Space planning for mechanical, electrical, plumbing and fire protection trades in multi-story building construction

David Riley, Victor Sanvido

Research output: Contribution to conferencePaperpeer-review

30 Scopus citations

Abstract

Available space has a dramatic affect on the productivity of construction trades. Congestion between different trades and materials can decrease the production and the profitability of a specialty contractor on a project. Mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and fire protection trades are often suffer the greatest losses as work areas become congested, and trades begin to stray from planned work sequences. Space planning is often necessary to avoid or minimize losses due to such spatial conflicts. This research studies the spatial needs of mechanical, electrical, and fire protection trades and explores space planning techniques for predicting and avoiding spatial conflicts in multi-story building construction. Case studies were performed to monitor the physical spaces used by mechanical, electrical, and fire protection trades on four different projects. The relationship between space planning, sequencing decisions, and interferences on each project was also investigated for each of these trades. The results of this study provide useful planning examples to avoid spatial interferences, and crowded work areas. Guidelines for developing work sequences for mechanical, electrical trades, and fire protection trades are also included. Conclusions address the necessary steps to improve space planning and future directions for space planning research.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages102-109
Number of pages8
StatePublished - 1997
EventProceedings of the 1997 5th ASCE Construction Congress - Minneapolis, MN, USA
Duration: Oct 4 1997Oct 8 1997

Other

OtherProceedings of the 1997 5th ASCE Construction Congress
CityMinneapolis, MN, USA
Period10/4/9710/8/97

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • General Engineering

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