Leveraging building information modelling to address the barriers that prevent the widespread adoption of life cycle costing by quantity surveyors

Kehily, D

Abstract

Life Cycle Costing (LCC) is the consideration of all ‘relevant’ costs and revenues associated with the acquisition and ownership of an asset. LCC has a number of relevant applications, these include project appraisal; facilities management; procurement and tendering and as a means to evaluate sustainable construction. Although these advantages are well recognised, the process is underutilised due to a number of documented barriers to adoption. Notably these include lack of accurate historical databases; the perceived complexity and time consuming nature of the calculations; lack of a standard LCC methodology, and that the client is not requesting LCC. This research is framed in recognition of these barriers, investigating a process that could affect change by increasing efficiency in this area. A Building Information Modelling (BIM) approach to construction procurement is being increasingly utilised as a collaborative set of procedures and associated technologies that assist design and construction professions in conceiving, designing, constructing and operating the built environment. Although 5D BIM (Cost Modelling) is currently being used in Quantity Surveying (QS) practice, BIM is not extensively used in the application of LCC and there has been little research in this area. This research develops a 5D-LCC solution, where LCC is integrated into the 5D BIM process by embedding an LCC calculation model structure within an existing 5D technology. This process represents a change to the 5D BIM work-flow; adding on a facility for LCC through post-processing BIM data. The research is carried out under an action and design sciences research methodology, to develop and then evaluate the LCC process proposed in this research. An evaluation method known as ‘Thinking Aloud cooperative evaluation’ is used to gain feedback from a sample of QSs practicing in Ireland. The contribution to knowledge is the articulation of a process which extends 5D BIM for LCC, by leveraging an existing 5D technology. The research identifies that this process has an effect on a number of the reported barriers to LCC. The predominant benefit is that the process provides automation and efficiency in carrying out LCC, which addresses barriers such as LCC being a ‘time intensive process’ with QSs lacking ‘the know-how’ in carrying out calculations. The findings also indicate that the process provides a format to present LCC estimates, thus addressing a ‘lack of standardisation’.

Citation

Kehily, D. (in press). Leveraging building information modelling to address the barriers that prevent the widespread adoption of life cycle costing by quantity surveyors. (Thesis). University of Salford

• Thesis Type: Thesis
• Acceptance Date: Mar 10, 2016
• Deposit Date: Jun 17, 2016
• Publicly Available Date: Jun 17, 2016
• Award Date: Mar 12, 2016