ABSTRACT
Together with the related sectors (manufacturers of building products and systems, designers and facility operators) it is one of the major economic activities in every nation, accounting for about 15% of national GDP. It also has a significant impact on living standards and on the capability of the society to produce other goods and services or to trade effectively. As a well-established sector, construction has been strongly determined by local tradition and culture, and geographical factors such as availability of material and climate. Construction provides houses to live in, buildings to work in and infrastructure that supports communication and transportation of the modern society.
