Building Economics

Building Economics (QSB 3214)

Sr Dianne Kok Hui Wei is the lecturer for this module. She is a very dedicated lecturer who always make sure we understand what she is teaching during all her classes. This module provides an overview of the Quantity Surveyor’s role during the pre-tender stage of a development. Also, we have learned various methods of cost controlling and budgeting, which can help us to apply all the cost controlling method in the practical situation. Besides that, we are also introduced to the relationship between building morphology, design variables and life cycle costing of a building.

There are total of 8 topics that have been covered by Ms. Dianne, which are introduction to building economics; the concept of cost control; cost modelling; building morphology and design economics; cost analysis, indices and data; detailed cost planning; cost control; investment and development appraisals; and whole life costing. 

Just like the other modules, this module also has a group assignment that require us form a group consists of 7 people to do a presentation about the cost plan and tender report. In this group assignment, we are to revise the cost plan no.1 given and produce a new cost plan no.2 and after that we need to produce a tender report for recommendation to the client. This group assignment also consists an individual assignment which is about the Client has requested one of the tenderer to give a total discount of 30% from the overall tender sum in order for the management to consider their tender, and we are required to discuss and analyse whether the request by the Client is reasonable with elaboration for our advice. For further information of the assignment, click here.

To watch our group presentation, click here.

Picture above was taken during the recording of video presentation.

Professional Practice 2

Professional Practice 2 (QSB 3614)

I am having this subject becasue this is a prerequisite subject which you have to pass Prefessional Practice 1 to proceed with this subject. Sr. Lim Sek Cheon, (Mr. Eddie Lim) is the lecturer for this module. He is a funny yet dedicated lecturer who is always there to help us out whenever we encountered problems. He let us understand our professional and contractual responsibilities as a Quantity Surveyor in the consultancy setup from the inception stage to the final account stage.

There are total of 12 topics that are covered by Mr. Eddie Lim in this module, there are: construction disputes; construction delays; construction claims; rights of setting off; partial possession by employer; practical completion and penultimate certificate; final accounts; determination of contractor’s employment by employer; determination of contractor’s employment by contractor; building insurances; dispute resolution through mediation/adjudication/arbitration; and PAM form (Without Quantities) and JKR form of contract. Just like Professional practice 1, this module also is taught by using the PAM form with quantities. 

For this module, there are 2 assignment need to be done which one of it is seminar and another one is final account assessment. For the seminar, we are formed into a group of 2 to 4 students in a group and we are required to do a presentation during our tutorial session about the topic which was taught in the lecture class a week before. After that, we are required to ask two questions for discussion and the class is required to ask at least one question to the seminar presenters. For the 2nd group assignment, we are formed into groups by Mr. Eddie to act as consultants assessing a contractor’s application for final account.For more information about the coursework no.2, click here.

Measurement 5

Measurement 5 (QSB 3114/3115)

We are taught by 2 lecturers for this subject which one of the lecturer is Mr. Ramar Subramaniam and another one is Mr. Simon Chee Wai Meng. This measurement 5 module is different from measurement 1 - 4 that we have learnt previously, because measurement 5 is about the measurement of building services and civil engineering quantities. Mr. Ramar is in charge of the measurement of building services while Mr. Simon Chee is in charge of the measurement of civil engineering quantities.

For this module, Mr. Ramar has covered topics such as electrical installation; cold water installation; Sanitary installation; fire protection installation; and air conditioning installation. On the other hand, Mr. Simon has covered topics such as introduction to Malaysian civil engineering standard method of measurement (MYCESMM); environmental protection; site investigation; earthworks; geotechnical works; pre-stressed concrete; and rail-track. The topics that taught by Mr. Ramar are quiet easy for us to understand because all the building services works are measured according to SMM2, but the topics that are taught by Mr. Simon are quiet complicated and hard for us to understand because all the civil engineering works are measured according to MYCESMM, which is a new thing for us. 

We have a group assignment for this module which we have to form a group which consists of 5 to 6 person in a group. We are assigned by Mr. Simon to measure the earthwork which we have to measure the excavation and filling in earth using MYCESMM and lastly we have to produce a bill of quantities of the earthwork that we have measured.

Financial Management

Financial Management (QSB 3413/3414)

Mr Lai Chee Kin is the lecturer for this module. As this is not a prerequisite subject, this subject considered a whole new subject for me, and thought that this subject is irrelevant to my course. But after I have come with this subject, I know that as a QS, we are not only need to know about measurement and produce BQ but we also need to understand the firm's financial position and performance and be able to assess the financing needs of a business and evaluate the firm’s capital structure options. We also need to understand the principles and practices of financial management for a business.

There are total of 8 subjects that has been taught by Mr. Lai which are introduction to financial management; financial accounting and reporting; financial analysis; financial forecasting; operating and financial leverage; source of capital; capital budgeting; and working capital management. we have learned to produce financial forecasts and construct budgets to plan and manage the firm’s resources. Besides that, we learnt to understand the time value of money and apply capital budgeting techniques to evaluate capital investment projects. Not only that, we also learnt how to apply the basic principles of managing working capital.

Just like other subject, we are required to form a group of 6 to 7 students in a group to complete a group assignment. The group assignment required us to prepare a report to the chief executive officer of Lenggang Travel Sdn. Bhd(LTSB) in which we need to present the financial projections for next year. In the report, we have included a month-­by-­month cash budget for next year; a projected income statement for the whole of next year; and a projected statement of financial position (balance sheet) as at the end of next year. After that, we are required to make evaluations and comments on LTSB’s plans and on the company’s policy of waiting until holidays have been taken or were due to be taken before realising the profit on them.

To watch our group presentation video, click here.

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Picture above was taken during our group presentation.

Research Methodology

Research Methodology (QSB3933)

I am having this subject because I am a final year student and this subject is all about producing a thesis which is related to the construction field. This subject is taught by Dr Myzatul Aishah Binti Haji Kamarazaly, who is a descent, kind, dedicated lecturer, I am enjoying each time during her lecture and tutorial classes, and she will not hesitate to help us out or assist us whenever we encountered problems. She even sacrificed 2 of her lecture class to set up librarian sessions for us to learn how to do the citation in our thesis paper and how to find useful information from the internet effectively.

This module covers the process and techniques of research, research design, identification of research areas and the preparation of research proposal. At the end of the course, we should be able to identify issues, problems and areas of research, identify relevant data and information required for the research, develop data collection techniques, design research process and prepare research proposal. In order to complete the thesis, we have learned to seek information from a variety of sources, open to new ideas and have the capacity for self-directed learning, look for alternative ideas and solutions, present information and express ideas clearly, effectively and confidently and act ethically with integrity and social responsibility.

Unlike the other subjects, this module doesn't have the final exam but we have 2 individual assignments instead, which one of them is research proposal and one of them is literature review. There are total of 5 chapters in this thesis and the research proposal is the Chapter 1 of the thesis, which is about the introduction of the thesis. My thesis topic is "COMPARISON OF GREEN BUILDING RATING TOOLS IN MALAYSIA" and Chapter 1 is the brief introduction on the implementation of Sustainable Building Rating System (SBRS) that were developed around the world which highlights the background, problem statement, objectives, scope and limitations. While Chapter 2 is about the literature review which i have discussed about definition of green building, importance of sustainable development, role of green building challenge, and finally the definition of green building rating tools. Whereas Chapter 3 to Chapter 5 will be continued in my next semester.