Project Management

The Project Management module is module introduced in semester 6 which introduces students to the job scope and concept towards the Construction Project Management profession. It gives option for us to venture towards a separate set of skills, towards a different postgraduate course or wholly towards a different career that we might find an interest on. This module is highly likely for us to work closely with Project Managers, hence it is useful to equip ourselves to the scope and duties of Project Managers. The module consists of an individual report assignment, a group report project and a final exam.

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The module is organised by closely following the 10 knowledge areas of Project Management highlighted by the Pm Book guide; in Project Cost, Time, Quality, Risk, Procurement Management, as well as Project Termination. 

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The group assignment for this module requires a group of 6-8 people to propose on a development to a chosen site. As provided in the assignment brief, the report includes the Project Background, Proposed Design, Project Time Management, Project Cost Estimation, Project Quality Management, Project Risk Management, Project Procurement Management, Project Environment Protection Management and Project Summary. Along the semester, the module also introduces students on the Microsoft Project software, a software widely used by Project Managers. 

Additionally, Mr. Leong Boon Tik is the lecturer for this module and the assignment structure is good coverage of what has been taught throughout the semester. It allows students to familiarise better and have a better understanding. Personally, I find the module interesting due the critical way of thinking and the Microsoft Project software very useful. 

Construction Law

Construction Law module introduces to students to different disputes or situations that could possibly happen in the construction industry whereby as Quantity Surveyors, we are to prepare & equip ourselves with necessary knowledge throughout the wide range of dispute resolution techniques. We learnt about the basics of formation of contract, as well as other essentials in construction contracts such as collateral warranties, remedies for breaches, payment clauses, and loss and expense claims etc.The module teaches students the different forms of contract on Formation of Contract, Payment, Contractual Claims, Dispute resolutions, Remedies for Breach of Contract, FIDIC & CIPAA. 

The Group assignment requires students in groups of 5 to propose a FIDIC Form of Contract along with providing professional advice regarding possible contract issues such as payment, work programme or dispute resolution methods. The group is propose the FIDIC Form role-playing as professionals to a Taylor's University Vice-Chancellor proposing for a development of a Student Accommodation and Outreach Centre project. The report allows for a more critical analysis of the FIDIC Forms through comparisons with the PAM Form of Contract 2006.

I found this module very interesting and practical, and I have gained substantial knowledge in construction contract law. I would like to thank our lecturer Mr Wong Chong Wei for his dedication in teaching us.I feel has displayed a very knowledgable persona to us students throughout the semester. Hence, the module has gone through smoothly and fairly well, also with thanks to an experienced Mr Wong in assisting us throughout the semester.

Development Economics

Development Economics is a module that gave approach towards calculating project feasibility, profitability, value, cost controlling, cost planning, etc. It focus more on the different aspects and factors that affects Development costing & finance. It provide  necessary knowledge within this field to provide better advise to clients and allow us to have a set of skills to do so through calculations, appraisals and costing of Gross Development Value. This module consists of a mid-term test, group assignment and a final exam.

​Ms. Tay Shir Men and Puan Nurul are the lecturers for this module. They have allowed me to go through the Development Economics module with familiarity and a better understanding.  I would like to thanks them for their dedication in lecturing and guiding us in this module.

Value Management

Value Management module is a module introduced in semester 6 which introduces students the concept in the construction industry that aims to improve value without drawbacks in cost or quality through the removal of unnecessary costs and replacement of functional components that leads to improvements.We also learnt about the types of unnecessary costs and way to eliminate them. Some techniques in value management include FAST diagram (Function Analysis System Technique) used to identify the purpose of an action taken in VM. Another method is priority setting matrix, which is used to identify the most suitable choice based on an identified set of requirements. TThis modules include a mid-term test, a group report & presentation and a final exam.

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The group assignment required 6-7 people to conduct a Value Management study as a team to a project to prepare a Case Study Report. The Group assignment is good coverage of what has been taught throughout the semester. Group members have good relationship between each other and it has allowed me to complete it with a sense of fulfilment and satisfaction.

All in all, I have learnt much from this module regarding value management. I feel that this module is well organised in a way that allows better understanding to a fairly new concept to students or at least myself. I would like to thanks Sr Loo Seong King for his dedication in lecturing us for this module. I feel that the knowledge concept that I would fully support as a Quantity Surveyor to achieve maximum value allowing for efficient construction costs.

Dissertation

In my dissertation progress, I have carried out quantitative research to obtain the necessary primary data for my thesis. Then, I analysed the data to obtain the results that are compared with my literature review. Finally, I obtained the conclusion to my study which is as such:

"Commercial green buildings are needed as the climate change and global warming in this few years. This study shows the level of awareness and implementation is very high but there seems still have some challenges that need to be solved. The financial challenges are the most important barrier that faced by the parties involved in the construction industry. They are complained about the capital fund and initial costs of the commercial green buildings that will get potential loss of money from their companies. The high ranked encouragement way to promote green buildings is government support and incentives. Thus, the government playing an essential role to try work on the challenges of implementing commercial green buildings. Malaysian government has the responsibility to take action to improve the situation of green development in our country."

I would like to thank our module lecturer, Miss Aishah, Miss Habizah and my supervisor, Miss Renee for their quality advice and guidance given to me throughout the 9 months of research. It was certainly a challenging but rewarding experience.

Community Service Initiative

Community Service Initiative 

Community Service Initiative is an MPU subject for this semester. This module aims to help students connect with the sense of aid and lend a helping hand to the underprivileged. This module requires us to conduct an event with an orphanage & the assessment of the module consists of a journal report of the event along with a presentation.


Ms. Tay Shir Men is the lecturer for this module, guiding us on what to do before the event, her experience with similar events have obviously been very helpful. allowed us to get university work out of our minds & work towards affecting other people's lives.

Group Assignment

This assignment requires a group of 29 students to create the event previously mention, playing beneficial games for the realisation of their career & spending time giving smiles to children of the orphanage. The group leader of the group is Pang Kai  Yun whereas the orphanage chosen is an orphanage house named Good Samaritan House .We enjoyed conducting the event, with each member feeling fulfilled to give a significant part of the children's lives.

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The following are the video presentations used reflecting and summarising of the event.

Building Economic

BUILDING ECONOMIC 

The Building Economics module is a new module introduced in Semester 5. This module covers areas of a Quantity Surveyor's task that covers calculations outside of Measurement & Professional Practice, advising clients on a project's feasibility, profitability, value, cost controlling, cost planning, including the necessary steps possible to advise the client, for example procurement and contracting systems. 

This module consists of Introduction to Building Economics, Cost control, Cost modelling, Cost analysis, cost planning, cost indices, Whole life costing & investment appraisals. 
Hence, this module involves plenty of costing along theory. 

Ms. Shirley Chin Ai Ling and Mr. Darrel Soon Lam Tat are the lecturers for the Building Economics module. This module's assessment consists of a mid-term test, Group assignment and a final exam.
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Group Assignment 

The group assignment requires a group of 6-7 students to do a cost analysis of a Singaporean Client to develop a residential building in Kuala Lumpur area which building project from Basement car park, to services and to lush landscaping, etc. A similar benchmark project is also to be studied on.Then, the group is required to present on their findings to the lecturer, justifying the quantity, rates & showing the percentage of each works of a building.

Building economic from tfkc1212

Reflection

In conclusion, the experience from conducting this group project is very great. Along with my equally hardworking group-mates, I worked tirelessly hard. The whole team  co-operate with each other and most importantly bonded with one another in a bid to complete this assignment.Besides that, I have gained substantial on the economics knowledge in building development and have a better insight to how the cost is controlled in a project.

Financial Management

Financial Management

This module aims to help students on the management of finance and businesses, essential in just about any industry, especially construction. This includes financial management started off with how a company finances itself, and what is the role of a financial manager, management of cash flows, capital investment appraisals and financial report & ratio analysis.This skill is particularly important as we can know how the company performs for its fiscal year. 

Ms Tay Shir Men is the lecturer for this module. This module's assessment consists of a mid-term test, a group report and final exam.

 Group Assignment 

Financial management (group assignment) from tfkc1212

The group assignment for this module requires a group of 6 people to make an analysis report of the Financial performance of MK Sdn Berhad. The Group assignment was conducted fairly well thanks to the good guidance of the assignment brief prepared by 

Ms Tay. 

Reflection

In conclusion, I have learned later in the semester that Financial Management is much more extensive, needing much more critical thinking. As a module relatively new to us, I have learnt to analyse and understand financial statements for a company, and can now further understand the performance and situation of a company.

Professional Practice II

Professional Practice II

Continuing from the module of the previous semester, professional practice aims to expose students to the practices of a professional Quantity Surveyor, teaching students the further roles and responsibilities of the career outside the calculating. In contrast with Professional Practice I, this module focuses more on studying the PAM Form of Contract 2006, an essential part of a Malaysian-based Quantity Surveyor in the procedures to be done in different situations such as Delays or disputes.

The module is taught by the experienced Mr. Eddie Lim, who displayed a very knowledgable person throughout the semester. The topics of this module consists of studying Disputes, Delays, Claims, Setting-off, Partial Posession, Penultimate & Final Certificate, Final Accounts, Determination, Arbitration & Adjudication, Insurance, CIPAA & JKR Form, all of which, except for the latter two, focuses on the PAM Form of Contract 2006. The module's assessment consists of a mid-term test, a presentation of a chosen topic and a final exam.

Group Assignment 

Pp2 coursework 2 from tfkc1212

Pp2 presentation from tfkc1212

Reflection 

 As I have also felt for the first part of this module, I feel that this module is one of the most important modules along with measurements because it teaches the material essential to us in the working field. I also enjoyed studying this module very much.

Measurement V

Measurement V

This measurement is the final measurement module in our BQS course. As a continuation of the previous measurement modules, Measurement 5, officially named as 'Building Services and Civil Engineering Quantities', focuses on 2 types of measurement that are non-conventional to the main building works, which are Mechanical and Electrical Services as well as Civil Engineering works. 

This module is divided into two, Civil engineering works & Building services, both taught by different lecturers: Mr. Simon Chee Wai Meng & Ms. Laura Law respectively. 

The Services of a building uses SMM2, like the previous modules, but in Civil engineering works measurement however, students were introduced to Malaysia's MyCESMM book, a guide for measurement of civil engineering works.

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 In this section we measured civil works such as reinforced earth wall and railway tracks.

In regards to Civil engineering measurement, it consists of:

• Retaining Earth Wall
• Concrete works (Prestress concrete)
• Railway tracks
• Sedimentary Basins
• Cut & Fill
  
  
  
  
  
  

  Group Assignment 

  The group assignment for the measurement module this semester is rather small in load as compared to previous ones. This group assignment focuses on the Electrical connections which requires a group of 6 to measure on the items and a theory question have been asked individually.
  
  

  Summary

  In summary, this measurement module completes our knowledge in measurement for a wide range of works in the industry. I believe that, if given a chance, we will be able to apply what we have learnt here in our works in the future.
  
  

Research Methology

This module required the necessary knowledge to complete our dissertation by ourselves for Semester 5. 

It gave us a proper guideline to carry out our research. In this semester we are required to produce the research proposal and literature review. For starters, after identifying my field of interests, I laid out my research title and objectives. 


My Title:
THE INVESTIGATION OF CHALLENGES IN DEVELOPING COMMERCIAL GREEN BUILDINGS IN MALAYSIA 

Research Objectives1)  to identify and analyse the major challenges to green buildings development in Malaysia2)  to investigate and analyse the level of awareness, knowledge of implementation of green    buildings from the parties involved
3)  to find the various ways to promote the commercial green buildings in Malaysia 


From there, I produced the research background and problem statement for my dissertation. I was assigned to Ms Reene as my dissertation supervisor, and she has provided me with important feedback and suggestions to make my dissertation better.


After submitting the research proposal, I moved on to literature review as the second half of my semester 5 progress.For the literature review, after opening with relevant information on Arbitration and Mediation, I delved into my objective, attempting to refine and define the criteria while reviewing previous works done by other researchers. This further reinforced my purpose of the study to fill the gap in the current literature.

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