COST EFFECTIVE ARCHITECTURE

AARUSHI WADHWA
SUBMISSION-

1)Write Short notes on

A. Cost effective building practices
Every owner wants a cost-effective building. But what does this mean? In many
respects the interpretation is influenced by an individual's interests and objectives,
and how they define "cost-effective".

 Is it the lowest first-cost structure that meets the program?

 Is it the design with the lowest operating and maintenance costs?
 Is it the building with the longest life span?
 Is it the facility in which users are most productive?
 Is it the building that offers the greatest long-term value or return on
investment?

While an economically efficient project is likely to have one or more of these

attributes, it is impossible to summarize cost-effectiveness by a single parameter.
Determining true cost-effectiveness requires a life-cycle perspective where all costs
and benefits of a given project are evaluated and compared over its economic life.
A building design is deemed to be cost-effective if it results in benefits equal to those
of alternative designs and has a lower whole life cost, or total cost of ownership. For
example, the HVAC system alternative that satisfies the heating and cooling
requirements of a building at the minimum whole life cost, is the cost-effective HVAC
system of choice. Components of the whole life cost include the initial design and
construction cost, on-going operations and maintenance, parts replacement,
disposal cost or salvage value, and of course the useful life of the system or building.
The federal government has numerous mandates that define program goals with the
expectation that they be achieved cost-effectively.
The challenge is often how to determine the true costs and the true benefits of
alternative decisions. For example, what is the economic value in electric lighting
savings and productivity increases of providing daylight to workplace environments?
Or, what is the value of saving historic structures? Alternately, what is the cost of
a building integrated photovoltaic system (BIPV), given that it may replace a
conventional roof?
The following three overarching principles associated with ensuring cost-effective
construction reflect the need to accurately define costs, benefits, and basic economic
assumptions.

B. Need of cost effective solutions

2) What factors are considered in making cost calculation of the project and
how can it be reduced?
3) Designing and planning of a building can help in reducing the cost of the
project establish the fact with relevant example.
4)Compare traditional building technology and alternative building
technology.

Traditional and modular construction are very

different from one another. 

The traditional method of construction has been the accepted norm for a long time.
By its very definition, the word traditional means conventional, customary and
established. Modular construction, on the other hand, revolutionises everything, from
cutting time to changing attitudes. There are pros and cons to each method.

Both traditional and modular construction begins in the same way. Planning, design,
approvals, site preparation and development are all required. But, from this point
onwards, everything changes.

Traditional construction

Foundations are laid, walls are built, roofs are added and then the interior of the
building begins to be created. Finally, before being handed over to the customer, the
snag-list is drawn up and tackled – all those small issues and tasks that need
addressing. Then, and only then, is the building officially complete.

Modular construction

As the foundations are being laid on site, construction of the building is already taking
place in a factory by skilled craftspeople, including interior and exterior finishes,
electrics, plumbing and flooring. Before the building is delivered to the site, the snag-
list is completed at the factory. The building is then transported, fixed in place and the
keys handed over.

Benefits:

Time: On average, a modular building is constructed 50% quicker than one using the
traditional method, resulting in an earlier return on investment.

Budget: Modular buildings can be more affordable than site-built buildings. Shorter

build time tends to mean significant cost savings. Also, there are no dead-spots in the
process waiting for materials.

Weather: As the major parts of construction are carried out in a factory, modular
builds don’t run the risk of being rained off. Vandalism too is far less of a problem.

Health, safety and quality: Factory conditions allow for far greater control and
improvement of all three compared with the traditional building site.

Environmentally friendly: Modular builds are more energy-efficient, create less waste

and increase the use of sustainable materials. There is also a reduction in the carbon
footprint of the build as fewer people are travelling to and from the site.

Community friendly: Traditional builds traditionally create more noise, traffic, mess

and disruption.

Affordable living: Once completed, modular buildings cost less to live in – they’re

cheaper to heat and maintain, eg no repainting or surface repairs required.

Adaptable: Modular buildings can be easily expanded, relocated or reused.

Pitfalls:
Access: As they come ready to put in place, modular construction requires careful
consideration to be given to access for delivery, not just the site itself but
approaching roads.

Change: Traditional building methods allow for late changes in design to be made,

whereas modular construction is less likely to be able to factor this in and requires
client sign-off far earlier.

Rigorous planning: The logistics of individual module assembly demands far more

rigorous planning to ensure a project goes smoothly.

The benefits would appear to directly outweigh the pitfalls. However, every project
needs to be considered individually. The pros, cons and limitations of both traditional
and modular construction should be carefully assessed to ensure the ultimate desired
outcome is achieved.

5) Explain the contribution of any 2 or 3 advocators of cost effective

practices.
6) Write down salient features of technologies for mass housing prepared by
BMPTC.
7) Explain building sector scenario of India and relevance of cost effective
architecture in contemporary development process.
8) What is standardization, prefabrication, monolithic structure?
Standardization
Standardisation is the process of implementing and developing technical
standards based on the consensus of different parties that include firms, users,
interest groups, standards organizations and governments.[1] Standardization
can help maximize compatibility, interoperability, safety, repeatability,
or quality. It can also facilitate commoditization of formerly custom processes.
In social sciences, including economics,[2] the idea of standardization is close to
the solution for a coordination problem, a situation in which all parties can
realize mutual gains, but only by making mutually consistent decisions.
Prefabrication is the practice of assembling components of a structure in
a factory or other manufacturing site, and transporting complete assemblies or
sub-assemblies to the construction site where the structure is to be located.
The term is used to distinguish this process from the more conventional
construction practice of transporting the basic materials to the construction
site where all assembly is carried out.
Prefabrication
The term prefabrication also applies to the manufacturing of things other than
structures at a fixed site. It is frequently used when fabrication of a section of a
machine or any movable structure is shifted from the main manufacturing site
to another location, and the section is supplied assembled and ready to fit. It is
not generally used to refer to electrical or electronic components of a machine,
or mechanical parts such as pumps, gearboxes and compressors which are
usually supplied as separate items, but to sections of the body of the machine
which in the past were fabricated with the whole machine. Prefabricated parts
of the body of the machine may be called 'sub-assemblies' to distinguish them
from the other components.
Monolithic Structure
Monolithic architecture describes buildings which are carved, cast or
excavated from a single piece of material, historically from rock. The most
basic form of monolithic architecture is a rock-cut building, such as the
monolithic churches of Ethiopia built by the Zagwe dynasty, or the Pancha
Rathas in India.

9) Define n give overview of cost effective building in rural sector.

10) State the relevance of cost effective building in present scenario. Justify
your answer with relevant examples.