Value engineering is a disciplined process to improve the design of a façade to reduce waste and cost, and create efficiencies in manufacture and installation.
In a nutshell:
- Value engineering is a disciplined process to improve a project, and eliminate unnecessary costs
- In the façade and solar shading industry, it can reduce costs, cut wastage and create efficiencies in manufacture and installation
- Value engineering will also look beyond the short-term to consider lifecycle and maintenance costs
- It should take place as early in the project planning process as possible
- Value engineering is all about understanding the ultimate vision for the project, and collaborating with stakeholders to find the best solution
It looks at the materials, manufacturing and installation methods, logistic, planning constraints and other challenges to find the best solution.
Effective value engineering in the façade and solar shading industry can reduce costs, cut wastage and reduce environmental impacts – while not compromising the design intent.
Although value engineering may involve substituting materials or methods to reduce costs, it will also look beyond the short-term to consider lifecycle and maintenance costs, or how the quality of the project will affect the quality of life of the people who use it.
Give me an example
Imagine a rainscreen cladding project. The architect has specified panels of a various non-standard dimension, but the façade specialist knows that having a single consistent panel size could be easier to manufacture and install, reducing costs and wastage. The company discusses this with the architect, shares drawings and 3D renders (and may even produce full-size mock-ups) to show the benefits outweigh the minor changes to the design.
When should value engineering take place?
As early in the project planning process as possible (potentially even at the pre-tender) stage, when the benefits can be greatest. Here the cost to make changes will be lowest, and will have the least effect on a project’s schedule. But value engineering can (and should) also take place during the construction phase – if there’s still opportunity to add real value.
And sometimes it costs more...
Specifying low-quality materials or trimming costs in the manufacturing or installation process may be false economy. It’s a low-cost, low-value solution – with potential long-term knock-on effects. Value engineering is all about understanding the ultimate vision for the project, and collaborating with all stakeholders to find the best way forward.
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