Project Abstract

Environmental factors play a significant role in influencing construction time and cost overruns on high-rise projects in Nigeria. This research aims to identify and analyze the specific environmental factors that contribute to delays and increased costs in the construction of high-rise buildings in the country. The study will focus on factors such as weather conditions, soil quality, topography, and regulatory requirements that are unique to the Nigerian environment and have a direct impact on project timelines and budgets. Through a comprehensive literature review and case studies of high-rise projects in Nigeria, this research will investigate how environmental factors interact with construction processes to cause delays and cost overruns. By understanding the specific challenges posed by the Nigerian environment, project stakeholders can develop strategies to mitigate risks and improve project outcomes. The findings of this study will provide valuable insights for construction professionals, policymakers, and researchers working in the Nigerian construction industry. The research will employ a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative analysis of project data with qualitative interviews and surveys to gather perspectives from key industry stakeholders. By integrating both quantitative and qualitative data, this study aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the complex relationships between environmental factors and construction performance on high-rise projects in Nigeria. The results of this research will contribute to the body of knowledge on construction management in Nigeria and provide practical recommendations for improving project delivery in the face of environmental challenges. By identifying the key environmental factors that influence construction time and cost overruns on high-rise projects, this study will help project stakeholders anticipate and manage risks more effectively. Ultimately, the goal of this research is to enhance the sustainability and efficiency of high-rise construction in Nigeria by addressing the environmental factors that impact project performance. In conclusion, this research will shed light on the critical role of environmental factors in influencing construction time and cost overruns on high-rise projects in Nigeria. By identifying the specific challenges posed by the Nigerian environment, this study will provide valuable insights for improving project delivery and enhancing the overall performance of the construction industry in the country.

Project Overview

Introduction

Construction time: The Nigerian construction industry contributes less to the country’s economy than do manufacturing or other service industries. Of®cially, construction accounted for only 5.5% of the annual gross domestic product (GDP) in 1993 (Langdon, 1994). However, the growth of the Indonesian construction industry has greatly in¯ uenced the country’s economic development. As de®ned in developed countries (Hillebrandt, 1985), con- struction is considered unique in that it can stimulate the growth of other industrial sectors. Hence to consider growth of the construction industry in terms of its contribution to GDP in isolation is somewhat misleading: that is, to do so understates the crucial role played by construction. Therefore, improving construction ef®- ciency by means of cost-effectiveness and timeliness would certainly contribute to cost savings for the country as a whole. Effort directed to cost and time- effectiveness were associated with managing time and cost, which in this study was approached via investigating time and cost overruns of high-rise construction in Nigeria.

Like developing countries, such as Nigeria (Okpala and Aniekwu, 1988; Elinwa and Buba, 1993;
Mans®eld et al., 1994), Saudi Arabia (Assaf et al., 1995) and Malaysia (Yong, 1988), Indonesia suffers from construction time and cost overruns. The intentions
of this paper therefore are:

1. to identify variables in¯ uencing construction time and cost overruns;
2. to group these variables into factors;
3. to analyse the relationship of these factors and thereby enhance understanding of construction delays and cost overruns. Although the research concentrates on Nigeria, the ®ndings should be relevant to all developing countries, as they face similar problems in terms of time and cost overruns on construction and infrastructural development projects (Morris and Hough, 1987). Construction Management and Economics (1997) 15, 83±94 Factors in¯ uencing construction time and cost overruns on high-rise projects in Nigeria

Causes of time and cost overruns

According to Antill and Wood head (1989), time over runs
(delays) can be divided into three categories:
1. those over which neither party to the contract has any control;
2. those over which the construction owner (or his/her representative) has control;
3. those over which the contractor (or any subcontractor) has control.
It is generally recognized that delays of type 1 are part of the contractor’s normal and legitimate monetary
risk, and hence should give neither party grounds for monetary recompense, but that the contract com- pletion date should be extended in order to protect contractors from liquidated damages claims for late  completion. Alternatively, in the extreme a contract may be repudiated due to `frustration’. It is also recog- nized that for delays of type 2 the contractor should receive fair and reasonable recompense (cost and time), whereas for type 3 delays the contractor must bear full responsibility.