Technology: Life Cycle Costs of Buildings - Calculation Methods, Status, and Outlook
In the past three years the calculation of life cycle costs (LCC) of buildings significantly gained importance. Calls for architectural competitions or VOF procedures (the German procedure for awarding professional services) more and more often include the evaluation criterion "low life cycle costs" in addition to required energy standards and information on economic feasibility. The expenses for a LCC-calculation are low and pay off quickly. Experience shows that the cost share for construction comprises at most only 20 % throughout the entire life cycle of a building. However, the share for use and renovation can reach 80 %. This is why the reduction of use costs in particular is of high importance. In the future, an increase in detailing and consultant requirements is likely. This is why architects should be informed about this subject.
