Web-based application for predesign cost planning of vertical building envelopes

Abstract Early cost advice on building envelopes can improve the cost certainty of building construction projects. However, it is difficult to provide early predesign cost advice on building envelopes without preliminary sketch designs. A cost planning tool for improving the cost certainty of building envelopes estimates at early predesign stage is presented in this paper. An empirical model termed “conceptual envelope cost model” was developed and integrated into a web-based estimator for conceptual building envelopes (WECBE). The developed model was compared with the traditional elemental cost model for predesign cost planning of building envelopes. Results showed that the developed model provides better accuracy than the elemental cost model. The WECBE as a predesign cost planning tool can assist construction cost professionals in providing useful early cost advice on building envelopes. This is important when a “design to cost” approach is adopted early on building projects having limited financial and construction resources.