Amadi, A and Higham, A P (2020) A cost trajectory to environmentally adaptive building construction in wet humid settings. International Journal of Building Pathology and Adaptation, 38(1), pp. 68-88. ISSN 23984708
Abstract
Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to focus on the ongoing discourse centred on enhancing building performance to provide an interpretation of life cycle cost (LCC) analysis, directly applicable to building construction in coastal areas located in tropical wet–humid settings. Design/methodology/approach: A survey of 50 buildings based on physical observation is carried out to identify typical failure patterns in wet‒humid environment. Further, a comparative initial construction cost and LCC analysis is computed for two alternative building schemes with identical floor plans: Scheme A using sound construction and detailing to guard against future maintenance problems and Scheme B adopting the typical designs evident in the study area. Findings: The result of the analysis shows that in the long-run scheme, A is an economically more viable option than B, as the increased initial costs are entirely offset by the reduced running cost. Research limitations/implications: The contextual nature of LCC analysis poses difficulties in applying the evidence provided in this study to provide a generalisable financial justification to buildings clients. Practical implications: The outcome of the study provides analytical validation to overcome resistances and enables informed decision making by clients, which is necessary to promote transition from conventional to environmentally responsive design choices suitable to wet–humid conditions. Originality/value: The study provides an interpretation of LCC analysis, directly applicable to building construction in the tropical wet–humid setting of coastal areas against the backdrop of inconsistencies in the practical application of the theory of LCC.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | building failure; building performance; coastal areas; environmental adaptation; life cycle costs |
| Index terms: | survey, life cycle cost, building performance, building construction, building failure, evidence, validation, coastal areas, methodology, decision-making, adaptation, construction cost, option, running cost |
| Subjects: | financial and cost management, data collection methods, evaluation and assessment methods, user focus, reliability engineering, decision analysis, building construction, quality assurance, physical geography and landforms, research methods, professional development |
| Topics: | Quality Management, Design Practice, Construction Technology, Risk Management, Engineering Principles, Information Management, Geographical Context, Research Practice, Cost Management |
| Descriptive scope: | 5 PCTEA |
N.B. Descriptive scope is a count of how many of the five facets of empirical research are indicated by the words used in title, abstract and keywords. It is not intended as a judgement on the research; merely a count of the kind of word we would expect to indicate Phenomenon, Concepts, Theoretical framing, Empirical techniques, Analytical techniques. If all five are present, then a code of “5 PCTEA” will indicate this. If you feel the coding for this record is questionable, we welcome discussion around the terms we matched or the way we categorized them. The facet you would expect may not be coded, or a facet may be coded inappropriately. This can also bear on a larger question, of which facets should be treated as defining in construction management research. Please get in touch, and we will look at it. More details here