Professors Write Definitive Urban Construction Management Book

Building in an urban area presents distinctive logistical challenges. When a major new building rises in a densely developed city, sidewalks become congested, traffic is diverted, public safety becomes a concern, and huge sums of capital are at risk. “You’re building on something the size of a postage stamp,” says Richard Lambeck, PE, clinical assistant professor in the M.S. in Construction Management program, with 40 years of experience in the field. “You’ve got to protect the public, protect your workers, and get your people and material to and from the construction area.”

While teaching a course in on-site construction management, Lambeck realized that there was a need for a comprehensive book on the subject, and that he could be the one to write it. A first-time author, he asked his NYU colleague Clinical Associate Professor John Eschemuller, PE, another civil engineer with decades of academic and field experience, to collaborate on the project. The result is Urban Construction Project Management (McGraw-Hill, February 2009). The 512-page volume was written in a year and contains 300 illustrations, many of them photos taken at construction sites by Lambeck himself.

“We wanted to write one book that put its arms around all aspects of building in crowded urban areas,” Eschemuller says. “We thought it would be of value to both the students and the industry.”

Lambeck notes that construction is the nation’s most dangerous industry with between 1,200 and 1,300 people killed every year. On-site perils include crane and equipment failure, as well as difficulty communicating instructions and regulations to workers. Maintaining a good safety record is essential for contractors to keep a site in operation and a building in progress, Lambeck says. “They’ve got to have insurance, pay workman’s compensation, and be bonded or the site could be shut down. Time is money, and a bad safety record is costly.”

Among the book’s many useful features are “punchlists”—steps to be take on-site—and forms that can be downloaded onto computers or related devices. “Pre-construction planning is key,” says Eschemuller.

Although private sector construction has slowed because of the credit crisis, Lambeck notes that infrastructure work goes forward. “There was $30 billion in construction last year. It will drop this year, but most of the work will be municipal,” he estimated, listing the Penn Station-Grand Central Station link, the Number 7 subway line extension, and the Second Avenue subway line as the major projects.

“We have one mentor for every five young people going into the business,” Eschemuller says. “The baby boomers are retiring, and we’re not graduating enough civil engineers and architects. This book serves as a tool to help managers oversee their projects and train the next generation.”