Informing early stage design through LCC data

Life cycle costing has proven a valuable decision-making tool for strategic facility management, considering life-cycle perspective of buildings. However, its application by the Architecture, Engineering and Construction Industry is limited, due to lack of available information and weak data integration, especially in early design stages. In order to overcome those challenges, research has proposed transferring information from the operation of existing buildings to the design of new buildings. By conducting a case study analysis in a Danish architecture firm, this study aims to explore the form of collaboration between architects and building clients of social housing projects in early design stages and identify how data from operating existing buildings can be used as cost-drivers for better design in relation to life cycle cost calculations. The data, for this exploratory research, are gathered through direct observations and semi-structured interviews in both architects and building client organizations. In addition, structured analysis is used to map the processes and the data flow in a social housing project of the case company. The results indicate that the collaboration between architects and building clients can significantly contribute to the identification of operational cost-drivers and thereby, impact the early stage design of new buildings to reduce life cycle costs.  By enabling the consideration of life cycle costs in early design stages, this research will significantly contribute to designing more sustainable constructions and improving facility management.