Jrade, A (2004) Integrated conceptual cost estimating and life cycle costing system for building projects. PhD thesis, Concordia University, Canada.
Abstract
Cost estimates are considered the most important and critical mission during the life cycle of a construction project. Preparing reliable and accurate estimates to help decision makers is the most challenging assignment that cost engineers and estimators can face. For decades, the construction industry focused on acquiring the construction costs of building facilities, neglecting the associated costs of running and maintaining them. Currently, by contrast, owners are interested in investigating the economics of facility management, which are the cost of owning and operating the building over its useful life. This thesis presents a methodology that can be used for an integrated conceptual cost estimating and life-cycle costing system for building projects. The methodology describes the development and implementation of a system that automates the preparation of conceptual cost estimates and forecasts future costs of running building projects. This methodology does so by joining Computer Integrated Construction (CIC) and Virtual Reality Environment (VRE). The system integrates relational databases, a preliminary estimate module, an AutoCAD module, a global module, a cost estimate forecasting and decision support-system modules, and life-cycle costing and sensitivity analysis modules. A modification in building design will result in an automatic generation of a new conceptual estimate. Subsequently, this modified drawing can be virtually animated and visualized by using a Virtual Reality browser. Finally, once capital costs are identified, the system forecasts the cost of running and maintaining the new building during its expected service life. Then, after assigning the range of deviation, it applies a sensitivity analysis method to investigate the most sensitive parameters so that further attention can be directed. Designing the system in a user-friendly environment allows owners and decision makers to envision the feasibility of new building projects within their anticipated life cycle. Moreover, it assists architects and cost engineers to generate conceptual cost estimates in a dynamic environment. A numerical example is presented to illustrate the usefulness and capabilities of the developed system.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Doctoral) |
|---|---|
| Thesis advisor: | Alkass, S |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | decision support; virtual reality; construction cost; construction project; new build; building design; estimating; forecasting; life cycle; service life; architects; estimator; owner |
| Index terms: | cost estimate, construction industry, implementation, estimate, costing, module, architect, virtual reality, new build, engineer, life cycle, owner, construction cost, deviation, forecasting, service life, building design, estimating, estimator, methodology, construction project, drawing, face, sensitivity analysis, relational database, capital cost, decision support, cost estimating |
| Subjects: | architectural elements, research methods, construction integration, accounting and finance, production management, data management, asset management, sociology, decision analysis, industry analysis, environmental hazards, profession, virtual reality, value management, psychology, technical documentation, contractual arrangements, financial and cost management, architectural design, prediction and forecasting |
| Topics: | Cost Management, Business Strategy, Research Practice, Roles and Professions, Stakeholder Management, Digital Applications, Design Practice, Organizational Design, Project Management, Risk Management, Sustainability, Procurement |
| Descriptive scope: | 4 PCTA |
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