About Book
ETHICS in the real estate and hospitality industry
This handbook is based on a comprehensive analysis of 91 business
processes performed by design professionals. It identifies 900+
activities in these processes, that if performed correctly, will enable
significant improvements in the quality of design and construction,
project cost optimization, and customer-focused delivery. Timely
and accurate implementation of these activities would also
facilitate statutory compliances and increased efficiency in
designing processes.
The handbook would be valuable to architects, interior designers, MEP engineers and project managers, internal auditors/risk managers, and CEOs in driving higher sales revenues, profitability, and customer satisfaction.
The handbook would be valuable to architects, interior designers, MEP engineers and project managers, internal auditors/risk managers, and CEOs in driving higher sales revenues, profitability, and customer satisfaction.
About
About Author
The author, Arvind Dang, is a mechanical engineer from the Delhi College of Engineering and an MBA from the University Business School, Chandigarh, Punjab, India. He has also attained ISO 9001 certification for Quality systems from Cranfield University, U.K.; CISA-Certification from ISACA, U.S.A and BS7799 certification for Information security from BSL, U.K.
Arvind has served as a President of The Institute of Internal Auditors, Delhi Chapter, and been a governing board member of ISACA, Delhi
With a rich professional experience of 41 years in the Engineering and Real Estate Industry, he retired as the President-procurement and corporate services of a prominent real estate
company in India.
Overview of Ethical landscape
Design of HVAC works (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning works - Activities that can adversely impact business -
The Design of HVAC can be relevant for buildings used for residential, commercial, shopping malls, education institutes, hotels, hospitals, offices, etc. Various types of packages under MEP services have been captured in the previous blog and are not being duplicated. This blog covers the Design of HVAC works Generally, there are 8 Design stages for developing an HVAC package as summarized below, while the building could be for any end-use.Stage A) Develop a preliminary design brief and drawings Stage B) Detailed design /drawings /specifications and schemeStage C) Develop schematic drawings for statutory approvalsStage D) Develop tender with BOQ and specificationsStage E) Making constructions drawings duly coordinated (GFC)-Design and drawings for HVAC works: (Stage F) Perform final Design calculations Stage G) Making Cost estimates -For the entire project including in Rs and Cost/Sft. of the saleable area or built-up area or both Stage H) Issue “As-built drawing”-post-work completion and approval This may require using software such as Quick Allot, Revit MEP, AutoCAD HVAC, and other software options.In the below-listed activities, those marked *reflect those activities which can have adverse statutory implications. Stage A Activities that can adversely impact business · Strategic plans for design not aligned with visions · Developing non-comprehensive design brief (vis a vis Heat load, air circulation requirements, cooling load)· Skipping developing all preliminary designs Stage B Activities that can adversely impact business · Making Compromises in the HVAC works designs by skipping or compromising on essential aspects such as below. i)Design features vis a vis Heating works, Heat exchangers, Fan coil systems, Reverse cycle heating system, Distribution pipelines, Valves, Pumps, Fittings, Instrumentation and control, Local heating units, Chillers, VRV, Outdoor units, Indoor units, Centrifugal fans, jet fans, Ventilation, air conditioning, pipes, insulations, etc ii) National and international standards for quality iii) Specifications of BOQ material iv) Tolerances on workmanship vis a vis installation and commissioning· Not incorporating comprehensive Quality requirements · Not considering comprehensive Design-related construction processes for HVAC works · Design without considering standardization leading to higher costs · Inaccurate Bill of quantities for each design area /no off of HVAC package items · Not factoring in acceptance criteria for HVAC design work in process and completed area · MEP designer or consultant Insisting on specific brands of BOQ such as heat exchangers, valves, pumps for the Heating system, centrifugal pumps, jet pumps for the ventilation system and chillers, Outdoor units, indoor units of Air conditioners, etc. in collusion with vendors of specific brands of BOQ items and getting financial favors. * · Compromising specifications for the development of samples of HVAC materials in collusion with vendor/contractor. * · Using unlicensed software while developing HVAC designs. * · Issuing of design and drawings to HVAC contractor at project site without any version control · Not shredding waste designs/drawings or not deleting obsolete /old soft drawings* Stage C Activities that can adversely impact business · Not incorporating all requirements vis a vis Statutory approval and design/drawings*· Bribing mandatory Agencies which approve the safety-related specifications of HVAC design works relevant for safety, e.g. fume extraction, insulations, etc* · Contractors influence certifying agencies for making compromising on certification in return for favors. *Stage D Activities that can adversely impact business · Making tenders that are not comprehensive vis-à-vis technical specifications or are deliberately stated vaguely for subsequent manipulations amongst the MEP team members and contractor with ulterior motives. * · In the tender, the MEP consultant/employees /engineers include names and brands of specific materials only for pre-identified /preferred vendors of the BOQ materials + MEP Engineer in return for commission/kickback from such vendors. * · MEP engineer recommends only a single source for many BOQ materials and thus leaving very few options with the project materials team to negotiate prices aggressively in return for commission /kickback to the MEP team from such vendors. · Tender drawings not incorporating applicable quality standards for all works. · Tender drawings not incorporating applicable Statutory requirements vis-à-vis applicable National/International codes w.r.t safety. * Stage E Activities that can adversely impact business · Making constructions drawings inaccurate by not obtaining or not incorporating inputs from functions into various design elements for HVAC plans · Preparing coordinated drawings for each of relevant HVAC works scope items vis designs and drawings without factoring inputs from Architect team, Interior design team · Using unlicensed software while developing HVAC drawings Stage F Activities that can adversely impact business · Validating designs without proper incorporation of all proposed connected heat load, air circulation, and air conditioning at different progressive loads or estimated occupancy of constructed areas or pro-rata over a period · Considering the inaccurate proposed factor of safety & proposed statutory approvals * · Inadequate vetting of design efficacy and drawings developed vis-à-vis specification of BOQ materials and installation requirements. Stage G Activities that can adversely impact business · Estimating costs based on thumb rules rather than considering detailed working vis a vis each BOQ item (e.g., heat exchangers, valves, pumps, for the Heating system, centrifugal pumps, jet pumps for the ventilation system, and, chillers, Outdoor units, indoor units of Air conditioners, etc.), their quantity and estimated rates based on tender documents, designs & drawings-HVAC works · Not considering installation, testing, and commissioning costs Stage H Activities that can adversely impact business · Making “As-built drawings” designs and drawings without verification of actual supply and installation of each BOQ material for HVAC works * Handbook of the author You can read more about the 34 activities that can adversely impact business in Chapter 1 of my handbook ETHICS in the real estate and hospitality industry, Volume 1- Architectural, Interior design, and MEP services “
Risk assessments: - At the organization level- Design Functions- Design of Architect, Interior designing, and Design of MEP
Activities for Risk assessment The ultimate objective of risk assessment in design functions is to identify such risk occurrences, analyse these, and initiate countermeasures for preventing risks.The activities include i. Designate Risks Assessment team (CFT-Cross-functional team)ii. Identify aspects that can contribute to organization-level risk mentioned iii. Design risk assessment templates for the organization-level risk. iv. Software programming of risk templates. v. Populating the “organization level Risks” template by the design functions in consultation with CFT 1.1 Organisation-level risks – Developing risk assessment templates The design of the risk template ought to be comprehensive and should capture the following in a document. i)Risk statements developed by each Head of Department-HOD of the design functions i. e. Chief Architect or & Chief Interior designer or & Chief MEP engineer as applicable vis a vis the aspects such as:· End customer’s changing needs · Competitor’s offerings · Statutory policies· Changes in economic, political, and social environments· IT (Hardware, software, network) outages impacting design delivery, etc. ii) Thereafter, each risk statement is to be analyzed to capture the likely adverse impact of each risk on the organization iii) After analysis of impact, HODs need to capture (in the same template) countermeasures, Timelines for implementation & responsibility for implementing countermeasures. This may require dialoguing/interfacing with HOD of other functions like sales, projects, purchases, and contracts, Finance & legal, IT, etc. iv) Top management comments on risk impact and countermeasures identified in the template. iii)Accordingly, categorizing the risk as High or medium, or low 1.2 Activities that can adversely impact business§ Inappropriate levels /positions of CFT members vis-à-vis “Design functions” and consequent inadequate skills for comprehending organization risks § Inadequate participation by a nominated member of “Design functions” in deliberation meetings of CFT for identifying organization risks. § Inappropriate software development and workflow of “organization level risks” template (standard for all functions) making risk capturing cumbersome and inefficient § Non-comprehensive review by CFT of all aspects vis-à-vis “Design functions -” that can contribute to Organisation risks in the Risk template resulting in inaccurate/non-comprehensive capturing of the following: * § Risk statements § Risk Analysis and implications· Inaccurate classification by CFT of risk at the organization level (High, Medium, or Low) vis-à-vis “Design functions” due to improper risk analysis and implications *· Inadequate time commitment by top management to review Risk template developed by CFT vis-à-vis “Design functions” and hence non-comprehensive or not accurate capturing of countermeasures *· Non-periodic/non-timely review of previously populated risk template in “Design functions to incorporate changes in business environments like customer demands, statutory changes, economy changes, and so on *The above-listed activities, that are marked* reflect activities that can have adverse statutory implications. Handbook of the author You can read more about the 35 activities that can adversely impact business in Chapter 1 of my handbook ETHICS in the real estate and hospitality industry, Volume 1- Architectural, Interior design, and MEP services “ Handbook of the author A template illustrating an approach for classifying risks as High, Medium, or Low at the organization level is included in chapter 10 (annex 13C) in the handbook of the author and titled” ETHICS in the real estate and hospitality industry, Volume 1- Architectural, Interior design, and MEP services “
Designing of Façade: activities that can adversely impact business
Design activities include design work for facades of all types, such as Aluminium, UPVC Glazing, brickwork, and stonework, metallic cladding, tiles and stone veneer panels, and pre-cast concrete panels, etc. A robust façade design should typically include aspects such as Building envelop, Building statutory codes, Performance of façade, Construction methods for proposed façade, Maintenance of façade, renderings for sales promotion/marketing purposes, cleaning system for facade Generally, there are 5 design stages for designing façade · 1 Develop Concept designs · 2 Develop a Detailed design · 3 Develop Tenders (Technical design aspects · 4 Estimating Costs · 5 Issuing As-built drawing Issuing as-built drawings may require using Façade design software such as Fenestra, Autodesk Revit, AutoCAD, ETAB, etc., and other software options. The below-listed activities, those marked *reflect those activities which can have adverse statutory implications. Stage 1 activities that can adversely impact business · Not obtaining or not incorporating inputs (like Building Envelop, Building statutory codes, Performance of façade, Construction methods for proposed façade, Maintenance of façade, Renderings for sales promotion, cleaning system for façade) from Architect, MEP, sales teams’ functions into Building Façade design · Using unlicensed software while developing a concept design for Façade. · Not vetting the concept and detailed design/making compromise while vetting Façade, in collaboration with, inhouse or outsourced Façade consultant, by skipping or compromising on essential design features and drawings aspects such as below. · Tolerances on material specifications and Workmanship · Statutory code-related requirements for Façade * · National and international standards for quality · Raw Materials (hardware, glazing, stones, claddings, etc.) sizes, and specifications · Quality requirements and suggestive gauging · Façade safety requirements * · Compromising on the safety of the Façade by proposing low cost /low strength raw materials · Bribing mandatory Agencies which approve the Façade. relevant for issuing compliance* Stage 2 activities that can adversely impact business · The design intent is not aligned with the approved concept design. · Façade detailed drawings are not comprehensive to include structural integrity, material selection, acoustics, etc. or are not accurate · Detailed design not based on supporting calculations/formula related to thermal movements, edge beam deflection, thermal expansion, structural calculations, and fire protection leading to façade safety issues* Stage 3 activities that can adversely impact business · In the tender, Façade Architect includes names and brands of specific materials only for pre-identified /preferred vendors of Façade Architect in return for commission/kickback from such vendors. · Façade Architect recommends only a single source for many BOQ materials and thus leaving very few options with the project materials team to negotiate prices aggressively in return for commission/kickback from such vendors. * · Tender drawings do not incorporate applicable quality standards for all works. · Inspection requirements w.r.t. façade works like aluminum and glass, doors, hardware, stones, etc., are not comprehensive. · Tender drawings not incorporating applicable statutory requirements vis-a-vis applicable national/international codes w.r.t safety. * Stage 4 activities that can adversely impact business Computing Façade costs based on thumb rules rather than on the first principal basis vis-à-vis following, leading to underestimating or overestimating project costs. Costs of raw materials like Aluminium or UPVC or civil materials · Costs of doors and handles · Costs of hardware · Costs of consumables · Costs of equipment for cleaning /maintenance of Façade · Costs of fabrication · Costs of labor etc. · Costs of installation, testing, and commissioning Stage 5 activities that can adversely impact business · Façade Architect issuing “As-built drawings” for the Façade which are aligned to earlier approved drawings by Project head and statutory authorities (if applicable) but at variant, vis-à-vis actual completed physical construction (in terms of approved façade plans and construction materials used, etc.) * Handbook of the author You can read more about the 20 activities that can adversely impact business in Chapter 1 of my handbook ETHICS in the real estate and hospitality industry, Volume 1- Architectural, Interior design, and MEP services “
The purpose of this book is to provide some practical ideas to Architects, interior designers, and MEP designers to enhance their skills in delivering design excellence.:
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