Paper Example on Technical Detailing

Abstract

Technology has significantly been impacted on modern lives especially the industries. Construction and building industry are one of the industries that have been significantly affected by the use of technology. Technical or architectural detailing is one of the major developments in the industry that impact its success and sustainability. Although architectural processes have been performed historically, emerging technologies especially the use of computers has significantly changed its nature. Computer-aided designs have significantly replaced hand-drafting. However, the complexity of the computer applications has reduced its applicability, especially for small residential projects. In this regard, this study sought to investigate how technical detailing can improve small residential projects in the UK. The research used a mixed methods approach. A thorough literature analysis was conducted together with data from reports and technical documents evaluated. From the analysis, it was established that technical detailing improves on the project management, increases durability, reduces chances of errors, and thus the overall customer satisfaction. Therefore, it was recommended that architects and developers should embrace the use of technical detailing especially CAD for small residential houses in the UK to improve on project sustainability.

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Key words: Computer-aided design, technical detailing, hand-drafting,

Chapter 1: Introduction

1.1 Background Information

Technology has been impacting on every aspect of our lives especially reshaping the direction of our industries. One of the industries that have been significantly impacted by the changing technology is the construction industry (Braidwood 2017). However, it has been established that the construction industry is always slow when it comes to adopting technical solutions considering the complexity of the industry. However, the increased demand for environmental conservation and sustainability, as well as the need for efficiency, has necessitated the use of various technologies such as technical detailing to solve the challenges. It has been established that architects have been understandably focusing on the initial conditions for the building (Braidwood 2017). In this regard, the use of various diagrams has become an important perspective to improve on the final projects and also ensure their sustainability. Researchers have demonstrated that the use of this technology has a wide range of benefits in the completion of the projects. In this regard, the recent availability of the automated designs as well as the production techniques has impacted on the development of building details. It should be noted that with the algorithmic design approaches as well as the use of digital fabrication has created new abilities for the architects which aid in the design details that meet the standards and specifications for sustainability (Dening & Elmer 2017). This explains why many developers are increasingly studying new technologies that aid in development of even better construction projects.

Architectural detailing has been imperative in the construction industry as it gives the introduction to important basics for the drawing details for proper and standard construction. Besides, technical detailing has been noted to have extreme importance as they give the theoretical expression as well as the technical character, its impact in the production process, as well as the assembly of the same which entails an ecological footprint. Contemporary architecture has, therefore, shown an increased interest in the detailing which cannot be confused with the return for the appreciation to the work of artisans (Dernie 2010). This new interest has been noted to be related to the recent re-involvement of the architect regarding the physical making of the construction projects due to the result of the digital technologies. Various building construction projects such as the Westend Gate Tower has demonstrated the importance of architectural detailing in the building industry. Its application led to efficient collaboration and development of proper drainage systems, cladding as well as the structural joints that are assembled by the designers as well as the manufacturers (Giesecke 2016). The development illustrated how contemporary practice has revitalized through the new details which have offered an opportunity to readjust the diminishing psychological roles.

Technical detailing has also been noted to be a significant development regarding the other technology-based trends that have arisen in the industry for both commercial and small residential buildings (Dernie 2010). These technologies that are imperative in the modern industry include green buildings, solar roofing, and modular construction among others. Technical detailing has shown importance in the integration of these technologies in the actual projects. For example, green buildings have become imperative for both the residential and commercial sectors. Through technical detailing in most parts of the world, the residential sector has started to catch up with the technology and practice which means that the sector can develop environmentally-friendly buildings (Gudde 2018). Solar roofing is another practice that has been made possible by the recent technological advances in the architectural sector that facilitate architectural designs that can incorporate the changing trends. Through the use of proper architectural practices, the construction has been able to transform the raw materials into useful buildings which are sustainable (Goetsch Nelson & Chalk 1989). However, there have been concerns with the construction costs, especially for small residential homes. Many people have been torn between ensuring durability by adopting technology and reducing the cost. In this regard, researchers have been seeking to investigate how the use of technical detailing can reduce project overall costs and improve their sustainability.

1.2 Problem Statement

Technical detailing has been a common practice in the development of building projects across the globe. However, the use of various approaches has faced numerous limitations considering that little evidence-based reports have been developed to establish its usability vis-a-vis the cost incurred especially for the small residential buildings (Gudde 2018). There is little awareness among the developers regarding the overall benefits of the method in the construction industry. In this regard, despite the advocation for architectural detailing in the UK especially the use of BIM, there has been little progress regarding collaboration in the construction (Lee, Park & Song 2018). Developers have noted that the main challenge is that all the stakeholders do not understand the requirements and efficiency improvements done in an operational sense. In this regard, it is important to study and understand the importance of technical detailing from an operational value by analyzing the indicators of performance when each tool is used. While these tools have been investigated independently regarding their importance, the engagement with important stakeholders in the industry has not been established (Li, Zheng, Si & Xu 2019). Engagement with stakeholders enables understanding of their views regarding the issues they experience in the construction industry and how the approaches can facilitate effectiveness in completing and maintenance of the projects. In this regard, the research will identify the improvement areas considering a stakeholders' perspective and hence recommend the best methods for the expansion and utilization to improve the structural residential buildings in the UK.

1.3 Research Aim and Objectives

1.3.1 Research Aim

This research aims at assessing the effectiveness of different management tools for construction processes in small residential projects in the UK.

1.3.2 Objectives

To investigate the overall significance of technical detailing in the construction industry in the UK for small residential buildings.

To examine the impact of technical detailing in the reduction of project failure in the construction industry in the UK.

To compare the significance of different construction management tools that involve hand-drafting and CAD.

1.4 Research Questions

What is the significance of technical detailing in the construction industry in the UK for small residential buildings?

To what extent does the technical detailing reduce project failure in the construction industry in the UK?

What are the significant differences between hand-drafting and CAD techniques in project management?

1.5 Significance of the Study

Technical detailing bears numerous benefits in the construction industry, and one of its importance is that it identifies all the materials needed in the construction process, eliminating delays during the actual construction (Li et al. 2019). However, this aspect has not been extensively researched, and many developers, especially for residential buildings in the UK, have not embraced the architectural works extensively. However, this research will highlight how before the construction process commences, technical detailing can be done to capture all the materials necessary before the blueprints are issued out. It has been established that the drawings for the proposed building are taken to the construction authorities to determine their correctness and offer directives on parts where omissions are present (Ozkan & Yildirim 2016). This information aids in the calculation of the budget required to complete the proposed building as a failure to capture such information leads to delays due to the time taken to include the omitted aspects. With the appropriate technical detailing, the architects can easily determine the duration required to complete the building. In this case, a smooth construction process is achieved as the architects have prior knowledge of every item needed for the construction process. This research, will, therefore, outline the aspects of technical detailing that can be used in the modern practice in the small residential b...