Programming & Planning Case Study

Heathrow Airport Case Study

1. Discuss the challenges involved in the construction work @ Heathrow airport.

 As the UK’s only hub airport, Heathrow is a strategically important part of the country’s
transport infrastructure, serving around 290,000 passengers on 1,200 flights daily. It is
also at the centre of one of Europe’s largest construction programs – with £70m being
invested every month in a modernisation programme which includes a £2.2bn
replacement for Terminal 2.

 Carrying out such an extensive construction programme across the world’s busiest
international airport is no small challenge. Operations cannot be affected and, in
addition to maintaining a safe environment for passengers and staff, the security
aspects associated with working at an airport are considerable. In addition,
improvements need to bring about tangible benefits for airlines and the airport’s
operation both in terms of better punctuality and reduced operating costs.

 Work at the airport is not something undertaken on a unilateral basis. BAA is regulated
and as such needs to continually demonstrate value for money. Significantly, developing
new infrastructure is done in full consultation with airlines – what’s put in place has to
serve their needs. That said, a major amount of progress is being achieved.

 BAA secured a reputation for delivering large-scale infrastructure successfully with the
construction of Terminal 5. However, changes to the economic climate, and indeed the
profile of projects underway across Heathrow, has warranted a new approach to the
way in which work is being delivered.

2. What are the benefits of “Intelligent Client” approach for various stakeholders as
reported in the case. Discuss.

Approach taken by BBA was clearly identified the roles and responsibilities for the client and
contractor and represents alignment through incentivised contracts where work is clarified at
the outset.
Contractors gain through ‘immediate’ monetary rewards for exceptional performance, which
replaces the notion of being rewarded with the promise of future work.

 BBA Intelligent approach towards stakeholders – Contractors , suppliers

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BAA made a high-profile move away from negotiation with a limited number of framework
suppliers and reintroduced competitive tendering, inviting bids from across the market. Overall,
this new approach has contributed to cost savings in the region of £100m.

 BBA Intelligent approach towards stakeholders – Airlines and passengers

To construct new Terminal 2, all its resident airlines needed to be moved. This resulted in
moving 54 out of 90 airlines so that they could be grouped together in the same terminal
according to alliance. This means a much more straightforward journey, especially for
transferring passengers who can change flights within the same terminal.

 BBA Intelligent approach towards stakeholders – Terminal operational staff, UK border

agency
For proper coordination between terminal operational staff, control agencies like UK border
agency, BBA consult and involved concerned teams for better integration and implementations
of major works carried out across the project.

3. Explain the applicability of program management in this context.

Program management is defined as “group of related projects, subprogram, and program

activities managed in a coordinated way to obtain benefits available from managing them
individually”. It clearly outlines the roles and responsibilities of teams involved with the help of
structured training and development.
BBA planned Europe’s largest construction programmes – with £70m being invested every
month in a modernisation programme of four Terminal and T5C satellite building.
Program management is application of knowledge, skills, tools and techniques to a program in
order to meet the program requirements to obtain benefits and control not available by
managing project individually.
With application of Intelligent client approach, Modern construction techniques, Well planning,
Building a team of people with the right skills, Providing the importance to commissioning and
handover process, BBA manage to achieve highly complex and high profile schedule of work to
continue successfully.

4. What were the lessons learned from the Terminal-5 project and how it can help in
successful delivery of Termial-2

The most significant construction of mega project T5 serves as the guideline in the field of
project management. This was the crucial aspect for different stakeholders involved in the
project to get their queries resolved. From cause and effect relationship of T5, it has been
found that people related issues such as lack of support, training and communication has
the negative impact on the project performance and can even cause the failure of the
project. For this purpose, project manager 29 needs to ensure a free flow of communication

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through which different parties can work together for accomplishing specified objectives.
However, to resolve the issue related to poor communication suitable technologies can be
used to carry out the meeting with each level of workers (Prichard and Stanton, 1999). It
would increase the transparency and general staff working in the terminal will not get
affected as evidenced in the case of T5.

Unlike Terminal 5, this major piece of infrastructure is being constructed in the centre of the
airport. Offsite manufacture will be used extensively; however, the logistical challenge
associated with bringing so much material and manpower through a single tunnel into a
busy and very public area is considerable. At its peak there will be a site workforce of over
5,000 and an office-based staff of around 2,500, while 28,000 additional vehicles will be
expected into the area every month.
Building offsite in factory conditions is invariably safer and produces a better-quality end
product. It also brings about major time savings as elements of a building can be
constructed concurrently and assembled on site.

5. Propose a WBS for Terminal-2 project.

WBS LEVEL WBS ELEMENT - Heathrow Airport Terminal 2

1 Enabling work
Planning, designing, scheduling and budgeting of
1.1
Terminal 2
1.2 Permits and clearances

1.3 Floating inquiries for construction of Terminal 2

1.4 Finalizing contractor

   
2 Earthwork
2.1 Clearing of Site
2.2 Excavation for foundation
Backfilling good quality soil in foundations and
2.3
plinths
2.4 Anti-termite treatment
   
3 Concrete work

3.1 PCC for foundation and below flooring at GF

3.2 RCC works

3.2.1 RCC – grade of concrete
3.2.1.1 i)                    Footing

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3.2.1.2 ii)                  Columns & beams upto Plinth level
3.2.2 RCC – grade of concrete
3.2.2.1 i)                    Deck Slab of thickness -----
3.2.2.2 ii)                  Lintels
3.2.2.3 iii)                Staircases
Formworks (For footing, columns upto Plinth level,
3.3
lintels, staircases, etc.)
   
Reinforcement (For footing, columns upto Plinth
3.4
level, lintels, staircases, etc.)
   
4 Structural steel work
4.1 i) For Columns above Plinth level
4.2 ii) For Beams above Ground level
   
Civil Work - main building, T2A ,T2B building,
5
multistory car-parking
5.1 Brick/Masonry work upto Plinth level

5.1.1 Exterior brick work using burnt clay bricks

5.1.2 Interior brick work using AAC blocks

5.2 Plastering work upto Plinth level
   
6 Finishing Work
6.1 Flooring, skirting and dado work
6.2 Drywall partition and paneling work

6.3 Wooden Door & Aluminium window work

6.4 False ceiling at common lobbies and reception

6.5 Painting work

6.6 Entrance canopy work
   
7 Internal MEP services work

7.1 Electrical Works (Point wiring, Light Fix etc.)

7.2 Plumbing Works

7.2.1 I ) Drinking water supply
7.2.2 II ) CP and sanitary works

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Fire Fighting Works ( Internal and External Fire
7.3
Hydrant )
7.4 ELV Works (FAPA, TV, Telephone etc.)
7.5 HVAC System
7.6 Escalators and Lifts
   
8 Airport system
8.1 Baggage handling
8.2 Passenger Loading bridges
8.3 Arrival and Departure
Arrival & Departure Security check points , Access,
8.3.1
CCTV, Communication, Check-in Kiosk, Boarding
   
9 Resting Rooms, Restaurant’s, shopping tenants
   
10 Landscape & External development work

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