یکپارچه سازی ایجاد توانایی در سیستم مدیریت کیفیت ایزو 9000: مطالعه موردی یک پروژه مالکیت مشترک

Productivity and quality are two inter-related issues of utmost importance in the construction industry. The buildability concept and ISO 9000 quality management systems are used to help raise productivity and quality standards in construction. However, both buildability principles and ISO 9000 quality system elements are frequently considered separately in many consulting and construction firms. Many of these firms have also developed and implemented ISO 9000 quality management systems in their organisations. To achieve synergy, this paper argues by means of a case study of a private condominium project that buildability principles can be integrated within ISO 9000 quality management systems.

With the need for better buildable designs, the implementation of ISO 9000 quality management systems can help to enhance the buildability of a project. The ISO 9000 standard establishes the policies and procedures that require proper documentation for a minimum level of management commitment to quality. Hence, with documented procedures which consider and ensure conformity of buildability in building processes, as well as encourage buildability reviews and corrective actions, firms can be made more aware of buildability principles which will, in turn, lead to improved buildability of a project. With improved internal communications, feedback and training, the ISO 9000 standard can help to enhance a company’s confidence in its ability to consistently deliver buildable designs and construction methods. This paper does not suggest that the linkage between quality and productivity is an entirely new consideration. The linkage was already considered to synergise the relationship between quality and productivity in a generic sense [[10] and [15]]. Buildability, which can help to raise both productivity and quality standards, deals however with separate, albeit closely related, issues. It is believed that the integration of buildable concepts with ISO 9000 quality system elements is dealt with for the first time in this paper. As more consulting and construction firms obtain certification to meet the ISO 9000 standard, this paper proposes that the ISO 9000 quality management system can serve as an important working platform for achieving buildability. The thrust of this proposition is shown in Fig. 1. There is currently no study on the application of ISO 9000 on buildability nor any research work which evaluates the effectiveness of using ISO 9000 quality management systems in enhancing the buildability of a project. While the buildability concept is now slowly making an inroad into the construction industry, there is still a lack of understanding of this concept and its underlying principles. While more and more firms are being certified to meet the ISO 9000 standard, many are still blissfully unaware of the usefulness and effectiveness of ISO 9000 quality management systems in achieving and enhancing the buildability of a project. The objectives of this paper are therefore: 1. To briefly present the buildability concept. 2. To briefly highlight the application of ISO 9000 quality management systems in the construction industry. 3. By means of a case study, to examine the relevance of using ISO 9000 quality management systems for integrating buildability principles at the design and construction stage of a project.

The effective and successful application of ISO 9000 quality management systems in enhancing the buildability of a construction project can be demonstrated in this condominium project. The procedures documented in the ISO 9000 quality management system have encouraged both the engineer and main contractor to consider and implement buildability at various stages of the project, particularly at the design review and contract review stage to ensure that the end product satisfies the project requirements for a buildable design, speed and ease of construction, and a good quality finished product. The successful result of this case study was reflected in the high buildable score of 62.8 points at the design stage [4]. This surpassed the industry’s average score of 50 points for private residential projects. However, with the adoption of simple but yet innovative construction alternatives such as prefabrication and suitable buildable materials, the buildable score of this project rose to 73 points, thus earning it the distinction of being the top buildable private residential project in Singapore. The design and alternative construction methods used not only contributed to a highly buildable project but also added to the overall quality of the condominium. A safer and more efficient working environment was also created on the worksite. The buildable design allowed for flexibility to convert to the use of prefabrication technology. Benefits such as the early completion of the structure, better finishes and a higher quality product with lower future maintenance costs were achieved. In addition, the construction period could have been reduced further if the precast system were adopted during the design stage because some time was wasted during the construction stage while waiting for the approval of the converted structural system from the Structural Building Branch. The precast concrete method of construction in the project, which used a high 28% of precast components as compared to the industry’s average of only 8%, significantly reduced the labour requirements for the project. This technology possesses the potential to reduce the reliance on foreign labour and to reduce the construction cycle of the superstructure to 8 days per floor. By utilising prefabricated systems such as the “Unitbath” and the “Stairmaster”, the volume of in situ work on site was also significantly reduced. Hence, a simple design with standardized and repetitive components, proper co-ordination through good communications between the team members, and breaking away from traditional methods of construction by adopting simple but yet innovative construction methods were achieved through the application of the ISO 9000 quality management system. These translate into higher buildability, efficiency and cost-effectiveness for the condominium project. The case study therefore concludes that the ISO 9000 quality management system can function as an effective and appropriate working platform for operationalising buildability principles at both the design and construction stage of a project.