PROBLEM-BASED LEARNING (PBL)

SUSTAINABLE CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT (BFC 32703)

Achieving project objectives: what should you do?

1. STATEMENT OF PROBLEM & TRIGGER:

Palm Spring Commercial Centre is a RM 83 million project in a new township area. The
construction was started on Feb 12 2012 and is scheduled to finish on November 15 2014.

Coming to nine months before the scheduled date of completion, many problems in the project
have been identified: collapsed structures and roofs, several non-functional building components,
an incomplete electricity and water supply as well as other defects and deficiencies in the
completed building due to sub-standard materials and construction methods, and poor
workmanship. Scarce of critical materials, increase in the price of building materials and
unforeseen events at the construction sites worsen the problem. Due to all the foregoing
problems, it is estimated that there will be delay in official handover. The project could only be
completed 150 days after the targeted completion date. As a result to this and due to a number of
variation orders and contract price adjustments affecting the project there will be an overrun of
RM 16.5 million in the construction costs.

BFC 32703 Sustainable Construction Management - 1

What your project team which consists of Project Manager (PM), Construction Manager (CM)
and Site Manager (SM) and other members should do to ensure the project could be completed to
satisfy the specified quality with minimum or at least reasonable increase in cost and time of
completion.

2. GROUP FORMATION
Form a group of 5-6 members in a group. A mix of group members from different races,
nationality and gender is highly recommended. Each group must assign a Project Manager, a
Construction Manager, and a Site Manager, and other appropriate personnel to form the project
team.

3. PLANNING FOR ACTION

Week 3 – Presentation of statement of problem and trigger (by lecturer), assigning task(s) to each
group member, completing FILA table and conducting necessary research.

Week 4 & 5 – Completing FILA table, conducting necessary research, preparing slides
presentation and reporting progress.
All activities in group must be properly recorded (e.g. minutes of meeting). Each group must
report the progress of the given task to the lecturer (1 hour at the beginning or at the end of the
class).

Week 6 – Presentation (1 hour at the beginning or at the end of the class).

Each group will be given 4 minutes for presentation and 1 minute for Q&A session.

4. COMPLETION OF FILA TABLE

An example is provided here.

Facts Ideas Learning Issues Resources Needed

1. A person 1. All solid wastes 1. What are the 1. Find information through books and websites.
disposes and liquid waste elements or 2. Interview solid waste operator and DOE
waste daily mingle together strategies that executive to gain more knowledge on waste
without need to be management and Akta Pengurusan Sisa Pepejal
separation done to dan Pembersihan Awam 2007.
enhance waste 3. Comparison of waste generation data within
separation? countries or cities.
1. X1
2. Number of waste 2. X
produce per
person is quite
high in Malaysia

BFC 32703 Sustainable Construction Management - 2

5. ASSESSMENT PLAN

FILA Table and presentation materials Weightage Score

FILA Table ( in parallel to submitted
1 2 3 4 x 0.25 =
presentation slides or other materials)
1
Content ( elaboration on learning issues) 1 2 3 4 x 0.75 =
Reference ( as cited in submitted
1 2 3 4 x 0.25 =
presentation slides)
Generic skill
Communication 1 2 3 4 x 1.25 =
2
Teamwork 1 2 3 4 x 1.25 =
Problem solving, critical thinking 1 2 3 4 x 1.25 =
Total /20

BFC 32703 Sustainable Construction Management - 3