Project Management in Building Construction

The placement of the Construction Materials and Systems course in the first year of the Master's Degree in Construction Process Management - Project Management represents an initial approach to technological disciplines, and therefore the first opportunity to understand (first) the why and (then) how of moving from a project to its actual implementation in a building. The "how" must therefore relate to the design process in order to translate the indications contained therein, and the "why" to ensure control of the technical and morphological quality and compliance with the estimated costs and construction schedules. Hence the "centrality of design" at various scales and, consequently, its placement within the various phases of the "construction process" that allows for its adequate implementation. Therefore: the centrality of the project as an opportunity to equally ensure economic, social, and environmental sustainability/compatibility for the benefit/well-being of those who use the spaces; But it also plays an important role in the construction process as a monitoring tool and ensures that the project is completed in accordance with the planned results through technical and morphological quality, time control, and construction and operating costs, while respecting the various aspects of sustainability. The construction sector now has its own specific and significant complexity: a) due to the role it plays in the national economy; b) due to the numerous new needs that society requires it to meet; c) to ensure socio-economic and environmental compatibility. An architect is called upon, along with other skills and professionals, to collaborate—for their part—to resolve these problems/needs. Today, within this framework, technological disciplines are identified as "a complex area of ​​expertise that interprets the complex needs of a community (client) from a markedly interdisciplinary perspective and compares them with the range of technical, economic, and social issues that characterize the context in which the project is to be built (feasibility studies); it then translates the findings into input for planning that forms the basis of the subsequent phases of design, construction, and management; through close coordination of these, it ensures the analysis, evaluation, and selection of the most appropriate technical-administrative methods; finally, – through the control of all phases of the construction process governed by rigorous management – ​​it consolidates forms of sharing among all stakeholders so that the predetermined objectives are consistently pursued in the construction of an architectural project. Therefore, architectural technology" facilitates the transition from design to construction, and the transition from "why" to "how" is ensured by the construction process, which, while the construction sector (currently artisanal and with many critical issues) is moving to an industrial scale (through "Industria 4.0, off-site, digitalization, public/private partnerships, etc.); it is the only way to respond—in equal measure, we repeat—to the sustainability/compatibility that society as a whole urgently demands. Consequently, numerous stakeholders (clients, designers, companies, manufacturers) have developed administrative procedures, legislative regulations, and technical tools for adequate and effective control of the construction process. The latter, divided into various phases (planning, design, execution, operation, decommissioning), is therefore the tool for evaluating the "how" and also justifies the "why" certain choices are made; perhaps preferably, also involving users with the Post-Occupancy Evaluation. In short, it represents the critical framework that allows for the evaluation of the techniques, materials, building components, systems, and home automation systems analyzed during this course; which does not limit itself to the slavish illustration of predefined technical solutions, but rather "critically" guides towards their most appropriate selection to ensure the solution to the needs expressed by today's society with regard to aspects of architectural, technical and energy-environmental quality, respecting planned times and costs. The course is divided into modules whose topics will be constantly compared; accordingly, the sections to be studied from the textbook recommended by the instructor will be indicated. Module 0: Introduction a) The importance of the construction sector b) Critical issues and potential of the sector (Industry 4.0/digitalization, new Procurement Code) Module 1: Technological approach to design: a) Requirement-based – performance-based approach: requirements, performance, technical standards, and certifications b) Life cycle approach f) Environmental system and technological system g) Classification of the technological system (see UNI8290) g) Control tools and procedures: the guide constituted by the "construction process" Module 2: Introduction to the exercise (For this, see the specific file in classroom Exercise: Analysis of a building project.) Module 3: Construction Process and Socio-economic and Environmental Sustainability a) Definition, Phases, Objectives b) Operators, Procedures, and Tools for Process Management c) Potential and Critical Issues of the New Procurement Code d) Construction Process & Selection of Materials and Techniques Through Design Module 4: Construction Materials and Systems a) The Range of Construction Materials, Products, and Components (Stone, Cement, Ceramic, Metal, Wood, and Plastic) b) Construction Principles c) Technical Elements (cf. UNI8290) Module 5: Summary This is a collaborative evaluation of the experiences gained, with the following objectives: a) Verification of teaching methodology b) Understanding the role of the construction sector today, its transition to "Industry 4.0" to respond to the new and complex needs expressed by society c) What role can Architectural Technology play in this context? d) The Position of the (future) architect in the job market e) Whether past experience confirms the centrality of the project; to what extent the construction process guarantees that the project is completed in accordance with the planned results.

Basic knowledge of Italian, history, and mathematics is a prerequisite.

Sferra A.S., (2017), Processo Edilizio & Sostenibilità Ambientale. Comunicare con la didattica, FrancoAngeli Editore, Milano.During the course, the instructor will provide references (bibliography and webography) that he deems most appropriate based on the findings that are gradually recorded.

Course attendance is an important part of the learning process, so although it's not mandatory, classroom attendance is strongly recommended.

The exam is oral and individual. The evaluation of all activities included during the course will contribute to the final exam grade. The overall grade will take into account: - the grade obtained in the two midterm tests, - the grade of the practical assignment. For the final exam, participation in all activities, knowledge of the relevant procedures, and knowledge of the rules to be followed for preparing and submitting assignments/documents are essential.

To better organize the course, which is objectively conditioned by the number of students, it is essential for both attending and non-attending students to register for the course on the classroom platform by the first half of March. The course includes lectures and theoretical and practical activities designed to assess students' theoretical knowledge. To consolidate the acquired knowledge through a concrete example (chosen by the student following the instructions provided by the instructor), an exercise (divided into intermediate and final assignments) is included, along with two midterm assessments (the methods are indicated on the course website on the Classroom platform). The evaluation of all the activities will contribute to the final exam grade.