BQS506 CASE STUDY REPORT

PNB MERDEKA 118:

CASE STUDY &
ANALYSIS
BQS506: CONSTRUCTION ECONOMICS I

AP2243I (OCT20-FEB21)
DEPARTMENT OF QUANTITY SURVEYING
FACULTY OF ARCHITECTURE, PLANNING & SURVEYING
UiTM SHAH ALAM

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UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA

DEPARTMENT OF QUANTITY SURVEYING
FACULTY OF ARCHITURE, PLANNING AND SURVEYING
SHAH ALAM

Coursework 2: Case Study & Analysis of Vertical Mixed-Use Building

COURSE : CONSTRUCTION ECONOMICS 1

COURSE CODE : BQS506
SEMESTER : 3
DATE OF : 30 JANUARY 2022 (WEEK 13)
SUBMISSION
LECTURER : MISS BINTULHUDA ZAINODIN

GROUP : AP2243I

PREPARED BY:

STUDENT ID NAME

2021492426 AMEER BIN ABU BAKAR

2021832834 MUHAMMAD AMIRUL FIKRI BIN MOHD ARSHAD

2021886814 MUHAMMAD AZRIE BIN YAHYA

2021467676 SYED MUHAMMAD NAIM BIN SYED MOHD ARIS

2021491982 NUR IZYAN BINTI HAMZAH

2021459586 NURUL QARIRAH BINTI RASDAN

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TABLE OF CONTENT

No. CONTENT Page

1.0 Acknowledgement 4

2.0 Introduction 6

3.0 Research & Findings 9-44

Task 1: Case Study & Analysis of PNB Merdeka 118 Tower
3.1. The Site Condition and Surrounding Areas 11
3.2. Total Build-Up Area 15
3.3. Physical Characteristic 21
3.4. Construction Methods 25
3.5. Plant & Equipment, Technology and Management 29
3.6. Costs related 39
Task 2: Suggestion of Improving the building in the perspective
of Construction Economics in terms of Design Variables 41

4.0 Conclusion 45

5.0 References 47

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

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1.0 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Assalamualaikum w.b.t. to our beloved lecturer Miss Bintulhuda,

First and foremost, we would like to express our heartiest gratitude to Allah s.w.t,
Alhamdulillah with all thankfulness and happiness because we have successfully completed
this report due to the help from those who directly or indirectly contributed to completing this
report, your kindness means a lot to us. Likewise, I’m Syed Muhammad Naim as the
representative to do this acknowledgement, would like to express my uppermost
appreciation and special thanks to all my group members for contributing tons of ideas,
energy and despite all the hardships we went through, we still managed to work together
and complete this assignment with ease. From this coursework, we have gained a lot and
obtained more knowledge about this topic. Without of all cooperation and teamwork of group
member, this case study report will not be done successfully and finished on time.

Apart from that our deepest gratitude to our BQS516 Construction Economics I
lecturer, Miss Bintulhuda for helping in answering our various queries and had the patience
in teaching and lecturing us. She is the main backbone of this assessment by providing us a
lot of ideas and suggestions in order to complete this report successfully. Last but not least,
we are also deeply grateful to all our lovely parents and closed siblings for their undivided
love, care and always giving us unstoppable and full support throughout this hard semester
with all people in and not to forget we would also love to express our gratitude to our
classmates for sharing great ideas and willing to give us the help and support when we are
in trouble.

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INTRODUCTION

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2.0 INTRODUCTION

A development of vertical mixed-use development is a development that allows multiple

uses to coexist in the same structure. The lower floors are usually used for commercial
purposes, while the top floors are used for private purposes. As instance, a retail store may
be located on the ground floor, while professional offices are located on the second floor and
up, and residential units or hotel rooms are located on the upper floors. Typically, the most
successful vertical mixed-use developments are those that are built around a central public
area.

In the meantime, the opposite for it would be a horizontal mixed-used building which
typically that develop a single-use buildings within the compound. As the consultant’s
representative to the AXIAL GROUP SDN BHD, our group will be proposing a vertical
mixed-use building as our case study in demanding to discuss on the design economics
issues for the construction of vertical mixed used development.

The building that we are going to prepare a case study on a building that would be
the second highest skyscraper in the whole world, which is Merdeka 118, also known as
PNB 118. The skyscraper was formerly called as KL 118 and Warisan Merdeka Tower. The
Merdeka phrase was inspired by the close accessibility to the two famous stadiums which
would be Stadium Merdeka and Stadium Negara. Merdeka 118 would be a symbolic
monument that constructed with a modern symbolic design that embraces Malaysia’s rich
culture and independence heritage.

As a building that surpassed the 632 m Shanghai Tower, it consists of 5-storey of

hotel residences, 100-storey of rentable space, 83-storeys of office space 12-storeys of hotel
rooms and an observatory floor which going to be the highest observation deck in Southeast
Asia. This shows that Merdeka 118 is one of the vertical mixed-use buildings that can be
referred. The iconic tower has a combination of diamond-shaped facers that taken from a
traditional Malay Songket pattern, honouring Malaysia’s cultural variety and history.
Meanwhile, the tower’s spire symbolized by the first Prime Minister of Malaysia which is
Almarhum Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj during the moment of independence at
Stadium Merdeka in 1957.

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A case study that consists of the matter of site condition, surrounding areas, total
build-up area, physical characteristic of the building, construction method, plant and
equipment, technology and management involved and last but not least, would be the costs
related will all be discussed in this written report which will be discussing the important of our
findings. Apart from that, the suggestion of improving the building form the perspective of
construction economics will also be discussed in the terms of design variables.

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RESEARCH & FINDINGS

Task 1: Case Study & Analysis
(PNB Merdeka 118 Tower)

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3.0 RESEARCH & FINDINGS

As to fulfilling the requirements of this report, there are several highlights that will be
discussed thoroughly. Those are: -

Task 1: Case Study & Analysis of PNB Merdeka 118 Tower

3.1 The Site Condition and surrounding areas

3.2 Total Build-Up Area

3.3 Physical Characteristics of the building

3.4 Construction Methods

3.5 Plant & Equipment, Technology and Management involved

3.6 Costs related

And final one,

Task 2: Suggestion of Improving the building in the perspective of Construction

Economics in terms of Design Variables

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SITE CONDITIONS &

SURROUNDING AREA

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3.1 THE SITE CONDITIONS AND SURROUNDING AREAS

The world’s second tallest tower is located at Petaling Hill where the previous Merdeka Park
had stood. The location is near to the attractions spot like Petaling Street, athletic grounds
like Merdeka Stadium and the delayed Plaza Rakyat project. The site also lies vicinity of a
number of historical landmarks such as, Stadium Negara, Merdeka Stadium, Victoria High
School, Chin Woo Stadium and etc.

Figure 3.1.1 Site Surrounding Areas

During the past 60 years, the site and neighborhood have been utilized with a variety of
civic, educational, and cultural functions. Moreover, a public park even existed there in the
late 1990’s but it was abandoned and left as unrealized redevelopment effort. The Merdeka
118 development aims to preserve the site’s historic significance while also increasing its
economic potential. The location of the tower on the axis with Stadium Negara and off center
from Stadium Merdeka leads to the chances for a new civic public space that can be used
for the people.

Figure 3.1.2 Site Location and Connectivity

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Once the completion of the iconic tower, the building will have the access to the
freshly built Merdeka MRT Station on the Kajang Line (SBK) which can be access by a
number of people out there. The accessibility also allows a direct link from the three major
roads in Kuala Lumpur which via the Belfield Tunnel that will be passing underneath Jalan
Maharajalela and Kampung Atap to the basement of the precinct.

Apart from the access to MRT station, the access to the LRT and other express
networks will also be accessible from the existence of the new Merdeka MRT station. The
property is also close to Chinatown's history centre, as well as a long-standing cluster of
educational institutions, including the venerable Victoria Institute.

Merdeka 118 is being built on Petaling Hill, a low-density hill in Kuala Lumpur's
southeast. Tunku Abdul Rahman declared Malaya's independence at Stadium Merdeka in
1957, and Petaling Hill is steeped with history. Moreover, the site even located in the center
of Kuala Lumpur which definitely will be an urban area site. This condition might bring the
difficulty in bring in and out the machineries for the works of construction.

Figure 3.1.3. Site Progress

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Figure 3.1.4. Site Condition

Figure 3.1.5. Comparison site condition between the 90s and now

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TOTAL BUILD-UP AREA

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3.2 TOTAL BUILD-UP AREA

Total build-up area refers to the gross area of any surface in the building. Aside from the
floor area, it also includes the space covered by wall thicknesses. Measurements must be
taken from the exterior faces of exterior walls or from the centerline of walls separating
buildings. The world’s second-tallest tower ‘Merdeka 118’ in Malaysia includes over 3.1
million square feet of the floor area of a mixed-use development consisting of offices space,
housing properties, hotel, and shopping complex.

Next, we will explain in general the circulation area and usable area. A circulation
area refers to the area that is not occupied in the building. Where this area is used as a
passage for residents in the building, including stairs and elevators. While for the usable
area, the sum of occupant area or building accommodation area on any floor level and for
the entire structure.

As for our case study Merdeka 118 building, we are unable to obtain specific data on
this subtopic as the building is still an ongoing project. But we manage to get the floor plan
for the lobby, low zone, mid zone, and high zone of the new tallest building in Malaysia.
Level 4 of the building is where the office lobby is located which is considered as the circular
area. Next, the typical low zone is at level 11 of the building with a floor area of 19,761
square feet. Moreover, the typical midzone is located at level 50 and the floor area is 20,756
square feet. Lastly, the floorplan for the typical high zone that we obtain from this building is
at level 78 where the floor area is 21,283 square feet.

In addition, we attached together the overview of the floor plans that we were able to
obtain from the building website. It consists of figure 1 for office lobby, figure 2 for typical low
zone level 11, figure 3 for typical mid-zone level 50, and last but not least figure 4 for typical
high zone level 78.

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Figure 1 Office Lobby

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Figure 2 Typical Low Zone Level 11

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Figure 3 Typical Midzone Level 50

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Figure 4 Typical High Zone Level 78

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PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTIC

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3.3 PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTIC OF THE BUILDING

There are several physical characteristics tower of Merdeka 118 that will be identified
including plan shape, height, number of stories, and also its functional requirements.

3.3.1. PLAN SHAPE

Merdeka 118 is designed outwardly as an extremely tall crystalline form and the plan
shape of this tower is look like an uncut gem that are inspired by the triangular
patterns or the diamond-shaped found on Malay Songket which refer symbolically to
the diverse ethnicities that form Malaysia’s rich culture. It was designed by Australian
architects Fender Katsalidis. In order to give clearer vision, Figure below shows the
floor plan or the tower’s base of Merdeka 118.

Figure 3.3.5. shows the floor plan of Merdeka 118

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3.3.2. TOTAL HEIGHT

The actual height of Merdeka PNB 118 that measured from the ground to the
tip of spire is 678.9 meters (2227 feet), it has only unveiled when topped out at its full
height. However the top of the crown of the tower estimated about 570 meters, while
the roof is 555 meters above mean sea level. The altitude of the site of the tower is
about 55 meters, hence if without the spire the tower is 515 meters high above the
ground. Moreover, the highest floor is at 485 meters high above the ground. This will
break the record and surpass height of the Petronas Towers and The Exchange
106 to become the tallest building in Malaysia.

3.3.3. NUMBER OF STOREY

The Merdeka 118 Tower is a super-structure building which from the name
itself the number ‘118’ represents the number of storey in the building which is 118
floors including five underground basements that consist rentable spaces and non-
rentable spaces within 292,000m2 of GFA. This tower will consist of 100 storeys of
rentable space and non-rentable spaces like elevators, maintenance facilities and
others. Along with a glass-domed covered retail mall, the building’s 118 storeys will
have house purpose-built offices and a six-star hotel, topped by a dual-level
observation deck and restaurant.

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3.3.4. FUNCTIONAL REQUIREMENTS

This is 118 floors vertical mixed use building which have some facilities, and
occupied with Hotel, Office, Residential, Retail, and Observation. To be specific, the
podium floors are occupied by retail stores or a shopping mall, 80 floors above of the
building will be for office, 60 out of 80 floors of office spaces will be used for the
headquarters of the building’s owner. The remaining upper floors will consist 17
floors of hotel suites and hotel residences which will be operated by Park Hyatt.
Furthermore, at the 113th floor will be a restaurant, the 114th to 117th floors will be
occupied by a multi-level observation deck, which will become one of the highest
observation decks. The top floor will be storey for a VIP lounge. While at below
ground floor there will be a parking lot at basement with area that can filled up to
8,000 cars.

Figure 3.3.2 shows the stacking plan of Merdeka 118

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CONSTRUCTION METHODS

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3.4 CONSTRUCTION METHODS

As we know, the Merdeka Tower is going to be the second tallest building in the world when
it is fully completed. Based on the title itself shows that it is not easy to construct tall
skyscrapers in this world. It certainly requires a lot of parties and experts from every part of
the world to ensure that the construction process will run smoothly as how it is planned. The
picture below shows a brief information on the structural system of the building itself.

Figure 3.4.1. Structural Foundation System

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From the pictures above, it shows that the Merdeka Tower has a really interesting
structural system and construction process. The tower is constructed starting with the
excavation process which is designed in a circular -shaped cofferdam wall, as an embedded
retainig system for excavation. The circular shape allows the cofferdam to be self-supporting
through the hoop stress mobilisation, removing the need for any struts or ground anchors.
foundation that has 138 nos. of Bored Pile and it is connected to a 4m height raft foundation.
The foundation will also be added with 8 nos. of 2.5m thick fin wall, as it will give more
support to the foundation so that it can withstand all of the loads that are imposed to it.

After that, the building is divided into few core sections. These cores are the ones
that we can see on the picture of the building that indicates the core levels which are L25-
L26, L40-L43, L60-L61, L75-L78, L96-L97 and lastly L113-L116. Each of this level will have
a core wall wrapped around the building with the size of max.7400mm x 4350mm x 550-
1700mm thick. The walls then will be attached to the mega columns around the building and
it is being tied with a component named outrigger for the three levelled core and belt truss
for the one levelled core which is made of steel. To ensure that the mega columns are not
over pressured and to avoid it from settlement, an outrigger or belt truss is built from each
mega column to the next mega column until it surrounds the core wall.

Next, the concrete used for this construction is the High Performance Concrete
(HPC). The concrete has been through a couple of tests such as mechanical property,
durability, shrinkage, pump simulation and many more to make sure that the quality is at the
highest level and ready to use for the project.

Figure 3.4.2. Application of HPC

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To sum up, the Merdeka Tower has certainly a unique process during its
construction. It will be completed according to the core sections that has been
divided from the foundation until the spire so that the building will be more stable and
durable even though it is 679 meter high.

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PLANT & EQUIPMENT,

TECHNOLOGY AND
MANAGEMENT

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3.5 PLANT & EQUIPMENT, TECHNOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT

As per mentioned before, this high-rise building is still under construction, estimated
to be finished before the end of this year 2022. The information for the current
subtopic are still very scarce and perhaps will stay like that until the building is
officially open to public. Those subtopics are plant & equipment used, technology
used to maintain the integrity of the building and the management needed to
construct ths building.

PLANT & EQUIPMENT

Figure 3.5.1 Concrete batching and flake ice plant

This machine (figure 3.5.1) called the Eurotec MZ 6570Ti is a machine that
combines a concrete batching plant and a flake ice plant that was installed by a
companed named Lintec & Linnhoff Concrete. The reason why they combines both
plant is due to the construction site are within the tight confines of donwtown
location. The company had to make modifications to meet the space limits, while at
the same time ensuring the plant’s high production rate remained unaffected.

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Taken from an article published by the company website, CEO at Lintec & Linnhoff
Concrete, R. Sakthi, said:

“Despite the challenges, our in-house design team came up with a customised engineering
solution that met all of our customer’s requirements. The size and number of the cement-
weighing hoppers was increased to produce high grade concrete based on the customer’s
mix recipe. In addition, there were four geardrives attached to the shafts of the concrete
mixer to enable the plant to handle high-grade concrete with maximum productivity. These
customisations ultimately increased the plant’s efficiency, and improved the consistency of
the concrete while maintaining its homogeneity. It also means the plant is able to produce
top-grade M105 concrete.”

One of the Eurotec MZ 6750Ti's first jobs was mixing concrete for the 118-story
tower's foundations. This necessitated the installation of 137 reinforced concrete bored piles,
each measuring 60 metres in length and 2.2 metres in diameter. The Eurotec plant ran in
near-constant mode to optimise this massive workload. This established the tone for the rest
of the project, which has been moving at a rapid speed since it began in 2014.

The utilisation of an 800 mm thick, 76 m diameter cofferdam wall as an incorporated

retaining system is one of the building's most unique features. This allowed for 17 metres of
obstruction-free excavation down to the pile cut-off level, yet it took a lot of high-quality
concrete to build this clever feature.

One of the company's flake ice units, which can create anything from 10 t to 40 t per
day, is working alongside the Eurotec MZ 6750Ti to keep the project on pace. Flake ice has
a thin profile and little surface wetness, so it doesn't adhere or form blocks during
transportation. This is necessary for a smooth delivery to the mixing plant. During the curing
process, the dosed ice keeps the temperature of the poured concrete within the specified
limits. This not only speeds up the pouring process, but it also ensures that the Merdeka 118
development's concrete cures to the appropriate strength and quality.

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"Having the ice plant is critical to keeping such a massive construction project on
track and on track to meet the highest quality requirements," continued R. Sakthi. "Our high
grade flake ice from the facility is able to mix swiftly and fully with the concrete in the hot
temperature of Kuala Lumpur." There is no delay in mixing time, and no large ice particles
are introduced into the mix, which could otherwise result in voids or poor concrete quality. In
five years of operation, the Eurotec MZ 6750Ti and the flake ice plant haven't missed a beat,
which is a monument to their productivity and dependability."

Figure 3.5.2 Equipment for Foundation System

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TECHNOLOGY

Next part is the technology or systems used to construct this building. Some of those
systems are Lateral Stability System, Core and Outrigger Structural System, and Pile
Supported Raft System.

Lateral Stability System

A building's lateral stability is perhaps its most crucial and critical feature, but what
does lateral stability in buildings imply?

In simple terms, the lateral stability of a building is its ability to remain horizontally
stable when a lateral force is applied to it. The lateral force may be applied either
through wind loading, earthquake shaking or a collision.

The lateral stability system is a composition of various structural support elements

which transmit the horizontal load from wind, earthquake or collision from the point at
which the load is applied to the buildings foundations.

A simplified concept of a lateral stability system in a building, load is applied

horizontally and the stability systems role is to transmit that load to the buildings
foundations.

Core and Outrigger Structural System

Outriggers are rigid horizontal structures that connect the core or spine to closely
spaced exterior columns to improve the building's overturning stiffness and strength.
Shear walls or braced frames make up the central core.

Outrigger systems work by connecting two structural systems (a core system and a
perimeter system) to give the structure a composite cantilever effect. In reinforced
concrete buildings, the outriggers take the form of walls, whereas in steel structures,
they take the form of trusses.

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The moment resistance of a multilevel outrigger system can be up to five times that
of a single outrigger system. Outrigger systems are commonly employed for
structures up to 70 stories tall. It can, however, be used for taller structures. The
support system not only reduces the deformation of the building due to the
overturning moment, but also achieves higher efficiency in resisting forces

Figure 3.5.3 Typical Outrigger Detail

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Pile Supported Raft System

Adding piles to the raft increases the effective size of the foundation and can
withstand horizontal loads. This can improve the performance of the
foundation by reducing the amount of subsidence and differential settlement
and improving the final bearing capacity.

Pile driver foundations are typically used in large structures and in situations
where the soil is not suitable to prevent excessive subsidence. They are an
increasingly popular option for skyscrapers.

During the design process, the optimum number and location of piles and
their diameter, reinforcement and length are determined to provide an
economical solution while ensuring structural stability. The plates and stakes
work together to secure what you need. It does not exceed safe settlement.
Piles usually provide most stiffness and rafts provide additional capacity at
maximum load.

Figure 3.5.4 Piling Plan

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Figure 3.5.5 Weather Shelter beneath the building

In figure 3.5.4 shows the plan of piling used by the contractor of the building.
The zones highlighted signifies the total area covered by pile foundation. As
Kuala Lumpur is very well-known as a common flashflood area, the architect
has designed a room underneath the building that is used for avoiding any
potential floods came from rain more than 48 hours, named Weather Shelter
as shown in figure 3.5.5.

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MANAGEMENT

WIND ENGINEERING MANAGEMENT

Upon researching the sources for information on the management used by PNB
Merdeka 118, most of reliable sources stated that the building uses Wind Engineering as its
managing factor on distributing loads to foundation

When analyzing large buildings using wind engineering, wind is often the
predominant and predominantly lateral load. Structural systems that absorb wind loads tend
to be distinct from structural systems subjected to dead loads and other gravity loads
generated in the building.

Wind loads are generally dependent on wind speed and the shape (and surface) of
the building, so it can be difficult to predict accurately. The shape of the building can
exacerbate the effects of overpressure or overpressure. On the upwind side (facing the
wind), the wind surge can blow out the window, while on the window side (which is shielded
from the wind), the low pressure (intake) can cause the window to blow out. A glass building
with a very smooth cross-section will tend to deflect the wind much more effectively than a
sculptural or textured face, as will a circular versus square building.

Buildings, especially if they are very tall (over 250m), are often designed to withstand
very strong winds, taking into account factors such as design wind speeds - which will
depend on location and weather profile weather (average wind speed). Tall buildings can
deal with wind forces by transmitting them through their floor slabs to the structural core and
then to the foundation.

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Shown below are figure 3.5.6 and 3.5.7 that shows models of building, graphs and
tables of predicted wind load in 50 and 100 years

Figure 3.5.6 Wind Engineering Management

Figure 3.5.7. Wind Engineering Management

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COSTS RELATED

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3.6 COSTS RELATED

When establishing the priority of a project, it is critical for the construction industry to
apply economic analysis for building projects to examine the actual cost of resource
consumption.

The term "Life Cycle Cost" (LCC) is sometimes known as "ultimate cost" or "total
cost." This is a cost-prediction technique in which the construction cost and related costs,
such as yearly operating costs and building maintenance, or a portion of the building, are
reduced to a single measurement. This is a single figure that represents the annual
equivalent cost or the present value of all costs over the life of the structure.

The LCC emphasises the future cost flow as well as the benefits acquired over the
building's lifetime. Discounting techniques are used to convert future costs and benefits to
current values, allowing for an economic appraisal of a project.

As a result, the LCC of a building/structure takes into consideration the total cost
associated with it from the time it was built until it was dismantled. When a building or
structure is no longer needed, the LCC takes into consideration the expenditures of
construction and site cleaning. The LCC is heavily reliant on the efforts of the owner, user,
and designer to reduce recurring costs.

Total Cost

(Over the life span of building)

Initial Cost User Cost

• Land Running Cost Occupational Charges

• Construction
• Professional Fees
• Agency Fess, etc
• Maintenance • Taxes
• Operating • Insurances
charges, fuel, • Modifications and
plant/machines alterations
Table 3.6.1 Summary of • Operating Bills • Management cost
Total Cost • Demolition cost

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RESEARCH & FINDINGS

TASK 2: Suggestion of
Improving the Building in the
perspective of Construction
Economics in terms of Design
Variables

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Task 2: Suggestion of Improving the Building in the perspective of Construction

Economics in terms of Design Variables

1.0 INTRODUCTION

In trying to satisfy client requirements and external constraints caused by matters like
statutory requirements, environmental factors and construction process among others, the
architects have began to model their designs using parameters called design variables. The
building design variables are suggested as a part of the answer by helping within the field of
economics. Therefore, from these design variables, design decisions are normally
established, as they provide solutions of challenges to try to with form, time, and economy
for buildings. These variables which form designers’ forecasts, because they provide the
knowledge for forecasting and determining whether value are often achieved at a suitable
cost. The practice is so important therein , clients are ready to get reliable cost advice to
enable them to assess and choose viability of a project when it's still early, by indicating how
they impact on costs hence enable clients whether to incur that cost or not. So, the building
of PNB 118 can be improve by using design variables with some method that suits the
building.

1.1 BUILDING PLAN SHAPE

The shape of the building has a major effect on its cost. Although the circle is the
most effective spatial fence, the cost of constructing a circular structure makes it more
expensive. So the cheapest building shape is square, and the more a building shape shrinks
from a square shape, the more the cost of the outer shell increases relative to the remaining
construction cost. As a building becomes longer and narrower or irregular, the wall area
increases as the perimeter increases, resulting in a higher construction cost. In an irregularly
shaped building, the cost increases due to the higher cost of scaffolding areas, the
complexity of project placement, and the difficulty of cleaning and maintaining the building.
This is usually defined facing the spatial feature that defines the shape of the building.It
affects the surfaces and dimensions of the vertical elements such as the walls, the finishes
that accompany them, the windows, the partitions and therefore the finishes used as well as
the perimeter details which include the joists, the bands and therefore the gutters. Over the
years, studies specializing in the problems of planimetric forms and construction costs have
multiplied, resulting in a large number of publications. it is usually necessary to establish that
the construction value of a building has increased due to the increase in exterior walls,
ceilings, floors or roof. Thus, the various previous researchers have all concluded that the
perimeter/floor ratio, the unit cost of construction and the overall costs of the project vary
with the complexity of the shape or the irregularity of the plan. This is to be attributed to the

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very fact that a certain shape of the building significantly affects the costs of an excellent
number of construction elements such as the foundations, the walls, the frame of the
building structure, the finishes and the decorations, roofing, electrical and mechanical
systems, which alone also impacts the operating and maintenance costs of the building, so
overall life cycle costs are affected.

1.2 AVERAGE STOREY HEIGHT

Variations in storey height can affect the cost of the building without changing its
gross floor area. This is mainly due to the effect on elements having a vertical component,
such as stairs, service routes and drain pipes, building volume in relation to the A/C
installation, ceiling void , the deformation of the foundations, it is therefore clear that with the
increase in the height of the floor, both the cost of construction and the cost of maintenance
increase. This is defined as the height from the finished floor to the next finished floor or from
the finished floor to the ceiling or the clear height of the room. In general, the following may
experience increases due to changes, such as decreasing or increasing the height of The
amount of thermal energy may increase due to the increase in building volume plus the
length of cables supply to increase it as well. In addition, a longer service and waste pipes
may be necessary.

1.3 NUMBER OF STOREY

High-rise buildings are inevitably more expensive to build than 2 or 3-storey buildings
offering the same accommodation, and taller buildings also have a higher comparative cost.
This is mainly due to increased traffic and maintenance requirements for large buildings. As
buildings are constructed taller, vertical ducts for building services tend to increase in size.
Also, service cores, cranes, and more facilities are more likely to be required for the
construction process, which increases project construction costs. As the number of floors
increases, the overall height of the building also increases. This is very much related to the
average floor height of a building, but it itself refers to its height or number of levels in terms
of vertical construction. Referring to this construction of high-rise buildings, it usually
significantly affects four main construction elements due to the number of floors of a
skyscraper such as the construction of frame structures, exterior walls such as curtain walls
in most cases for buildings intended for offices, the installation of elevators and fire services
as services, all mainly vertical elements of the building. The construction cost generally
decreases as the number of floors increases. Other projects identified in previous studies
over the years included mechanical and electrical services, circulation space, building
grouping, column spacing, building size, party walls, spans and buildability.

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1.4 SIZE OF BUILDING

It has been found that increasing the size of buildings often results in lower unit
costs. Since some fixed costs such as on-site accommodation, facilities, temporary services,
site offices may not vary significantly with the size of the project, the overhead would not
increase. In addition, the advantages of economy of scale in ordering materials and better
prices can be obtained from materials and components, which would lead to a reduction in
the unit cost of materials. For example, if a building has a large number of rooms, it requires
large circulation areas. Since the floor area is much smaller, the designers will have decided
that a 4-storey multi-storey building would be sufficient to provide the facilities plus space for
landscaping and parking. So, the size of the building that was selected is 105'x65'. Available
land is utilized and the cheapest size for the building is selected without resorting to
unnecessary floor levels which saves the client unnecessary construction costs.

1.5 BUILD ABILITY

Buildability is the extent to which a building's design facilitates construction, based on the
general requirements for the completed building. This attempts to integrate design and
construction into a better building that is easier to construct. Good building capacity
contributes to project goals in a positive way by speeding up construction time, reducing
capital and life cycle costs, and improving building performance and maintenance
characteristics. Constructability attributes related to the design process include site-specific
factors, subsoil, weather conditions, innovations, and the coordination and streamlining of
design information. factor can significantly affect the construction capacity of the choice and
type of site. The site conditions must be carefully designed to avoid late delays and
modifications after the start of construction. By streamlining design information which can
also facilitate the construction process on site, the project should enable easy
communication with the contractor in the workplace. Additionally, the use of a dimensional fit
will allow for practical construction tolerances in terms of material tolerances and
craftsmanship tolerances.

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CONCLUSION

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4.0 CONCLUSION

To sum up, the Merdeka Tower by PNB certainly is a proper example of an excellent vertical
mixed use building that is available in the world. The fact that it is going to be second tallest
building in the world would definitely make people realise that the idea of constructing a
vertical mixed use building could be really beneficial as it does not consume bigger site
spaces and will be favourable to all the people that are going to use it.

From the economic point of view, the Merdeka Tower will surely attract many more
tourists not just from Malaysia but from all parts of the world itself. When it is fully completed,
the effect of it will be contagious and the economy of the surrounding of the tower will
indirectly be amplified. Therefore, it will be a huge boost for the Malaysia’s economy system
and can help it to recover from all the losses during the Covid-19 pandemic period.

Last but not least, in terms of construction aspect of the tower, the futuristic design
that comprises materials such as steel, reinforced-concrete, glass and many more makes
the tower even better and well designed. It could be a huge stepping stone for the Malaysian
construction industry to produce many more quality, futuristic buildings development
throughout the country. Moreover, the process to construct this mega skyscraper building
needs to be considered and must be well organised. For example, the building morphology,
construction methods, materials and the plant and machineries used must be chosen
correctly to ensure that the building still can be developed without excessive amount of
money spent. Therefore, all in all the Merdeka Tower building will provide a lot of benefits to
the country as it can provide a lot of opportunities and service to the people in the country.

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LIST OF REFERENCES

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5.0 LIST OF REFERENCES

• Abdelrazaq, A. (2020). Design and Construction of Merdeka 118 Tower, webinar;

https://www.ice.org.uk/eventarchive/merdeka-118-tower-malaysia-webinar
• Jaafar, J. (2021). Merdeka 118, Wikipedia; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merdeka_118
• Properly, T. (2021). Merdeka 118: Discussion on Surrounding Property Market,
Properly.; https://properly.com.my/blog/merdeka-118/
• Tasneem Nazari (2020), Merdeka PNB118 Will Be KL’s Next Skyscraper And Tallest
Building in M’sia. Therakyatpost;
https://www.therakyatpost.com/living/2020/09/03/merdeka-pnb118-will-be-kls-next-
skyscraper-and-tallest-building-in-msia/
• Snevirathne, D. (2016). Building Morphology factors and effect on construction cost,
academia;
https://www.academia.edu/35578122/Building_Morphology_factors_and_effect_on_c
onstruction_cost_docx#:~:text=The%20morphology%20factors%20can%20be
• Sahid, N., Safiki, A., Solikin, M. (2017). Building Design Variables Usage as a Tool of
Value Engineering During Designing. MATEC Web of Conferences, 103, p.03019.
https://www.matecconferences.org/articles/matecconf/pdf/2017/17/matecconf_iscee2
017_03019.pdf.
• Franky W.H. W., Patrick T.I. L., Edwin H.W. C., Francis K.W. W. (2011). Factors
affecting buildability of building designs, Researchgate;
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/237189076_Factors_affecting_buildability_
of_building_designs.
• Lintec & Linnhoff (2021), Eurotec machines keeps South East Asia’s tallest building
on track, Media release; https://lintec-linnhoff.com/eurotec-machines-keeps-south-
east-asias-tallest-building-on-track/
• Suckling Q., WHAT DOES LATERAL STABILITY IN BUILDINGS MEAN,
sheerforceeng; https://sheerforceeng.com/what-does-lateral-stability-in-buildings-
mean/
• Hamakareem M.I. (2018), Types of High-Rise Buildings Structural Systems,
theconstructor; https://theconstructor.org/structural-engg/high-rise-buildings-
structural-systems/23076/
• Designingbuildings (2020), Piled raft foundation, article;
https://www.designingbuildings.co.uk/wiki/Piled_raft_foundation

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• Designingbuildings (2020), Wind load, article;

https://www.designingbuildings.co.uk/wiki/Wind_load
• Merdeka 118 (2019), Technical; https://www.merdeka118.com/office/Technical/
• Barandy K. (2021), merdeka 118, soon to be world's second tallest tower, tops out in
malaysia, designboom; https://www.designboom.com/architecture/merdeka-118-
worlds-second-tallest-tower-fender-katsalidis-tops-out-malaysia-12-02-2021/
• Ahmad K. (2011), Construction Economics 2nd Edition, pg.319-322, ch.15

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THE END

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