Philppine Construction and Design Magazine (issue # 5) by saibermedia

VOL. 1. No. 5 March-April 2013

PHILI PPINE

THE MAGAZINE FOR CONSTRUCTION PROFESSIONALS

Green Building Accelerates Globally Opportunities are in new commercial construction

Barrel culverts solves Makati flooding P150 Million for improvement of waterways

Le Grande

Mega world’s 30 story high end condo City of the Century Rising The vision of Providing quality homes

First and Lasting Impressions The need to plan first impressions as part of overall strategy

March - April 2013

Philippine Construction&Design

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contents Vol. 1 Issue No. 5 -2013

CONSTRUCTION NEWS 02 Calendar of Events

28 20 22

04 News Roundup

Higher demand for construction materials

FEATURES

Green Building Construction Accelerates Globally despite Economic Downturn

14 Project Report -Public

750-meter, 2-barrel culvert to solve flooding problem

Cover Story

Le Grande

Human Resource Management International Report

New $1.05 billion Australian rail line

Project Report -Private Contractor Profile

40 Risk Management

Ten Issues in Construction Contracts

42 Products & Technology Metalworking Fluids target tube and pipe industry

45 Price Movement

Making a big name in the construction industry

Supplier’s Profile

Profile

10 Industry Report

Creating First and Lasting Impressions

City of the century rising

08 Association Updates

PCA Calamity Response Typhoon Pablo

Know your roofs well and get rid of leaks Taking small steps to a bigger success

CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT 38 Sales & Marketing Management

Does CRM Matter for Construction?

Cover Photo

The Philippine Construction & Design is an e-magazine published monthly by Saiber Media Inc., with business address at Unit 3332 City & Land Mega Plaza, ADB Ave. cor. Garnet Rd., Ortigas Center, Pasig City. Official website is www.philippineconstructionanddesign.com., e-mail address: saibermediaincorporated@yahoo.com.ph. Publisher is William L. Ogan. For your editorial, online subscription and advertising placement, please contact (632) 542.1930 | 687-1430. Please send your comments and suggestion’s to saibercraft@yahoo.com. Copyright ©2012 All rights reserved. March - April 2013

Philippine Construction&Design

calendar of events National Construction March 01 - 03, 2013 National Construction Exhibition offers a comprehensive range of construction and building equipments and is known as the largest and the most recommended one. The exhibitors targets the architects, designers, retailers, local authorities and others who get an opportunity to interact with the experts and get into business dealings with them. Venue: Magdeburg, Germany Imbau March 01 - 03, 2013 Imbau is a construction trade fair that will be held at Hamm, Germany for three consecutive days. This is going to be an important event that include exhibition related to old building renovation facilities along with issues related with burglary protection. Venue: Hamm, Germany Saudi International Building & Construction Exhibition March 03 - 06, 2013 Buildex Saudi Arabia offers exhibitors a forum to showcase their range of professional products and services to the thousands of trade visitors expected to attend the exhibition from the Middle East, segmented into three parts, BUILDEX features the following: BUILDEX, Building Construction, Interior Design and Maintenance Exhibition, AIRVEX, Air conditioning, Refrigeration and Ventilation Exhibition, ENERGEX, Power Generation, Electrical and Electronics Engineering Exhibition. Venue: Dammam, Saudi Arabia Hard Hat Expo March 06 - 07, 2013 Hard Hat Expo has been the premier showcase for construction equipment and services in the Northeast market area. Hard Hat Expo continues to grow through continuing participation by quality exhibitors and the addition of more events. Venue: New York, United States Of America BaumesseNRW March 22-24, 2013 This trade fair and exhibition features eco building technologies, real estate and vacation properties. Venue: Dortmund, Germany Bauma 2013 April 15 – 21, 2013 One of the leading trade fairs in Germany, the 30th International Trade Fair for Construction Machinery, Building Material Machines, Mining Machines, Construction Vehicles and Construction Equipment shows leading edge technology in the construction industry. Venue: New Munich Trade Fair Centre, Munich, Germany Roof India 2013 May 24-26, 2013 This exposition will bring together all manufacturers, dealers and suppliers of different kinds of roofing materials under one event. Venue: Bombay Exhibition Centre, Mumbai, India

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Plantworx 2013 May 14 – 16, 2013 The UK’s new biennial event for the construction industry. With the first exhibition scheduled for May 2013, this biennial event is set to become the major UK event for construction, a dedicated working machinery show for all construction professionals. With more than 100,000 sqm of live construction equipment PLANTWORX will be the largest UK event featuring construction applications and working machinery. A huge product showcase for all construction manufacturers and suppliers. Venue: Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire, England Construmat 2013 May 16 – 21, 2013 The International Construction Exhibition in Barcelona is a trade show that focuses on the future of the construction industry. The Construmat Award this year has prizes in the categories for Building, Civil Engineering, and for the Best Construction Product. Venue: Fira de Barcelona Gran Via | Barcelona, Spain ELEXPO June 6-9, 2013 This annual event showcases the latest product innovations and technology in elevators and accessories. Venue: Suzhou, China Building & Construction Indonesia September 11 – 14, 2013 This biennial trade show showcases the latest in building and construction equipment and materials. Venue: Jakarta, Indonesia Bauma Africa 2013 September 18 – 21, 2013 Africa is attracting great interest in the sector, both at home and abroad: the South African Construction and Mining Equipment Suppliers’ Association (CONMESA) expressly welcomes the launch of a show for the whole construction and mining branch. Venue: Gallagher Convention Centre, Johannesburg, South Africa Geo Tunnel October 15-17, 2013 This annual event showcases technologies and equipment for the construction of tunnels and utility lines. Venue: Moscow, Russia BATIMAFrance November 4-8, 2013 This annual event features the latest products and technologies catering to construction professionals. Venue: Paris, France CON-BUILD Vietnam December 2013 This annual trade show and exposition features construction machinery, vehicles, equipments, construction materials, technology and services. Venue: Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam

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news roundup

NPA rebels RizaOrganista. When Layug could not answer, the rebels, saying Northern Builders does not honor an agreement, poured gasoline on the firm’s two transit mixers and set them on fire.

www.business.inquirer.net

Higher demand for construction materials Undersecretary Zenaida C. Maglaya

The demand for construction materials will increase in the next few months as contractors speed up their jobs to beat the ban on public works during election season according to Trade Undersecretary Zenaida C. Maglaya. Manufacturers of construction materials are asked to maintain their prices since higher sales volume will enable them to earn more. Maglaya said so far manufacturers of cement nor steel products have not sent notice of any price increase. Prices in areas hit by typhoons Pablo and Quinta, have remained stable in the wake of recovery and rebuilding efforts. But Maglaya said the Department of Trade and Industry has its option to expand the prevailing price freeze to cover non-basic commodities like construction materials. However the National Statistics Office (NSO) has noted that the retail price index

of selected construction materials in the National Capital Region (NCR) grew by 4.2 percent in November, the same rate posted in October. Higher annual increment was seen in masonry materials index at 12.6 percent in November from 11.6 percent in October. On the other hand, annual increases of the following commodity groups slowed down during the month in review: Carpentry materials index, 1.2 percent from 1.4 percent; painting materials and related compounds index, 0.9 percent from 1.0 percent; and miscellaneous construction materials index, 7.4 percent from 8.1 percent. The electrical and plumbing materials indices correspondingly retained their previous month’s rates of 7.6 percent and 2.0 percent while that for tinsmithry materials index continued to register negative rate at -2.7 percent from -2.8 percent.

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New People’s Army rebels stormed the compound of a construction company in Caranglan, Nueva Ecijalast December and burned heavy equipment. Senior Superintendent Walter Castillejos, provincial police director, said the rebels, including a woman, entered the Northern Builders Co at around 8:30 p.m. and asked timekeeper Willy Layug about the letter they gave to the firm’s engineer

Construction boom to reverse work migration www.newsinfo.inquirer.net

NPA rebels attack construction firm

PCA executive director Manolito Madrasto.

The Philippine Constructors Association (PCA) projects that the Philippine construction boom could result in reverse migration, according to PCA executive director Manolito Madrasto. He said “reverse migration of labor is not a far-off considering that this happened in Malaysia five years ago. So if we keep up this growth for the next three years, we will see a reverse migration. It’s bound to happen. All because the government finally decided what needs to be done,” Madrasto further stated that the market overseas for local contractors “would eventually dwindle” as a result of the global economic recession. He said ‘compensation for local workers would have to be more attractive to make those who are abroad, to come back. The PCA is now piloting skills training centers run by members that will train workers on the construction industry. “We start in different areas, putting skills assessors who will also be doing the training. We partnered with the Associated Construction and Informal Workers (ACIW) which will put up a website which can be visited by those who want to work (in construction),” according toMadrasto. Madrasto said that through this effort, the industry also knows how big is the actual labor pool of the construction industry. In 2010, employment in the construction industry rose 14 percent from 2009, reaching almost 2 million or 5.3 percent of total jobs of the employment in the economy in that year. The National Statistics Office (NSO) said private construction projects in the Philippines grew by 11.2 percent in the second quarter of last year. The NSO said there were 30,614 projects implemented in the said quarter, which involves the construction of 21,118 residential projects and 3,937 non-residential projects, and the repairs of 4,559 other existing structures.

Construction growth expected to triple in 2013 BCI, an information service company for the construction industry is projecting that the Philippine construction sector would almost triple next year due to the country’s stable macroeconomic fundamentals. Dean Borg, BCI Philippine country manager, said that 2013 will be the “birth of new construction” with P1.18 trillion worth of projects are estimated to start, growing by 264 percent compared with P324.63 billion in 2012. “Much of the growth is attributed to the civil construction industry with a year-on-year growth of 692 percent in 2013. This is primarily the result of government measures to push the growth of the economy by increasing government expenditure, the growing electricity demand, and the upcoming

2013 election,” Borg said. “The building construction industry is also set to see a robust year-on-year growth of 145 percent in 2013. The growth in the building construction industry is triggered by improving investment and economic climate in the country,” he added. As a whole, the Metro Manila and Visayas regions are seen to have the highest construction start values in 2013. The National Capital Region (NCR) tops the list with P456 billion worth of projects, followed by Western Visayas and Central Visayas with P209 billion and P182 billion, respectively. “NCR and Visayas have been the destination for investment in the Philippines. As the economy continues to grow, more investment is seen to enter these regions,” Borg said.

The official explained that the robust growth in the construction sector is anchored on the country’s strong gross domestic product (GDP) growth this year, which is projected to increase by 6 percent to 7 percent. In line with the growth of the economy, he also cited that the peso remains strong against the dollar, which is seen to benefit importers by possibly lowering the cost of imported construction raw materials. Lending rates are also declining, indicating more open credits for businesses and investors, Borg added. “As lending rates continue to decline, inflation rates are projected to remain at a stable 3 percent level, showing a good amount of confidence in the stability of the financial system in our economy,” Borg said.

More PHL reps to attend ‘bauma’ in Germany European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (ECCP) executive vice president Henry Schumacher said on Tuesday that the more than 200-strong delegation will be able to update their “processes, equipment and technology” at the fair. In 2010 the country only sent 20 firms to Bauma. This higher number of constructionstakeholders are attending the 30th International Trade Fair for Construction Machinery, Building Material Machines, Mining Machines, Construction Vehicles and Construction Equipment (Bauma) in Germany. This

is a reflection of the country’s booming construction industry, a chamber of commerce official said. “Bauma is the place to see the latest technogies and equipment,” he said. The country’s continued economic growth, plus the roll-out of the government’s public-private partnership projects for public infrastructure development, have helped the local construction industry thrive in recent years. Most of the delegates are members of the Philippine Construction Association, said Schumacher. “Most of those going

are into construction of buildings and infrastructure as well as trading of metals and stones.” Spread out over 555,000 square meters, with 3,256 international companies participating and more than 500,000 visitors expected to attend, Bauma is the world’s largest trade fair. It will include exhibits of construction vehicles and machines; equipment for the mining, extraction, and processing of minerals; and supplies such as transmission engineering, fluid technology, and power generation units.

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Philippine Construction&Design

news roundup

$300 Million for Green Transportation Revolution in the Philippines - ADB

Neeraj Jain, ADB’s Country Director for the Philippines

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is providing$300 million towards a groundbreaking project that will replace 100,000 gasoline-burning tricycles in the Philippines with clean, energy efficient electric tricycles, or E-Trikes. “E-Trikes are a cleaner, greener transport solution for the Philippines, and provide a better quality of life for trike drivers,” said Neeraj Jain, ADB’s Country Director for the

Singapore to seeks more Philippine construction workers Singapore is looking to source construction workers from the Philippines according to the city-state’s Building and Construction Authority (BCA). The BCA said it will seeking the approval from Philippine authorities to establish test centers in the country. China, India and Bangladesh are currently the main source countries of foreign construction workers. The authority said they hope to “be less reliant on these countries” and “boost supply and diversify the source for foreign labor” by adding Sri Lankans and Filipinos as their new choice. “What we are seeing now is that the major sources like China, India, because of the fast development the number of workers is actually coming down over time, because there are plenty of jobs there.” the report quoted Neo ChoonKeong, the BCA’s group director of manpower and strategies policy, as saying. A recent survey by the authorities had said that the demand for foreign construction workers in Singapore will increase from 250,000 in 2011 to about 280,000 in the next two to three years. However, on the authorities side, it recently has tightened the foreign worker policies to reduce the reliance of certain sectors on cheap foreign labor. The BCA added that most workers in Sri Lanka and the Philippines speak English and this will help improve communication on the construction site.

Philippines. “This project can help transform transportation in the Philippines, and positions the country as a leader in electric vehicle development in Asia.” About 3.5 million gas-fuelled motorcycles and tricycles are currently operating in the Philippines, typically serving as short-distance taxis, with the average tricycle driver earning less than $10 a day. E-Trike drivers will save upwards of $5 a day in fuel costs, and the new E-Trikes have the capacity to carry more passengers. E-Trike drivers saw their daily incomes more than double during a pilot program in Metro Manila. The new E-Trikes, which run on an electric motor and rechargeable lithium-ion battery, will be introduced to Metro Manila and other urban centers across the Philippines under a lease-toown arrangement. Replacing 100,000 gasolinepowered trikes will enable the Philippine government to save more than $100 million a year in avoided fuel imports, while decreasing annual CO2 emissions by about 260,000 tons. “This project will lessen the Philippines’ dependence on foreign oil imports, and by fabricating and assembling the tricycles

domestically, it will create up to 10,000 jobs in the 5-year project implementation,” said Loreta G. Ayson, Undersecretary at the Depart of Energy. In line with the government’s plan to develop a national e-vehicle industry, the project will support the establishment of an e-vehicle parts industry, battery supply chain, and charging stations, including five off-grid solar charging stations. Without intervention, the Philippines is on a course to almost quadruple CO2 emissions in less than 25 years. Based on an ADB study, gasoline-fuelled tricycles are responsible for more than two-thirds of all air pollution generated by the country’s entire transport sector. In addition to its $300 million loan, ADB is also administering another $105 million loan and grant from the Clean Technology Fund for other Philippine environmental-focused projects. The Government of the Philippines is providing $99 million counterpart funding for the project. The project will run for five years, with an estimated completion date of December 2017.

Suweco to invest P9B in mini-hydropower projects Sunwest Water and Electric Co. Inc. (Suweco) will invest about P9 billion to set up nine mini-hydropower projects in Antique and Aklan to help alleviate the power shortage on Panay Island. The nine mini-hydropower projects will have a total generating capacity of 50 megawatts. It costs P180 million to produce a megawatt of power. The biggest in terms of capacity among the nine projects will be the 15 MW Main Aklan plant to be set up in Libacao, Aklan. Two other plants with relatively bigger capacities than the others are the 8 MW Villasiga 1 and 9.4 MW Villasiga 2 projects, which will be constructed in Bugasong, Antique and Libacao, Aklan, respectively. The rest of the mini-hydropower plants will have generating capacities ranging from 2 MW to 3 MW. Suweco president Jose Silvestre Natividad said that the nine mini-hydropower projects are at different stages of development with the Villasiga 1 being the most advanced in terms of development. Natividad noted that the Villasiga 1 project is now about 85 percent complete and is expected to generate 31.4 gigawatthours of electricity annually starting June this year. The project will be optimizing the potential use of the main Paliuan River to generate power. Suweco is targeting the completion of the development of the other eight hydropower plants in the next five years.

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The Filipino-owned firm said the construction of the nine hydropower plants on Panay Island is in response to the government’s call to increase the renewable energy supply of the country in the next 15 years. More importantly, the firm noted that the plants are expected to help ease the “daunting” power shortage on Panay Island caused by demand growth and the lack of sufficient generating capacity. “Suweco’s nine hydropower projects are necessary to help ease the power shortage being experienced on Panay Island,” Antique Governor Exequiel Javier said. “The entry of these hydropower projects is expected to increase the sources of reliable, clean and cost-efficient indigenous power on the island, and, we hope, will displace unreliable and costly oil-based plants and barges in Panay and the Visayas,” Aklan Governor Carlito Marques added. Natividad said the construction of the 2 MW Guiamon San Ramon, 15 MW Main Aklan and 9.4 MW Villasiga 2 projects will start in the second quarter of the year. The construction of the 3 MW Dalanas and 2.1 MW Tibiao plants are expected to start in the first quarter of 2014, while the 2.4 MW Upper Aklan West Tributary, 3 MW Lower East Aklan Tributary, and 2.4 MW Middle West Tributary will begin in 2015. Suweco has a portfolio of 59 projects at different stages of development in the country. Malaya Business News

P133M for construction of 2 Davao malls Fareast Noble House Inc., a subsidiary of Gaisano Group of Companies, has invested some P133.068 million for the construction of two two-storey malls in the outskirts of Davao City. The City Building Office (CBO) said the company infused a total of P80.987 million for the first infrastructure along Saavedra St. in Toril District, which sits in a 20,000-square-meter lot. Data from CBO showed that the building permit was released two years ago. Another two-storey mall will soon rise right in Tibungco and will sit in an area of 15,188 square meters. Some P52.081 million has been poured out for the second mall. Davao City Investment Promotions Center (DCIPC) chief Jason Magnaye

earlier said they encourage new developments in these parts of the Davao, as the residents also have their own demands for basic commodities. He said Dabawenyos can expect more constructions of residential and commercial buildings since Davao is at the pedestal of development even in few years time. With a growing market outside of the urban area, developers must put up more infrastructure developments to attend to the demands of those individuals, according to Magnaye. He said they promote developments of facilities that will aid the needs of the residents in terms of health and education. The two malls of Gaisano Grand Mall will attend to the shopping needs of the residents in Toril and Tibungco.

P620M set for mini hydro plants in Marikina River

The Wawa (Photo Right) Hydro Power Project, costing P420 million, will produce 18 million kilowatthours of power annually. Other photo shows the Marikina River where a series of small power plants will run.

Hydrotec Renewables Inc. is investing P620 million to build a series of small run-of-river hydro plants along Marikina River. Some P420 million will be invested in the first phase of the project, the Wawa-Montalban hydroelectric power plant, according to Hydrotec director Hannes Mueller. Mueller said that the Wawa hydro project, which will break

“That’s going to be the focus to provide sources for emerging communities,” Magnaye said. Homegrown developer Felcris Hotels and Resorts Corporation has also infused some P839.967 million for its 15-storey Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) Tower and a mall. Felcris’ investment is the highest incurred to the City Government of Davao for this year. Emerging as the second highest investor is the Accendo Commercial Corporation, a fully-owned subsidiary of Ayala Land Inc., with its investment at P489.496 million for its 26-storey highrise condominium Alveo along J.P Laurel Avenue in Bajada, Davao City. Sun Star

ground today (Monday), is expected to produce 18 million kilowatt hours of hydro power annually. The project will start construction by February and is expected to be completed by August. “Our construction period is normally half year, but that will depend on weather conditions,” Mueller noted. Hydrotec Renewables said that the Wawa Hydro project is the first of a series of cascading small hydro plants along the Marikina River and its tributaries which will also contribute to a more effective flood control along the Marikina River, Laguna De Bay and Pasig River. “During our one-year study of the Philippine hydro plant possibilities we have compiled a most comprehensive database of drainage areas and discharge data of rivers, annual rainfall, weather conditions, soil analysis, groundwater levels, irrigation, flood situations, condition/pollution of rivers, fauna and flora,” the firm reported. Meanwhile, Mueller said the firm is looking to start construction of Phase 2 by the middle or latter part of next year. He said that the company is allotting some P200 million for the construction of Phase 2. “For the Phase 2, it will likely have the same capacity as with Phase 1 but it will be cheaper,” Mueller noted. Hydrotec Renewables is a 60 percent Filipino-owned and 40 percent German-held firm. High-end technology such as electro-mechanical equipment which will be used for the plant will be outsourced from German producers. Mueller said that approximately 40 to 50 local residents will be employed for the construction of the Wawa hydro project while more direct and indirect jobs will be generated upon its operation. “With our investment in the Philippines we will contribute with an environmentally friendly production of electricity to a sustainable future, reduction of carbon dioxide emissions, cleaning the rivers from waste and by a smooth integration of small hydro plants without disturbance of in the natural environment,” Hydrotec Renewables said. Richmond Mercurio Malaya

March - April 2013

Philippine Construction&Design

ASSOCIATION UPDATES

PICE Induction of2013 National Officers and Directors. The 2013 PICE National Officials took their oath before Hon. Teresita R. Manzala on January 23, 2013 at Centennial Hall A, Manila Hotel.

Message from PCAB Chair, Engr. Ramon Allado last Dec. 23, 2012

PCA Calamity Response - Typhoon Pablo The joint efforts of the Philippine Constructors Association, Inc. (PCA), Women in Construction (WIC), Davao Contractors Association Center, Inc. (DCACI), Philippine Society of Ventilating, Air Conditioning and Refrigerating Engineers (PSVARE), Philippine Contractors Accreditation Board (PCAB), Association of Construction and Informal Workers (ACIW) and other individual and corporate contributors who have lent a hand to the victims of Typhoon Pablo in Mindanao have already gone a long way. The printing industry, thru Global Link MP Events Inc., donated one (1) band saw to Davao Contractors Association Center, Inc. to aid the operations of the PCA Calamity Response--Typhoon Pablo Task Force. The band saw was used to produce lumber from the thousands of coconut trees knocked down by the strong winds of Typhoon Pablo. 8 | Philippine Construction&Design March - April 2013

Engr. Ramon Allado, Chairman of the Philippine Contractors Accreditation Board (PCAB) asked all stakeholders in the Construction Industry for assistance to the victims of Typhoon Pablo through the PCA Typhoon Pablo School Building Repair/Rehabilitation Project. PCA Metro supports and enjoins him in this appeal. Contributions may be made through the PCA National Secretariat at 3/F Padilla Bldg., Francisco Ortigas Jr. Avenue, Ortigas Center, Pasig City. Telephone numbers: (632) 631-2778 or (632) 6313135. “I would like to make an appeal for the Industry to express it’s Christmas Spirit by way of contributing to the PCA Typhoon Pablo School Building Repair/ Rehabilitation Project that was launched in response to DPWH Secretary Babes Singson’s call for assistance” said Allado

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Former Governor of Central Bank Jaime Laya to be convention Keynote speaker Jaime C. Laya, former Governor of Central Bank of the Philippines, Former Minister of Education, and Administrator, Intramuros Administration, and Executive Director, National Commission for Culture and the Arts, and widely considered as the “ Father of Philippine Heritage”, will be our Keynote Speaker during the opening of our 80th PIA National Convention on March 15-17,2013, at the Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar.

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March - April 2013

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INDUSTRY REPORT

Green Building Construction Accelerates Globally despite Economic Downturn The largest opportunity areas for green building globally are in new commercial construction and renovation of existing buildings

round the world, the green building marketplace is accelerating, according to a new study being released at the Greenbuild International Conference and Expo in San Francisco. The study shows that the international construction market is now viewing green as a business opportunity rather than a niche market. Overwhelmingly, firms report that their top reasons to do green work are client demand (35 percent) and market demand (33 percent)—two key business drivers of strategic planning. The next top reasons were also oriented toward the corporate bottom line—lower operating costs (30 percent) and branding advantage (30 percent). In contrast, the top reason in 2008 motivating the green building market was doing the right thing (42 percent) and market transformation (35 percent), followed by client and market demand. “This research confirms that green building advances environmental stewardship while providing value to the market,” said GeraudDarnis, president and CEO, United Technologies Climate, Controls & Security. “It also confirms that we now see more pull than push for green buildings.” Green building is the practice of creating structures and using processes that are environmentally responsible and resourceefficient throughout a building’s lifecycle from siting to design, construction, operation, maintenance, renovation and deconstruction. This practice expands and complements the classical building design concerns of economy, utility, durability, and comfort. Green building is also known as a sustainable or high performance building. Green buildings are designed to reduce

The “concrete starfish” was first introduced in early-2000 at Duka Bay in the Southern Philippines – thus beginning a meticulous data gathering process to document the coral’s development. The project was praised by the Asia Pacific regional jury for addressing not only ecological issues but also considering economic feasibility, social benefits and transferability to other sites.Concrete is the ideal material for the coral substrate since it is a) heavy enough not to be swept away by tidal currents, b) calcium bicarbonate-based and thus conducive to the growth of the transplants, and c) strong enough to resist damage during the transplantation process.

the overall impact of the built environment on human health and the natural environment by: Efficiently using energy, water, and other resources, Protecting occupant health and improving employee productivity and, Reducing waste, pollution and environmental degradation For example, green buildings may incorporate sustainable materials in their construction (e.g., reused, recycled-content, or made from renewable resources); create healthy indoor environments with minimal pollutants (e.g., reduced product emissions); and/or feature landscaping that reduces water usage (e.g., by using native plants that survive without extra watering). In the next three years, the sectors with the largest opportunity for green building around the world include new construction and renovation projects. Sixty three percent

10 | Philippine Construction&Design March - April 2013

of firms have green work planned in new commercial projects and 45 percent in new institutional projects by 2015, and 50 percent have plans for green renovation work. In the United Kingdom and Singapore, green renovation projects were planned by the greatest number of firms at 65 and 69 percent respectively. In Brazil and UAE, new projects pose the largest opportunity. In Brazil, 83 percent of firms are planning to work on new green commercial projects over the next three years, and in the UAE, 73 percent have new green institutional projects planned. “It is notable that over the next three years, firms working in countries around the world have green work planned across all building types, incorporating both new construction and renovation,” said Harvey M. Bernstein, vice president, Industry

Insights and Alliances for McGraw-Hill Construction. Green buildings are also expected to garner business benefits for building owners. For new green building projects, firms report median operating cost savings of 8 percent over one year and 15 percent over five years, as well as increased building values of 7 percent (according to design and construction firms) and higher asset valuation of 5 percent (according to building owners). The buildings in which we live, work, and play protect us from nature’s extremes, yet they also affect our health and environment in countless ways. As the environmental impact of buildings becomes more apparent, a new field called “green building” is gaining momentum. Human factor benefits are driving green building more today compared to three years ago—55 percent cite greater health and well-being as the top social reason for green (tied with encouraging sustainable business practice), up from only 29 percent in 2008. Energy use reduction tops the environmental reasons for green building—72 percent say it is the important environmental reason to engage in green building.Water use reduction is more important today. 25 percent of study respondents cite reduced water consumption as the top reason, up from only 4 percent in 2008. It is particularly important in the UAE (64 percent cite it as a top reason), Brazil (39 percent), and the U.S. (32 percent), ranking as the second most important environmental factor in these countries. Improved indoor air quality is also more important today—17 percent cite it as a top reason to engage in green building, up from only 3 percent in 2008.For firms not currently doing any green project work, the primary driver that they think will motivate future green activity is the desire to do the right thing. This is in sharp contrast to those involved, suggesting this market is not as familiar with the business case for green building. “We’ve been on the ground watching the markets shift to green around the world. Today, there are green building councils in 92 countries around the world—more than double what it was when we first looked at the green building market globally in 2008,” said Jane Henley, president of the World Green Building Council. “The business case is helping move the markets, and this study underscores the importance

HOLCIM also supplied cement for the construction of the Monastery of the Transfiguration in Bukidnon. Photo by Christine M. Ang

of measuring and reporting those benefits.” “This study validates what we’ve experienced the past couple of years — that the business community has fully embraced green building as a strategic business imperative that also happens to have a strong societal benefit. We see this as a success of LEED and all the rating systems that have helped drive green building movement globally,” said Rick Fedrizzi, president, CEO and founding chair, U.S. Green Building Council. The study was produced in partnership with United Technologies with support from the World Green Building Council and the U.S. Green Building Council. Other research association partners include the Chartered Institute of Buildings, International Federation of Consulting Engineers (FédérationInternationale Des Ingénieurs-Conseils), Association for Consultancy and Engineering, Conseil International du Bâtiment (International Council for Building), Architect’s Council of Europe, and the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors. A separate survey of global manufacturing firms was also conducted. The construction industry consumes truckloads of basic materials, the manufacture of which consumes massive quantities of energy, producing prodigious emissions of greenhouse gases. If materials scientists and entrepreneurs can devise materials that can be fabricated with less energy, climate change could be slowed and many new manufacturing jobs could be created, fulfilling a much-anticipated

promise of clean-tech innovation. The U.S., which lost millions of manufacturing jobs in recent decades, is in a strong position to capitalize on greener construction materials if research and funding are focused soon, according to panelists who spoke Wednesday at the GoingGreen conference in Sausalito, Calif. “We have such terrific materials science in this country,” said Marianne Wu, partner atMohrDavidow Ventures. “But for years it’s all been applied to infotech and biotech. We simply have not been looking at building materials. There is pent-up expertise that can create all sorts of innovations.” Many basic building products can be improved so significantly that everything is up for reinvention, said Kevin Surace, CEO of Serious Materials. “We’re beginning to make less energy-intensive cement,” he noted, “but maybe we can make better bricks, too. My company’s new drywall is the first real change in decades. Doublepane windows were invented in the 1800s. The world just has not cared about working on this.” The success of new cement from Calera Corp. shows how large gains can be. “The production of Portland cement globally creates two and a half billion tons of carbon dioxide annually,” Calera CEO Brent Constantz said. Instead, new processes Calera is scaling up can actually sequester half a ton of the greenhouse gas for each ton of cement produced. And fresh water is created as a by-product. Furthermore, if the cement factories were installed next to coalfired power plants, they could absorb the

March - April 2013

Philippine Construction&Design

INDUSTRY REPORT

plants’ carbon emissions as raw material. Because the construction industry is so extensive, and because of the U.S.’s embedded materials expertise, Surace maintained that a transformation to cleaner technologies could bring basic manufacturing back to the country. “We can get back to making things, which was the foundation of American industry for a century,” he said Holcim Philippines has no qualms in admitting that its main product, cement, is by no means what you can consider “green material.” And yet the local unit of Swiss cement supplier Holcim Ltd. continues to be a staunch advocate of sustainable principles in the Philippine construction industry, believing that as a manufacturer of construction materials it also has much to share on how to make projects sustainable. “While we do not build the projects ourselves, we try to influence our customers and other stakeholders by actively promoting sustainability in construction,” says Roland van Wijnen, chief operating officer of Holcim Philippines.

Green, sustainable principles

In the same breath, Holcim has also been hauling great efforts in ensuring that its own operations would likewise adhere to the same green and sustainable principles that it has been championing. After all, manufacturing cement is such a resource- and energy-intensive process that has driven Holcim to continuously endeavor to find ways to reduce its impact on the environment. HOLCIM Philippines is proud to have supplied cement to the Bangui Windmills in Ilocos. Wijnen explains that the founders of Holcim have long realized that their operations have a tremendous impact on the environment, and disregarding this fact would not only create a community backlash but would also badly damage the environment they work in. In short, taking care of the environment and affected communities has given Holcim the license to operate, he adds. “So wherever the Holcim Group operates, we make sure that we minimize our impact on the environment by properly planning how we will harness the resources there and investing in technology that mitigate the effects of our operation. We also make sure we involve the community by educating them about our operations and letting them know that we can help in their development by providing opportunities and support for

F.E. Zuellig Bldg. in Makati is one of the proposed major green structures soon to be constructed

projects in the area,” Wijnen adds. As such, Holcim places sustainability at the heart of its business strategy to create value for its stakeholders. “We strive to integrate eco-practices in all areas of operation—seeking to reduce or minimize our carbon footprint from manufacturing to sales, and investing in technologies that keep the air and water clean. In protecting our environment, we work in partnership with our various stakeholders. When there are opportunities for doing so, we integrate livelihood with environment protection,” he further relates. HOLCIM also supplied cement for the construction of the Monastery of the Transfiguration in Bukidnon. Photo by Christine M. Ang

12 | Philippine Construction&Design March - April 2013

“Throughout the Holcim Group, we are focused on bringing down carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions through a variety of approaches. One of the most effective technically-proven ways is by reducing clinker factor, which is done by using mineral components as alternative materials,” Wijnen explains.

Continuous emission monitoring

In the country, Holcim Philippines was the first cement plant to invest in a Continuous Emissions Monitoring Systems and to ensure that its emissions are within permissible levels set by the Holcim Group. “It is interesting to note that the standards set by the Holcim Group are even more stringent than the local regulations. For

instance, the Clean Air Act emission limits for dust and sulfur oxide are three times higher than the Holcim Group’s ceiling,” Wijnen discloses. Holcim Philippines has also increasingly used alternative fuels and raw materials in its manufacturing process. Through a globally accepted technology called coprocessing, the cement firm is able to process waste streams in our cement kilns, thus allowing for the safe and effective disposal of many types of wastes, including hazardous industrial wastes. In the Philippines a house bill penned by congresswoman Anna York P. Bondoc, MD of the 4th District of Pampanga was filed in the Lower House of the Philippine Congress that would mandate that all government buildings be environmentally friendly or ‘green.’ House Bill No. 6397, ‘An Act Establishing a Green Building Standard for Planning, Design, Construction, Operation or Maintenance Practices, Renovation, Expansion and Retrofitting of Government Building Projects in the Country’ had a hearing at the on 11 November. Present to give their inputs on the bill were representatives of Phil. Green Building Council, Inc., Green Architecture Advocacy Phils, Inc., United Architects of the Philippines – Green Architecture Movement, Phil. Constructors Association LA Ducut& Co.,

Inc. and other groups advocating greener practices in the construction industry. Also to be known as the ‘Green Building Act of 2009’ its stated purpose is ‘to establish high-performance building standard, for the planning, design, construction, operation or maintenance practices, renovation and expansion of building projects and the retrofitting of existing government buildings which will mitigate the environmental, economic, and social impacts of built structures.’ However, Rosemarie Bosch Ong,

executive vice-president and chief executive officer of Wilcon Builders, said prices of green construction products are still “quite expensive” because of its added features. She said, however, that if the market is able to see its long-term benefits and adopt the trend, this would eventually bring high prices down. “We need to build awareness because as demand increases and competition develops, green products would then become affordable,” she said.

Empty aluminum cans used as balusters on railings of Cebu ‘green house’

Green public school building

A ‘green’ cubical school building in the Philippines

The Department of Education (DepEd) formally adopted a more sustainable, alternative method for building various school structures. Recently, DepEd has announced its acceptance of the Building for Ecologically Responsive Design Excellence (BERDE) system conceptualized by the Philippines Green Building Council as the standard for projects that not only tackle the educational needs of Filipino students but also encourages people to be ecologicallyresponsive. BERDE, which used to cover only residential and office space developments are now also incorporating classrooms as well as other educational facilities in its designs for green buildings.

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Philippine Construction&Design

project report-public

2 barrel Culvert

750-meter, 2-barrel culvert to solve flooding problem By Ed Velasco

P150 M earmarked for improvement of waterways in Makati 14 | Philippine Construction&Designâ&#x20AC;&#x192; March - April 2013

he frequent occurrence of flooding in the vicinity of Chino Roces Street (formerly Pasong Tamo Street) and the Makati-Pasay boundary prompted the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) to implement a P150 million anti-flood project . So, In May 2012, the MMDA offered for bidding the biggest, longest and most expensive anti-flood project in Makati City. The project was called Reinforced Concrete Box Culvert (RCBC) Installation Project. The contract was awarded to L.R. Tiqui Construction, a seasoned contractor that has been in the business for over three decades.

“

The design of the RCBC allows for easy maintenance or cleaning and it also serves as extra protection during heavy rush of water

”

---Engr. de Guzman

that were erected in Makati at the time it was developed in the late 60s. Engr. de Guzman estimated that 90 percent of the work involved digging the two-barrel RCBC while the remaining 10 percentinvolved the relocation of many man-made structures like Meralco posts and water pipes of Manila Water. The RCBC installation is a double-barrel structure separated equally for easy cleaning and designed to prevent clogging in case garbage or mud are accumulated and got stuck on the culvert. The RCBC is three meters deep and 5.9 meters wide equally divided into two while its wall is 0.30 meters thick. “This is one of the few double barrel RCBCs found in Metro Manila. This is designed in such a way thatit can contain or hold a large volume of water especially during the rainy season. “The design of the RCBC allows for easy maintenance or cleaning and it also serves as extra protection during heavy rush of water,” de Guzman explained to the Philippine Construction and Design. In fact, there are only few double barrel culverts in the entire Philippines because the structure is only constructed in places where flooding has strong current. This portion of Makati City experiences floods with strong current coming from the overflowing of the creek. Engr. de Guzman added that double barrel culverts are also installed in countries where flooding is worse like those areas along the banks of the Ganghes river in Bangladesh or the river delta along the Thailand-Vietnam border.

Floods dictate 2-barrel culverts The RCBC installation along Don Bosco St. near Chino Roces St. in Makati was a 750-meter, completed in 150 working days.According to Engr. Michael de Guzman, one of the on-site engineers of L.R. Tiqui Construction, the project end at Hen. Mojica St. near the Makati-Pasay boundary. “The project was initiated to solve the worsening problem of flooding within the area where water accumulate faster due to the limited capacity of the drainage system,” disclosed Engr. De Guzman. The RCBC installation is an underground water passage that will link the Amorsolo Creek to the bigger Tripa de Galina Creek in Pasay before finally releasing the water to the Manila Bay.

No more waterway

According to Ramon Davila, an Ecology Village resident for 27 years, the main reason why severe flooding occurs in the area is the overflowing of Amorsolo creek whenever there is a prolonged heavy downpour. This happens because the original waterway between Amorsolo creek and Tripa de Galina has been “buried” ironically by the many commercial establishments

“There is no new technology used in constructing the culvert but it is not commonly constructed unless the floods dictate the constructor to do so,” he said, referring to the flood in the Makati City area. In the provinces of Pangasinan, Nueva Vizcaya and Quezon, there were double barrel culverts already constructed. What is common among these provinces is that they are surrounded by dams that usually release heavy volume of water during strong typhoons. With the 0.30 m thickness of the RCBC, 70 percent of concrete supplied by a leading cement manufacturer are readymixed and only 30 percent are mixed manually. The readymixed cement are then poured directly to the floor and the manually mixed cement are used as covers for the maintenance holes. L.R. Tiquiconstruction used an average of 56 cubic meters of concrete per pouring. However, the volume varied depending on the type of surface the concrete was poured. Since the construction was done during the rainy season, the contractor said 40-50 cubic meter of ready-mixed concrete was the average volume poured on every finished portion.

March - April 2013

Philippine Construction&Design

project report-public

“

This structure is not a building. This is a culvert constructed horizontally along the ground that has strength enough withstand high pressure and water current

”

---Engr. de Guzman

When asked what the biggest improvement in the area was, the official explained: “If before a waist-deep flood was experienced after just an hour of rains, this time it will take four hours of heavy rains before a 12-inch deep flood is experienced.” Engr. de Guzman, however, said that flooding will not be totally eliminated in the area because that portion of Makati is naturally lower compared to most areas in the city. He added that there should be no worries in case of a strong earthquake since the project is flat and “perfectly hugging” the ground three meters under. “This structure is not a building. This is a culvert constructed horizontally along the ground that has strength enough withstand high pressure and water current,” Engr. de Guzman said.

According to the contractor, a onekilometer road will require 46,000 bags of cement but only 30 percent of manually mixed cement was used for the RCBC. The project was built with 25 maintenance holes scattered evenly on the stretch of 750 meters. There were three steel sizes used—12 mm, 16 mm and 20 mm. More than half of the 600-ton assorted steel supplied by Steel Asia were used in the maintenance cover while the rest were for support on the floor and wall concrete of the RCBC.

3 steel sizes

Size 12 mm steels were used in the wall of the project; the 16 mm on the floor and the 20 mm on maintenance covers. Engr. De Guzman said that maintenance covers really have the thickest steel because the covers are exposed to vehicles of various load weights. “It has enough strength even for 36 tonners,” the official explained. Thirtysix tons trucks are the heaviest allowable vehicles that can pass in most highways and roads in many countries around the world. Good enough The most crucial part of the project was when it traversed Osmena Highway between September and October last year. Engr. De Guzman called the stage crucial as it caused heavy vehicular traffic along Osmena Highway near many business establishments like the AMA Computer College and other private offices.

16 | Philippine Construction&Design March - April 2013

He further gave assurance that the RCBC could accommodate all the water and the overflow on Chino Roces St. Don Bosco St., Sabio St., A.S. Arnaiz St. and Mayapis. However, he was quick to counter that if the water coming from the adjacent Fort Bonifacio wouldbe added, a minimal flooding could still be experienced. “All the specifications for this project were met and were based on standards by set by MMDA. For that matter, MMDA is American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO)compliant so none of its projects could be said as below standard,” de Guzman concluded.

cover story

Le Grande C Megaworld’s oval shaped 30-storey condo rests on 81 columns By Ed Velasco

ondominium rush takes various areas in the metropolis, particularly in Makati, Ortigas, The Fort and Eastwood in Libis, Quezon City with different architectural designs and strengths. Take Le Grande in Eastwood City, Quezon City. This condominium is Megaworld’s ace in the area as it is the most high-end, comparable to The Venice or 8 Forbes Town in The Fort, Global City. It is a 30-storey, oval shape, double flat iron-look luxury condominium sitting on 80 percent mat and 20 percent footing foundation. “Megaworld is known as a developer of high-end projects,” said Cornelio Laballe, Head Engineer of EEI, the contractor of Le Grande. Le Grande has three basementscapable of accommodating 650 vehicles and constructed with 81 columns buried under three-meterfoundation in adobe rock beneath. As the condominium goes up, the strength of the concrete in the upper floors is less than those in the lower floors.From the foundation to the 16th floor, the strength is 10,000 pounds per square inch (PSI); from the 17th to 25th floor it is 8,000 PSI; from the 26th to the 30th it is6,000 PSI.

Autocad is tempo

“The Autocad is accurate to the last detail that’s why the PSI strength is not the same. As the building goes up, the loads also lighten,” the civil engineer explained to Philippine Construction and Design. His words suggest that durability and ability to endure force majeure is on the mind of the builders of the project. Autocad (short for Automatic Computer Aided Design) suggest that to be able to make the project really durable, construction works should not be shorter than 30 months. Its construction started in October last year and completion is projected mid-2014. It is now 20 percent completed. What makes Le Grande unique from the estimated 450 condominiums that sprouted in the metropolis is its oval shape, double flat iron look from afar. “The design alone would convince them buy a unit there once they see it,” he added. Laballe, who has done over 200 projects for the 81-year old EEI, said if people think that the condominium’s main ace is only its design, he suggests that they should learn more how it is being constructed as well as the materials being used. Reinforcing steelbars for instance were no less than 25 millimeters in diameter. Only about 30 percent of this steel size is used in the project and majority are 32 millimeters and 36 millimeters. Regardless of diameter,

Eastwood Le Grand Tower 3 March - April 2013

Philippine Construction&Design

cover story

The deep foundation coupled with so many columns, “ large reinforcing steel bars or 32mm and 36mm, solid adobe beneath the ground and strength of 10,000 psi make this condominium perfect for those who want a very durable dwelling place

”

all steel are grade 60, meaning can withstand quake up to intensity 9.

Columns, steel, PSI perfect

Grade 33 steel, which were dominant some 30 years ago, are now only used in houses, particularly in tight budget projects, mostly in the provinces. “The deep foundation coupled with so many columns, large reinforcing steel bars or 32mm and 36mm, solid adobe beneath the ground and strength

-- Cornelio Laballe, Head Engineer of EEI

of 10,000 psi make this condominium perfect for those who want a very durable dwelling place,” Laballe added. He said the ground under Eastwood doesn’t require a mat foundation but Megaworld wants to make sure the edifice is strong that’s why it required 80 percent mat foundation and 20 percent footing. “That’s why the number of condominiums here is able to reach the combined numbers of condos in Manila and Pasay in less than

18 | Philippine Construction&Design March - April 2013

a decade. The ground beneath makes this place attractive for those who want to invest in real estate,” the engineer explained. When it comes to inside the structure, one has to think that both the developer and contractor didn’t become Scrooge while doing the project. Even building engineers of Quezon City affirmed that mat foundation is not needed for any project but both EEI and Megaworld decided to make 80 percent of its foundation mat and only 20 percent footing. The engineer said the owner of the condominium doesn’t mind spending that much to prove to the would-be buyers that expenses are not the sole priority but people’s safety. Another very durable portion of the edifice is its core wall that has 10,000 PSI. Core wall is the area that holds the four elevators in the condominium. Cement to be used in the project will be 90 percent type 1 portland cement, the usual type for flat construction.

When you look at it from “below around 50 meters away from the project you will think you’re not in the Philippines but in 5th Avenue in New York. The surroundings will be very posh; you will forget you live in a place where poverty is widespread

”

-- Cornelio Laballe, Head Engineer of EEI On the top floor of the core wall has 4,000 PSI because Autocad suggests no need to have similar 10,000 PSI because Le Grande has very few units on top, so the load will be lighter. About 10 percent will be refined or type 3 for finishing at the façade and sidings. Suppliers of the project for cements will be Holcim, which will supply 70 percent of the cements while 30 percent will come from La Farge. No subcontractor Steel will be supplied by Steel Asia and Pag-Asa Steel; paints by Pacific Paints (Boysen); adhesives by Bostik; and patches and weather coating by Destiny Paint. No subcontractors are tapped on the project as Megaworld supplies everything from imported wood parquet, high-end tiles, expensive bathtubs and glass for its paneling works, according to the engineer. Very few portions of the 30-storey condominium will usenails as building technology started some five years ago slowly eliminates the use of nails. Only two and three-inch nails will be used in formworks and some file and kitchen cabinets. “I think the use of nails is now lessened by at least 70 percent as screws now dominate inner construction,” the engineer explained. He said about 80 percent of the interior of the project will use Gibson board, Hardiflex and ficem (fiber cement) board. Even the ceilings and partitions will also use screw. The use of screws expedites construction of the project, minimizes noise and prevents injuries for workers, according to the engineer. The unique design is the punch window that looks like cut windows from afar and not

Le Grande construction site

curtain wall-like which is now considered obsolete. “When you look at it from below around 50 meters away from the project you will think you’re not in the Philippines but in 5th Avenue in New York. The surroundings will be very posh; you will forget you live in a place where poverty is widespread,” Laballe said in jest. Green condo He added that punch windows and glass panels are today’s most in-demand designs as it helps in the circulation of air and sunlight thus helping save on power consumption. “These are the green aspects of the building,” the engineer said. The façade of the condo will be half smooth finish and half aluminum cladding to give it an additional posh looks. Fire protection of the edifice is similar to the most advanced structures found in most advanced countries. It has three fire exits in every floor; numerous fire sprinklers, water hose and smoke detectors in every floor. Laballe said these anti-fire designs are standard for any structure with this height.

According to the engineer, under the new fire code enacted in 2010 there is a 20-meter maximum distance from the last unit to the fire exit to assure that residents will be able to escape quickly in the event of fire. If an edifice is more than 20 meters long, it should have more than one fire exit per floor. “The question is do all projects follow this law? I invite them to visit this so they can see,” Laballe said. Aside from the numerous fire exits, sprinklers and smoke detectors, each section of the condominium is done using pre-cast panel and spray crete, which are both very resistant against fires. Only those in end units are separated from the nearest unit by CHB (concrete hollow blocks) as the last unit is only a meter away from fire exit. From November 2012 until its completion in 2014, EEI, one of the few triple A-classified contractors owned by the Yuchengco Group of Companies, will construct 3,400 square meters (sq. m.) of the edifice’s podium; 4,000 sq. m. of basement; 3,400 sq. m. for the ground floor; and 1,500 sq. m. for the tower.

March - April 2013

Philippine Construction&Design

Human Resource management

Creating First and Lasting Impressions

www.collegecures.com

First impressions are lasting and need to be planned as part of one’s overall strategy When they hear the word “marketing” most people think of promotion – advertising, brochures, websites and even business cards. This is only a small part of marketing and it is important to develop your strategy first so that you have a clear idea of what you are trying to achieve. Having a strategy means you will have some direction when you start to promote your business. Defining your Brand First step is to decide the personality of your business. If you are a small business much of this will come from your own personality as an individual. In a larger business it is the company’s brand. Things to consider are: First, the things your company stands for such as quality, customer service and technical expertise. These need to be referred to and supported in all of your communication. Second, the look of all of your communication. Everything should use the same colours and have a similar look, even down to being consistent with the font used for written communication in all forms of media. Give careful thought to this and select colours carefully.

Everything needs to be easy to read. Also think about cost consequences, for example, if you select a coloured background instead of white you will need much more ink when printing documents and you should use this on all of your vehicles which could increase costs significantly if a special colour needs to be ordered. Building your brand is important, it is shorthand for everything you stand for and if done properly has instant meaning for your customers. Think of Virgin Group or John Lewis and how one or two words immediately give an understanding of that business. Online Marketing Today communications is far more complicated because of the internet. It is also a great leveller as, if handled correctly, a small business can have a higher profile than a large business with big budgets. But there are a wide array of choices; some necessary, some desirable and some a waste of time. It all depends on your type of business and who your customers are. Having a web site is a must-have for every business. It can be thought of as an online brochure telling people about your

20 | Philippine Construction&Design March - April 2013

business and how to contact you. The look and content of your website will often decide whether or not you get business. A number of other sources will then feed into your website. These can be used to present your expertise and encourage enquiries. It may be as simple as Google Ads which allow people enquiring about your services to link through to your website. At a higher level are blogs where you can post articles which demonstrate technical expertise or details of completed projects. Up another level again are social networks of which the main ones are Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. Their suitability will depend on who your target customers are. Another form of social media are sites to share information; YouTube and SlideShare are two examples, but there are many more. The important point to understand about all of these sites is that they provide a form of referral. People have always selected services based on referral, but today the process of referral extends beyond work colleagues, friends and neighbours to what are often very large networks of online contacts. One of the features of the internet is to link all of this together. An item on

LinkedIn or Twitter might refer to a blog article which in turn links to the website. Use of these networks are not just limited to the consumer’s world, research conducted by Competitive Advantage shows their increasing use in the business environment. But, while they do have the potential to generate business they can also consume a large amount of time.

SlideShare / YouTube Another opportunity to provide testimonials. Perhaps a video or some pictures of work you have completed.

Traditional Marketing Despite the growth of online marketing there is still a role for traditional communications channels – PR articles and paid for advertising in hardcopy magazines, newspaper and directories.

Local networking Look at local business networks you can join or other voluntary organisations for a subject you are interested in. But don’t approach these with the aim to get business, no one wants to be pestered, approach it with the attitude “how can I help you” and business will come your way.

Direct Mail Today direct mail might take the form of a letter delivered to a customer by regularmail or an email. The success rate for this form of communication was never high. With the low cost of email campaigns people have been bombarded with email and the chances of an unsolicited item of mail being read has become very low. Furthermore, a badly written letter or email or constant spamming can have a negative impact on your business. So think carefully before using this form of communication. What to say People do not want to be sold to, so your messages need to focus on helping and informing them. This might take the form of technical advice, explaining legislation or suggesting the best way of solving a problem, perhaps drawing on some of the work done by AIS. Project stories are another popular feature, showing people what can be done and giving ideas. These can include testimonials from satisfied customers. Marketing initiatives for the small contractor Website A must have, do-it-yourself websites are available from many sources and cost very little to operate. Use them to explain your services, also include examples of successful projects with customer quotes. People want to know what your capabilities are.Ensure you include contact details. Consider using something like Google Ads to direct enquiries to your website, these can be tuned to your local area. Blogs A useful method of demonstrating your technical expertise. Consider writing articles about how you solved customer problems, or recommending various products.

Facebook This can be used to inform people in your area about your services and link to blogs, YouTube or website.

Business cards Always have business cards in case people are interested in your service. As well as your contact details make it clear what service you offer. Put a list of your principal services on the back. Try to leave a couple of cards with anyone you do work for in case they want to pass on your details. Letterbox drops A means of creating awareness if you need to build your business, although people get fed up with getting junk mail so don’t expect much response. A postcard size is easy for people to keep, with your contact details and details of the services you offer. Van Your van will be parked outside buildings, and seen by those in the neighbourhood, so keep it clean and ensure there are clear details of what you do and how to contact you on display. Appearance A smart appearance always impresses, so have a uniform - polo shirt in your corporate colour with your company name embroidered on it. Easy to get and relatively low cost thanks to the internet. Marketing initiatives for the medium-tolarge contractor Perception study

Before you start to build your brand, understand what you customers, potential customers and suppliers think of your organisation. You might find some factors that you did not realise or took for granted. Also be prepared for some shocks and act to put anything right which people criticise. Brand Part of your brand is your mission statement, work out what this is and then make sure it is known and shared internally. How individuals behave can impact on the perception of your whole business. Website To ensure a professional look to the website employ a designer, but select a company which has produced websites you like. You want to employ someone creative, not a techie. Ensure your website has a contact management system which allows your staff to make changes without the need to go through an agency, reducing cost and turnaround time. These days a good website should not cost a king’s ransom. Social Media Blogs, LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube and Newsletters can all feed enquiries into your business. They also provide a means of listening to what the market and your customers are saying. Employ a social media agency to help you put this in place, then involve selected members of staff to be your voice. Choose carefully, you want to involve people who are not going to say embarrassing things. Project Stories A must for your business. You need to be constantly publishing project stories with third party quotes from members of the project team. These can be used everywhere; website, blog, press releases, newsletter, proposals. Day to day communications Letterhead, business cards, vehicles, uniform. These should all look the same putting across your brand. Finally, look at the actions listed for the small business you can do most of those as well.

AUTHOR: Chris Ashworth has worked in the construction industry for over 30 years and is founder of Competitive Advantage Consultancy which provides strategic marketing services to the construction industry. He is a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Marketing, a member of the organising committee for the Chartered Institute of Marketing Construction Industry First Published: July 2012, AIS Interiors Insight March - April 2013

Philippine Construction&Design

International report

Photos courtesy of Messe München International

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The bauma International Trade Fair for Construction Machinery, Building Material Machines, Mining Machines, Construction Vehicles and Construction Equipment is a seven-day trade fair held tri-annually in Munich, Germany from April 15 to 21, 2013. With an area of 555.000 m², it is the largest fair in the world. It is hosted by Messe München International (MMI) at New Munich Trade Fair or the International Congress Center (Neue Messe München). This year companies engaged in the mining sector will again be presenting their products and services to the international trade audience in a dedicated exhibition hall and on the outdoor area. According to Georg Moller, Exhibition Group Director of Messe München International, “Our interim assessment as the closing date for applications is reached is extremely positive. Feedbacks are exceeding our expectations. The demand for space is very high.” Apart from earth-moving and road building machineries, the strongest growth within the industry this year is

http://www.bauma.de/en/home/startseite.php

‘Bauma’, world’s largest fair expects increased demand for construction machinery

Photos courtesy of Messe München International

expected to be coming from building construction machines, mineral processing machinery and concrete block machines. The signals for medium to long term growth in the building and building material machines industry are positive: worldwide building activity has grown significantly in recent years. For the time being this trend will continue unchanged. Growth is being driven by the up-and-coming developing and threshold countries, headed by the BRIC states. Their success story of economic liberalisation and the associated building boom will continue, notwithstanding

22 | Philippine Construction&Design March - April 2013

temporary effects such as measures to cool the Chinese economy. Average annual growth in the global building industry of more than four per cent between now and 2015 will ensure a sustained demand for plant and machinery. Locally, construction industry decision makers across the Philippines have been asking and buying tickets to visit the said show as early as last year. This is a good indication of the current booming state of the country’s construction industry as encouraged by the government’s publicprivate partnership (PPP) program which requires companies to upgrade their physical assets. Advertorial

March - April 2013

Philippine Construction&Designâ&#x20AC;&#x192;

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INTERNATIONAL REPORT

Clearance work for Nepal’s new ring road has still to get underway

New $1.05 billion Australian rail line The opening of a new AUD1 billion ($1.05 billion) Southern Sydney Freight Line by Australian Rail Track Corporation Limited (ARTC) in Sydney, Australia was recently announced. The new Southern Sydney Freight Line is a 36km long line between Macarthur and Chullora, which is anticipated to reduce congestion on Sydney Rail Network. The new line will alleviate the traffic bottleneck in the Sydney area, speed up the movement of trains through Sydney and will improve the overall competitiveness and reliability of the Australia’s Interstate Rail Freight Network. The new line is located in the South of Sydney and complements the work, which is being undertaken to upgrade the rail corridor through the city’s northern suburbs to Newcastle, as well as, the line to Port Botany. The project will also aid in the development of a proposed intermodal at Moorebank. The additional work as a part of the project involved access improvement at the Leumeah, Minto, Cabramatta, Sefton, Warwick Farm and Casula train stations. These stations also received new or improved amenities such as car parks, bus shelters, lighting, awnings, ramps, footpaths and cycling paths. The access improvement part of the project was undertaken in partnership with RailCorp. The construction of the Southern Sydney Freight Line was completed in a span of four and a half years and created about 500 jobs per year in the region. The project was funded by ARTC. The final stage of the development was completed in partnership with Leighton Contractors. John Fullerton, CEO of ARTC, said: “The SSFL is the single biggest project ARTC has ever delivered and is part of our record $3 billion capital works program which is making the Melbourne to Brisbane freight route an even more attractive option for Australian businesses.”

European Bank finances Kazakhstan road The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is to lend US$196.5 million (€147 million) to Kazakhstan for the reconstruction and upgrade of a 62km section of the road connecting the city of Shymkent and the Uzbek border. A total of 99km of road are to be upgraded. The EBRD will fund the redevelopment of the southern section of the road, while the Asian Development Bank (ADB) will finance works on the northern 37km, linking to the outskirts of the city of Shymkent. The project is part of the overall improvement of the Western Europe - Western China international transport corridor. Once completed, this road will become the shortest road transport link from the Central Asian countries to Europe. 24 | Philippine Construction&Design March - April 2013

Chinese investment will help with upgrading ring road in Nepal’s capital Nepal’s capital Kathmandu ring road is to be upgraded to eight lanes with the help of the Chinese government. The work is due for completion in the next three years. The upgrading includes improving a 9km section of road from Kalanki-SatdobatoKoteshwor. China agreed to widen the 27km ring road in February 2011. The construction work is being carried to a design developed by the Chinese Consultant Third Railway Survey and Design Institute Group Corporation. An agreement was signed between the two countries in Kathmandu at the Department of Road premises. The Chinese contractorShanghai Construction Group Company has been awarded the contract and has been appointed by the Chinese Government. The grant for the road work has been provided through the Chinese Government grant to Nepal and has been estimated at around US$45 million. The road will be upgraded to eight lanes with a four-lane carriageway, two-way relief lane, two-way bicycle track and two –way pedestrian path with necessary bus bay, overhead bridge and parking. Officials at the Ministry of Physical Planning and Transport Management; Nepal claim that work will start in next two months and the Nepalese Government is also requesting to upgrade the remaining section of the ring road. The Department of road is also requesting to clear encroaching public land and the government is also preparing living and accommodation, and arranging visas to 200 Chinese workers for Nepal.

www.guardian.co.uk

Rescuers stand at the smoking ruins of the CTV building that collapsed during the quake. Photograph: Marty Melville|AFP|Getty Images

New Zealand quake report finds building failures A six-storey office building that collapsed and killed 115 people in the earthquake that hit Christchurch in New Zealand last year was poorly designed, inadequately constructed and should never have been issued a building permit, a government report has concluded. The Canterbury Television (CTV) building crumbled to the ground during the 6.1-magnitude earthquake on 22 February 2011. The building’s collapse was responsible for nearly two-thirds of the 185 deaths from the quake.

The report was the final release from the commission that spent months investigating the buildings damaged in the quake. Findings the commission released in February concluded that the CTV building was made of weak columns and concrete and did not meet standards when it was built in 1986. The building’s designer contested those findings. The New Zealand prime minister, John Key, said building failures were responsible for 175 of the 185 deaths from the quake.

Cemex supplies concrete for Polish underground metro project Cemex, a Mexico-based provider of cement and concrete solutions, has supplied speciality ready-mix concrete, called PROMPTIS, for the construction of an underground metro project in Warsaw, Poland. The company has supplied PROMPTIS for the development of Line 2 of the Warsaw metro project, as it provided an ideal solution to stabilize the ground to prevent the potentials for landslide. PROMPTIS is rapid-hardening, fast-formwork removal concrete, which in comparison with conventional concrete, harden in just four hours. The concrete, in spite of its rapid-hardening properties, retains workability for over 90 minutes even under extremely hot weather, thus allowing the material to be easily handled without the risk of sudden hardening. The strength of PROMPTIS develops in a progressive manner as the concrete ages, resulting in a highly durable material that also exhibits a good resistance to shrinkage cracking. According to Cemex, the project posed a challenge of continuous poring of concrete, which was answered by Cemex’s ability to quickly install a network of both stationary and mobile plants. To meet the challenge, the company has altered its existing production plans and redirected the current production to other plants, organized material supplies and reorganized transportation. The Warsaw Metro Line 2 will run east-west and have seven stations. A majority part of the line will run under the Vistula River. The construction work on the project commenced in August 2010 and is scheduled to complete in late 2013.

“We owed it to them, their loved ones left behind, and those people badly injured in the earthquake, to find answers as to why some buildings failed so severely,” Key said in a statement. The report found several deficiencies in the CTV building’s engineering design and said the city council should never have issued the building a permit because the design did not comply with the standards at the time. The commission also concluded there were inadequacies in the building’s construction. The report noted that the building had been issued a “green sticker” following a magnitude-7.0 earthquake in September 2010, signalling authorities had given it the thumbs-up for people to continue using it. An investigation by the Associated Press last year found that inspection checks routinely used across the world to verify the safety of buildings following earthquakes fail to account for how well those buildings will withstand future quakes. The AP found that building occupants and public officials in Christchurch did not understand that a “green sticker” doesn’t mean the building has undergone a thorough analysis of its structural health, nor that it will stay intact during future quakes.

New Greater Bangkok ring roads A total of US$5.26 billion (THB 160bn) will be set aside for new ring roads covering 254kms across Greater Bangkok as part of new infrastructure investment in Thailand over the next few years. The works are among a number of key transport infrastructure projects planned after the expected approval of a draft bill from Thailand’s Fiscal Policy Office agreeing new debt of $71.95 billion (THB 2.2trn). The bill is scheduled to take effect in the year beginning October 2014. Under the proposed bill, the Finance Ministry will be allowed to borrow funds from international or domestic markets, specifically for infrastructure investment. The budget will get 80% of the financing from the public sector.

March - April 2013

Philippine Construction&Design

INTERNATIONAL REPORT

Image courtesy John Portman & Associates

The site of the Shanghai World Expo in 2010 is now being transformed into a sprawling, mixed-use district. The site where, roughly 70 million people attended,is now being developed into a sprawling, mixed-use district. Located along a stretch of the Huangpu River in Pudong, the redevelopment aims to turn the Expo’s quixotic theme, “Better City, Better Life,” into a built reality.Atlanta-based John Portman & Associates won a design competition in 2011 for a cluster of four hotels adjacent to the retail strip. Construction is currently underway on a series of office towers, apartment complexes, and upscale hotels, as well as a massive open-air retail complex running along the Expo’s axis. “We’re going to have all the major types of city functions close together,” says PierlucaMaffey, a project manager at Atlanta-based John Portman & Associates, the firm that won a design competition in 2011 for a cluster of four hotels adjacent to the retail strip. Two of the hotels, as well as many office and retail spaces, are slated for completion by 2016. Poured-in-place concrete structures, the hotels will connect to a steel-frame landscaped

www.archrecord.construction.com

Transformation of Shanghai World Expo Site

platform, with high-end retail shops running underneath. Though all of the structures will have access to the elevated outdoor gardens, the bowl-shaped hotel will also have an interior courtyard with trees and vegetation. “This is going to be high-end destination,” says Maffey. “It is going to be a new iconic image for Shanghai.” From the Expo’s early planning stages in 2002, the Chinese government emphasized the long-term vitality of the site, wary of the history of vacancy and dereliction at former Expo locations— most famously in Seville. Many of the temporary pavilions in Shanghai have been dismantled, with some notable exceptions, including the Italian and Saudi Arabian structures, which have been converted into exhibition spaces. The former China Pavilion is now the country’s largest art museum with almost 690,000 square feet of exhibition space. A former power station, which served as an exhibition space during the Expo, has also been converted into a 440,000-square-foot contemporary art museum. Both opened to the public in October. By Laura Mirviss

26 | Philippine Construction&Design March - April 2013

www.nydailynews.com

Chinese construction company plans to build world’s largest skyscraper A Chinese construction firm wants to construct a building taller than Dubai’s BurjKhalifa building, currently the world’s tallest tower. A Chinese construction company is planning to build the world’s largest skyscraper – and it’ll race against the clock to do it. Broad Sustainable Building wants to construct a 2,749 feet-tall building, dubbed “Sky City,” over a period of just 90 days in Changsha in Hunan province, China. It took Dubai over five years to build the current record-holder, the BurjKhalifi, which stands at a whopping 2,722 feet. Workers will complete five stories a day to build the soaring tower, which will be able to house 31,400 people, according to the company’s senior vice president. The project is to start construction this year.

Taiwan Builds Asia’s Largest Cultural Complex Taiwan’s Biggest Cultural Investment in 20 years, the Wei-Wu-Ying Center for the will be completed in 2014, providing millions of Southern Taiwan residents and tourists the opportunity to participate in cultural events. Scheduled for completion in 2014, the Arts Center is a 3.3 billion USD project. It is expected to become Kaohsiung’s new icon, evolving the reputation of this major port city. The Arts Center’s artistic design is by Francine Houben, Founding Architect and Creative Director of Mecanoo, and Chinese

Architect Luo Xing Hua. The design was inspired by lush banyan trees in WeiWu-Ying Park. The Arts Center will be shaped like a sound wave, with a floating appearance that seamlessly integrates with the surrounding landscape. The 141,000 sqm complex will feature 6,000 seats across the concert hall, lyric theater, playhouse, recital hall, public library and orchestra rehearsal room. ChienKuo Construction Co. is building the project with the help of Autodesk Building Information Modeling (BIM)

solutions. Mark Lee, Vice President of Engineering Regulation Division at ChienKuo Construction, said, “The competition for civil engineering projects in Taiwan is now of an international caliber. Faced with complex architecture designs like those of the Wei-Wu-Ying Arts Center, traditional 2D diagrams alone are not effective. We’ve adopted Autodesk BIM solutions to digitally simulate 3D models and 4D construction processes. We’re able to better detect collisions in advance, and we can visually communicate the construction schedule. This has helped to provide a new level of collaboration, as well as resource and time-savings.”

Kenya builds new IT city Kenyan plans to build a new IT city to the tune of $14.5 billion have begun following a ground breaking ceremony The construction of a mammoth project to build a new technology city in Kenya were made yesterday by President MwaiKibaki at an official ground breaking ceremony. The $14.5billion scheme to build a new IT and business hub some 60km from the capital Nairobi will take 20 years to complete. Called Konza Technology City, it has been called Africa’s Silicon Savannah.The new city, which is just 50km from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport and 500km from Mombasa and its ports. It will provide a range of facilities suitable for IT companies and businesses to flourish. President Kibaki said: “It is expected to spur massive trade and investment as well as create thousands of employment opportunities for young Kenyans, in the ICT sector. He added that the project would be a “game-changer” for the country and called on both domestic and foreign investors to take advantage of the many opportunities it presents. The Konza information site says the city is set to be one of the most successful in Africa, competing economically and culturally with the best cities in the world. The target is to create more than 20,000 jobs in the Medium Term Period (2015) and more than 100,000 by 2030, while sustaining an annual GDP growth rate of 10 percent over the next 18 years.

Kenya’s tallest skyscraper, the BritAm Tower, is a newly planned 30-storey office building designed for a site on Nairobi’s Upper Hill is currently under construction. The project is being developed by the British American Insurance Company, one of Africa’s largest financial firms, who will be taking all 30,000 square metres of office space in the structure. The design is anuniquel combination of squat or slender depending on which angle it’s viewed. The structure is shaped like a prism. At its widest it looks like a black pyramid with the top corner missing, but from other views it’s a more slender black prism. This is achieved by having a footprint with four corners and then a roof with only two. The corners are crossed diagonally on the building to the upper levels as it tapers. Topping the building will be a collection of wind turbines hung off a central spire making it the first tall building in Africa to have wind power on its roof. This part of Upper Hill was originally forested and has continued to be occupied by trees with colonial era detached houses until now. All of this will now changes as construction has begun, filling in another previous patch of greenery within the Nairobi conurbation as the African country undergoes the sort of urban changes seen in 19th century Europe.

www.Skyscrapernews.com

www.facepunch.com

Tallest Tower Planned In Nairobi

Singapore to expand rail network by 2030

www.theconstructionindex.co.uk

The Singaporean government recently announced plans to expand the rail network by 2030, doubling it from the current 178km to about 360km. As part of the Land Transport Masterplan 2013, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) will be constructing two new rail lines, and extending three existing lines to improve Singapore’s rail network. LTA will build a major MRT line, the 50km Cross Island Line (CRL), which will run across the span of Singapore.

The line will start from Changi will pass through Loyang, PasirRis, Hougang, Ang Mo Kio and reach Sin Ming. The line towards westward will serve areas such as Bukit Timah, Clementi, West Coast, and terminate at Jurong Industrial Estate. It will also provide commuters with another alternative for East-West travel to the current East-West Line. The CRL line is scheduled to be completed by 2030. LTA will build another 20km Jurong Region Line (JRL), which will serve residents of Choa Chu Kang, Boon Lay and the future developments in the Tengah area. The line will connect to main activity nodes in Jurong West including NTU, the Jurong Industrial estate including Jurong Island, and the future Jurong Gateway. The line is expected to be completed by 2025.

March - April 2013

Philippine Construction&Design

PROJECT REPORT-PRIVATE

City of the century rising By Rodolfo de Guzman

Where luxury living meets function and style

n the art of creating homes, the only limitation is the lack of imagination. The possibilities in structure and design are limitless because of many creative and unique designs by seasoned and upand-coming architects. New engineering techniques, availability of innovative construction materials, and advances in computer aided design software give birth to sophisticated buildings for residential and commercial use Through time, the form and structure of houses change according to fads and trends usually emanating from what are in or out in first world countries. What emerged were designs culled from different cultures. Thus, homes were created by imitating original designs of the Spanish mission, the

Japanese Zen, the Bali garden, the French chateau, the Swiss chalet or an Italian villa. Few decades ago, from the 1950’s to the 1980’s, someone who wants to build his house must first buy a lot usually in a private subdivision or village as what it was called. Next, he would hire an architect for the design and a contractor, usually an engineer, to build the house. If the homemaker has extra budget, an interior designer was commissioned to do the interior furnishings from furniture to color coordination and décor. Today, the market of homebuyers has totally evolved into a very different form. The changing urban lifestyle dictates what the property developers must offer.

28 | Philippine Construction&Design March - April 2013

City of the century For the premier real estate and property developer Century Properties Group Inc. (CPGI), creating a home is not simply building a house but more so creating a lifestyle distinctly unique. More so, the development comes in a complete package where other amenities are incorporated in one building, or better yet, the firm creates an integrated community -- a city within a city. “The company’s founder Jose E.B. Antonio has a vision of providing quality homes to Filipinos that is why we build our projects following world class standards same as property developments in New York, London and Paris,” states Nikki Hofilena-Samonte, Assistant Vice President

“

Century City will be the flagship development project of Century Properties and because we want only the best for our clients, the company has employed the services of internationally acclaimed architects and engineers. In fact, the California-based Jerde Partnership was commissioned to do the master plan and design for Century City

”

---Nikki Hofilena-Samonte.

for Sales & marketing of Century Properties Group Inc. The Century City rises on the heart of the Makati Business District, contained on a 3.4 hectare property along Kalayaan Avenue, a fast growing area dubbed as Modern Makati or MoMa. The emerging community is just a few minutes away from the main Makati Commercial Area in Buendia and Ayala Avenues. The property is formerly the site of the International School-Makati. According to Samonte, Century City was planned as an organic future city fusing nature and urbanity in one mixed-use development community where residents will live, work and play. This exclusive enclave will house state-of-the-art corporate complexes, hyper-amenitized residences, private recreational clubs, sprawling shopping and entertainment centers where distinct lifestyles are created and nurtured. Given the impetus to surpass the highest standards of luxurious living, CPGI has availed the services of world renowned architect and master planner Jon Adams Jerde of Californiabased The Jerde Partnership. Jerde is known for prominent architectural marvels like the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas, the Roppongi Hills in Tokyo, Universal Citywalk in Los Angeles, the ZloteTarasy in Poland and the soon to be built City of Dreams in Macau. The Century City will follow the concept of Trilogy where there will be a cluster of three residential buildings that will complement each other in terms of beauty and prestige. Each will reflect a specific design motif inspired by vibrant cities like New York, Paris and London. The Trilogy is composed of the first fully-furnished, hyper-amenitized luxury

condominium called Gramercy Residences; the London-influenced cool Britannia ambience called Knightsbridge Residences; and third is the Versace Homes designed Milano Residences. The Gramercy Residences Gramercy Residences is touted to be the country’s tallest building at 76 storeys high, standing at more than 302 meters above ground. When completed this year, it will surpass the current tallest building in the country, the Philippine Bank of Communications Tower along Ayala Avenue with 52 floors and measuring 259 meters. “Century City will be the flagship development project of Century Properties and because we want only the best for our clients, the company has employed the services of internationally acclaimed architects and engineers. In fact, the California-based Jerde Partnership was commissioned to do the master plan and design for Century City,” disclosed Samonte. To augment design works for Gramercy Residences, the company tapped the Filipino architectural firm Roger Villarosa

Architects & Associates. For the structural design CPGI availed of the expertise of Hong Kong-based Ove Arup &Partners, a successful structural engineering firm with wide experience in designing skyscrapers around the world. Gramercy has atotal floor area of 118,000

square meters with six interior design options inspired by the New York lifestyle aptly called Aristo, Azuli, Barley, Lush, Savannah and Sleek. The building is equipped with eight high speed elevators and the top portion has a prominent tower apex with glass beacon. Gramercy boasts of high-end amenities at the Sky Park located at the 36th floor. Showcased are cascading waterfalls, a free form infinity pool, a 25-meter lap pool, designer restaurants and an exclusive health club. Other features include three types of gym, a spa and massage center, THX theatre, a DVD library, resident’s lounge, conference room, children’s playground and emergency clinic. The building’s name was adapted from the famous New York landmark, the Gramercy Park and the total construction cost amounted to P5.5 billion. The Knightsbridge Residences The grandeur of Knightsbridge Residences was acquired from London’s most expensive neighbourhood of the same name that exhibits the old world European charm. It will have 60 storeys and reach about 250 meters high. This P 4.7 billion project of CPGI again exudes elegance and exclusivity limiting 20 units per floor. The units adopt the “pod concept” as living spaces that take on the large convergence area to multiply the physical dimensions. The units range from a “my pod” with a floor area of 27 square meters to a “quartopod” with one living room and three bedrooms for a total floor area of 108 square meters. Knightsbridge sports a sleek, futuristic curvilinear design that is iconic. “Knightsbridge mimics the royal elegance of its model in London and with it we incorporated the “lantern concept” on six levels of units installed with floor-to-ceiling glass windows that create an illusion of sparkling glass boxes floating in the sky,” revealed Samonte. The master plan was done by The Jerde Partnership while Asya Design Partners executed the architectural design. Asya was awarded three times by BCI Asia as among the top 10 architectural firms in the country. Aromin&Sy + Associates, with 25 years of engineering experience, was appointed

March - April 2013

Philippine Construction&Design

PROJECT REPORT-PRIVATE

“

The idea behind Milano Residences is to convey a chic and elegant lifestyle that fuses the indoor and outdoor living preferences by using sky loggias, sky piazzas and sky terraces

”

---Nikki Hofilena-Samonte

contractor. The company has a number of prominent projects under its belt like the GT Tower, One Roxas Triangle and the Pacific Plaza Twin Towers at the Fort Bonifacio commercial district. Knightsbridge Residences debut in the fourth quarter of 2013. The Milano Residences The Italian-inspired Milano Residences complete the Trilogy, standing tall at 53 storeys with 340 units. Slated for completion by December 2015 the total project cost is estimated to reach to P 3 billion ($ 69.6 million). The contract was awarded to the world renowned architectural and design firm Broadway Malyan. This company is known to develop high end projects in Europe, Middle East, Asia like the New Sadr City in Iraq, Lisbon Airport in Portugal and the Mann Island in the United Kingdom. The concept behind Milano was borrowed from modern renaissance espoused by Versace Homes, one of the most respected brands known all over the world for upscale living and luxury. This exclusive landmark will offer three types of units, namely: the penthouse, townhouses and loggia lofts with private plunge pools. “The idea behind Milano Residences is to convey a chic and elegant lifestyle that fuses the indoor and outdoor living preferences by using sky loggias, sky piazzas and sky terraces,” said Samonte. Believing in sustainable development, CPGI has also infused in its designs green 30 | Philippine Construction&Design March - April 2013

roofs and foliated vertical open spaces capable of collecting excess rainwater for reuse in garden irrigation. Likewise, Milano adopts a passive design approach with narrow floor plates and high ceilings to allow maximum air circulation. Complete package The city that is Century City must be true to its promise of delivering convenience to its residents by giving them everything they need in just a few steps away. It was a concept borne out of creating a product that will stand out from the rest. With the Trilogy in its rightful place, CPGI has decided to include in its master plan the Centuria Medical Center, a modern health facility envisioned to meet the medical needs of the community. This medical information technology

(IT) building is being built in partnership with GE Healthcare of USA through its local arm, the GE Philippines Inc. to the amount of $ 100 million. It is expected to be aworld class out-patient medical arts facility equipped with modern diagnostic equipment and services, recovery suites, preventive medicine, and aesthetic clinics. Centuria will have 28 floors and more than 500 spaces for doctor and dental clinics. Further, Century City will be home to the prestigious Trump Tower Makati, the centrepiece of Century City. The P 6 billion ($ 150 million) tower made of glass and steel will have 58 floors with total height of 250 meters and 34,000 square meters of floor space. It will have only 250 units with three distinct interior design options reflecting privileged class status called Park

Avenue, Fifth Avenue and Downtown Soho. CPGI has partnered with American business mogul Donald Trump. It prides itself with the best amenities money can buy like the triple height ceiling of the grand lobby, glass walls, garden terrace and lounge, infinity pool, sky garden and a connoisseur restaurant. The design was made by international firm Broadway Malyan. On the green feature, the Trump Tower has vertical fins on the east and west elevations to allow more shade and less heat to enter the building with low angle sun. The Trump Tower, exhibiting flair and sophistication, when completed in 2015, will then be part of the complete package from Century Properties. Three years from now, this piece of land can be truly called the city of the century.

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Philippine Construction&Designâ&#x20AC;&#x192;

CONTRACTOR PROFILE

Making a big name in the construction industry JD Legaspi rides on the fast lane By Ed Velasco

JD Legaspi NAIA Expressway project photo

hen big things start from small beginnings, we often wonder how it happened. For JD Legaspi Construction Corporation, success came not just with the stroke of good luck but attained through years of hard work, commitment and dedication. It was 25 years ago, when JesusitoLegaspithought of how to make use of his engineering expertise to good use. Perhaps it was providential, that after a political upheaval in the 1986 EDSA revolution, Jesusito embarked on his own adventure. He put up JD Legaspi Construction in 1987 primarily to provide service using the trade he is most familiar with – construction. In 1990, he joined the bidding for the construction of the EdsaOrtigas flyover. Unfortunately, he lost

because he had only a handful of architects and engineers in his employ at that time and he fell short of the requirement as far as capability to handle a big project is concerned. But this failure did not stop him from pursuing his business. In fact, the experience made him stronger and more determined. JD Legaspi slowly beefed up his manpower capability by hiring more architects and engineers who are highly competent and dedicated to their work. Today, JD Legaspi Construction Corporation has made a name for itself in the construction industry. Ten years ago, the firm’s crowning moment happened after it bagged the contract to build the P1-billion, 7-kilometer DiosdadoMacapagal Avenue in

32 | Philippine Construction&Design March - April 2013

Pasay City. Thereafter, the company started receiving accolades and certifications from various organizations in recognition of its contribution to the construction industry. One of the big boys JD Legaspi was awarded the certification for project excellence by the Road Engineering Association of the Philippines and the American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-of-Way Association (Arema). The certification from Arema is similar to an ISO certification attesting to its capability to build world class elevated trains. “Modesty aside, the company is now worth billions. But what we cherish most are the millions of praises we get every time we finish a project,” said Enrico Garcia, the

firm’s chief operating officer. A proof of the firm’s solid financial standing was a 2002 certification given by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) that JD Legaspi had almost P1 billion transaction value.It was also during the same year that the company was included in the top 50 of the country’s current 3,000 accredited contractors. This achievement has put JD Legaspi in the same league as construction empires DM Consunji, F.F. Cruz and EEI. According to Garcia, the firm became successful because it follows every aspect of the plan and it has expertise in almost all man-made structures given its vast number of engineers and architects now reaching almost 300. “We study every detail of the plan. No shortcuts, no omissions. What we produce is what’s on the blueprint,” he added. Recto-Santolan LRT Garcia listed the 16-kilometer metro rail transit from Recto to Santolan in 2003 as the firm’smagnum opus both in project cost ($1 billion), number of workers (1,200), and duration (22 months). “Nothing is more rewarding than to hear former President Arroyo congratulating us for a job very well done. It was such a relief that the company was able to complete the most expensive public infrastructure at that time,” Garcia added. The construction of the elevated train made a big impact overseas such that JD Legaspi was able to participate as a subcontractor in the construction of the $6-billion, 60-kilometer Dubai metro rail project. This project is the most expensive and sophisticated in the entire Middle East. It even surpassedBurjKhalifa in 2010. The company’s recent projects include the Sales Bridge retrofitting along Villamor Air Base; the P700 million longest box culvert installation in Metro Manila at Don Bosco St., Makati to Hen. Mojica St. in Pasay City; and the P300 million SSS Cordillera Administrative Region office in Baguio City.

be sent to the Singapore National Academy for Engineering or Tokyo University for a 2-year refresher course. “This is one of the reasons why we have the best minds who can work on any type of construction project. No nitty gritty just pure skill and intelligence because we don’t want to short change our clients. We know the value of our client’s money and we always try to work within their budget” he said. Autocad, GPS common tools The edge of JD Legaspi over other contractors is the use of modern technology. The company has invested a lot in getting modern tools like the global positioning system (GPS) and laser system. The use of these advanced technologies enabled JD Legaspi to address the needs of the market. Garcia added that all versions of Autocad software are available for use by their architects and engineers. Autocad (automatic computer-aided design) helps them create the best designs when constructing high-rise buildings. According to Isaac David, an engineering consultant, the development of GPS eliminated the trial and error system inthe construction of a road or bridge in a particular place. “If you see a road that is prone to landside or flooding, most likely no GPS was used there. Blind curves and dangerous terrains can be avoided by using GPS,” he said. One classic example is Kennon Road, a major thoroughfare going to Baguio City. It was opened in 1905 and was constructed without the aid of GPS to identify danger zones. Because of the lack of technology then, landslide-prone areas were not identified and therefore accidents often occur in the area especially during the rainy season.

Modesty aside, the “company is now worth

billions. But what we cherish most are the millions of praises we get every time we finish a project

”

---Enrico Garcia

The road ahead Although equipped with the latest technology, knowledge and equipment, Garcia didn’t say that JD Legaspi has a distinct competitive advantage over other contractors. “Maybe the commitment and the assurance that we always give the best service to our clients. That is, I think, our competitive advantage,” he said. Be it as it may, the road ahead for JD Legaspi looks very promising as it continues to look for more opportunities. Like most firms, the company looks to the future by doing better so that it will become a household name among contractors. At present, the company is eying the LRT-1 rail tracks replacement project from Baclaran to Monumento valued at P1.062 billion. There are six bidders in the project. Among them is DM Consunji, one of their stiffest rivals in the business. But JD Legaspi is quite confident that they will be able to take on the challenge. “If we win, this will be the biggest project we will have in the last five years. That’s why we are keeping our fingers cross,” Garcia concluded.

March - April 2013

www.ugnayan.com

Local talents As of the latest count, the firm now has 1,300 employees of which 70 percent are on an on-call basis. It has around 300 architects and engineers combined. There are 20 types of engineers in the company that include geodetic and sanitary engineers. Garcia said that JD Legaspi is one of the few contractors in the country that send personnel abroad for training and enhancement programs. Benguet Agri-pinoy trading center project of DA Once an engineer or architect shows great potential, he or she will most likely

Philippine Construction&Design

supplier’s profile

Know your roofs well and get rid of leaks Product quality defines the Dwightsteel brand

By Ed Velasco

“

Because we just import it abroad, the only thing we do here is roll it. It comes in plain and paint-coated sheets then the rolling is left to us

”

--- Joe Orit

n selecting your roofing materials you have to discern well what kind you are buying. Choosing the roof you would put above your head is a serious concern. Otherwise, if you take it for granted you might end up carrying buckets full of rain water on a stormy night due to a leaking roof. There are many variations in the kinds of roofs available in the market today. The pitched roof type accounts for about 70 percent of roof designs in the Philippines. Likewise, there are different shapes of roofs like flat, skillion, gabled, hipped, arched and domed. The roofs made of flat sections that are sloped are referred to as pitched roofs where the angle is up to 10 degrees. Pitched roofs, including gabled, hipped and skillion roofs comprise the

34 | Philippine Construction&Design March - April 2013

majority of domestic roofs. In May 1989, a new roofing system was introduced in the Philippines. The DwightsteelPrismakolor roofs came out in the market. The company claimed it was made of fully imported materials from the United Statesthat are thicker and were rolled locally by Dwightsteel Building Systems, Incorporated.

Tough and durable

With its premium quality roofs, Dwightsteel Building Systems Inc. soon became a household name and now supplies around 20,000 to 35,000 lineal meters of colorful roofs all over the country. The firm said nearly 60 percentof orders come from upscale villages in Metro Manila. “You can find our products almost

“

We don’t want to think that we’re no. 1. In fact, there are a lot of good quality brands out there. What we assure them is that we conduct our business to the best of our capability to deliver the best service to our customers. What we give them is value for money

”

--- Joe Orit

everywhere,” said Joe Orit, the firm’s accountant. Their main product comes in five colors—green, blue, red, apricot and white—and has 16 types ranging from 0167 mm-1150 mm in nominal width and .30 mm-.80 mm in thickness. The company has a made-to-order scheme, one of the competitive advantages over other roofing firms that number close to 30 all over the country. The firm accepts orders daily except Sundays and delivers it in the next 24 to 36 hours depending on volume. If the volume is minimal, Dwightsteel advises the customer to wait for at least four to five days before the roofs are delivered. “Because we just import it abroad, the only thing we do here is roll it. It comes in plain and paint-coated sheets then the rolling is left to us,” Orit explained to Philippine Construction and Design. The official said their products are durable and long lasting. “No construction material was built to last forever. No matter how durable it is, there will come a time that you will have to replace it. However, our products are known to last for more than 10 years.” The company also takes its after-sales service seriously by attending promptly to customer complaints and product replacements if necessary. “From what I

heard, a customer once called that water was dripping when it rained. Hindi mawawala ‘yungganong (you cannot avoid that) complaint. We didn’t wait for the next 24 hours to come. We replaced it immediately, no questions asked,” Orit said.

Production

The firm has one plant that does all the rolling for their product. It is found in New Cavite Industrial City in Manggahan, Gen. Trias, Cavite. The firm, however, has four office-showrooms. Its main office is located in Annapolis St., San Juan City, Metromanila. Its three other showrooms-offices are in Cebu City, Mandaue City and Davao City. The firm’s current level of order doesn’t exceed 40,000 lineal meters per month. Most of the time it ranges from 25,000 to 30,000 lineal meters. At the moment, the company sees no need for further product research and development since they do not manufacture the product. For the past six years, the company hasn’t received any serious complaints about product quality and durability.

Prices and discounts

The price tag for Dwightsteel roofs may be considered quite expensive compared to competitors. The ordinary or conventional roof costs P250-P300 per lineal meter while the cheapest line of Dwightsteel costs P564/lineal meter. The top-of-theline product costs P 1,000/lineal meter. However, the company official was quick to add that their products carry a premium price because they are made of high quality materials. If a customer is asking for a discount, Dwightsteel first asks for the project’s plan to determine how much discount will be approved. Usually, a 10 to 20 percent

discount is given if the order is no less than 500 lineal meters. Customers can also request that Dwightsteel’s highly trained personnel install the roofs to ensure proper application to avoid possible problems with regard to leaks. The service is made available for an additional service fee.

Insulators

Dwightsteel is not just limited to roofing materials since it also supplies all-imported made insulators. The company specializes in insulators made up of polyurethane rigid foam. This is a special kind of foam that absorbs the heat just like the traditional ceiling boards made of plywood.Polyurethane rigid foam does not only absorb heat but also reduces noise. The firm’s general manager, Jessie Jimenez, said although there are very few firms that sell this type of insulator, Dwightsteel was among the first to market the product locally. Average monthly importation ranges from 10,000 to 15,000 square meters. On the other hand, the insulator is sold per lineal meter. This type of insulator are now being used used in many high-end structures in the Bonifacio Global City, Makati and high-rise buildings in Libis, Quezon City. “It’s 100 percent imported and we sell them as is unlike the roofs that are rolled locally,” the official said.Dwightsteel also sells the insulator through its offices in Davao and Cebu. “We don’t want to think that we’re no. 1. In fact, there are a lot of good quality brands out there. What we assure them is that we conduct our business to the best of our capability to deliver the best service to our customers. What we give them is value for money,” Orit concluded.

Shell food hub nlex project March - April 2013

Philippine Construction&Design

profile

Taking small steps to a bigger success Josabhi Trading and Construction Services makes a mark in the parquet flooring business

arquet flooring is a type of flooring material made of hard wood cut into small rectangular, square or diamond shaped pieces laid on top of a concrete surface and assembled and glued like a jigsaw puzzle with various artistic designs. Joel Sablawon of Josabhi Trading and Construction Services (JTCS), made his modest success with this product. Like all success stories it required patience and perseverance -- of taking small but calculated steps to find his place under the sun. “First of all I love what I am doing. I enjoy the parquet flooring business even when I was still studying and since this was started by my parents when I was still in college, I learned the trade and I believe there are bigger opportunities here,”Joel Sablawon narrated.

A humble beginning His start came when a Filipina working in Japan asked him to draw for her a plan for a house. Joel saw this as an opportunity to use his architectural skills and earn on the side so he readily accepted the job. Later on, he was asked to handle the construction of the house that included the installation of wood parquet flooring. “I was very thankful for that opportunity. I was still a student then but someone trusted me with the work so I really did my best to provide quality products and services. It was a blessing indeed for after that she recommended me to her relatives and friends,” disclosed Joel. So in 1998, upon graduating, Joel decided to go into the parquet flooring business. With a capital of only P20,000 that he borrowed from his parents and with the experience he gained, Joel became more confident that he can run the parquet flooring business successfully. In 2007, Joel registered Josabhi Trading and Construction Services as a sole proprietorship and set his sights on building the business. “It was very hard in the beginning since

Joel Sablawon of Josabhi Trading and Construction Services (JTCS) and his wife Hazel Sablawon

I am doing everything. What I did was to survey different places and go around looking for construction sites. When I found one, I would ask around and talk to those in charge if they neededparquet flooring. That was how I did my marketing, parang (like) direct selling”enthused Joel. Despite the odds and the difficulty of finding clients to trust someone like him who was very young, Joel was not discouraged. On the other hand, Joel saw these as challenges for him to do better and strive harder. Good product Joel believes in his product and so did his clients. He considers this his passion so he fully concentrated on flooring materials; focusing intensely on product design. Being an architect, Joel’s creativity helped a lot in coming up with novel ideas and unique design patterns. He does research on the internet and other source materials abroad to come up with new designs with innovations and improvements that suit the Philippine market. At present, Josabhi has several designs, namely: bird’s eye, square random, ribbon random, hollow block, whirlpool, mat weave, double mat, strip block, sinawali, double sinawali, diamond and lately the 3D diamond. Josabhi uses Philippine hardwood like narraand kamagongusually supplied by

36 | Philippine Construction&Design March - April 2013

dealers.“We use narra and mahogany because they are naturally not susceptible to termite infestation and their natural colors are more beautiful than imported ones,” said Joel. These types of wood usually come from the provinces of Isabela, Cagayan and Kalinga in the northern part of the Philippines. But with the existing total log ban imposed by the Philippine government, the supply of local wood is slowly declining and may soon pave way for imported ones. “Lately, there are imported wood materials that are reasonably priced in the market like teakwood, rosewood and Malaysian wood that comes from Malaysia and Indonesia but still our local wood is preferred by our clients,” revealed Joel. Josabhi now produces parquet flooring materials composed of either wood chips or blocks cut into geometric shapes assembled together in different designs and wooden planks. These come in various sizes and thickness like 4cm x 8cm, 4cm x 12cm and wood planks of 4 inches x 12 inches and 4 inches x 24 inches. Thickness varies from ½ inch to 1 inch. Other products offered by Josabhi are granite table counter top, wooden hand rails, and wooden doors. The parquet floors are sold from P1,500 to P2,500 per square meter and once installed are already applied with sealer, top coat and varnish.

“

First of all I love what I am doing. I enjoy the parquet flooring business even when I was still studying and since this was started by my parents when I was still in college, I learned the trade and I believe there are bigger opportunities here

”

--- Joel Sablawon

Manpower The company is basically a family business with most of their workers being relatives and friend. At the helm of the company is Joel who oversees production and design, installation supervision, and labour requirements. Helping him out is his wife, Hazel, who handles marketing, collection of receivables, payroll and some administrative functions. Accounting work and employee on-site time keeping are delegated to professionals paid on retainer basis. For a project consisting of an area of 100200 square meters, five workers are required to finish the job from one week to as long as three weeks. The company maintains around 18 workers in-house but paid on per project basis to save on overhead costs. When there are several projects at any given time the company calls on a pool of skilled and unskilledworkers also paid either on a daily basis or by the “pakyaw” system or flat contract price for the entire project. Workers paid daily get P500 (skilled worker) and P250 (unskilled worker), respectively. “We have a combination of skilled and highly experienced workers and young unskilled labor. Usually we assign the experienced ones to guide the young workers like an apprentice to gain experience,” stated Joel. The company workers are also trained to handle and operate different tools and machineries that help expedite the work. Again, the more experienced workers teach the less experienced ones in using table planer, table saw, sanding machine, cutting tools and polishers. To guarantee that no breakdowns occur, the company uses reliable brands of tools like Makita and Clark from the United States. Client roster After a decade or so in the parquet flooring business, Josabhi has penetrated big companies and undertaken several big projects. By advertising as well as tapping potential clients through the internet, Josabhi now boasts of a list of clients composed of prominent real estate companies like Ayala Land, Robinsons Land, Megaworld, JAO Builders, SMDC, Century Properties, DMCI

Homes and Avida, to name a few. “I consider ourselves blessed with the big projects we have done. Like for example, we worked on the 200 units of Mahogany Place Taguig under DMCI Homes and 600 units at Somerset Place in Pasig. Now we are doing the 45-storey University Tower III in Malate and of course the showroom of Acqua Residences of Century Properties,” revealed Joel. Other clients of Josabhi included Malacanang Palace, the Senate House, Supreme Court Building, the Syrian and Thai Embassy, De La Salle University, NAIA Terminal II, Meralco Main Building, Malayan Tower, Pacific Tower, Eastwood residences, Crescent Tower and 5th Avenue Place in Bonifacio Global City, Adriatico Tower, Avalon Building, and houses in plush villages like Valle Verde I-VI, Corinthian Hills, Acropolis and Ayala Alabang. Up ahead This year, Josabhi is looking up ahead as they remain very optimistic of the opportunities being presented to them. Although they have done several big projects for large companies, they are not resting on their laurels. “We are very optimistic of the increased demand for our products and services because of the construction boom. Now we are gaining a foothold in the condominium market with our entry to DMCI, Century Properties, Robinsons Land, and Megawide Construction,” said Joel. Indeed the prospect for more projects for Josabhi is growing steadily. Although the company is not too keen on borrowing from financial institutions for additional working capital, part of the company’s earnings are added as capital. Likewise, the 15-day credit lines they get from their suppliers enable them to manage their cash flow comfortably.

Asked about their plans for the near future, Joel timidly said, “We are now talking about expanding our market. The showroom near ABS-CBN is being refurbished and once we move back there we can attract more clients. We are also looking at putting up a branch in Cavite to cater to the growing number of subdivisions in that area.” Business advice Though Joel was not able to take the board examinations to be a licensed architect, he saw fulfilment in the parquet flooring business. He considers Josabhi as his crowning glory so he has no regrets for having chosen the business instead of a career in architecture. When PC&D asked Joel what he would advise people planning to go into the same business he is in, he said “In this kind of business you must have a lot of patience. I always tell my workers that they should not be contented with just being a labourer. I tell them to work hard, persevere and aim for the highest dream; for them to be a contractor someday.” True to his unselfish nature, Joel even encourages his workers to learn as much as they can and if they have the opportunity to work abroad he tells them to grab it, unmindful of the loss he may suffer. Through the years, his experience as a businessman also taught him a lot of lessons. With the problems he encountered in managing people, dealing with clients and suppliers, and managing his finances, Joel was able to steer Josabhi to a modest stature of success. In parting, he said “My philosophy in business is simple. It starts with a great idea; provide quality products and services and everything will follow. Do not just think about money or profits, rather find meaning and value in the work you do.” (rdg)

March - April 2013

Philippine Construction&Design

SALES MANAGEMENT

Does CRM Matter for Construction? “In cases we have reviewed, sales increases arising from advanced marketing and sales information technology have ranged from 10% to more than 30%, and investment returns have often exceeded 100%. These returns may sound like the proverbial free lunch, but they are real.” www.dsm-publishing.com

With the tough economic conditions facing the construction industry there is a sharp focus on better ways to track and manage the sales process. Companies are finding that the old way of obtaining business is not as effective in today’s market. Construction companies have traditionally invested in software systems for estimating, job costing and project management. The industry has not historically been a large adopter of Customer Relationship Management, CRM software, but that is changing. In response to the challenges of obtaining new business, companies are now reviewing and investing in better software tools to manage their sales process. There still is a lot of confusion on CRM and why is it important in the construction Industry. This article looks to define CRM, and how it can make an immediate impact on a contractor’s ability to win more business. CRM or Customer Relationship Management is a broad term that is widely used by software companies to describe software that is designed to manage your

customers and business development. The credit card industry for years has utilized CRM to capture and profile all relevant information on a customer. Many construction companies attempt to do this manually, using handwritten records, Microsoft Outlook, or Excel. With the maturity of today’s CRM software, there are more advanced ways to track your customers and sales pipeline that make it affordable for virtually all companies to take advantage of this technology.

Pipeline Tracking

A strong pipeline of projects being bid is vital to the health and long term viability of any contractor. Successful contractors need to utilize their limited resources to focus on the projects that they have a high percentage of winning. Too many contractors are chasing projects that they have a minimal chance of winning, taking the focus away from opportunities that have a good potential. When used properly, CRM provides visibility to management in the following areas so that resources and effort can be focused

38 | Philippine Construction&Design March - April 2013

on winning projects that can be won. • What projects are we bidding? • Where in the sales process is each project? • What is the bid due date? • Who has the ball in court? • What was the last activity completed? By standardizing the sales process, and tracking key information and all the history, CRM software can significantly impact the chances of winning a project. This is accomplished by using the following components found in most CRM software.

Accounts

CRM allows a company to input all the key information on a “Customer” or prospective customer in a single location. More importantly, each of these customers can be classified according to their “Relationship” to the company. For example, customers may be classified according to long term customers or prospective customers. CRM is not only for tracking customers but can be

extended to all business partners for a company. Subcontractors, Architects, Banks, General Contractors, competitors all can be entered into CRM so that employees can quickly find the details on a particular company, contract or bid. By having all business partners in a single software system, this information can be used during the sales process to provide the company with a complete picture of partner subcontractors and the architect, owner, GC or other relevant relationships to the bid and ultimately the project. The end result is that now companies are “Managing” their business using Customer Relationship Management software instead of reacting to emails or phone calls.

Contacts

Associated with Accounts are Contacts. For each Account, an unlimited number of contacts can be added so that all the players at a company are identified. This reduces the islands of information within a company when estimating has some contacts, project managers have other contacts, and business development has their own set of contacts. CRM bridges the islands, so that all the information is joined and accessible. Not only do you need to understand a potential client’s company, but also the needs of the individual decision makers.

Sales Stage

CRM also helps standardize on the sales process and methodology. Setting up Sales Stages for the opportunity allows for a consistent approach to bidding and winning work. A typical sales stage for construction has the following steps: 1. Qualification: Identifying the scope, timeframes and decision makers 2. Bidding: Getting pricing and takeoffs 3. Proposal Development: Creating an estimate and supporting proposal 4. Negotiations: Finalizing contracts 5. Close: Win the Business The sales cycle also facilitates setting up standard tasks that need to be competed at each phase of the sales process. Think of the tasks as “to do items” that help manage employees’ time and capture phone calls, emails, notes and observations at each step of the sales cycle. Some CRM software use workflow to automatically create each of these tasks when an opportunity is created, reducing the burden on the sales team.

Summary

CRM software represents a new way for the construction industry to manage getting work and tracking customers. The benefits of standardizing an organization’s sales process and gaining insight into all aspects of the bidding process can provide a real and immediate return on investment. Companies looking to increase their success in bidding and winning more work should seriously review CRM software as a strategic element of a company’s overall Information Technology Strategy. By Steven James Mulka

About the author Steven J. Mulka is a founding partner of Microsoft Dynamics Gold Certified Partner SIS Software, LLC. He has over 15 years of experience in providing financial and operational software solutions to support the A/E/C industries. He is also the Product Manager of the SIS Navigator CRM solution for Contractors built on Microsoft Dynamics CRM, and a member of the AGC IT Forum Steering Committee. Steven can be reached at smulka@sisn.com. Rowland T. Moriarty & Gordon S. Swartz in Harvard Business Review

Opportunities

Once a project has been identified as a viable project for bid, CRM creates an Opportunity to track all the bidding information. The opportunity has key information such as: • Opportunity Name • Contract Value • Bid Dates • Construction Type • Market Segment • Sales Stage • Tasks to be completed • Who are the Players: Architect, Owner, GC, Subcontractors, etc. An opportunity makes it easy to get an immediate view of the pipeline that a company is bidding and details available on each project. This provides the management teams responsible for new business withinvaluable information to make decisions on the projects being bid, what needs attention and where there is success.

www.myimzone.com

March - April 2013

Philippine Construction&Design

rISK MANAGEMENT

Ten Issues in

Construction Contracts

n the world of construction, whether you are a lender, owner, contractor, or subcontractor, your success hinges largely on risk management. While there is no substitute for sound business and construction practices (such as proper preconstruction planning, proven construction means and methods, use of experienced personnel, and stringent safety programs), among the most important project risk allocation tools are the contracts governing the various parties’ rights and obligations. Within those contracts, risk is primarily allocated through indemnity and insurance requirement provisions. Proper risk management practices, however, are not limited to risk allocation. Equally important is careful contract preparation and review. Set forth below is a brief overview of some of the most important risk management concepts to consider when preparing or entering into your next construction contract.

Risks Should Be Transferred to Those In the Best Position to Control Them. Owners and contractors shouldanticipate potential project risks and determine whether it is more advantageous to retain or transfer them. From a risk management perspective, it is crucial to spread the project risks to the parties most able to manage them. Owners, especially those not well-versed in the nuances of the construction industry, should strive to limit the number of parties with whom they contract. The owner should engage a project architect, and then place responsibility for engagement and oversight of all other design professionals on the architect, who is in a much better position to oversee these consultants’ services than the owner. The same is true for the project’s construction activities; the owner should enter into a contract with the contractor, who will engage all subcontractors. Subcontractors should, in turn, engage sub-

subcontractors, materialmen, and suppliers. In this fashion, the overall project risks may be spread to those with the greatest ability to control them.

Don’t Include Overly Onerous Contractual Requirements. The best way to achieve successful completion of the project on time and within budget is to foster a collaborative project environment. This begins with the contracting process. While is it advisable to clearly address all anticipated risks in the contract, it serves no useful purpose to force an onerous, one-sided contract on contractors and subcontractors. Draconian indemnity, warranty, and payment provisions will not only drive project costs up, but may also engender a more adversarial relationship between the contracting parties. In addition, courts may not uphold them.

40 | Philippine Construction&Design March - April 2013

www.business-financial-news.com

Back Up Indemnity Provisions With Insurance. Contractual indemnity provisions included in contracts are only as good as the indemnitor’s ability to honor them. Because it is often difficult to adequately vet a contractual partner’s finances and work/safety history, requiring the proper amount and type of insurance is a crucial risk management component. When transferring risk through indemnity, it is important to ensure that the transferee has, or is able to procure in a cost-effective manner, insurance coverage sufficient to handle the assumed risk. One caveat at is that some risks included in an indemnity agreement, such as liability arising out of an indemnitor’s intentional misconduct, are not insurable. Do not let lack of insurability for such conduct serve as a valid argument for negotiating responsibility for it out of an indemnity agreement.

Tailor Insurance Requirements to the Discipline. When preparing insurance requirements for construction-related contracts, make sure that the indemnity and risk obligations associated with each project discipline are identified and addressed. a. Design Professionals (architects, engineers, etc.). Design professional contract requirements should include auto and commercial general liability, workers compensation/ employers liability and, most importantly, professional liability. Pay particular attention to the limits of the professional liability coverage; requiring excess limits for the professional liability coverage may be appropriate depending on the project’s size. Consider requiring that the coverage be “project specific” either through a separate project policy or sub-limits applicable only to the project.

For large projects, an owner may wish to consider obtaining owners protective professional insurance coverage, which indemnifies the owner directly for losses arising out of professional negligence of architects/engineers exceeding the limits available under architects’/engineers’ own professional liability policies. b. Contractors and Subcontractors. Those entities performing construction work on the project should be required to carry auto and commercial general liability insurance, workers compensation/employers liability, and an excess liability policy providing coverage over the auto and CGL policies’ limits. Many owners also insist on payment and performance bonds from contractors and/or subcontractors. For those contractors and subcontractors performing any design-build functions, professional liability coverage should also be required. To prevent coverage gaps, contractors and subcontractors’ insurance requirements should include pollution liability coverage. If the owner will procure the property or builders risk coverage, contractors and subcontractors should consider the need for an “installation floater” or similar coverage to protect their equipment and supplies onsite, offsite, and in transit. c. Property/Builders Risk Coverage. While the liability coverage referenced above covers most project accidents resulting in (i) bodily injury, and (ii) damage to property other than what is being constructed, in most cases it does not cover damage to the structure being built. While it is possible to cover damage to construction projects under an owner’s existing property policy, there are coverage limitations in standard property insurance forms that make procurement of a builders risk policy desirable in most cases. If a builders risk policy is procured, consideration should be given to whether the owner or the contractor obtains it. This determination is best made on a project-by-project basis, taking into consideration such factors as the type of project (i.e., new construction or renovation of an existing structure), type of contract (cost plus or stipulated sum), financing/ lender’s requirements (owner may want to “bundle” soft cost and loss of income coverage with the builders risk policy to avoid claim delays and argument among insurers over coverage), the presence of a master property program (owner or contractor), location of project, the parties’ relative economic leverage to negotiate the most favorable premium and coverage, the contractor’s level of sophistication, and the owner’s desire to participate in projectspecific risk management.

Address Potential Coverage Gaps. Numerous risk management products, including insurance policies and bonds, are required to cover the risks presented by a construction project. To the greatest extent possible, the coverage provided by

these policies should fit together. Policy provisions are drafted to create in one policy the exact coverage that was excluded by another policy. Have your broker and/ or attorney review the entire insurance program to prevent gaps in coverage. You may need to amend one or more of your policies through endorsements, or purchase additional coverage, to close these gaps.

Add Protection By Including Additional Insured Requirements. Make sure that you require all downstream contractors and/or subcontractors to add you as an additional insured under their liability policies. Additional insured status adds a layer of protection to an owner’s or contractor’s indemnity requirements. A key advantage is that an insurer has an up-front duty to defend claims made against additional insureds, whereas most indemnity provisions require only that the indemnitee provide reimbursement of any defense costs. Include a requirement in your contract that the additional insured endorsement be broad enough to cover both ongoing and completed operations, as well as your liability arising out of the work, on a primary and non-contributory basis. Be sure, however, not to ask to be named as an “additional named insured,” as this may include undesirable obligations such as paying a deductible, self-insured retention, or premium if the first named insured fails to do so.

Ensure That Waivers of Subrogation Are in Place. Proper transfer of many project risks from the contracting parties to their insurers is achieved through inclusion of waivers of subrogation. These waivers prevent insurers from passing risk back to downstream project parties by precluding insurers from seeking reimbursement from other project participants for amounts paid on claims. Because an insurer “stands in the shoes” of its insured when bringing a subrogation claim, it cannot bring such a claim if its insured has waived this right in its contract with the allegedly culpable party. For this reason, waivers of subrogation ensure that transferred project risk stays with the insurers.

Don’t Rely on Certificates of Insurance. Many parties to a construction project fail to adequately confirm that insurance requirements have been satisfied, either upon execution of the contract or throughout the duration of the project. Required coverage limits, additional insured status, and waivers of subrogation provide no benefit if they were not obtained, or are permitted to lapse. It is common for owners and contractors to rely on a cursory review of certificates of insurance to “confirm” compliance with insurance requirements. This practice is extremely risky, as many insurance certificates include incorrect and/

or incomplete information, such as omitting mention of risk-changing exclusions or endorsements. In addition, most certificates of insurance are prepared using an industrystandard form. Courts have found that these forms are so replete with express disclaimers that they are not legally binding on the party providing them. As such, it is advisable to require in the contract not only a certificate of insurance and endorsements evidencing the proper insurance coverage, additional insured status and waiver of subrogation, but also delivery of a copy of the applicable insurance policies. Performing a diligent review of the information provided will greatly diminish, if not remove, the anguish, costs and lost time suffered upon discovery, after a claim is made, that the putative coverage identified in the certificate of insurance is not what the actual policies provide, and is not what was required under the relevant contract.

Have Contracts Reviewed by a Knowledgeable Attorney to Ensure that all Contracts Are Consistent and Current. All too often owners and contractors fail to ensure that the various contracts into which they have entered are consistent with both the market and one another. Dispute resolution provisions should be harmonized to avoid inconsistent results caused by an inability to include all parties in the same proceeding. Project lenders’ and owners’ requirements regarding payment timing and limitations must be properly flowed down. To steer clear of surprises when claims arise, as well as unnecessary project delays, subcontractor, sub-subcontractor, supplier and materialmen contracts must include the proper flow-downs required by upper tier contracts. Many lenders, owners, and contractors use form contracts with insurance and indemnity requirements that are outdated, unenforceable, or otherwise unobtainable. Forcing a design professional, contractor, or subcontractor to obtain insurance in a form that is no longer offered, or offered only at a cost-prohibitive premium, is not in the project’s best interest. To avoid these problems, it is crucial to have an experienced attorney scrutinize your contracts.

10.

Read the Contract Before Executing It. Lastly, there is no substitute for reading each contract very carefully before signing it. Beyond the obvious problems of errors and inaccurate information that creep into negotiated contracts, careful review may reveal additional risks, improperly allocated risks, and other issues. No agreement is perfect, but vigilant contract review is one of the most crucial steps in the risk management process. By James P. Bobotek, Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw PittmanPosted byLexisNexis Insurance Law Community Staff.

March - April 2013

Philippine Construction&Design

512-56 Loadall Telescopic Handler

www.deere.com

John Deere Excavator 17D

Newest and largest JCB telescopic handler can lift up to 12,000 lbs.

www.soil-testing-india.co.in

NAT-152-1 Air Entrainment Meter As Per IS 1199 Entrainment of a small amount of air in the cement concrete has been found to improve considerably the durability of concrete. Further, when use of admixtures is made to increase workability of concrete, a check of the air content is required to ensure that the percentage of air remains between 1 to 2% to get the optimum performance of the concrete structure. Air Entrainment Meter is having a capacity of 0.005 m3 (5 Litres), suitable for aggregate size upto 38mm. Each air entrainment meter is supplied complete with a calibrating cylinder, pressure gauge, funnel, measuring jug, straight edge and a hand pump.

The 512-56 Loadall is the largest machine in the company’s range of telescopic handlers. It can lift a maximum load of 12,000 lbs. with a maximum lift height of 56 ft. Its high-boom design ensures optimum operator visibility when working or traveling. Standard axle-mounted stabilizers provide efficient chassis leveling for lifting larger loads. The unit is now equipped with a high-torque, low-emission Ecomax diesel engine that is paired with a four-speed Powershift transmission. Features include heavy-duty axles with torque-proportioning differentials and a lower-mounted, spacious, ergonomically-designed cab.

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Minimum tail swing, maximum versatility. Sure, their compact sizes and reduced-tail-swing designs enable these small but mighty machines to specialize in close-quarters work. But that’s not the only reason to run a 17D. Their highly fuel-efficient, direct-injected diesels are noticeably quiet so you can put them to work almost anywhere, anytime. Standard-equipped with backfill blade, mechanical quick-coupler, and auxiliary hydraulics, plus any of the many optional Worksite Pro™ attachments, they can make a sizeable impact on your versatility. As well as your bottom line. Net Power 11.0 kW (14.8 hp) @ 2,400 rpm Max. Digging Reach 3.90 m (12 ft. 10 in.) Max. Digging Depth 2.17 m (7 ft. 1 in.) Operating Weight 1893 kg (4,173 lb.)

Pocket Shear Vane, Metalv H – 4212MH The Humboldt H-4212MH Pocket Shear Vane Tester provides a quick and efficient method for determining shear strength values of cohesionless soils. The Pocket Shear Vane is widely used for taking on-site measurements of excavations, including trenches and test pits. It is also used for taking readings from thin-wall or split core soil samples. It can also be used in the laboratory for evaluaitons. The device is widely used by Safety and OSHA Inspectors, Back Hoe Operators, Field Testing Technicians, Consulting Engineers, etc. The Humboldt Shear Vane Device comes with three vanes, which are easily attached or removed from the device with the included L-wrench. We also include a custom, heavy-duty, nylon bag for storage, which can be quickly attached to your belt with its belt clip, as well as a laminated instructions card, so you always have instructions to refer to when doing tests. The Pocket Shear Vane can be used to

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Metalworking Fluids target tube and pipe industry www.humboldtmfg.com

gather a large number of readings including those from different failure planes without the need to prepare and trim samples. The device can be used on any reasonably flat surface that is slightly larger than the vane surface being used. The Pocket Shear Vane can be used with fully-saturated, fine-grained soils with an undrained strength independent of normal pressure, including a wide range of clays from soft to stiff consistency. Readings can be made from 0 to 2.5 TSF (1 Kg/cm2). The dial on the unit reads in 0.05 TSF (0.05 Kg/cm2) increments.

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Providing solvent/oil based rust protection used neat, CIMMILL RP 365 leaves protective film residue for over 1 year of corrosion protection. CIMMILL RP 24-7 water-based rust inhibitor, providing up to 1 year indoor corrosion protection, is VOC-free and meets SCAQMD Rule 1144 standards. Developed to rid sumps of biofilms and built-up debris, CIMMILL SC alkaline sump cleaner provides clean environment for new fluids. CIMMILL 5 straight-oil is chlorine-free and designed for cold pilgering operations.

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Komatsu Crawler Dozers meet EPA Tier 4 Interim regulations

Husqvarna K750 The Husqvarna K 760 is a powerful all-round power cutter with features that make it one of the best power cutters on the market. Equipped with the new generation Active Air Filtration™, one of the market’s most efficient centrifugal air cleaning systems that delivers up to one year’s operation without a filter change and SmartCarb™, a built-in automatic filter compensation and a highly efficient vibration dampening system. The K 760 is outfitted with an X-Torq® engine that reduces emissions up to 75% and lowers fuel consumption by 20%. Other important features include DuraStarter™, a dust-sealed starter that boosts reliability and product life, Air Purge and a decompression valve which makes the power cutter easy to start. The K 760 is ideal for cutting concrete and stone in alterations, renovations and new construction. It is also perfect for cutting smaller openings and adjusting window and door openings, as well as some pipe, asphalt and metal cutting.

Powered by 20.2 hp, water-cooled Kubota diesel engine, Model BW100ADM-5 delivers 3,822 lb of centrifugal force at frequency of 3,780 vpm, while offering working width of 39.4 in. ECOMODE automatically idles engine to conserve fuel during inactivity, while Intelligent Vibration Control ensures consistent compaction results. Built with travel motors contained within drums, design optimizes maneuverability while operating in tight spaces or near obstructions.

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Ride-On Roller Screed utilizes 8 in. diameter paving tubes Powered by 44 hp Kubota Turbo Diesel engine, RS800 Series Rollerscreed is available in widths of 14-34 ft with working widths of 12-32 ft. Ride-on steerable machine features 4 lights located on front and back, emergency kill switches on both ends and operator panel, adjustable seat and armrests, and manual crank removable dolly jacks with foam-filled pneumatic tires. Drive tube and paving tube scrapers are provided to eliminate concrete built-up.

Designed for measuring compressive strength of castable concrete, MegaForce II automatically controls rate of loading and testing of samples through programmable software. Comforming to American Society for Testing Materials specifications for concrete cylinders, cement cubes, cold crush, and concrete beam flexural strength, Megaforce II testing system is available on new machines and for retrofits. www.news.thomasnet.com

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Tandem Vibratory Roller provides allaround visibility

Concrete Testing System eliminates operator errors www.news.thomasnet.com

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Powered by EPA Tier 4 Interim and EU stage 3B emission certified engine, D3723 and D39-23 push with net 89 and 105 hp, respectively, at 2,200 rpm. Long trackon-ground standard (EX) and low ground pressure (PX) models are available to offer flotation and weight distribution options to best match application. Operating weights range from 18,386–21,363 lb, depending on configuration and model, and dozers are designed to optimize visibility of power angle tilt blade.

Ride-On Roller Screed utilizes 8 in. diameter paving tubes.

Handheld Transmitter provides wireless crane/hoist control

Available in 400 MHz and 2.4 GHz, Flex VUE(TM) has built-in color display that keeps operator informed of system status and diagnostics - battery life, signal strength, warnings - at all times. Operators can configure transmitter directly via display menu, and available 2-way feedback provides information on machine parameters, alarms, and command confirmation. For accurate and smooth operation, 4, 8, or 12 two-step or stepless pushbutton configurations are available.

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Philippine Construction&Design

Accurate Torque Control with Adjustable Micro Torque Screwdriver by Mountz, Inc. The Micro Torque screwdriver, from Mountz, Inc., is an externally adjustable torque tool that offers different setting options for applications that require more than one torque value. The adjustable torque screwdriver features an external adjustment torque scale, which allows an operator to quickly and accurately adjust the torque setting on the tool as needed for different applications. The Micro Torque screwdriver is ideal for field service or production applications. A single torque driver can cover a broad variety of applications due to its wide torque range. Built with a cam-over design, the accurate Micro Torque screwdriver prevents a fastener or bolt from being under and over tightened. The design action of the camover screwdrivers is such that when the tool reaches its set torque value the mechanism disengages from the drive thus limiting the torque applied. Inside the screwdriver, a

precision radial ball clutch “slips-free” when the set torque is reached preventing under and over tightening. Also, the thrust bearings insure that the torque setting is independent of any end load applied by the operator. As quality control tool, the torque screwdriver allows any user to deliver the correct torque with confidence regardless of task and operator skill level. Designed and manufactured to meet or exceed the accuracy and repeatability requirements of ISO6789: 2003, Mountz offers various Micro Torque screwdriver models that range from 20 ozf.in to 80 lbf. in. The ergonomically designed torque screwdriver provides operator comfort along with quality control. The durable torque driver utilizes rugged materials such as stainless steel and aluminum, providing a long service life. Incorporating a pull-down ring to engage the adjustment mechanism, a simple twist of the collar right or left

Accurate Torque Control with Adjustable Micro Torque Screwdriver by Mountz, Inc.

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PRODUCTS & TECHNOLOGY

increases or decreases torque respectively, while a precision radial ball clutch and cam allows for automatic resetting. Controlling torque is essential for companies to ensure their product’s quality, safety and reliability isn’t compromised. The failure of a three-cent fastener that isn’t properly tightened can lead to catastrophic or latent failures. Fasteners that are insufficiently torqued can vibrate loose and excessive torque can strip threaded fasteners. Using a quality torque screwdriver has become increasingly important for many companies to ensure that proper torque is being applied and maintains gauge requirements associated with the ISO 9001 Quality Standard.

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Two-Part Polyurethane accelerates concrete repair With cure time under 20 min, Crackbond CSR exhibits strength of 4,900 psi in 1 hr. Viscosity allows deep penetration into concrete cracks, enabling highstrength structural repair. Self-

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leveling material, which may be used down to 0°F, consists of resin and hardener uniformly dispensed from dual cartridge system and mixed simultaneously through mixing nozzle. Uses include repairing spalled floor joints and concrete on bridge and parking decks as well as repairing floors.

WB93R-2 Backhoe Loaders Machines that are equipped with work equipment at the front end for excavating and loading and another at the rear end for transport. With this type of machines, earth and sand produced in digging a ditch are loaded at a time later on. They are a very convenient and helpful sort, as a single machine plays double roles simultaneously. During the work, a support called an outrigger extends and ensures the machine’s stability. www.komatsu.com

44 | Philippine Construction&Design March - April 2013

Compact Excavators range from 1.7-8.0 metric tons.

Compact Excavators range from 1.7-8.0 metric tons. Designed around Yanmar Interim Tier IV engine, Models 170Z, 270Z, 350Z, 450Z, and 800Z are true zero-tail-swing machines, with no cab overhang beyond tracks in any direction. This allows machines to operate directly against wall or other obstruction without causing damage. To facilitate attachment changes, Models 270Z, 350Z, 450Z, and 800Z are equipped with pin grabber style hydraulic quick coupler, which works with majority of excavator attachments.

PRICE MOVEMENT

Price Movement in 2012 Some prices went up and others went down, overall price average of construction materials remained relatively steady with a slight increase

he National Statistics Office (NSO) recently noted that the retail price index of selected construction materials in the National Capital Region (NCR) grew by 4.2 percent in during the month’s of October and November in 2012. November showed an increase of 12.6 % in masonry materials and a higher annual increment from 11.6 percent in October. On the other hand, annual increases of the following commodity groups slowed down during the month

in review: Carpentry materials index, 1.2 percent from 1.4 percent; painting materials and related compounds index, 0.9 percent from 1.0 percent; and miscellaneous construction materials index, 7.4 percent from 8.1 percent. The electrical and plumbing materials indices correspondingly retained their previous month’s rates of 7.6 percent and 2.0 percent while that for tinsmithry materials index continued to register negative rate at -2.7 percent from -2.8 percent.

Table below shows the price indices from January to December in 2012. CONTRUCTION MATERIALS WHOLESALE PRICE INDEX (CMWPI) IN THE NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION (NCR) (2000 = 100)

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Philippine Construction&Design

PRICE MOVEMENT

RETAIL PRICE INDEX OF SELECTED CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS IN THE CAPITAL REGION (FROM 2010 to 2012)

46 | Philippine Construction&Design March - April 2013

March - April 2013

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48 | Philippine Construction&Designâ&#x20AC;&#x192; March - April 2013