Adaptation or Refurbishment of Building

Figure 1: Refurbished of Red House in Melaka (Profile, 2012)

In this lesson, I learnt about the factor to be considered for building refurbishment. In Malaysia, developers always use to demolish to overcome the poor condition of building and build another new building instead of carry out repair work to change the condition of building. They only carry out refurbish work on the historical building such as the Red House in Melaka. I also noticed that most of the old building and poor building condition will be refurbish instead of demolition due to sustainability concern. 

Through this lesson, I think that not all building is necessary to carry out refurbishment when the building is in very bad condition. For example, the poor foundation of building is require to demolish as it may collapse in future that will harm to the people in the building as well as the surrounding buildings. There is one case happened in China where a condominium had collapse due to the poor foundation and soil condition that affect the value of surrounding building (Hoax-slayer.com, 2010). However, I still supporting refurbishment on old building or poor condition building as it is cost saving and sustainable to the environment and building itself. This lesson has boarded my knowledge to the refurbishment that allow me adopt in my future career and also to my colleagues which develop more sustainable development in Malaysia. 

Please feel free visit my padlet wall about my propose office building in Matilda Street: http://padlet.com/Hazelyq/k29vhs4drusl

Reference:

• Profile, V. (2012). Beautiful places in Malaysia: melaka red house. [online] Ucsimars.blogspot.co.uk. Available at: http://ucsimars.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/melaka-red-house.html [Accessed 1 Aug. 2014].
• Hoax-slayer, (2010). Collapse Of 13 Story Building in China. [online] Available at: http://www.hoax-slayer.com/13-story-buliding-collapse-china.shtml [Accessed 1 Aug. 2014].

Sustainable Development

What is a sustainable development? Most people misunderstood that sustainable development is a green building including me. Through the lecture of sustainable development by Ms. Liew, I have understand the concept of sustainable development can be interpreted in many different ways, but at its core is an approach to development that looks to balance different, and often competing, needs against an awareness of the environmental, social and economical limitations we face as a society (Sd-commissioning, 2011). 

Not only that, I also learnt that sustainable development is not only about environmental friendly but also about the local economics, community social and movement of people into that area. A sustainable development is able to improve the economics of the town as the existing developments will increase the local employment which mean increasing of job opportunity to the local as well as balancing the community. The distinctive design of development will attract the buyer and people to move into this area. Therefore, the movement and accessibility of development is important because it is allow people to move in or visiting in convenient way. However, sustainable development is not only meet the human current needs but also should not sacrifice the needs of future generation. 

Figure 1: The concept of sustainable development (Credit to Ms. Liew)

Green building is getting popular in Malaysia but the concept of sustainable development is not being applied in the development project in Malaysia as most of them do not understand about it. However, there is not much of professional or specialist in the green building industry therefore I thought that it is a good chance for me to study this lesson from UK and it is useful when I'm working in this industry in Malaysia. During proposing a development, I feel hard to propose a sustainable development by following the planning policy and because there is a lot of restriction for the reservation land. Yet with the concept of sustainable development given by Ms. Liew, it allows me to design a sustainable development in an easier way which helps to me save a lot of time. It also allow me to focus more on the safety and environment matter during the design stage. For example, the river is located besides of subject land so during the construction period it may pollute the river. Therefore a solution to prevent pollution is needed during the planning stage. In this case, we can get assistance from  Environment Agency, NIEA and SEPA to minimize the river pollution (Environment Agency, 2010).  

Please feel free visit my padlet wall about my propose office building in Matilda Street: http://padlet.com/Hazelyq/k29vhs4drusl

References:

• Environment Agency, (2010). Working at construction and demolition sites: PPG6 Pollution Prevention Guidelines [online] Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/290139/pmho0412bwfe-e-e.pdf [Assessed 22 Jul. 2014].
• Sd-commission, (2014). What is sustainable development · Sustainable Development Commission. [online] Available at: http://www.sd-commission.org.uk/pages/what-is-sustainable-development.html [Accessed 22 Jul. 2014].

Market Analysis of Building Development

Through this lesson, I had learnt PESTLE analysis which I never learn before in Malaysia as I always using SWOT analysis most of the time that allow me to investigate viability of a construction company and project. PESTLE analysis is about the general marketing condition of a particular place which include Political, Economics, Social, Technology and Legal. It will based on these key considerations to analyze the suitability of type of development. 

During the tutorial class, me and group-mates were discuss about the viability of student accommodation on Matilda Street with SWOT analysis. Through the discussion, we had notice the supply of student accommodation in Sheffield is more than the demand which has caused surplus situation in Sheffield. In other word, we think that it is not suitable to build a student accommodation on our subject site at Matilda Street. Not only our group discussion, we also had discussion with other groups who done PESTLE analysis which allow me more familiar with the PESTLE analysis.

This lesson has enhanced my knowledge on market appraisal of a project development which allow me to use it on my career when I'm working in construction or real estate industry as well as investment.

Please feel free visit my padlet wall about my propose office building in Matilda Street: http://padlet.com/Hazelyq/k29vhs4drusl

The Planning System in UK (Construction Industry)

Through the week 4 lecture and seminar, I learnt about the English Planning System and Planning Application System that related to the development of construction project. As last post had mentioned the important of zoning that might affect the type of development that going to build on the land; through the guidance provided by our lecturer, Sam Moorwood, I am able to understand the zoning and usage of subject land through the website of Sheffield City Council as well as the Sheffield City Policies, proposal map and Sheffield Core Strategy. These information will helping developer/contractor get approval from planning permission with the lesser probability of rejection from Local Planning Authority. From this lesson, I also have learnt that all skill, information and decision making should be followed by the CIOB competencies framework to obtain the planning permission.

From the lecture, I also had learnt the different step or type of Local Plan Policy Framework to obtain planning permission in UK which are LDP and UDP. However, the planning permission of Dewan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur (DBKL), Malaysia is different with the UK's planning permission. For example, there is a lot of planning departments in DBKL but all of the documents and development proposal should be approved by the One Stop Centre (OSC) (DBKL, 2013). Although the Local Plan Policy Framework of UK is not applicable in Malaysia but there is a few key of consideration is useful to apply into the documents during planning the development. As a conclusion, this lesson benefits me a lot as I learn the differences of UK and Malaysia which allow me to think more perspective way during planning the development and I am also able to know more about the planning system in UK which will be another new knowledge for me to improve myself and my country too.

Please feel free visit my padlet wall about my propose office building in Matilda Street: http://padlet.com/Hazelyq/k29vhs4drusl

Reference:

• DBKL, (2013). Official Portal of Kuala Lumpur City Hall - Official Portal of Kuala Lumpur City Hall. [online] Available at: http://www.dbkl.gov.my/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=233&Itemid=805&lang=en [Accessed 7 Aug. 2014].

Site and Location Analysis

  After an inspection and discussion with my team-mates, we had decided to propose a mixed development. During discussion I had learnt that to propose a development is not only consider type of development that going to build but we also have to consider buildings around the subject property which including site analysis, location analysis, zoning and etc. Site analysis is an element in site planning and design (Wikipedia, 2014). The important of carrying out site analysis is checking whether the project is suitable on that site such as ground condition, topography. We also should considering the land zoning before proposing a project development because we have to meet the local authority requirement as there are some land has the restriction on the change of use. As if such proposed development is not fit the zoning, contractor should apply for change of use with the strong of reasons from Local Authority to build such building.

Figure 1: The important element to achieve high profit from a development (credit to Sam Moorwood)

  Through this module, I think it is good to carry out a site and location analysis before proposing the type of development that going to built on the land because different land has different ground condition. Yet we are not able to check the ground condition due to no machinery supply. We also not familiar with current market condition of Sheffield and its history therefore it may provide an not accurate information to our client. As Malaysia and United Kingdom has different of policy and zoning therefore it is hard for us to get familiar with the Sheffield zoning of land. It may not be useful in Malaysia due to different zoning, regulation and administrative but it is not bad to get a new knowledge about the land policy of United Kingdom. I should do more survey and research about the surrounding of subject land and market condition of Sheffield as well as zoning to get more familiar about it. Not only that, walking around that near to subject land and assistant of lecturer will helping a lot in this assignment.

Please feel free visit my padlet wall about my propose office building in Matilda Street: http://padlet.com/Hazelyq/k29vhs4drusl

Reference:

• Wikipedia, (2014). Site analysis. [online] Available at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Site_analysis [Accessed 25 Jun. 2014].

Inspection at Matilda Street

On the 10th Jun 2014, I had assigned to carry out a site inspection on subject property at Matilda Street with my group-mates to investigate the property. It is took about 5 minutes walking distance to the subject property from Sheffield Hallam University. The equipment that had been used to assist us during the inspection are measuring tape, laser tape measure and mobile phone to take photos. The property was used as a storage and it is unoccupied with unfurnished. It is an adjoining land that surrounded by commercial property. The building has consists 3 levels, the ground floor is use as storage, first floor is empty and some fixture and the second floor is an office space with lots of interval. There is an empty land which uses as parking spaces for the building.

The furniture was store at the first floor

The interior of first floor

The random wiring on the floor

From the pictures have shown that the danger of the building due to the disorderly of furniture where the student is hard to walk through for inspection and may harm to the person who inside the building. Not only that, the random of wiring also danger to the student as well. It may causes the student fall down or electric shock if the electric isn't switch off. 

The stripped staircase carpet

The wall crack

The growth of mould on the ceiling 

The deterioration of ceiling board

The cement falls from the ceiling

Through the pictures have shown that the building is in poor condition due to no reparation work carry out. Yet, the causes of defects were unknown due to lack of knowledge on building and we only able to inspect the interior of building for once that we couldn't carry out detail inspection. Luckily is we do have Building Pathology subject in our course and thus we able to inspect the subject building again and our lecturer, Mr. Richard was explained about the defect causes which enable us to understand more. 

Please feel free visit my padlet wall about my propose office building in Matilda Street: http://padlet.com/Hazelyq/k29vhs4drusl