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Construction Electronic Measurement Standard Part 2

-Standard Method of Measurement for Mechanical and Electrical Building Services
SS CP97 Part 2 or Singapore Standard CP97 Code of Practice for Construction
Electronic Measurement Standards, Part 2 - Standard Method of Measurement (SMM) for Mechanical and Electrical (M&E) Works (Building Services), revamps the corresponding sections on M&E Services under the SMM of Building Works, 2nd Edition, 1986. Part 2 reviews the measurement items suitable for Automatic Quantity Taking-Off Systems (AQTS) on M&E Computer Aided Design (CAD) Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) model; revives the discipline to prepare the Bills of Quantities properly to facilitate the downstream procurement by the M&E specialist sub-contractors in the industry suitable for Construction Resource Classification; and devise a tie with the corresponding sections in the National Productivity & Quality Specifications on Construction and Real Estate Network (CORENET). This article reveals the challenges that needed to be overcome. Seah Kwee Yong
Singapore Institute of Surveyors & Valuers Chairman, Measure Work Group of the Construction Industry IT Standards Technical Committee

Eugene Seah
Davis Langdon & Seah Singapore

Ho Swee Sun
KPK Quantity Surveyors (1995) Singapore

COVERAGE OF PART 2 In Synthesis 2003, we introduced SS CP97:2002 Code of Practice for Construction Electronic Measurement Standards (CEMS) Part 1 - Method of Measurement (SMM) for Building Works. In this issue, we explain the significance of Part 2 on Standard Method of Measurement (SMM) for Mechanical and Electrical (M&E) Works, which revamps the corresponding sections on M&E Services under the SMM of Building Works, 2nd Edition, 1986. Setting SMM for preparation of Bills of Quantities (BQ) for M&E Building Services is not new. The practices were reflected in all previous versions of SMM, be it in Singapore or UK [1], or other parts of the world.

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In recent decades, pressurised by expectation for early property financial return by shortening construction project cycle (either through shortened design & tender preparation or shortened site construction period), the practice has dwindled to mostly lump sum tender on schematic designs, leaving sub-contractors to take more risk in all-in system proposal which may be proprietary in nature. In variably, further downstream (the sub-sub-contract) would have to quantify information from the drawings whether from the consulting engineer or their own proposed proprietary system to facilitate micro procurement. Part 2 therefore targeted at this further downstream level of procurement as well, but also challenges the upstream consulting engineering level to quantify as much as possible for upper level tendering, be it accurate or approximate, in details or merely schematic composite elemental groupings. See SMM items in Figure 1. Figure 1: SMM items M&E Cost Modelling Cost/m2 of GFA Cost/m2 of functional area
Brief stage Sketch design

Space
QS

Element
Detailed design

Cost of functional element/m2 of GFA Bill of Quantities Cost per operation CT Cost of labour, plant, material, supervision

SMM items Operations Resources

Working drawings

Part 2 covers the following subjects in addition to Part 1 numbering for Building Works: 19000000 20000000 21000000 22000000 Piped Supply And Disposal Installation Ventilation, Exhaust And Air Conditioning Installation Electrical Supply / Power And Lighting Installation Other Specialist Works

The numbering follows SS CP93:2002 - Classification of Construction Resource Information. A typical page of CEMS is shown in Figure 2. For the explanation on the set out of CEMS, please refer to Synthesis 2003.

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19000000 PIPED SUPPLY AND DISPOSAL INSTALLATION

1 2 3 4 5 6 7
MEASUREMENT RULES (IFC) Note 1: Set out when work shall be measured and the method by which quantities shall be computed Note 2: Refer to General Notes for full IFC resource layers to be included in models MR1 Each type of installation shall be measured separately MR2 The kind and quality of material shall be stated in each description or in appropriate heading MR3 Surface treatment before or after installation shall be stated MR4 Work outside boundary of property shall be measured separately under appropriate heading MR5 Work under public roadways, footpaths and the like shall be so described and shall include any making good, protection, lighting and payment of fees Note: Define the extent and limits of the work represented by a word or expression used in the rules and in a bill of quantities. Items that are deemed to be included DEFINITION RULES COVERAGE INFORMATION

Water and Treated Water Supply Sanitary and Waste Gas Supply Petrol / Oil Storage Fire Fighting Water Fire Fighting Gas / Foam Trade waste, acid or similar special installation
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION Note 1: Contain other additional information. Note 2: Items that are to be linked to NPQS and other electronic information exchange S1 Kind and quality of materials S2 Gauge, thickness or substance of materials S3 Tests with which materials, part and equipment must comply S4 Finishes or surface treatments applied on site S5 Finishes or surface treatments applied off site, stating whether applied before or after fabrication or assembly S6 Limitation of the size and weight of equipment S7 Pressure and temperature ratings CONSULTATION FROM: HKSMM UK SMM7 AU SMM SMM2 M SMM

MEASUREMENT ITEMS

Information on Cad Drawings Quality and General Conditions

Figure 2: SS CP97: Part 2

G1 Allow Provisional Sum for work to be carried out by statutory authority or utilities service provider (eg. connection of water, gas, power and cable network to mains)

C1 The description of each item shall be deemed to include: (a) Sockets, running joints, connections and incidental fittings (b) Clips, saddles, brackets, straps, hangers, screws, nails, explosive and low velocity tool fasteners and other metal fastening anchors and/or systems (c) All incidental accessories, chases, cutting and forming holes, plugging and making good walls, ceiling and other surfaces (d) Supplying and building in sleeves (other than fire rated sleeves) (e) Short length (f) Marking pipes with colour bands, tags or lettering for identification purposes or with arrows for indicating directions of flow for each type of installation C2 Material and works executed shall be deemed to have complied with statutory or other regulations such as Singapore Standards, Codes of Practice C3 In the event where only Performance Specification is available; preamble clauses shall be included in the bills stating that the rates shall include for all costs of and costs in connection with the design, supply and installation of the complete system

Classification

Description for unit measurement

To mention IFC CRCS Materials measurement resource layers to aid emeasurement C4 Pipes 50mm diameter and below shall be deemed to include for all bends, junctions, inspection openings, reducers and similar fittings C5 Where suspended from soffit shall be deemed to include for all suspension rods and pipe support CONSULTATION FROM: HKSMM UK SMM7 AU SMM SMM2 M SMM

1 Cold water 1 Pipe laid in 2 Hot water trenches 3 Fountains and water features 4 Swimming pool and jacuzzi 5 Natural gas 6 Liquefied petroleum gas 7 Manufactured gas 8 Petrol/diesel storage/ distribution 9 Fire hose reels

Classification to be continued

m 1 Including all F1 Pipes shall be 139000 Fire Protection 1 Diameter measured the net Systems stated necessary length along the centre 139100 Basic Fire Suppression 2 Type and excavation, type lines of pipes over all Materials and Methods quality of back filling and bends, junctions, tee 139101 Hangers and Supports stated protection and the like pipe 139102 Pipe and Fittings 3 Method of 2 Depth of fittings 139103 Piping Specialties jointing excavation in ? m F2 The use of pipes in the 139104 Valves stated increment various installations 139200 Fire Pumps 4 Type, (eg, waste, vent, 139300 Wet Riser Sprinkler spacing and overflow, etc) shall be System method of stated. 139350 Dry Riser Sprinkler fixing System support 139400 Pre-Action Sprinkler stated System 5 Pre-lagged 139450 Combination of Dry pipework Riser and Pre-Action stated Sprinkler System
(The above CRCS material references carried forward)

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CHALLENGES IN BUILDING SERVICES PROCUREMENT Reading from the Building Services Journals [2], with M&E Building Services expanded into Building Intelligence for major building infrastructure, such as hospital, corporate HQ building, major residential development, etc., and with the use of pre-fabricated and pre-assembled building services systems, more items and categories are required in the consideration of the procurement of building services and products. Building Intelligence refers to the improvement in energy management, increase occupant comfort and productivity, reduction of whole-life costs, and greater adaptability to physical or organisational change. Pre-fabricated and pre-assembled would result in improved installation quality and simplified on-site works, which would lead to faster installation and commissioning, greater programme certainty and reduced capital costs. Traditionally, procurement was based on established design (by consultant only)-tender-construct (by contractor only) mechanisms. This was brought about by hierarchy of professional advisors, supported by adversarial contracts. Very little scope existed for other methods of procuring a project. The trend today at consulting engineer level appears to procure nominated M&E sub-contracts for Building Services on lump sum performance specifications ignoring item quantification, which may vary among the comparable system proposed by sub-contractors gathered. The 'design-tender admin professional fee' accorded to M&E consulting engineers dives with such processes leaning towards more detailed design by the specialist sub-contractors. There is a similar trend in the procurement for the entire building project on full Design & Build, allowing earlier collaboration with component resource suppliers/sub-contract specialists, with a view to shorten project construction period and recognition of more appropriate system during early design stage. This has further evolved into 'Novated Design & Build', where the architects/consultants appointed for planning stage were novated to the Design & Build contractor for better coherent. The Building Services industry is also changing with much research & development centred on products. Historically, the industry invested in product development and the production of components, while playing a subservient role within the project process. It now finds itself focusing on supply chain assembly and leading the project implementation process for Intelligent Buildings. The procurement strategies today thus come in a spectrum represented by four main types: separated systems (separated trades in site works), integrated systems (prefabricated), management oriented systems (system integrator involved), and product-based systems (building automation/ intelligence system).

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CONSULTATION WITH LOCAL In developing CEMS Part 2, the review team needs to and had consulted the views of the full spectrum of local M&E Building Services sub-contractors and specialists besides the consulting engineers, about the right direction for commitment at the downstream level to facilitate the M&E subcontractors and specialists to procure their resources. Through these consultations, survey questionnaires and case studies during the requirement studies and framework development, these sub-contractor specialists generally felt that measurement is applicable only to items that are more straightforward. In some cases, we could only achieve approximate quantities. Joints and bends, which are labour intensive, would be deemed inclusive. We could measure plant and equipment in respective capacities as lump sum item. Lump sum itemisation may still be necessary for system components, as they may be offered with different proprietary brands. There is also a need for differentiating high-end and low-end usage. Some mentioned that the client-developers often change their requirements during design stage. They view that current schematic drawings received do not give them a good position to price safely and thus, there is still a large margin of risk taking. M&E BQ is therefore, less straightforward than Building BQ. AQTS should help quantifying at Shop-Drawings. (Please refer to Figure 3.) Figure 3: Principles of M&E

CEMS - M&E (Principles)

To streamline the current practices of M&E procuremeent in the industry ...
- To improve productivity, and - To manage cost of M&E installations during postcontract.

Not everything can be measured.

- Sources, primary distributions, secondary distributions and terminations are measured only. All others are included in the coverage information. - Descriptions included are; Design Parameters and M&E design coverage area. - Formulate M&E Schedule of Rates.
Detailed & Working Drawings Available Sketch design

M&E CONTRACT PROCESSES IN THE REGION M&E tenders, in a form of lump sum contracts, are widely used in the Philippines, Malaysia and Hong Kong. Even though they are lump sum with Schedule of Pricing (and major alternative system options for post tender choice), tenderers are required to provide the breakdown BQ in their tenders as basis for variations and for interim valuations. See also Figure 4. There are also training, literatures and price book available in M&E quantity surveying [3].

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Figure 4: Gap analysis between International and Singapores M&E Quantity Surveying Practices

Industrys Practices 1. Buildings become more complex, sophisticated mechanical and electrical services account for a much greater element of the value of a construction project. 2. Accurate measurement and control of costs is a specialised service by M&E Quantity Surveyors. 3. Ability to provide financial, technical and contractual guidance in relation to building services, heating, air conditioning, lighting, communication systems, etc. 4. Ability to provide professional advice to clients, architects, engineers and other members of the design team on building services, heating, air conditioning, lighting, communication systems, etc. 5. M&E Quantity Surveying skills is a premium in the construction industry. 6. Knowledge of building services installation and the range of equipment and systems available in building engineering. 7. M&E Bills of Quantities is widely used in the construction industry. Scale Not At All To a very large extent

European Countries and Australia

Singapore

Figure 4. Gap analysis between international and Singapores M&E quantity surveying practices

A problem with the lump sum format during the tender evaluation and adjudication is that it is very hard to have a detailed tender comparison if the bids are in different formats and are of different constituents as most itemisations are not suitably defined. By using a suitable BQ format, it would be fairly easy for the QS to detect unreasonable (extremely high or extremely low) rates entered by the bidder as all the bids can be tabulated comparatively under similar guidelines. Opportunities for value engineering can be practised more effectively, as analyzing and comparing item rates in BQ will be of great help during the negotiation for a discount on final derived amount with the chosen bidder or successful Design & Build contractor. During the post-contract stage, progress billing can be monitored with more understanding between parties. Variations can be easily and consistently assessed with less time and dispute. Thus, in the context of handling overseas projects where there are cultural differences in language communication, BQ is most advisable to avoid misunderstanding. Developer-Client primary concern is to get the project implemented according to plan and within budget. DeveloperClients will be assured that their contract with the prospective contractor has undergone thorough and fair evaluation and they will get more definite value for his money. Hence, there are more than enough reasons for the adoption of the BQ format both upstream for cost control & downstream for procurement. The size of M&E components would rise over the current 25% to 35% of the total construction cost of a project with the expansion of Building Intelligence. The financial control of the M&E element of a building would certainly be more important each day.

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CONCLUSION OF REVIEW The consulting engineers are in a fix in the project team structure and culture of the industry. Since the early 60s, the scope of professional services of M&E Engineers has increased but with the fees inversely proportional. In the United States, United Kingdom, Hong Kong and Philippines, M&E Engineer is expected to design the M&E Building Services systems ready to build (shop drawing quality included), and thus, M&E BQ may be produced with certainty. We observed during the requirement studies that consultants and contractors alike are eager to gear up for better industrial practice. However, low fees, tight schedules and near impossible deadlines hamper progress. Except for a few enlightened parties, the majority in the construction industry are only interested in following the herd, paying the minimum, which leads to stifling research and development for improvement. Current practice sees a varied number of specifications in the market. With the recent introduction of NPQS on CORENET, the industry would now speak using one voice on general M&E specifications, with the designer putting in particular specifications to customise the general specification to suit the individual project. CEMS had attempted to follow the nomenclature of NPQS. The consulting engineers in the industry are generally not ready to design using Object Oriented technology and software. They are however, agreeable to use the CAD layering standard i.e. CP 83 as a basis for layering and attributing. A reason for this is that unless leading architects would forward them the object drawings to work on, consulting engineers can only design on 2D CAD. Nevertheless, we saw the Finnish measurement used in Deep Tunnel Sewerage System tender proposals. While the industry may have many types of M&E software, the International Alliance for Interoperability (IAI) encourages the adoption of IFC [4] by all CAD vendors. Thus, files would soon be interchangeable under IFC compliance. In conclusion, the objectives of CEMS M&E (Part 2) are similar to Part 1, the SMM for Building Works. However, implementing the CEMS M&E would prove a challenge as the construction industry's health and environment may not be that conducive for the time being. With suitable AQTS, standards like the CEMS Part 1 (Building) and Part 2 (M&E) would have to be implemented and its logic embedded in generic AQTS. Times are changing and we have to change with the times.

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REFERENCES [1] Standard Method of Measurement SMM7, United Kingdom [2] Building Services Journal, http://www.bsjonline.co.uk/; and Building Services Research and Information Association (BSRIA) http://www.bsria.co.uk/ [3] Advanced Building Measurement, Ivor Seeley; Building Quantities Explained, 5th Ed., Ivor Seeley, Macmillan; Elements of Quantity Surveying, 9th Edition, Willis & Newman, BSP; Diploma in Quantity Surveying (M&E), http://www.qsservices.co.uk/main.htm, http://www.premierschool.co.uk/index.htm; RSMeans, Building Construction Cost Data [4] Industry Foundation Class (IFC), AEC Vision Magazine on CAD http://www.aecvision.com/vision.php?section=print_page&page_no=1&article=200112/ feature1.html

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