Building life costs predicted by BSI Handbook

Citation

(1998), "Building life costs predicted by BSI Handbook", Facilities, Vol. 16 No. 5/6. https://doi.org/10.1108/f.1998.06916eab.010

Building life costs predicted by BSI Handbook

Building life costs predicted by BSI Handbook

Keyword Buildings

The British Standards Institution is setting out to tackle one of the major issues facing the construction and facilities management industries. Their new handbook, entitled Building ­ Service Life Planning and based on a draft International Standard, offers practical guidance on whole life performance and associated cost issues.

In an unprecedented move, the methodologies laid out in the new Handbook are to be tested on live building projects prior to the publication of the International Standard in two years' time.

Dr Hywel Davies, Chairman of the Durability Committee, which has worked on the development of the International Standard, outlined the reasons why the Handbook has been published:

The construction industry wishes to predict whole life costs of projects. At present this cannot be done accurately. This Handbook provides a framework for filling the gaps where the accurate data are missing. It will begin to generate a demand for data from those who can provide them.

Clive Cain, Technical Standards Director for the Defence Estates Organization of the MOD, also welcomed the new Handbook:

I am delighted BSI have published this Handbook; it is a key tool in the DEO Prime Partnership initiative. As the initiative develops we will require our partners to use the Handbook in the development of whole life cost models for their designs. As a client we want to know what a project will cost to own, not just to build.

To receive a copy of the Handbook, contact BSI on 0181 996 7000, quoting reference HB 10141. It costs £30, reduced to £15 for subscribing members of BSI.