Current practices in design and construction of tall buildings

Tall buildings represent an integration of architectural design as well as design of other building systems such as structural, mechanical, electrical, lighting, etc. In addition, construction issues such as scheduling; unique construction materials; special construction techniques and processes as well as cost of construction may place additional demands on the design and construction team. Social, political and urban aspects of developing tall buildings plus local code restrictions may dictate additional constraints on the design and construction of tall buildings. Further, recent added emphasis and interest in sustainable design of tall buildings makes the design and construction of tall buildings more challenging. It is not uncommon for today's tall buildings to encompass distinctive architectural designs. Such designs will in turn lead to complicated structural, mechanical and other building systems design. Thus it is imperative for the design and construction team to collaborate from the conception and planning of the project to completion of construction to avoid costly complications later. Team members must recognize that their particular portion of the work will not be accomplished in a vacuum and independent of what other team members do. Major decisions made by one team member may significantly impact that of others. It is, therefore, critical that each player understands the roles, needs, expectations and limitations of other team members. This paper will discuss the role of the principal team members involved in the planning, design, construction and operation of tall building projects such as the developer; architect; structural engineer; mechanical, electrical and plumbing engineer; general contractor; building managers and the like. Collaborative work and integrated design and construction for comprehensive and efficient design will be particularly highlighted and several case studies of major international projects will be offered as examples.