The following is the list of model input elements, their
use, and range of values.
Case
Description
(Optional) labeling of parameter set, especially useful if printing the results for
distribution and/or saving the parameters for later use.
Floor Area
In square feet - Enter the total usable square feet of the building floor area measured
from wall-to-wall including all stairwells, closets, etc. Include all floors in
multi-story buildings, except use 1/2 the measured area for basement levels. No default.
(The system has a scaling adjustment to account for economies of scale -- 20,000 SF yields
no adjustment.)
Floor Height
In feet - Enter the average number of feet from the floor surface on one story to the
floor surface of the next. For single story buildings use the distance from the floor slab
to the eave. For multi-story buildings, divide the total building height from base slab to
roof eave by the number of floors.
Number of Floors
In whole number - Enter the number of floors or stories including basement levels, Maximum
of 7.
Percent of Area as Office
Enter percentage of the Total Floor Area that will be built as office space. 0 to 100%
Note: the sum of the %'s for (office + wet lab + dry lab) must NOT exceed 100%. Space not
allocated to office or labs is assumed to be largely open for warehouse or industrial
usage.)
Percent of Area as Wet Lab
Enter percentage of the Total Floor Area that will be built as wet lab space. 0 to 100%
Percent of Area as Dry Lab
Enter percentage of the Total Floor Area that will be built as dry lab space. 0 to 100%
Percent of Area Heated
Enter percentage of the Total Floor Area that will be heated space. 0 to 100%.
Percent of Area Cooled
Enter percentage of the Total Floor Area that will be cooled or conditioned space. 0 to
100%
Number of Corners
In whole number - Enter the number of corners the exterior closure has. For instance, a
rectangular building has 4, L-shaped has 6, cross has 12, etc. No maximum.
Structural Strength/Duty Factors (Sub-Structure and Super-Structure)
In whole number from 0 to 10 - scalar indicates the relative strength of the Sub-structure
(caissons, slab, etc.) and Super-structure (above grade structure). Use the following
rough guidelines based on the imposed floor loading in lbs per SF:
| 0 = 50 (light foot traffic, light roof |
6 = 326 |
| 1 = 96 (light office, heavy roof) |
7 = 364 (heavy mfg, live loads) |
| 2 = 142 (heavy office, lab) |
8 = 410 |
| 3 = 188 (light mfg, mixed use) |
9 = 456 |
| 4 = 234 |
10 = 500 (v. heavy mfg, high live loads) |
| 5 = 280 (mixed mfg., warehouse) |
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Note: For 1-story buildings use 1 or 2 for the
Superstructure if it only supports the roof (slab may be much heavier).
Exterior Closure Finish Quality
In whole number from 1 to 10 - scalar reflects the average quality and duty of the closure
construction including walls, windows, and doors. Use the following rough guidelines:
| 1 = Corrugated metal |
6 = Curtain Wall |
| 2 = Wood, Aluminum |
7 = Composition or Cavity, brick face |
| 3 = Block, Tilt-up, Sandwich Panel |
8 = High Quality Curtain Wall |
| 4 = Precast, Decorative Block |
9 = Composition/Cavity, stone face |
| 5 = Composition/Cavity, block face |
10 = Expensive Stone |
Note: As the number of windows increases it tends
to push up quality ratings under 6 and decrease it over 6 (i.e windows tend to cost more
than wall under 6).
Interior Construction Finish Quality
In whole number from 1 to 10 - scalar reflects the average quality and duty of the
interior construction including partitions, floor coverings, ceilings, etc.. Use the
following rough guidelines:
| 1 = functional, unattractive |
6 = moderate duty, attractive |
| 2 = functional, passable |
7 = heavy duty, passable |
| 3 = light duty, passable |
8 = heavy duty, attractive |
| 4 = light duty, attractive |
9 = moderate duty, luxury |
| 5 = moderate duty, passable |
10 = heavy duty, luxury |
Note: the % office/lab parameters already account
for the fact that finished space is present - the answer here refers to how nice those
interiors are.
Mechanical
Services Quality
In whole number from 1 to 10 - scalar reflects the average quality and duty of
the mechanical services including HVAC, fire protection, plumbing, etc. Use the following
rough guidelines:
| 1 = functional, no sprinklers |
6 = moderate duty, extra hazard |
| 2 = light duty, no sprinklers |
7 = heavy duty, ordinary hazard |
| 3 = light duty, light hazard |
8 = heavy duty, extra hazard |
| 4 = moderate duty, light hazard |
9 = max duty, ordinary hazard |
| 5 = moderate duty, ordinary hazard |
10 = max duty, extra hazard |
Note: the % heat/cool parameters already account
for the fact that HVAC is present - the answer here refers to how good those services are.
Electrical Services Quality
In whole number from 1 to 10 - scalar reflects the average quality and duty of the
electrical services including lighting, convenience power, and HVAC/mech power, etc. Use
the following rough guidelines:
| 1 = low light, functional, EMT |
6 = bright light, passable, EMT |
| 2 = low light, passable, EMT |
7 = bright light, passable, RGS |
| 3 = moderate light, functional, EMT |
8 = bright light, attractive, RGS |
| 4 = moderate light, passable, EMT |
9 = max light, passable, RGS |
| 5 = moderate light, attractive, RGS |
10 = max light, attractive, hazard |
Note: the % office/lab parameters do not account
for the quality of lighting - select average area lighting level here.
Escalation Factor
Used to adjust the model relative to the base year and currency, 1995 US$. Default value
is 1.00. Range permitted is 1.00 to 2.00.
Location Factor
Used to adjust the model for local conditions impacting costs. A three-value predetermined
scale is used. Default is 1.00 (for "US Average").
Local Productivity Factor
Used to adjust the model for local conditions impacting productivity, and therefore costs.
Use subject to individual judgment. A four-value predetermined scale is used. Default is
1.10 (for "fair").
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The result of this model is an approximate building cost
estimate, including architects fee, broken down by building system in accordance with the
Construction Specification Institute's Uniformat accounts. The costs include all labor and
material as well as an allowance for contractor's overhead and profit.
The results exclude the following significant items:
- excludes site improvements (land, landscaping, parking,
utilities, etc.)
- excludes furnishings and production equipment
- excludes contingency allowance
All cost estimates should include a contingency allowance
to cover unidentified but expected cost occurrences within the project scope. Contingency
is usually estimated through the application of risk analysis techniques.
The model output is presented in a new browser window in
two major sections. A tabular "chart of accounts" that is the results of the
computations, and a recapitulation of the input parameters. Each execution of the model
will result in a new results window, so it is possible to compare different cases on a
side-by-side basis. Each window can be managed using the normal window controls of your
system (close, minimize, maximize, resize).
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