Ir CH Wong

MRICS, MHKIE, BSc, MSc. 10 years high tech related experience from the Silicon

Valley (1983-1992) 16 years infrastructure related experience from Hong

Kong, China and Taiwan (1993-2011)

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QS Automation Tools

The message I want to deliver in this presentation is how the automation of quantity takeoff process developed so far in overseas and Hong Kong, in 3 parts:-

Part 1 – Recap the foundation laid throughout the years enable quantity takeoff automation possible

Part 2 – The existing drivers for automation needs Part 3 – What are the benefits

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Part 1 – the automation foundation The larger part of QS work is related to costing of works which unavoidably involve quantity takeoff on design drawings. The cost estimation practice foundation has been based on an UK system consist of BOQ – Bills of quantities standard is based on CAWS

/Uniclass, Hong Kong ASD model bill. SMM – Standard method of measurement is based on RICS

published standards, or CESMM published by ICE. Drawing standards – BS308, BS1192, various guidelines

published by ASD, WSD, HyD, CEDD etc. Cost information – published by BCIS, ASD, Spon book, etc

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With all these, cost estimates can be done and put them into DIM sheet using the scale rule, according to cost modeling

methods such as unit, GFA, EUR, and SMM grouping The earlier QS software used in Hong Kong has been the RIPAC ATLESPRO BUILDSOFT

Mainly to Generate BOQ Perform Tendering Prepare interim payment

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Since early 2000, more and more on-screen measuring quantities software have been released from the market such as

Lower cost digitization on paper drawings Measure raster, vector or block information from 2D CAD

drawings on-screen Extract quantities and information from Building Information

Modeling (BIM) 3D drawings on-screen to form a base of cost estimation

Also, more and more XML (Extensible Markup Language) based information can be obtained from Government departments (e.g. Office of the HK Government Chief Information Officer (OGCIO) and institution like (RICS-BCIS cost information), XML enable exchange of electronic information more easily.

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On-screen quantity takeoff is possible now because 1. An open CAD standard is available

i.e. DWF format put together by Open Design Alliance (ODA)

2. An open BIM standard is available i.e. Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) standards put together by BuildSMART (International Alliance for Interoperability, IAI) - ISO/PAS 16739.

3. Cheaper and more power computer available i.e. Intel i7 four core chip with 8G ram plus 1.5 TB hard drive, 2G on board graphic card only cost from HK$ 8k

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4. Object-relational database management systems (ORDBMSs) is coming mature and cheaper

5. Communication network backbone is more powerful now enable large drawing files going through the network e.g. 1G board band cost from HK$199 per month for private home.

6. Better electronic document standards becoming available e.g. XML standards, the current version of the HKSAR Government IF is version 9.0 obtainable from Interoperability Framework Co-ordination Group of the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (OGCIO)

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Part 2 – Drivers of such needs 1. Rapid change in the economic and property / infrastructure market,

higher competition caused

shorten development cycle time on more complex built project Undoubtedly the cost planning and control (QS) is under the

same pressure because the QS has to deal with the 4Cs:- i. Cost

ii. Contract iii. Communication iv. Claim

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Among the 4 main categories of contract claims, changes are the core :-

Extension of time Variations of quantities (changes) Variations of specifications (changes) Drawing change (changes)

Software application can more easily deal with the changes, and improve cost and communications. (e.g. forensic expert witness)

2. Better environment awareness, public demand reduce waste in the construction industry (HKGBC established in 2009) Key word here is reduce construction waste and rework

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3. Cost planning & control has been under public scrutiny, particularly on the fluctuations and accuracies. Big push to improve the built environment, such initiative are :-

In UK, the Egan report released in 1998 The BIM initiatives from the US federal and state governments The Tang report came out from 2001 Singapore electronic measurement standards 2002 CIC ordinance enacted in 2007, CIC Environmental and Technology

Committee form in 2007 (lead by Ir Conrad Wong) The West Kowloon XRL Station contract 810A will be done in BIM 3D The Hong Kong Housing Authority to publish all their design in BIM 3D

drawings by 2014. They are also test trial an on-screen measurement cost estimation software called CostX

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Part 3 – The benefits

Construction cost count significantly of the built value chain, a 3-5% improvement (i.e. the research has shown it is possible with the collaboration software tools such as on-screen BIM cost estimating and a whole bunch of various software tools) on the cost may generate up to 2-3% of the built value saving. (Please note that most listed main contractor companies only made 2% net profit).

ElectronicDocumentBenefits Contractorscanreviewthedoc’stodecideiftheywanttobidtheproject. Receiveprojectdocumentsquicker(Internet/Email). Addendadocsarereadablevs.faxeddocs. Betterdistributiontosubcontractors. Subcontractorsreceiveafullsetofplansthattheycankeep. Betterpresentationstoshowstagingandsiteconsiderations. ProjectManagercanverifyestimatequantities. Forremodelwork,photographscanbeincludedwiththedrawings.

AdditionalBenefits Greateraccuracythandigitizers. Easiertoidentifywherecostdifferencesoccurindesignandbuildprojects. Measurementsaremodifiableandstored. Allthemeasurementscanoccurbeforecalculatingquantities. Easierarchivalofdocuments. Abilitytooverlaydrawingchanges.

BenefittoEstimators Thetakeoffandplancheckoutprocessisstreamlined. Takeofftimeisreduced. Standardizedcolorscanbeusedfortakeoff. Takeoffreviewisvisual. Plansareeasilytakenwithyou,aswellasthetakeofftools. Takeoffcanbe“Linked”toExcel

Accuracy of Quantity Takeoff and how software can assist

1. The accuracy of an estimate is a measure of how accurate/correct the numbers in the estimate are.

2. The completeness of an estimate is a measure of whether the bid has all the items needed for the

project without duplicating items.

For example:-

5 (not exhaustive) of the most common errors experienced during quantity takeoff are:

Arithmetic: Errors in addition, subtraction and multiplication (software can help)

Transposition: Mistakes in copying or transferring figures, dimensions etc. (software can help)

Poor Reference: Scaling drawings rather than using the dimensions indicated (software can help)

Errors of Omission: Overlooking items called for or required to accomplish the work (somewhat)

Allowance: Unrealistic waste or loss factors (somewhat)

Etc etc …………………………………………………………….

 

   

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