unless it can operate and perform as designed, these elements become a critical part of the equation. The construction manager, who often has an engineering background, must be familiar with these items and their operation so they can manage their procurement, delivery, installation, and sometimes even performance after installation.
Characteristics
Because construction managers are often involved with public health issues in environmental construction, you can expect to spend a significant amount of your time dealing with governmental and regulatory agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Center for Disease Control (CDC), not to mention the myriad of state and local authorities. For this reason, individuals involved in this sector of the industry not only need to be familiar with construction means, methods, and management but also need to be familiar with the law, particularly those laws and regulations dealing with public health and the environment. As a matter of fact, many construction management graduates who go on to work in the environmental sector often get graduate degrees in environmental engineering or environmental law.
NOTE
I once asked the president of an international environmental construction firm why he left the commercial building side of the industry to dedicate his life to building water systems and sewage treatment plants. He told me he got bored with commercial construction. He admitted that it may seem “sexier” to build high-rises, but in reality, when you spend your day building facilities that ensure a clean and fresh water supply, safe and sanitary wastewater treatment, and a healthy environment for communities, then you go home at night knowing you made a difference, whether anyone notices or not.
Furthermore, you will find yourself working with individuals beyond the usual group of construction colleagues. In environmental construction it is not unusual to be collaborating with chemists, biologists, ecologists, and other scientists who deal with the actual quality of the water, soil, and other materials that flow through or interact with the systems that you build. As you can see, there are many opportunities to expand your knowledge and learning beyond construction in this sector of the industry.
Similar to the heavy civil industry, environmental construction projects are usually not a luxury item—they are necessities. And given the current state of our existing municipal water and wastewater systems in the United States (many are 50 or more years old—the entire life expectancy of a typical system), and the fact that most projects are publicly funded, we will see a great deal of work in this area and, therefore, the need for construction managers who have a propensity toward projects that support the environment.
The Project Players
As our brief walk through construction history revealed earlier, the days of the individual master builder are long gone. No longer is it practical to expect one person to design, engineer, and build construction projects. Today's master builder is a collaborative team with diverse skills and expertise. Many, many players are involved, and they all make a valuable contribution to the effort while at the same time adding to the complexity of the process. It is very important to understand the various roles and responsibilities of these many players as they influence the construction management process.
In addition to getting to know the primary players in the game, you need to know the secondary players involved and the various layers of influence and risks associated with their involvement. Understanding the intricacy of these relationships will help you appreciate the management function in construction.
Primary Players
The three principal players in any construction project are the owner, the designers (architects and engineers), and the contractor. Although these three parties are always involved in a project, the alignment and contractual relationships among them will vary depending on the project delivery system utilized to deliver the project. Project delivery will be discussed in Chapter 2, “What Is Construction Management?” Each of these parties provides distinct services and has specific accountabilities necessary to fulfill the building objectives.
Owners
No construction would ever be accomplished without owners. They are the driving force behind the construction industry. Their demands for housing, commercial facilities, industrial products, and infrastructure are the chief motivation to build. After determining need and deciding to build, the owner is accountable for four primary duties:
program
A written statement that identifies and describes an owner or end user's needs and requirements for a facility. Every design starts with a program.
Developing the program and outlining the needs and requirements of the end users
Determining the quantity, extent, and character of the project by defining the scope of work
Creating the overall budget for the project, including land acquisition (if necessary), development, design, and construction costs
Providing the funding for the project and making periodic payments to the designers and the contractor
How an owner accomplishes these tasks is often determined by what type of owner they are. There are basically two types of owners—public owners and private owners. Public owners are typically government agencies such as the General Services Administration, the Army Corps of Engineers, or the state departments of transportation. These agencies represent the public and spend tax dollars to build courthouses, military bases, and federal highways. Private owners make up the bulk of construction spending and may take the form of an individual building a single home, a developer who builds speculatively, a small manufacturer enlarging operations, or a national firm that owns numerous facilities. Funding comes from private sources such as banks, investment brokers, and venture capitalists.
Design Professionals
Two types of professional designers are engaged in the construction process, and each deals with different parts of the project design. Architects deal with the function, life safety issues, and aesthetics of the building, and engineers deal with the systems. They typically work together to complete the design function with one or the other taking the lead, depending on the type of facility being constructed.
NOTE
I will use the term designer throughout the text to imply either an architect or an engineer.
The construction manager works with both the architect and the engineer on a regular basis throughout the construction process. The following are the primary responsibilities of the designers:
Assisting the owner in developing the facility program and determining end user needs and requirements
Advising the owner regarding the image and character of the facility and establishing broad design goals
Assisting the owner in selecting products to fit the program and the budget
Advising the owner on special and aesthetic issues and
