The development of an IFC‐based lifecycle costing prototype tool for building construction and maintenance

Abstract

Life-cycle costing (LCC) plays a very important role in the cost estimation and control of a building project. Although a number of LCC software tools have been developed in various CAD systems, the LCC applications based on interoperable data models, which can enhance comprehensive use of design information and historical data generated in various CAD systems, is still rare. The development presented in this paper focuses on interoperability issues in IT-based LCC applications and on improving LCC decision-making based on cost performances of various options of constructing techniques and materials, excluding energy calculations This is a part of the pilot studies of the nD modelling project, which aims to explore a series of IT-based multidisciplinary building design and analysis applications that are associated with an integrated model through an interoperable data standard-Industry Foundation Classes (IFC). The LCC tool is fully compliant to the system architecture of the nD modelling tool, and is based on the integrated nD modelling interfaces, which are IFC compliant and integrated with an interactive virtual reality environment. The functions of the LCC tool also provide integrated costs, database management and automatic calculations of some complicated LCC algorithms. These demonstrate potential solutions to the conventional problems to the LCC-data store and retrieve and calculation. The details of this development, including the functions, interfaces and auxiliary tools supporting this development, are described throughout the paper.

Integrated LCA-LCC assessment model of offsite, onsite, and conventional construction systems

“…Similarly, Fu et al developed a LCC tool based on an interoperable building information model [31]. It was shown that the developed tool could assist users in making appropriate decisions related to building design by evaluating various construction systems by assessing the LCC for all building components and by calculating a total LCC.…”

Developing a Methodology for Integration of Whole Life Costs into BIM Processes to Assist Design Decision Making

“…Over time, this data could also be used to generate a historical database that in turn will be used for briefing, as well as predictive design. At present, the literature suggests a lack of longitudinal studies that focus on monitoring the performance and reliability of systems [71,72]. A major problem that limits the effectiveness of building decision support tools is the difficulty to obtain accurate data from various sources related to a building [73].…”

Identifying Contradictions of Integrating Life-Cycle Costing in Design Practices

“…An LCC practitioner in the case company characterizes the LCC calculations as "a complex and tedious task". Thus, as it is also stated in the literature, the AEC industry lacks useable software (Goh and Sun, 2016) and the calculation of LCC is, currently, a time-consuming procedure, prone to human error (Fu et al, 2007).…”