Value Engineering

One last reality check, having considered all of the issues above, is how has any of this changed your design/specifications and is your budget and timescale still realistic in the light of any changes? You may find it helpful to consider your plans from a Value Engineering perspective. Value Engineering is a technique commonly used in manufacturing to 'optimise the relationship' between Function and Cost. This is of course a euphemism for cutting cost but many of the approaches do make sense. In relation to building design you might think about:

• Material substitutions - Can any of the intended materials be replaced by less expensive ones that function just as well? Going back to the concept of Pace Layering if a certain aspect of the design has a life span of ten years, then using a material that lasts thirty years is wasteful.
• Features - Have you built in more features than users want or will actually use? This may be difficult to judge when you are trying to do things differently.
• Energy efficiency - Are there opportunities to make the design (or the processes carried out in the space) more energy efficient? This is discussed further in the section on Sustainability.

Case Studies

 Edinburgh's Telford College

 New College Durham

 Matthew Boulton College

An example of a Value Engineering type approach is the decision by Telford College to leave certain stairwells and corridors unpainted and to make the bare concrete a feature of the design. This decision was taken to reduce maintenance costs since unpainted walls don't need repainting. It was also felt that the design would encourage students to circulate more quickly through these areas and hence discourage the vandalism that might occur if people were to linger in such zones.

A similar approach, though they describe it simply as good project management, was adopted at Matthew Boulton College. The Principal refused to accept global figures for the fit-out of certain areas and insisted on a detailed breakdown of material costs. This required considerable persistence in the face of claims that 'we don't work that way' but the end result was that considerable savings were made on items as basic as carpet tiles and door handles. Similarly New College Durham instigated a Value Engineering approach when a 'guaranteed maximum price' estimate came out significantly higher than expected and they believe they got a lot of benefit from this. They challenged aspects such as the architect's choice of exterior cladding and furniture specifications for short stay open access IT areas. In other areas they increased costs to make future savings e.g. spray mixer taps that will save on water bills.

Other examples of so-called Value Engineering may actually be pressured attempts to cut down in some areas in the face of mounting costs elsewhere, for example, reducing sound-proofing around social spaces. As a word of caution there are examples of fabulous new buildings that are fitted out with mediocre and inflexible furniture and fittings.

We recommend you think about this approach early on to identify opportunities for savings. Remember the key word is 'Value' and only you can decide what is most important to your users.