CMA3003: The Built Environment Assignment Sample

Introduction To The Built Environment

An Introduction towards the built environment which can be referred to as the "human-made surroundings" critically provides the background for human actions involving the supporting infrastructures. The built environment can be considered to be the spatial, cultural and material product concerning human labour critically combining the physical aspects and energy structures in different living formats. The inclusion of the aspects or components involves bridges, roads and railway structures. The inclusion of the aspects or components involves bridges, roads and railway structures. In discussing the built environment of the UK the selection of the Crossrail project, the construction of "The Elizabeth Line".

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This assignment discusses multiple aspects of one of the construction projects that took place in the UK where the identification of major professional bodies included and discussion of the advantages of the "construction industry to the UK economy and society". It proceeded with investigating various construction industrial sectors of the Crossrail project in the UK where the identification of primary "professional and professional bodies". The thesis statement of the essay argues that the overall built environment of the UK economy is possibly assessed significantly with the derivation of the example of the “Crossrail project, the Elizabeth Line”.

Main discussion

Investigation of different sectors concerning the construction industry operating within the “built environment”

The division of the "construction industry" critically produces wider product ranges along with enterprises working within the construction domains which are possible to be segregated into significant sectors emerging from this segment namely infrastructure, industrial and buildings. The building construction can be illustrated as the procedure concerning additional structure here typical constructional activities can be undertaken by the property owner and can get divided moreover as "residential and non-residential". Infrastructure constructions are commonly subjected to "heavy civil or heavy engineering" and involve larger dams, bridges, railways, highways, wastewater and public works (Oyindoubra, 2022). Industrial construction involves offshore construction which majorly indicates energy installations, quarrying, refineries, mining, power generation, chemical processing, manufacturing plants and mills. The projects related to public construction imply the procedure of “designing, constructing, reconstructing, renovating and altering” the public building and any other structural formats. The "private construction projects" can be commissioned along with paid for by various private institutions, building owners and businesses.

The major difference projected between "private and public construction projects" concerns that private projects are coming to be funded by multiple private organisations whereas "public construction projects" can be associated with significant rules that are determined to be either state or federal government. As mentioned by Boadu et al. (2021), more individuals are interested in determining how "public sectors" spend their funds, how they spend it and to assess how well the project is performing. On the other hand, companies within the private sector might include significant investors as well. Transparency within the "public construction projects" is increasingly important as these organisations are operated by the government and include components like equal opportunities and contract pricing. On the contrary, transparency within "private construction sectors" are not stricter, however, the projection of important information provided to the stakeholders of the projects might be necessary.

Example of the “construction project in the UK”

The chosen "construction project" encountered in the construction industry of the UK refers to the "Crossrail: The Elizabeth Line" where the project value amounted to £18.9 billion. The primary contractor of this project was "Canary Wharf Contractors (CWC)" where phase 1 was completed in June 2022, phase 2 was completed in August 2022 and phase 3 was completed in May 2023. The Crossrail which is currently named the "Elizabeth Line" can be considered to be Europe's largest "railway infrastructure project" which is a "73-mile rapid transit system" (crossrail.co.uk, 2023). Crossrail connects the 2 major lines of London namely the "Great Western Main Line and the Great Eastern Main Line".

Crossrail was initially proposed to the "UK Parliament in 1991" but got rejected, The Crossrail project started in "May 2009" where the project marked its formal initiation of construction projects with a significant event at "Canary Wharf" which was attended by the former Rail Minister and the "Mayor of London". Though the construction project started in 2009 however, due to the consequences of heavy delay the construction process was finally completed. The "TfL and the Department for Transport" rail services were initiated between Sheinfield and Liverpool Street in May 2015 for constructing the Elizabeth line (tfl.gov.uk, 2023). This project was completed and its central section was inaugurated by "Elizabeth II on 24th May 2022" however getting fully completed in 2023. 26 miles of "new rail tunnel" were exhausted under the roads of London in making the "Elizabeth Line" a truth. 8, "1000-tonne tunnelling machines" were utilised to bore these "6.2m diameter rail tunnels" under London (london.gov.uk, 2023). The tunnelled material was employed to make unique natural resources on "Wallasea Island, Essex". In 2022, the road between "Paddington and Abbey Wood" was extended to the London public. About 1 million or more passengers utilised "the Elizabeth Line" in its initial operation days whereas almost "200 million passengers" appreciate the Crossrail route annually.

The description of the "types of activities" taking place within the primary phases of "the Crossrail project" is explained as follows:

• May 2009: The foundation of the railway project was laid at the Canary Wharf issuing significant purchase orders where most of the orders were shipped on "behalf of the project" signalling the "beginning of preparatory work".
• October 2010: Due to the changes within the political aspects in the UK brought changes in the spending properties of the government as the budget was cut by £1 billion from £1.3 billion as Crossrail was delayed.
• May 2012: During this time, the "tunnelling phase of the Crossrail project" was initiated and critically lasting to the past 3 years involving the construction of huge 8 tunnelling machines. 150 meters in length and 1000 tonnes could bore almost 38 meters each day in the collection where boring continued with "more than 200000 segments" for tunnels joining and creating the 42 kilometres.
• January 2014: Increasing warnings from "UK's National Audit Office" concerning delays took place for the Crossrail project, which oversaw the construction of lines along with stations. This was acknowledged by TfL where the organisation was significantly funded by "the transport operator and the Uk government department for transport".
• March 2014: During this time, one of the construction workers died while employed in this Crossrail project where "Renè Tká?ik" worked as a construction staff to "spray tunnel walls with concrete when a section of the roof fell". His death was proposed to be a great incident resulting in the construction company acquiring weighty fines of £1 million from the "Health and Safety Executive". On the other hand, there existed other deaths from construction-related incidents along with injuries where drivers and cyclists were implicated in accidents.
• July 2018: The Crossrail project was continuously delayed which was hit with cost pressures that resulted in the overall budget getting increased. This project significantly encountered challenges of complicated signalling systems and construction waits required prompt operations kept on getting delayed from "December 2018".
• April 2019: Further increases for budgets through the financial packages allocated by TfL, the "London Mayor's office and the UK government" was contemplated.
• October 2019: The challenges propelled by ill working conditions where the deaths of 5 workers were encountered where Crossrail Limited demanded the most elevated standards regarding safety and health prospects across the overall project. The organisation continued working closely with "Bond Street contractor Costain Skanska Joint Venture" supporting the case.
• March 2020: Continuous delays projected in Crossrail projects ushered to further delays due to the Covid-19 pandemic occurring globally; based on the "Public Accounts Committee report in October 2021" an additional £23 million was expected to be borne on the project budget which was previously inflated. In this case, Crossrail was compelled to abandon various plans which were supposed to get opened in the summer of 2020, critically postponed to the "1st half of 2022".
• March 2021: Handover by the TfL continued with the Farringdon station critically becoming the latest contact where the other stations like "Tottenham Court Road, Woolwich, Liverpool Street, and Paddington" were also transferred. Apart from significant challenges and issues created by the Crossrail project, this was finally completed in 2022.

Identification of the major “professional and professional bodies” involved in the selected UK project

The required identification of professional bodies in the selected Crossrail project affects appropriately conducting the required implication. As per the view of Lobo and Abid (2020), the use of an adequate way to select the Crossrail project in the UK has adequately helped in analysing the required association of the professionals and making a reflection on the way to evaluate their role adequately. The required analysis on the way to evaluate effective valuation in the crisis rail project has helped in understanding that there are several aspects and role which is definitely used by the professionals in adequately completing the project. It has adequately estimated that the Crossrail program is fully implicated with the "complex stakeholder environment".

The required analysis on the way to conduct valuation related to the observed changes in the "complex stakeholder environment" has implied to state required professionals who are engaged with the project and each has a defined role in adequately completing the work. It has been adequately analysed that the UK "Crossrail project" has two major sponsors "Department for Transport (DfT) and Transport for London (TfL)" that has made implications on the way to conduct valuation appropriately and effectively. It has also stated the required reporting measures to both sponsors to the respective aspects. It has integrated that the DfT has to adequately report to the "Secretary of State for Transport (SOS)" about each of the defined work activities in the crisis rail project (london.gov.uk, 2023). On the other hand, TfL has to effectively report to the "Mayor of London" about the work progress and any type of arises issue in the work. The required analysis of the work activity work progress and barriers at the time of conducting progress in the project has been effectively estimated and analysed by the other associated responsible person in the project.
The valuation of required sponsors in the Crossrail project has effectively made changes in the way to conduct work valuation in a defined manner. It has effectively stated that the "CRL Executive Directors" needed to effectively report to the Sponsor Board (SB). The working level with the defined professionalism has needed to make a reflection on the way to conduct overall work implication with a stated range in the Crossrail project in a defined manner. The accumulation of the state work related to overall sponsors has needed to compile and upgrade the required level of sponsors at the adequate range. the proper implication of changes in the decision-making process is effectively run by properly organising the "Joint Sponsor Team (JST)" who is effectively working with the CRL to adequately implement decisions that have taken by both sponsors. The required analysis on the way to complete integration has needed to effectively conduct operations with the other related person in the project. As per the reference of Pinto (2022), the valuation of the required appointment for a Project Representative in the project is implicated by the JST's proper effective track of progress and makes integration on the way to accomplish changes in a defined manner. The proper analysis of valuation of the effective role and responsibility by the project representative has been analysed to conduct work operations in a defined and adequate manner.

The prior valuation of the defined directors' names in the project has effectively estimated with the integration of other associated ranges in an appropriate manner. The stated name of the directors has implicated that the chairman of the project is "Terry Morgan CBE" and the Chief Executive is "Rob Holden CBE". There are two Executive Directors "David Allen and Andy Mitchel" for the respective "Finance Director and Programme Director" (london.gov.uk, 2023). It has also analysed the required names of non-executive directors as "Michael Cassidy CBE, Patrick Crawford, Sir Joe Dwyer, Heather Rabbatts CBE, Sir Mike Hodgkinson – TfL nominee and Robert Jennings CBE – DfT nominee" (london.gov.uk, 2023). It has effectively stated that the non-executive directors of the project are fully responsible for accomplishing work and make integration at the time of running the Crossrail project in a defined and appropriate manner.

Highlighting the benefits concerning the construction industry within the UK economy along with local communities

The in-depth analysis of the relevance and effectiveness of Cross rail construction projects in the UK has reduced the journey time and provided additional capacity to travellers. The unnecessary fatigue in transportation has been reduced after the inclusion and introduction of the cross-rail project in the UK. This project has expanded through a 100 km range in London from Abbey Wood to Shanfield in the eastern area and Heathrow and Reading in the western side (tfl.gov.uk, 2021). However, this project has not only provided a transportation facility to the population of eastern and western London but also provided higher financial support to the legal authority of the country. It has been identified that the evolution of the cross-rail project has maximised the ROI, effectively demonstrated the monetary value and provided stability in the financial condition of the construction industry.

The Cross rail project has continuously examined the interest of the people to use rail projects to travel from one place to another. It has outlined that the Cross rail project has effectively employed or hired up skilled labourers or workers in the UK. The cross-rail project has created 62% of business by supplying materials to another country (tfl.gov.uk, 2022). It has been observed that Cross Rail has introduced or developed the “Cross rail investment model (CIM)” to create a positive impact on the economic condition of the country by creating employment. It has been noted that Cross Rail has involved the private sector to collect and introduce funds and avoid economic crises and improve the expansion rate in the market. The project will be expected to save 2.5 million of the carbonic emissions from transportation and promote sustainability in the environment.

The above graph depicts the actual cost incurred by the project to deliver transportation services to the population. It has been noted that the cost of the construction Cross rail project has increased to 15940 by summing up all expenses in the project (Muruganandan et al. 2022). This has depicted that this construction project has employed a higher rate of the UK population. The cross-rail project has improved the revenue of the UK by spending a huge amount on transportation; this has created a demand for transportation in the UK. It has been noted from the construction report of the UK that the Cross rail project has undertaken a one-network and two-network railway systems by spending 2980 million in 2021 (Landis, 2022). The central authority has introduced central section work to provide legality and assurance to the project.

It has been noted that the Cross rail project has introduced to strength and identification of the construction industry by the population in the UK. It has been observed that after the eradication or “outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic”, there has been an issue in the transportation project due to health concerns. This has created delivery issues in the project and the growth rate has been strangled (apm.org.uk, 2023). This has led to a loss in employment due to a decline in the revenue of the project. However, the executive of the project has mitigated the issue by introducing strong transportation strategies. This has provided growth in housing & jobs and surged the billion pounds to the industry of the UK (london.gov.uk, 2021). The project has boosted the capacity and raised the connections of people by providing affordable journey costs and time to more than 200 million people yearly. The project has increased the connections among the community and promoted trade and commerce activity among the different cities of the country by providing effective transportation facilities.

Reflection on the Chosen “UK construction project”

I have selected this project due to its approach to promoting various areas of the country and avoiding certain economic issues from the UK. The critical analysis of the relevant papers on the Cross rail project I have noted that this project has provided both economic and sustainable growth in the UK. The above section has cleared that the project has created 62% employment in the construction industry and reduced the emission of carbon by 2.5 million tonnes. This is evidence that this project has provided health and financial benefits to the population of the UK.

The “Cross rail construction project” has cut off the length of journey time which has reduced the fatigue in the journey and encouraged the population to use this service to travel. I have noted that this project has required nearly 120 million in cost but provided revenue of 2 billion during the year. This project has promoted both economic and sustainable conditions in the UK. However, this project has reduced the emission of carbon and promoted sustainability in the workplace. I expect that this project will promote the rank of the country in the health index, transportation and economic growth in future.

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Conclusion

The “Elizabeth Line” runs from Heathrow and Reading in the western part via Central tunnels covering Abbey Wood and Sheinfield located in the eastern parts. It covers a total of 41 stations where 10 new railway stations are constructed within the "central London section". In 2017, new trains were initiated to run between the mentioned stations followed by in 2018 services in western London ran as a part of the "Great Western inner suburban service". In 2019, services were started between Reading and Paddington where in 2022; "Queen Elizabeth II" opened the line therefore bringing together the newer section having 10 railway stations under "central London" with existing "TfL rail services" for the creation of a new railway construction. Moreover, highlights the benefits projected from the UK construction industry to be projected on the "UK economy and local communities".

This is concluded with a reflective indication regarding the reason for choosing the Crossrail project and a projection of recommendations for improving the project. The thesis statement is accepted as the arguments presented were established justifiably as the overall built environment in the UK economy was depicted through the critical evaluation of the Crossrail project. The growth rate and employment generation ability of this project has attracted my interest to conduct an in-depth analysis of the project.

Reference

• apm.org.uk (2023) Crossrail Project 2019 to 2023 Available at: https://www.apm.org.uk/v2/media/10vnyi1q/crossrail-project-2019-to-2023-completing-the-elizabeth-line-apm-journal.pdf [Accessed on: 1st July 2023]
• apm.org.uk (2023), Crossrail Project 2019 to 2023: Completing the Elizabeth Line. Available at: https://www.apm.org.uk/v2/media/10vnyi1q/crossrail-project-2019-to-2023-completing-the-elizabeth-line-apm-journal.pdf [Accessed on: 1st July 2023]
• Boadu, E.F., Sunindijo, R.Y. and Wang, C.C., 2021. Health and safety considerations in the procurement of public construction projects in Ghana. Buildings, 11(3), p.128.
• crossrail.co.uk (2023), Crossrail – Crossrail. Available at: https://www.crossrail.co.uk/ [Accessed on: 1st July 2023]
• Landis, J.D., 2022. Unfinished business Crossrail. Megaprojects for Megacities: A Comparative Casebook, p.133.
• Lobo, S. and Abid, A.F., 2020. The role of social media in intrastakeholder strategies to influence decision-making in a UK infrastructure megaproject: Crossrail 2. Project Management Journal, 51(1), pp.96-119.
• london.gov.uk (2023) Crossrail / The Elizabeth Line Available at: https://www.london.gov.uk/transport/rail-and-underground/crossrail-elizabeth-line [Accessed on: 1st July 2023]
• london.gov.uk (2023) Crossrail Governance Organisation for Delivery Available at: https://www.london.gov.uk/media/6520/download#:~:text=The%20Project%20has%20two%20Sponsors,to%20the%20Mayor%20of%20London. [Accessed on: 1st July 2023]
• london.gov.uk (2023), Crossrail: The project at a glance. Available at: https://www.london.gov.uk/sites/default/files/crossrail_-_project_at_a_glance.pdf [Accessed on: 1st July 2023]
• Muruganandan, K., Davies, A., Denicol, J. and Whyte, J., 2022. The dynamics of systems integration: Balancing stability and change on London's Crossrail project. International Journal of Project Management, 40(6), pp.608-623.
• Oyindoubra, D., 2022. Human Resource Management Skills Needed for Employee Effectiveness in Construction Companies in Rivers State. International Journal of Social Science and Management Studies, 1(2).
• Pinto, J.K., 2022. Reassessing project practices, research, and theory in a post-Covid reality. International Journal of Information Systems and Project Management, 10(4), pp.5-27.
• tfl.gov.uk (2023), Elizabeth line. Available at: https://tfl.gov.uk/corporate/about-tfl/culture-and-heritage/londons-transport-a-history/elizabeth-line#:~:text=Crossrail%20work%20begins,-In%20December%202008&text=In%20May%202009%2C%20Crossrail%20marked,London%20and%20the%20Rail%20Minister. [Accessed on: 1st July 2023]