Using the system that you will be analyzing for your final individual project, o
ID: 2084196 • Letter: U
Question
Using the system that you will be analyzing for your final individual project, or another system of your choosing, identify three specific areas of the preliminary design that could be optimized prior to performing a life cycle cost analysis, effectiveness analysis, and risk analysis and then focus on one of the three areas for further discussion on the optimization approach. First, provide a short description of the system selected. Then describe three potential areas to consider for optimization. Finally, select one of the three areas and talk about the approach you would use to optimize that area of the design for each of the preliminary design alternatives under consideration.Explanation / Answer
Life Cycle Costing (LCC) is an important economic analysis used in the selection of alternatives that impact both pending and future costs. It compares initial investment options and identifies the least cost alternatives for a twenty year period.
In general, LCC is expected to support selection of all building systems that impact energy use: thermal envelope, passive solar features, fenestration, HVAC, domestic hot water, building automation and lighting. However, LCC can also be applied to building features or involve costs related to occupant productivity, system maintenance, environmental impact and any other issue that impacts costs over time. It is very important to recognize the significance of integrated building systems design in the overall efficiency of the design.
The most effective approach to LCC is to appropriately integrate it into the design process.It is extremely important for the effective development of the project that commitments are made and retained on the building systems, in a general sense, during the Conceptual Phase.All LCC effort should be completed in the Design Development Phase of the project.
Cost optimization is a business-focused, continuous discipline to drive spending and cost reduction, while maximizing business value. It includes: Obtaining the best pricing and terms for all business purchases. Standardizing, simplifying and rationalizing platforms, applications, processes and services.
The analysis period should be chosen to fully represent all costs. When optimizing the design of a single system, all compared alternatives must be considered over the same analysis period. Where possible, the analysis period should be the smallest whole multiple of the service lives for the major systems involved in the analysis. Service lives of HVAC equipment can be found in the ASHRAE Applications manual. In any case, the analysis period should not be over 25 years unless otherwise directed by GSA.
Baseline and alternative first costs are typically those estimated for the construction award date. The life cycle cost analysis can assume that the award date can be considered the zero point in time for the analysis period, with all other event times referenced to the construction award date. For greater simplicity, the year of design decision can also be considered as the zero point in time, and it can be assumed that the construction award will occur in that year.
Using the methodology such that it can reduce the cost for building an efficient system specifies cost optimization.
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