Page 180 - Urban Construction Project Management

Logistics 135
TEMPORARY SERVICES AND FACILITIES

It is extremely important during the planning of the construction project that all
required temporary services and facilities are planned for to ensure that they are avail-
able in a timely and sufficient manner to support the construction process. In order for
a construction site to function properly, it must have access to water, electricity, and a
sewer connection. Exhibit 6-17 is a checklist for temporary services. Prior to starting
construction, the CM/GC should contact One Call in the area in which you are work-
ing. (See Exhibit 6-18 for the One Call number in your area.) One Call will coordinate
with the utilities, the marking out of all existing utility services coming in and out of
the site, street and adjacent sites, and areas. This is imperative in an urban environment,
where you have many utilities running below grade.

Once all existing services are identified, then the CM/GC needs to contact all of the
respective utilities and agencies to arrange for the securing of the existing services, for
those services that will be utilized during the construction process, and permanent
services for the site. The following is a list of the utilities that should be contacted:
1. Electric utility company
2. Local gas company
3. Local steam provider (if available)
4. Department of water supply
5. Department of sewers
6. Local cable company
7. Local telephone company

An application to the appropriate utility along with an electric load letter (see Exhibit
6-19 for a typical load letter) is often required by the CM/GCs and owner to arrange for
the temporary and/or permanent services required for the project. It often takes quite
some time to arrange for services from the utilities depending on whether the service is
readily available in the area, the work backlog of the utility, the moratorium period
during the holidays, and emergencies that the utilities may be facing. The orders must
be placed as soon as the requirements are known.

Once the utility services are provided to support the construction process, they need to
be distributed within the site and building for use. The water service is secured with a
valve at the foundation wall, with meters installed to measure consummation.
Hydrostatic water pressure off the street mains is usually sufficient to allow water to
rise to approximately the sixth floor of the building in most municipalities. To allow
water to rise to higher levels, a pressure pump will be required. A hydraulic engineer
should provide hydraulic calculations to ensure that an adequate quantity and pressure
of water is available for construction purposes. Water will be needed for all temporary
construction toilets on the site. These are normally located on the field office and shanty
floors, along with approximately every five floors. Union jurisdiction and regulations
of most construction trades working in urban areas will allow workers to walk up to five