Professor Science Speech on (13/04/2013) in ITB Scientific Meeting Hall.
As a developing country, Indonesia is relying on infrastructure development to encourage economic growth. In addition, the development of well-managed infrastructure also allows the public to get proper life and have a good social interaction. Infrastructure development is also expected to absorb workforces significantly to reduce the high unemployment rate.
In her speech, Fida explained there are three main parties that involved in the construction project, the owner, designers, and construction contractors. Each party has a role that should be implemented in the various stages of the project life cycle. The project itself consists of three components, namely scope, budget, and schedule. Life cycle of a construction project begins with the need for a new facility. The awareness of the need is have to be followed by planning on a broad scale. The elements in the scale include conceptual analysis, technical and economic feasibility studies, and environmental impact analysis.
The quality on construction is more difficult to define compare to manufacturing industry. Construction product usually is not a repetitive unit but it is a unique product that has a specific characteristic. Based on construction trilogy which includes scope, cost, and project schedule. Those are the main three things that interact to produce qualified facility. This far management to get the qualified construction has been done through system and process approach
Effort to produce a qualified facility through the entire process of construction projects relying on the strength of the relationship between customer and supplier. Customer in a construction project requires a belief that the supplier is able to meet the requirements of quality, cost, and delivery. Instead, to produce quality construction projects, suppliers need to have the capability to identify the expectations of their customers and other stakeholders, meeting the needs and expectations of customers in the products and services produced, supplying products and services that meet the requirements of customers and their expected benefits, and operating in such a way so it can meet the needs of all stakeholders.
Through Total Quality Management (TQM) that now is starting to be applied by many construction companies, customer is the main party that determines if the quality of construction is acceptable or not. In this concept, the quality can be measured and generated by empowering the workforce to carry out the work well. Furthermore, the process must be improved continuously and at along the time.
In the three construction project key performance targets which are cost, time, and quality, it is very likely to face risks and uncertainties, mainly due to the change of something that is inherent in this regard. Typical risks in construction projects can be sourced from a physical condition, construction problem, design, and technology.
The development of the infrastructure needed to improve the quality of human life and economic growth should minimize environmental impact. This awareness has encouraged the development of the sustainable construction concept significantly over these past 10 years. One part of the concept of sustainable construction is to reduce CO2 emissions from the construction process. CO2 emissions are calculated from the direct process of construction activity itself and the indirect process that is derived from a variety of materials used in the building.
Challenges in the construction management to make good infrastructure development projects in Indonesia is not easy. For that, Fida still continue to do some research in Group Construction Management and Engineering Expertise to realize the nation facilities as desirable.

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