The construction industry embraces a wide range of Professionals that collectively carry out diverse distinctive functions.

The list of professionals in the construction industry includes Architects, Quantity surveyors, Building Technologist, Estate surveyors & valuers, Land surveyors, Town Planners, and Engineers(Civil, MEP, and Structural).

These aforementioned professionals are very important and are greatly involved in the activities and runnings of the Construction Industry and the Built environment.

They are the key players in the construction industry.

The Construction industry can be subdivided into two major activities, namely Building works and Civil engineering works.

Examples of Building works include houses, schools, hotels, villas, estates, hospitals, shops, offices, factories, warehouses, etc.

While examples of Civil engineering works include roads, bridges, reservoirs, wastewater systems, railways, power stations, Harbours, Cofferdams, Caissons, and dams.

However, at times both works tend to complement each other as many building contracts include some civil engineering works and so do many civil engineering contracts involves building works.

The usefulness of professionals in the Construction Industry

This has shown how wide and useful the construction industry is in our world today as examples of this building and civil engineering works can be seen in almost every nook and cranny of the environment.

These works were not just made out of the blue as professionals ensured that these building and civil engineering works come into existence and serve their various purposes fittingly.

These professionals have been trained and schooled properly, they have acquired all the necessary knowledge that will be required in ensuring that these construction works are done rightly.

In our world today, the usefulness and importance of these constructions works birthed by these professionals are very wide and indispensable as every individual must have something to do with an outcome of the construction industry.

Because of this fact, these professional knows and understand all that it takes, they know the risks and implications involved when any of these construction works are constructed poorly or improperly.

Such type of Construction can result in massive loss of lives and damage to properties, that is why these professionals are properly trained and educated in other to prevent such from happening.

These professionals schooled in their own distinctive and respective fields have gathered enough skills, experience, and expertise due to practice and proper education to bring off suitable and appropriate construction works befitting for the environment today.

Roles and Responsibilities of Professionals in the Construction Industry

We will now look into the roles and responsibilities of these important desirable professionals in the building & construction industry.

Each of these professionals has its uniqueness and they all have a key role to play in the construction industry and the built environment at large.

They work hand in hand together to ensure that construction works always meet up with the standard and clients’ expectations.

Roles of Architects in the Construction Industry

Architects are one of the top professionals in the Construction industry.

They are licensed professionals, trained in the art and science of building design and aesthetics in the construction industry.

Architects are the experts who are responsible for the creative designs for new construction projects, and even designs for alteration of existing works.

They use their specialist construction knowledge and high-level drawing skills to design buildings that are functional, safe, sustainable, and aesthetically pleasing.

The architect ensures that his designs meet up with the client’s taste.

They specifically convert the brief outline of the client into working drawing plans and specifications that can be used by other professionals in the construction industry.

With the aid of Computer-aided design (CAD)  softwares and Building Information Modeling (BIM) technology softwares It has become easier and faster for architects to create designs and plans for clients be it a simple or complex one.

Roles of Building Technologists in the Construction Industry

A Building Technologist, also known as Builders is another important professional in the construction industry.

Building Technologists are academically trained specialists and statutorily registered professionals responsible for Building Construction and Maintenance.

They are the main professionals in the building team of the construction projects.

They are practically involved in the construction and execution of a project from start to finish.

Professional builders also have close relationships with quality subcontractors. Craftsmen, Technicians, and Artisans work directly underneath them.

The point is that the builders are the professionals who must coordinate the innumerable players and resources needed to transform a set of two-dimensional drawings into a realistic completed project.

The builder has to make sure that everything happens just when it’s supposed to, and that the result is exactly what the clients envisioned.

Professional builders have a thorough understanding of building codes, as well as good working relationships with local authorities.

This is another major reason why building technologists are top professionals in the Construction industry.

Keeping the job on schedule by ensuring that all workers and materials show up at exactly the right time is another major role of builders in the construction industry.

Also, Overseeing the job to guarantee that all trades deliver quality work is another important role of the Builder.

The builder knows a lot about each specific trade and has a good enough relationship with each subcontractor, to make sure things get done right.

The Roles of Estate surveyors and Valuers in the Construction Industry

Another important professional in the construction industry is The Estate Surveyor and Valuer.

An Estate Surveyor and Valuer is a professional in the field of Estate Management and Valuation which in their capacity have been schooled in the supervision and direction of interest in landed properties to secure maximum returns and productivity.

They play a significant role when it comes to the economic and commercial values of construction works.

The main role of the Estate Surveyor and Valuer is the assessment of the rent or price that buyers or occupiers are willing and able to pay and the assessment of market conditions and possible changes that may arise during and after the development period.

The input of the estate surveyor helps to increase the sales or rentable value of a building after construction.

In terms of some commercial, residential projects that are Large scale such as estate housing, Rental apartments, villas, shopping malls, etc.

They ought to be involved at the early stage of the building development process, this helps them to advise on current consumer trends, market demands, and the timing of the entrance of the project into the market.

Another role of the Estate Surveyor and Valuer in the Construction Industry is to provide estimates for the rental and capital value of a property.

And also to identify potential buyers or occupiers and to organize and implement the activities of the development to ensure the property meets up to the market demand.

With all these features, there is little or no wonder at all in why Estate Surveyors and Valuers should be among the Top Professionals in the construction Industry.

The absence of the Estate Surveyor and valuer in the building chain, has led to housing project abandonment and great financial and economic losses.

Truly their roles in the construction industry have always put a smile on clients’ faces which thus make them paramount and essential in the construction industry.

Roles of Land Surveyors in the Construction Industry

A land surveyor is an authorized specialist who is licensed to determine boundaries, they determine the relative positions of places on or beneath the surface of the earth by measuring distances, directions, and elevations.

They are the first professionals to carry out physical work on the construction site.

Land surveyors are also essential professionals in the construction industry because of their unique function in land measurement.

The location (latitude and longitude), Property boundary (shape), the area of the landed property (size), the established beacon on-site to define boundaries are solely the responsibility of the land surveyor.

The second essential role in establishing a level for the proposed construction and establishing a benchmark that would be used as a reference point throughout the construction phase.

Land Surveyors play an integral role in land development, from the planning and design of land subdivisions through to the final construction of roads, utilities, and landscaping.

Because Surveyors are the first set of professionals on any construction site, measuring and mapping the land, This then makes them special in the construction industry and one of the key players in the construction Industry.

These primary measurements done by land surveyors are then used by architects to understand and make the most of the unique landscape when designing.

The engineers also use their measurements to plan structures accurately and safely, ensuring buildings not only fit with the landscape but can be constructed fittingly.

Roles of Town planners in the Construction Industry

A Town planner, also known as a City Planner, and Urban & Regional planner is another necessary and integral Professional useful in the construction industry

Town planners are professionals who are schooled in the art and science of ordering and managing land uses based on the detailed understanding and analysis of societal needs, goals, and objectives within the social, economic, and physical environmental framework.

It is a professional discipline that is concerned with the formulation, design, implementation, and monitoring of land use. It is a broad-based discipline requiring a multi-disciplinary approach and knowledge.

The purpose of an urban and regional planner is to protect and improve the commonwealth of a particular location. It’s the art of giving form, design, and structure to cities or towns.

Urban Planning involves many processes such as the arrangement and design of buildings, transport systems, public space, and determining land use.

When you try to discuss the many challenges cities face, then you’ll know and understand how essential Town planners are in the construction industry.

Planners can address and resolve some of the most difficult issues in the construction industry, most of these issues are blind to the other professionals but not to the town planners.

When other professionals in the construction industry focus majorly on the project’s benefit to the Clients, the Town planners simultaneously consider the project benefit to the community and the client hand in hand together.

This makes them special and important professionals in the Construction industry.

We have seen many projects that are of benefit to the client but are burdens and pain to the community. A town planner prevents such.

Town planners carry out Sustainable planning which is about meeting the needs of people of the community and as well the client and ensuring that the infrastructure is in good condition.

Town planners believe that the quality of a community’s built environment directly affects the well-being and health of its inhabitants.

an architect focuses on just the project at hand but a town planner will also put the community of where the proposed project will be located into consideration

Architects focus on a specific client’s needs, while town planners must consider the needs of the community.

With this, it’s no doubt that Town planners are key players in the construction industry and built environment at large.

 

Roles of Engineers(Civil, MEP, and Structural) in the Construction Industry.

We have stated earlier that the Construction industry deals with two types of works which are Civil engineering works and Building works.

We also mentioned that at times both works can be interwoven together, many projects if not all, involve building and engineering works.

This leads us to the professionals in the construction industry that are engineers, they include Civil Engineers, Services engineers i.e MEP(Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing), and structural engineers.

We will now look into the roles and the responsibilities of these professionals individually

Roles of Civil Engineers in the Construction Industry

Civil engineers in the construction industry take on a broad range of projects.

They are the key players in constructing highways, buildings, bridges, dams, tunnels, infrastructures, and other similar facilities.

This makes their roles in construction projects greatly variable and yet essential.

Civil engineers are mostly known to carry out civil engineering works in the construction industry.

At times project works from clients can be so cumbersome and requires special knowledge and analysis by a specialist trained in that field.

Civil engineers are in full capacity of handling such special heavy engineering projects due to their knowledge and education in such aspects.

Because of this fact, they also create the designs and plans of such of these heavy engineering works that Architects are limited to designing because of their little knowledge and experience in such types of work

Thus, this makes Civil engineers very useful and integral professionals in the construction industry.

Roles of Service Engineers (MEP) in the Construction Industry

Can you imagine living in a building without all the necessary services, no electricity, no functional toilet or bath, no heating or cooling system, or a high rise building without a lift or a ventilation system?

It’s definitely going to be a horrible imagination and certainly not a habitable one.

Building services engineers prevent such imagination from ever becoming a reality.

They literally bring buildings to life by designing the mechanical, electrical, and likewise plumbing systems that allow people to function within an enclosed structure comfortably.

Building services engineering is an aspect handled majorly by MEPs i.e Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing Services.

Each of these services engineers has its own unique function and role in ensuring that all the necessary building services are installed properly.

They ensure that the internal environment has the correct required temperature, air quality, and lighting levels.

They also provide all the necessary backup support systems such as power, hot and cold water, and lifts in high-rise or multi-story buildings.

The installation of life protection systems such as fire alarms, and sprinkler systems is an important responsibility as well by service engineers

Building services engineers also work closely with other construction professionals such as architects, structural engineers, and quantity surveyors.

They influence the architecture of a building and play a significant role in the sustainability and energy demand of the building.

They ensure that the proper power consumption for safety and energy sustaining operation of buildings is achieved

The smooth operation of Heating, Ventilation, and Air conditioning (HVAC) systems is also their sole responsibility as Building service engineers.

Their functions and responsibilities have made building services engineers very useful and indeed important in the construction industry.

Roles of Structural Engineers in the Construction Industry

Structural engineers are specialists in the branch of Civil engineering that carries out calculations in regards to the strength, loads, forces, and their interactions and effects on the proposed construction.

They prepare specific drawings of structures to ensure they are strong enough to avoid collapse when loaded.

Structural engineers do more than just strengthening the foundations. They work with engineers to provide pathways for people and the systems that make a building adequate for its occupants.

They also consider the stability of plans for future expansion of the construction, for instance adding a structure or a continuity to the initial structure and still maintaining its structural stability.

This makes them an equally vital part of the important professionals in the construction industry

The role of the structural engineer is a key component in the construction process.

The structural engineers are the ones who are supposed to ensure that the materials used for construction can support the design of the structure.

Usually, after the architectural design is completed, Structural Engineers are the next professionals to work on the design.

They design the structural members (slabs, beams, columns, and foundations) and design foundations working with the Geotechnical Engineer.

They also determine the sizes (thickness span and depth) of structural members and the quality, size, type, and quantity of reinforcements needed.

Structural Engineers decide on the quality and type of materials used for structural members and the required concrete strength.

They give approvals, conduct test on materials and structural integrity tests on the structure as a whole, and declares the structure safe or not.

During building collapse, Structural Engineers are called in to carry out research and determine the causes, effects, and solutions against reoccurrence.

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