Menu
The United Arab Emirates skyline is one of the testaments to the architectural ambition and engineering skills. Having built the skyscraping Burj Khalifa and the artificial island of the Palm Jumeirah, UAE never stopped setting limits of what can be created in construction. This fast-tracked growth is associated, however, with such pressure to control cost, maximize resources and sustainability in the long term without the sacrifice of quality or vision. This is the point at which the concepts of value engineering are not only useful, but necessary.
Value engineering is an organized and methodical direction of offering the required functions in a project at minimum cost. It encourages the replacement of materials and processes by cheaper ones all without compromising functionality. It is a process that is planned, daunting assumptions, functions, and discovers innovative solutions to create optimal value. To developers, investors and construction companies operating in the competitive UAE marketplace, adopting value engineering would imply the provision of world-class construction works that are economical and sustainable. The guide shall discuss the importance of value engineering in the construction industry of the UAE and how it leads to efficiency, innovation, and sustainable development.
Value engineering is a functional approach. Rather than merely attempting to reduce the expenses, it examines the need – or “function” – of each aspect and process in a project. It aims at recognizing and eliminating those costs which are not necessary with the aim of preserving or improving the project performance, quality and its reliability. The analysis and decision-making are guided by a number of principles that define this process.
Function analysis is the core of value engineering. Each aspect of a project, including the kind of glass in a facade, the brand of an HVAC system used, and so on, has a core purpose. The Value Engineering Design in UAE group poses some significant questions: What functionality does this component perform? What is its purpose? The team can eliminate the physical object by describing functions in a simple two-word, verb-noun structure (e.g., provide shade; support structure; etc.), allowing it to concentrate on the purpose of a specific physical item. This allows the opportunity to brainstorm in the creative way of doing the same thing, albeit at a lesser cost.
The cost of the project does not stop at the time of construction. The total cost of ownership or life cycle cost does not only represent the amount of money, capital, spent on the start-up, but also represents all further costs spent on running, repairing, maintaining and finally replacement. Value engineering is a long term perspective of making judgement on how various design decisions can affect such future costs. An example is the less efficient, but less expensive, air conditioning system which will appear cheaper in the short term, but will result in considerably bigger energy payments during the lifetime of the building. These factors would be balanced in a value engineering analysis in order to find the solution that is most valuable in terms of life cycle of the asset.
Value engineering, as such, is a creative process. It involves a multidisciplinary team which includes architects, engineers, contractors and cost estimators to brainstorm about the alternative to the initial design. Such a team spirit promotes out-of-the-box thinking and breaks down the mentality of doing things the way things have always been done. It is all about coming up with as many ideas as possible, irrespective of how unorthodox they might appear initially. This is the innovative stage when most innovations take place, resulting in design innovation, material innovation as well as construction innovation.
The commonest myth regarding value engineering is that it only entails the reduction of prices of things. It is actually on the issue of adding value which is the ratio of functionality to cost. The added value may be in the enriching of the function or the reduction of the cost. More to the point, the process is not to worsen the required performance, quality, reliability or safety of the project. The proposed change would be highly evaluated to ensure that it would be either equal or even more than the requirements and the expectations of the client. It is directed at achieving the same or better performance with less cost and not to be contented with less cost performance.
Value Engineering Design in the UAE is one of the pillars of modern construction by following these principles. Integra uses this method of approach systematically to guide its clients in the intricacies of large scale projects. Our teams also recognize design, material and system optimization opportunities by concentrating on the function and life cycle costs. This not only makes the projects cost effective to run and maintain, but also makes delivery of the projects effective to the owners and the end-users in the ever-changing UAE market.
Value engineering is normally done in the form of organized workshop following a multi phase job plan. This analytical framework makes the analysis comprehensive, objective and fruitful.
This first stage is allocated to the exploration of the project. All the interested documents are compiled together by the value engineering team; the design plans, specifications, cost estimates, and project schedules. This will be aimed at getting a detailed overview of the background of the project, the constraints, and the objectives of the project. The definition of what a client considers to be value is also determined by the team in order to make sure that the further analysis is oriented according to their priorities.
This is what is at the heart of the process as discussed. It is the team that examines the functions of the different systems and components of the project. They develop a Function Analysis System Technique (FAST) diagram, a graphic representation of the association between various functions and the key purpose of the project. This disintegration enables the team to identify areas that consume a lot of money, but are not adding significant value.
In this stage, the team members come up with a great number of alternative ideas on how to execute the identified functions. The tone is that of open mindedness where criticism is not applied and any recommendations are taken. At this point, it is the quantity, rather than the quality, which is in focus, and the goal is to generate a massive pool of potential solutions. Creative thinking is triggered by methods such as brainstorming and round robin discussions.
The thoughts that were developed during the creative stage are now subjected to analysis. The team determines the viability, benefits, and drawbacks of all the options. They carry out a definitive cost analysis, comparing the life cycle of the cost of each of the suggested solutions to the original design. Ideas that are either impractical or not providing a great improvement in value are filtered away and a shortlist of the possibilities of interest is created to be developed further.
During this stage, the ideas that have been shortlisted are developed into clear proposals. Each recommendation is developed as sketches, technical descriptions, and cost comparisons of details by the team. The proposals give the potential savings, implementation costs and implication it has on the project schedule or performance. The devised alternatives are then put together in an official report.
The final one is to present the value engineering report to the project stakeholders and decision-makers. The team has effectively explained the logic behind every recommendation and possible benefits. The client then makes a choice of which proposals to accept and put into practice. After the approval, the design team would make the changes in the project plans and the value engineering process would be completed.
An Integra as a major Building Design Consultant Dubai acknowledges that a building is not merely a building but a complicated mechanism of interdependence. We have the necessary know-how to implement the value engineering process to the latter so that each design decision taken by us leads to the success of the entire project. Our clients are taken through all stages, starting with the initial information gathering, all the way to final presentation, and turning the creative ideas into reality in the form of high value solutions that characterize the architecture of Dubai city.
Value engineering is not just another exercise which attempts to reduce cost but it is a strategic necessity in the construction industry of the UAE. This strict methodology can help establish a way to deliver an extraordinary outcome in a market characterised by ambition, competition and a sense of sustainability without sacrificing financial soundness. Value engineering enables the potential of a project by taking the systematic analysis of its functions, criticizing assumptions, and promoting innovation, making sure that each Dirham spent on it creates the greatest impact.
To the developers and the investors in the UAE, it is the integration of the value engineering at the first steps of a project that will help strike a balance between iconic design and economic reality. It allows the framework to create smarter, more efficient and more resilient buildings that will withstand time. In case you are willing to make the most out of your next project and realize high value, the professional team at Integra is there to help you. Get in touch with us and see how our value engineering and design consultancy services can deliver some confidence, effectiveness, and creativity to your vision.
Trade License Number: 52208
Building A1, Dubai Digital
Park, Dubai Silicon Oasis,
Dubai, UAE
Follow us on: