The Management Practices in Construction (MPIC) committee chaired by Mel Garber of Robert Silman and Associates in New York met at ASCE Headquarter in Reston, Virginia on Oct. 29. Among the topics discussed at the meeting was the Project Development Student Competition that will provide an opportunity for civil engineering, architecture, and construction management students to work together collaboratively in the solution of a realistic project development problem. Teams will be given a Problem Statement and asked to develop a proposal for the project development to include a site development plan, conceptual design, and project management plan using sustainable materials and construction practices. The project management plan is to be developed as though the team will serve as the owner’s representative during the design and construction phases, but not the constructor for the project.
Another initiative of the MPIC committee led by David Arditi of the Illinois Institute of Technology is a study to better understand the priorities and expectations of the parties relative to construction management. The objective of the study is to collect information from the many parties involved in the construction process in order to record and compare their views relative to (a) construction management as currently practiced, and (b) construction management as it should be practiced. It is hoped that the collected information will allow the researchers to reconcile the differences and recommend practices that are acceptable to most parties.
To learn more about the MPIC committee, visit the committee website or contact Marvin Oey at moey@asce.org or 703-295-6397.
Construction Institute of the American Society of Civil Engineers