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  1. Building a Sustainable Home Project Management Plan

     

    QUESTION

    Discuss the process of Building a Sustainable Home Project Management Plan

 

Subject Environmental Science Pages 11 Style APA

Answer

Building a Sustainable Home Project Management Plan

            Buildings are quite beneficial for the society, which is why many organizations have chosen to work in the industry of construction and renovations of buildings. Unfortunately, most of these companies are challenged by the environmental and health hazards that result from their activities. The current project features the construction of an eco-house that is environmental friendly and resource efficient. The project manager has a role of designing, planning, facilitating and managing the construction process from start to finish by taking precautions to prevent any possible risks.

            At Ecobuilders Company, all employees are already sensitized on the importance of engaging in environmental friendly construction activities. Thus, the project intends to use the energy efficient modes of technology, alongside sustainable materials to complete the construction of the house. Once the project is closed, the project sponsor will occupy the house as the home owner.

Work Breakdown Structure

Table 1: Work Breakdown Structure

Task Name

Duration

Start Date

The Ecohouse

253 days

1/12/2020

1.1 INITIATION PHASE

18 days

1/12/2020

1.1.1 Project Conceptualisation

7 days

1/12/2020

1.1.2 Approval and Funding

10 days

9/12/2020

1.1.3. Obtaining Builder’s Warranty Insurance

6 days

13/12/2020

Scope finalised

 

 

1.1.4 Obtaining a Home Indemnity Insurance

6 days

13/12/2020

1.2 PLANNING

88 days

14/12/2020

1.2.1 Designing the House

21 days

14/12/2020

1.2.2 Budgeting Cost Estimates

7 days

21/12/2020

1.2.3 Risk Analysis

7 days

21/12/2020

1.2.4 Checking the condition of the Site soil

3 days

24/12/2020

1.2.5 Procuring Resources

30 days

28/12/2020

1.2.6 Hiring Resources and Services

22 days

3/1/2021

1.2.7 Obtaining Quotation of Green and Recyclable Building Materials

14 days

5/1/2021

Approval of the scope and design confirmation

 

 

1.3 EXECUTION

139 days

12/3/2021

1.3.1 setting out site

3 days

12/3/2021

1.3.2 Earthwork

17 days

15/3/2021

1.3.3 Treating for Pests and doing Pre-slab

3 days

31/3/2021

1.3.4 Casting with Concrete

31 days

4/3/2021

1.3.5 Retaining walls development

3 days

4/4/2021

1.3.6 Back filling

3 days

7/4/2021

1.3.7 Ground treatment and post-slab construction

3 days

10/4/2021

Completing the earthwork and concreting

 

 

1.3.8 Block layering

6 days

13/4/2021

1.3.9 Framework

4 days

19/4/2021

1.3.10 Roofing

21 days

23/4/2021

completing the framework and roof

 

 

1.3.11 Installation of special components

42 days

31/5/2021

1.3.12 Carpentry

21 days

1/6/2021

1.3.13 Electricity Installation

32 days

1/6/2021

1.3.14 HVAC Services

20 days

1/7/2021

1.3.15 Plumbing Services

14 days

1/7/2021

1.3.16 Landscaping

5 days

3/7/2021

1.3.17 Mechanical Fittings

50 days

12/2/2021

1.3.18 Insulation

43 days

27/4/2021

1.3.19 Finishing

15 days

30/6/2021

1.3.20 Cleaning the site

7 days

22/7/2021

1.4 FINALIZING

8 days

29/7/2021

1.4 Quality checking installations

8 days

29/7/2021

The installation of special competitions and finalising the work

 

 

            The work breakdown structure in table 1 above was chosen for the current project since it has several benefits. First, it enlists the various hierarchies of the project work, along with the relevant deliverables. It is easy to determine where each operation fits within the context of the entire project (Alvarenga et al., 2018). Hence, the operations can be completed in an organized manner. Second, the work breakdown structure facilitates communication since each project deliverable will be assigned to a particular professional. Hence, it is easy knowing who to approach in case of any issues. Third, although changes are inevitable in a project, the work breakdown structure ensures that preventive measures are taken to ensure that these changes are avoided during the course of its implementation (Bettemir, 2020). Fourth, through the work breakdown structure, it becomes easy to estimate the costs, staffing, and even time. When the project is big, as is the case with construction, making such estimates can be quite hectic. However, when the steps are split into small and manageable quantities, it becomes easier to make relevant approximations. Lastly, the risk identification process is much easier with this approach. Each component of the structure will be analysed for possible risks, thereby reducing the chances of surprises during the project implementation.

Time Estimates

Table 2: Time Estimates and Variances

Task Name

Optimistic time (to)

Time Most likely ™

Pessimistic time (tp)

Deterministic time

variance

The Ecohouse

 

 

 

478.7

 

Defining project scope

4

6

12

6.7

1.777778

Approvals

5

10

20

10.8

6.25

Obtaining warranty and insurance

3

8

10

7.5

1.361111

Fee quotation

3

7

10

6.8

1.361111

House designing

15

7

30

12.2

6.25

Cost estimations

5

10

15

10.0

2.777778

Risk analysis

4

14

20

13.3

7.111111

Site soil check

1

5

10

5.2

2.25

Material and equipment procurement

20

30

40

30.0

11.11111

Hiring equipment quoting green materials and their specifications

25

35

45

35.0

11.11111

Site layout

2

5

7

4.8

0.694444

Pest treatment-pre-slab

1

4

7

4.0

1

Concrete casting-foundation

6

12

17

11.8

3.361111

Concrete casting-water treatment plant

5

10

20

10.8

6.25

Concrete casting-compost tank

6

15

22

14.7

7.111111

Pest treatment-post slab

2

4

7

4.2

0.694444

Building retaining walls

2

3

6

3.3

0.444444

Backfilling

2

4

5

3.8

0.25

Framework

2

3

6

3.3

0.444444

Door/window allocation

1

4

6

3.8

0.694444

Erecting roof

14

17

31

18.8

8.027778

Installing special building components

34

46

56

45.7

13.44444

carpentry

15

25

30

24.2

6.25

Electricity

23

36

45

35.3

13.44444

HVAC

12

19

27

19.2

6.25

Plumbing

7

16

20

15.2

4.694444

Landscaping

3

5

7

5.0

0.444444

Mechanical fittings

37

47

60

47.5

14.69444

Insulation

23

39

57

39.3

32.11111

Finishing and finalizing

15

26

39

26.3

16

            The time estimates in table 2 have been based on the previous time taken for similar projects. Although the current eco house features a new kind of project, the estimates are expected to be similar to other forms of construction with little deviations (Orumie Ukamaka, 2020). The optimistic time (to) refers to the duration that the current project is expected to take if everything runs better than expected. For instance, the approvals may be obtained within a few days as opposed to the number of days set in the work breakdown structure. Pessimistic time (tp), on the contrary, features the number of days expected in the event that more challenges are experienced during the project implementation. Hence, some difficulties may be experienced during the construction process, or even obtaining the approvals. Lastly, the time likely to complete the project features a more reliable estimation of the number of days the project deliverables are expected to take to be completed. The deterministic time estimate is obtained using the formula below;

PERT time estimate= (to+ (4x tm)+tp)/6

PERT Chat

            Before developing the PERT chart, it is important to consider the milestones of the current project. They include; finalizing scope, approval of the scope and design confirmation, completing the earthwork and concreting, completing the framework and roof, and also the installation of special competitions and finalising the work. 

Table 3: PERT Chart

No.

Life cycle

Activities

Code

Predecessor

Duration in days

Early Start

Early Finish

Late start

Late Finish

slack

1

Initiation

Defining project scope

A

 

6.7

0

6.7

137.3

144

137.3

 

Approvals

B

A

10.8

6.7

17.5

144

154.8

137.3

 

Obtaining warranty and insurance

C

A

7.5

6.7

14.2

144

151.5

137.3

 

Fee quotation

D

A,B

6.8

17.5

24.3

154.8

161.6

137.3

 

Planning

House designing

E

D

12.2

24.3

36.5

161.6

173.8

137.3

 

Cost estimations

F

E

10.0

36.5

46.5

173.8

183.8

137.3

 

Risk analysis

G

E

13.3

36.5

49.8

173.8

187.1

137.3

 

Site soil check

H

E

5.2

36.5

41.7

173.8

179

137.3

 

Material and equipment procurement

I

F

30.0

46.5

76.5

183.8

213.8

137.3

 

Hiring equipment quoting green materials and their specifications

J

I

35.0

76.5

111.5

213.8

248.8

137.3

 

Execution

Site layout

K

J

4.8

111.5

116.3

248.8

253.6

137.3

 

Pest treatment-pre-slab

L

K

4.0

116.3

120.3

253.6

257.6

137.3

 

Concrete casting-foundation

M

L

11.8

120.3

 

132.1

257.6

269.4

137.3

 

Concrete casting-water treatment plant

N

M

10.8

132.1

142.9

269.4

280.2

137.3

 

Concrete casting-compost tank

O

N

14.7

142.9

157.6

280.2

294.9

137.3

 

Pest treatment-post slab

P

O

4.2

157.6

162.8

294.9

299.1

137.3

 

Building retaining walls

Q

P

3.3

162.8

166.1

299.1

302.4

136.3

 

Backfilling

R

Q

3.8

166.1

169.9

302.4

306.2

136.3

 

Framework

S

R

3.3

169.9

173.2

306.2

309.5

136.3

 

Door/window allocation

T

S

3.8

173.2

177

309.5

313.3

136.3

 

Erecting roof

U

T

18.8

177

195.8

313.3

332.1

136.3

 

Installing special building components

V

U

45.7

195.8

241.5

332.1

377.8

136.3

mas

 

Carpentry

W

V

24.2

241.5

265.7

377.8

402

136.3

 

Electricity

X

V

35.3

241.5

276.8

377.8

413.1

136.3

 

HVAC

Y

X

19.2

276.8

296

413.1

432.3

136.3

 

Plumbing

Z

U,V

15.2

241.5

256.7

377.8

393

136.3

 

Landscaping

AA

Z

5.0

256.7

261.7

393

398

136.3

 

Mechanical fittings

AB

Z

47.5

256.7

304.2

393

440.5

136.3

 

Insulation

AC

X

39.3

276.8

316.1

413.1

452.4

136.3

 

Finishing

Finishing and finalizing

AD

W, Y, AA,AB,AC

26.3

316.1

342.4

452.4

478.7

136.3

            From the table 3 above, it is clear that the order of activities can be established from start to start, start to finish, finish to finish, and finish to start. The most common dependency is the finish to start. The critical path based on the PERT is shown in the figure below, equalling to 283.8 days. The slack time has also been identified by considering the difference between earliest start time and latest start time. The lowest slack time is 136.3 days. This means that all the related components of the project can easily be delayed for up to 136.3 days before the expected progress is affected. However, the PERT chart is based on estimations which make it difficult to determine more accurate figures for identifying a critical path effectively. In the network diagram below, the probabilistic estimates have been used (Figure 1).

Figure 1: PERT and Critical Path

            The probability estimates have been determined in terms of the variance of activities. Considering the figures as shown in table 3 above, the path that would be chosen would change towards the end of the project (Code V) (Hernández-Bastida & Fernández-Sánchez, 2019). The factors with the highest risks would be considered since they have a high chance of affecting the completion of the project. Thus, it would flow from code V-X-AC-end. The path will be chosen since it ensures that the risky activities can be closely monitored.

Budgeting and Costs

Table 4: Budget:

Expenses

$

Percent complete (%)

Project cost

Over/under budget

Approvals Fees

2,000

100

2000

0

Consulting Fees

7,000

30

6000

1000

Accountant Fees

5,000

10

5500

-500

Designing costs

12,000

10

13500

-1500

Engineering

100,000

15

90000

10000

Contractors

70,000

0

65000

5000

Equipment Costs

15,000

20

20,000

-5000

Raw Materials

220,000

30

300000

-80000

Project management fees

80,000

40

70000

10000

Total

511,000

 

572000

-61000

 

Crashing an Activity on Critical Path

            The activity that can be crashed on the critical path is the Electricity (code X). More resources can be used to ensure that the time set to complete the electric installations has been shortened (Calp & Akcayol, 2019). For instance, more professionals may be hired, thereby increasing the costs of the project but reducing the time it takes to get the job done. Hence, the critical path will be shortened.

Conclusion

            Through the analysis conducted on the project, the various risks and opportunities for improvement have been highlighted. The projections can now be based on more accurate outcomes. In addition, measures will be taken to ensure that any delays will not end up impacting the progress of the project.

References

Alvarenga, J. C., Branco, R. R., do Valle, A. B., Soares, P., Alberto, C., & da Silveira e Silva, W. (2018). A revaluation of the criticality of the project manager to the project’s success. Business Management Dynamics, 8(2), 1-18.

Bettemir, O. (2020). Computation of Critical Path Probabilities by Modified PERT. Gazi university journal of science, 1-1. https://doi.org/10.35378/gujs.611579

Calp, M., & Akcayol, M. (2019). Optimization of project scheduling activities in dynamic CPM and PERT networks using genetic algorithms. Journal of Natural and Applied Sciences. 22(2), 615-627.

Hernández-Bastida, A., & Fernández-Sánchez, M. P. (2019). How adding new information modifies the estimation of the mean and the variance in PERT: a maximum entropy distribution approach. Annals of Operations Research, 274(1/2), 291–308. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10479-018-2857-4

Orumie Ukamaka, C. (2020). Implementation of Project Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT) and Critical Path Method (CPM): A Comparative Study. International Journal Of Industrial And Operations Research3(1). doi: 10.35840/2633-8947/6504

 

 

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