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BIM-based Work Environment of Value Engineering in Sustainable

Construction

Conference Paper · December 2016

DOI: 10.14257/astl.2016.141.16

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 Advanced Science and Technology Letters
Vol.141 (GST 2016), pp.79-83
http://dx.doi.org/10.14257/astl.2016.141.16

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.

ISSN: 2287-1233 ASTL

Copyright © 2016 SERSC
Advanced Science and Technology Letters
Vol.141 (GST 2016)

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 - Limitation on gathering project information
stage - Absence of methodology for selecting high energy use
Information - Insufficient consideration of energy efficiency
Study stage Function analysis - Cost-oriented estimation method
Creativity - Limited generation of VE idea for improving energy

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 Advanced Science and Technology Letters
Vol.141 (GST 2016)

efficiency
- Insufficient consideration for energy saving potential
Evaluate
of each VE idea
- Absence of detailed energy performance information
Development
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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Advanced Science and Technology Letters
Vol.141 (GST 2016)

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

1. Dell’Isola, M.: Value analysis. In The Architect’s Handbook of Professional Practice, 133-
-145 (2003)
2. Benson K.: How to conduct energy savings analysis in a facility value engineering study.
SAVE International Conference Proceedings (2009)
3. Shoniwa, K.: Implementing value engineering in green buildings for energy efficiency
(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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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)
6. Seo, Y., Woo, Y., & Lee, S.: A study on developing the actual cases database of value
engineering of building construction, Journal of the Korea Institute of Building
Construction, 10(2), 67--73 (2010)

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