Methodical problems of economic efficiency calculations connected with choice of industrial building areas

Abstract

documentation. The planning of the buildings for a new enterprise begins with the choice of the industrial area. The choice of an industrial area for the buildings to be erected and the search and inspections connected with it belongs to the complex work to be done by the planning organization, together with the institution interested. The task of the special commission constituted in order to choose a concrete industrial area for the buildings of the enterprise comprises the accurate determination of place and position of the complex of objects to be erected, which often consists of the buildings of the enterprise itself, and the heat and electric power plant it needs, the refining installations, automobile roads and railways, the railway marshalling yards, dwelling sections, etc. It is of essential economic importance to find a good solution to the problems connected with the choice of the building site for a new enterprise, since the nature of the area chosen influences the extent of the capital investment, the building time, and the operational costs. Thus, for example, a rugged terrain or poor supporting power of the ground often makes it necessary to erect the buildings and installations on complicated foundations, which essentially raise the building costs and time. A natural slight slope of the area may reduce the costs for the buildings of the circulating water supply and sewage systems, for the industrial-water pumping and sewage installations, and also the costs of the conveying of products and intermediate products. When the industrial area is far away from the sources of water, heat, and electric power supply, this can be a cause for increased production costs. When choosing the area, the following fundamental items should be taken into account: The dimensions of the territory for the works and the objects connected with it must be as small as possible, taking into account the rational density of buildings, avoiding superfluous reserve areas and too large distances between the installations, parks, buildings, and other parts of the works. The works must be as close as possible to the sources of water and energy supply and near districts where processed petroleum products are needed, in order to reduce the conveyance costs and distances. A reduction of the operational costs makes it necessary that the area, as to size and topology, permits an arrangement of the technological plants and other objects and buildings which corresponds to the production process and makes it possible to extend the works. The area must have a relatively smooth surface and an inclination which permits a natural flow-off of surface water, of the exhaust water to the blocks of circulating water supply, and the industrial waste to purifying installations. When the surface is not smooth, large-scale ground work may be necessary to obtain a suitable inclination; otherwise, if these waters and the industrial waste must be pumped off, the operational costs will be essentially higher. The ground of the area must be solid enough to carry the buildings without expensive foundations, the ground water level must remain below the cellars, tunnels, trenches, etc., since otherwise the costs for drainage stations must be added.