Here are more abbreviations commonly used in the construction industry, related to quality management and other relevant fields:
A
- ACI - American Concrete Institute: Develops standards, guidelines, and methodologies related to concrete construction and practices.
- AOR - Architect of Record: The architect responsible for the design and possibly the administration of a building project.
- ASTM - American Society for Testing and Materials: International standards organization that develops and publishes voluntary consensus technical standards for a wide range of materials, products, systems, and services.
B
- BOM - Bill of Materials: A comprehensive list of raw materials, components, and assemblies required to construct, manufacture, or repair a product or service.
- BOQ - Bill of Quantities: A document used in tendering in the construction industry in which materials, parts, and labor (and their costs) are itemized.
- BREEAM - Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method: A sustainability rating system for masterplanning projects, infrastructure and buildings.
C
- CA - Contract Administrator: Manages the contracts and terms between involved parties during construction projects.
- CAB - Construction Advisory Board: A group that offers advice on building regulations and standards.
- CBM - Condition-Based Maintenance: Maintenance when need identified through periodic or continuous monitoring.
- CC - Construction Certificate: Certifies that construction can be legally commenced as per approved plans and regulations.
D
- DB - Design-Build: A method of project delivery in which one entity works under a single contract with the project owner to provide design and construction services.
- DBB - Design-Bid-Build: Traditional project delivery method in construction where the owner contracts separately with a designer and a contractor.
- DBFM - Design, Build, Finance, and Maintain: A project delivery model where the design and construction provider also finances and maintains the facility for a specified period.
E
- EOR - Engineer of Record: The engineer responsible for designing a project and signing off on the plans and reports.
- EPC - Engineering, Procurement, Construction: A common form of contracting arrangement in the construction industry.
- EPCM - Engineering, Procurement, Construction Management: A professional services appointment which is made by a client to provide services in respect to the design, procurement and construction of the client’s project.
F
- FIDIC - International Federation of Consulting Engineers: An international standards organization for the consulting engineering & construction best known for the FIDIC family of contract templates.
- FM - Facility Management: A professional management discipline focused upon the efficient and effective delivery of support services for the organizations that it serves.
G
- GC - General Contractor: A party responsible for the day-to-day oversight of a construction site, management of vendors and trades, and the communication of information to all involved parties throughout the course of a building project.
- GMP - Guaranteed Maximum Price: A cost-type contract where the contractor is compensated for actual costs incurred plus a fixed fee subject to a ceiling price.
H
- HVAC - Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning: Systems used for maintaining comfortable indoor air quality and temperature.
- HSE - Health, Safety, and Environment: A discipline and specialty that studies and implements practical aspects of environmental protection and safety at work.
I
- IBC - International Building Code: A model building code developed by the International Code Council (ICC) that has been adopted throughout most of the United States.
- IFC - Issued for Construction: Drawings and specifications released by the design firm to the contractor for use in constructing the project.
- ISO - International Organization for Standardization: An independent, non-governmental international organization with a membership of national standards bodies that develops and publishes a wide range of proprietary, industrial, and commercial standards.
J
- JCT - Joint Contracts Tribunal: Produces standard forms of contracts, guidance notes, and other standard forms of documentation for use in the construction industry.
K
- KPI - Key Performance Indicator: A type of performance measurement that evaluates the success of an organization or of a particular activity in which it engages.
L
- LD - Liquidated Damages: A contractual provision that specifies a predetermined amount of money that must be paid as damages for failure to perform under a contract.
- LEED - Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design: A widely used green building rating system that provides a framework for healthy, highly efficient, and cost-saving green buildings.
- LAD - Liquidated and Ascertained Damages: A predetermined amount of money that must be paid as damages for failure to perform under a contract, typically when there is a delay in completion.
- LOI - Letter of Intent: A document outlining the preliminary understanding between parties who intend to make a contract or join together in another action.
M
- MEP - Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing: A significant component of the construction industry, focusing on the disciplines involved in building services.
- MSDS - Material Safety Data Sheet: A document that lists information relating to occupational safety and health for the use of various substances in a workplace.
- M&E - Mechanical and Electrical: Pertains to the mechanical and electrical systems in a building, including HVAC, lighting, and plumbing systems.
N
- NEC - New Engineering Contract: A family of contracts that facilitates the implementation of sound project management principles and practices as well as defining legal relationships.
- NCR - Non-Conformance Report: A construction-related document that records any deviations from project specifications or standards.
- NFPA - National Fire Protection Association: An international organization that develops and publishes standards and codes intended to minimize the possibility and effects of fire and other risks.
- NTP - Notice to Proceed: Formal notification given to the contractor by the client to start work.
O
- OSHA - Occupational Safety and Health Administration: An agency of the United States Department of Labor that ensures safe and healthful working conditions for workers by setting and enforcing standards.
- OR - Owner’s Representative: A person or entity appointed by the owner to act as liaison between the owner and other project participants.
P
- PMP - Project Management Professional: A recognized certification for project managers which denotes that they possess specific skills and experience in project management.
- PMI - Project Management Institute: A professional organization for project management professionals.
- POE - Post Occupancy Evaluation: An assessment of the effectiveness and performance of a building after it has been occupied for some time.
- PPE - Personal Protective Equipment: Equipment worn to minimize exposure to hazards that cause serious workplace injuries and illnesses.
Q
- QA - Quality Assurance: A way of preventing mistakes and defects in manufactured products and avoiding problems when delivering solutions or services to customers.
- QC - Quality Control: The part of quality management focused on fulfilling quality requirements.
R
- RFI - Request for Information: A common business process whose purpose is to collect written information about the capabilities of various suppliers.
- RFP - Request for Proposal: A document that solicits proposal, often made through a bidding process, by an agency or company interested in procurement of a commodity, service, or valuable asset.
- RFQ - Request for Quotation: A standard business process whose purpose is to invite suppliers into a bidding process to bid on specific products or services.
S
- SWOT - Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats: A strategic planning technique used to identify and understand key issues affecting a project.
- SLA - Service Level Agreement: A commitment between a service provider and a client that documents what services the provider will furnish.
- SDLC - Software Development Life Cycle: A process for planning, creating, testing, and deploying an information system.
T
- TQM - Total Quality Management: A management approach to long-term success through customer satisfaction, focusing on continuous improvement of organizational processes.
- TPM - Total Productive Maintenance: A system of maintaining and improving the integrity of production and quality systems through the machines, equipment, processes, and employees that add business value to an organization.
- T&M - Time and Materials: A contract or project type that is based on actual labor at fixed hourly rates and actual materials costs, plus an add-on for overhead and profit.
U
- UFC - Unified Facilities Criteria: Documents that provide planning, design, construction, sustainment, restoration, and modernization criteria for military installations.
- UPC - Uniform Plumbing Code: A set of standards that enhance safety and sanitation of plumbing systems by providing comprehensive and integrated regulations for plumbing facilities.
V
- VOC - Voice of the Customer: A term used in business and Information Technology (through ITIL) to describe the in-depth process of capturing customer's expectations, preferences, and aversions.
W
- WBS - Work Breakdown Structure: A key project deliverable that organizes the team's work into manageable sections.
X
- XRF - X-ray Fluorescence: A non-destructive analytical technique used to determine the elemental composition of materials. Used in quality control processes in construction, especially for metal and cement analysis.
Y
- YTM - Yield to Maturity: Though primarily a financial term, it is relevant in evaluating the long-term yield on investments made in quality or construction projects, predicting long-term benefits.
Z
- ZBA - Zero-Based Analysis: A method of planning and decision-making which reversibly starts from a "zero base," and every function within an organization is analyzed for its needs and costs. It is used in cost control and budgeting in construction projects.