| dc.description.abstract | The Kampala Industrial Business Park Development Project in Namanve, Uganda was established with the aim of creating a world-class industrial hub, promoting economic growth and industrialization. The project commenced on the 6th July 2020 with an original project duration of 42 calendar months ending on 05th January 2024. The project faced challenges in delivering optimal value to stakeholders, including cost overruns, and delays therefore the construction time was extended with a period of 20months ending on 4th September 2025.
This interested the researcher to dig deep into the cause by investigating the value engineering practices adopted on the project, seeking to identify strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement. The research aims to evaluate the effectiveness of value engineering practices employed during the design and construction stages of project development, analyze their impact on project performance, identify gaps in value engineering methods, and assess the level of awareness of value engineering practices among project stakeholders.
Using a mixed-methods approach, combining surveys, interviews, and document analysis, we evaluated the value engineering practices and their impact on the project, conducted gap analysis and assessed the level of awareness of the value engineering practices among project stakeholders, including project managers, engineers, contractors, and clients.
The study reveals that value engineering practices, such as design optimization and material selection, led to cost savings by 11.57%, reduced construction time, and improved project efficiency. The findings revealed a moderate level of awareness, with varying degrees of understanding and application among different stakeholder groups. While some stakeholders demonstrated a good understanding of value engineering principles, others showed limited knowledge and application. Also, the study identified underutilized value engineering practices and a need for increased awareness and understanding among project stakeholders.
However due to limited time, the researcher recommends that value engineering be extended to the whole life cycle of the project to exhaust its applicability.
Based on the findings, the researcher proposed strategies for enhancing value engineering implementation, including:
- Tailored training programs for stakeholders
- Stakeholder engagement and collaboration
- Integration of value engineering into project management frameworks
- Development of value engineering guidelines and standards
This study contributes to the body of knowledge on value engineering in construction projects, providing insights for project managers, policymakers, and industry practitioners to optimize project outcomes and enhance sustainability. | en_US |
