BIM-based Work Environment of Value Engineering

in Sustainable Construction

Jihye Shin1, Inhan Kim2 and Junsik Choi2,

1 Research center, buildingSMART Korea, 188, Seocho jungang-ro, Seocho-gu, Seoul,

Republic of Korea 2 Department of Architecture, Kyung Hee University, 1732 Deogyeong-daero, Giheung-gu,

Yongin-si, Gyeonggi-do, 17104, Republic of Korea

{sjh9025, ihkimm1, jungsikchoi}@gmail.com

Abstract. With increasing interests of sustainability, VE has been required to

consider building energy efficiency in the construction industry. However, the

methodology to create and evaluate alternatives for enhancing this performance

is absent in the conventional VE framework. This study proposes the BIM-

based VE idea database and validation system at conceptual level to establish

the VE work environment for achieving energy efficiency cost-effectively.

Keywords: Building information model (BIM), Energy efficiency, Value

engineering (VE), VE idea

1 Introduction

Value engineering (VE) is a function based effort to improve the value of projects

which is the optimized cost effects for performing the expected function [1].

Recently, the demand for improving energy efficiency, as the critical function of

buildings, has been increased in VE study, with the growing interests in sustainable

buildings. However, the alternatives for enhancing energy efficiency cost-effectively

is rarely considered in the conventional VE framework where the consisting

methodologies are highly oriented to cost and the time frame is short [2, 3]. Building

information model (BIM) is an integrated repository of building information; and its

adoption in VE can lead meaningful discussions on energy efficiency by providing

the required data to understand a project and to perform energy performance analysis.

As a fundamental research on developing VE framework for sustainable building

projects, the purpose of this study is to identify the requirements for BIM-based work

environment of VE that enables to meet the expected energy efficiency of a building

with other functions.

Advanced Science and Technology Letters Vol.141 (GST 2016), pp.79-83

http://dx.doi.org/10.14257/astl.2016.141.16

ISSN: 2287-1233 ASTL Copyright © 2016 SERSC

2 Limitation of the Conventional VE process

Implementing sustainable buildings requires the substantial investment on applying

technologies for improving building performance. Thus, the investment recovery

occurred in building operation takes a crucial role in securing the feasibility of

sustainable building projects. The enhanced energy efficiency, as a most important

benefit of sustainable buildings, should be considered with the return of investments

on the technologies in a building’s life cycle aspect. In this context, the effective

alternatives for enhancing energy efficiency cost-effectively should be generated; and

its effects should be estimated quantitatively in VE process.

Fig. 1. IDEF0 diagram of the conventional VE process

This study created an IDEF0 diagram of the conventional VE process to identify its

detailed activities, required information and methodologies, as shown in Fig. 1. The

limitations on discussing the issues related to energy efficiency of VE process were

analyzed based on this IDEF0 diagram and are presented in Table 1. The derived

limitations are summarized into three features: i) lack of understanding of energy

performance of current state of a project building; ii) standardized thinking in

generating alternatives led by brainstorming method; and iii) absence of methodology

to evaluate energy efficiency and energy cost saving in detailed [4, 5].

Table 1. The limitations of VE process on discussing energy efficiency of buildings

Stage Phase Limitations

Pre-study

stage

- Limitation on gathering project information

- Absence of methodology for selecting high energy use

Study stage

Information - Insufficient consideration of energy efficiency

Function analysis - Cost-oriented estimation method

Creativity - Limited generation of VE idea for improving energy

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efficiency

Evaluate - Insufficient consideration for energy saving potential

of each VE idea

Development - Absence of detailed energy performance information

on each VE idea

3 BIM-based Work Environment of VE

In order to improve the limitations that are discussed in previous chapter, this study

suggests the VE idea database and the VE idea validation system that are based on

BIM as shown in Fig. 2, as requirements for establishing the work environment to

conduct VE study with considering energy efficiency.

Fig. 2. The suggested BIM-based systems for considering energy efficiency in VE process

3.1 BIM-based VE Idea Database

VE idea is a creative alternative to improve value of VE study, and it is a target of

evaluation during VE process. The VE idea database which is a systematic collection

of VE ideas can provide the opportunity to trigger the generation of creative VE ideas

arising from the previous ideas that have the verified effectiveness in real projects [6].

In addition, the VE idea with the expression in BIM data format can be utilized

directly in analyzing its effects through being incorporated to BIM data of a project

building that is input data of BIM-based analysis. In this context, this study proposes

the VE idea database consisting of four categories such as targeted functions,

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Copyright © 2016 SERSC 81

performances, building elements and expressions in BIM data format of VE ideas.

The interface of the database is also needed to be developed in order to promptly

search the previous VE ideas related to the similar function, performance and building

elements of the executing VE study.

3.2 BIM-based VE Idea Validation System

To generate VE idea to meet desired energy efficiency of a project building, the

detailed effects of the idea including energy efficiency, energy cost saving and life

cycle cost are needed to be estimated in economic term. BIM data format can be used

to extract information requirements for energy performance analysis, quantity take-off

and cost estimation. This study suggests BIM-based VE idea validation system which

composed of three modules: i) energy performance analysis module; (ii) energy

saving costing module; and (iii) life cycle costing module. Each module automatically

or semi-automatically estimates the effects of VE idea using the BIM data

incorporating the idea. Energy performance analysis on a project building can also be

executed with the energy performance analysis module of this system.

4 Conclusion

As fundamental research, this study identifies the limitations and requirements of the

conventional VE process to improve energy efficiency in the targeted level within VE

framework. The suggested BIM-based VE idea database and validation system that

form the BIM-based work environment have been designed to contribute to create the

best alternatives for enhancing energy efficiency with the verified feasibility in

duration of VE study. For the next stage of this study, the BIM-based database and

system will be actually implemented and examined to verify its applicability in real

VE process for sustainable building projects.

Acknowledgement. This work was supported by the National Research Foundation

of Korea(NRF) grant funded by the Korea government(MSIP) (No.

2015R1A2A2A01008315).

References

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(Unpublished doctoral dissertation). University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg

(2009)

4. Al-Yousefi, S.: Value engineering application benefits in sustainable construction. Riyadh:

Project Management Institute Arabian Gulf Chapter (2010)

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82 Copyright © 2016 SERSC

5. Cantwell, C., King, R., Lorand, T., Ganley, C., Knipe, M., & Page, I.: Energy efficiency in

value engineering: barriers and pathways. Water Intelligence Online, 9 (2010)

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Copyright © 2016 SERSC 83