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Information and Communication Technology advancement has made the method of practice across different industries and businesses record fundamental changes in various dimensions and levels. The construction industry is determined to measure up with other industries in this and has since embraced the use of computer software to perform most, if not all of its activities. It is generally known that this software is not cheap and they require special skill to use. This research study is aimed at developing a computerised template for material and labour schedules for some selected items of work in construction using Microsoft Excel. This is an inexpensive way of estimating to save cost while eliminating the traditional method. The study adopted a mixed research method that involved observation of labourers on-site and validation through a questionnaire survey. The personal observation was carried out and labour outputs were recorded which was used together with material constants in developing the bill of material and labour template. The template was validated by practising Quantity Surveyors for ongoing projects and an average of 92% accuracy was recorded. It was concluded that the template can enhance the accuracy of Quantity Surveyors’ estimate of materials and labour for construction projects.

The quest for smart cities and development has been on the increase among infrastructural development stakeholders, including clients, government agencies responsible for the management of infrastructures, construction professionals, sponsors, and financiers of these projects. However, studies around the world have shown that less attention is being paid by these stakeholders to various indices and measures of smart cities. These measures and indices, known as drivers, are smart environment, smart economy, smart people, smart governance, smart mobility, and smart living. Using these drivers and their indicators, a multiple-choice questionnaire was designed in line with existing and relevant literature materials in the subject area. These questionnaires were administered on construction professionals with relevant and adequate knowledge of smart construction. Smart environment was found to be a major driver of a smart city while smart people, smart governance and smart living are also key to the achievement of the goals and objectives of the concept. The developed key smart city drivers are a workable, adaptable and efficient city design mechanism and it will be useful for city planners, statutory agencies as well other stakeholders in the development of smart cities.

The embracement of smart city approach as a sustainable system for the management and delivery of infrastructural developments has been on the increase, especially in developed and some developing countries. For this to be successful, cities in these countries, particularly in developing ones like South Africa, needs to be resilient because even though resilience can be achieved by making cities smart, smartness does not bring resilience by default. Thus, this study examines various factors influencing the ability of cities to develop resilience through smart city drivers. A survey of construction professionals involved in the design, planning, development and general management of cities and their infrastructure was carried out with the aid of a well-structured questionnaire. Factors influencing resilience were grouped into five divisions which are climate change, education, food security, public safety and threat to disease, in order of their importance. Findings revealed that the most important of these factors are the development of literacy and technical skills of citizens, regeneration of agricultural land and increased localised food production. The paper further examined the effects of these factors on six smart city drivers and found out that smart economy has the most influence on the resilience of a city. It was concluded that stakeholders concerned with the achievement of resilient smart city must give attention to the major needs of its citizens, and such needs are better produced locally.