Often, we try to bring projects within budget through a process called value engineering, implying that we are enhancing the value of a project. In reality, this process often removes areas of high value in a desperate attempt to keep the project under budget. It is important that the design and construction team agrees early on as to the importance and priority of the intelligent attributes and works to keep them in scope, even when project budgets become a challenge.
There are a few alternative construction models that may work better for intelligent buildings. The simplest is a D-B process where the owner contracts with a D-B contractor to provide a project with the desired features for a set price. Another alternative is to break out the intelligent building portion of the project. This can be as nominal as breaking it into a separate specification section (Division 17 has often been used and Division 25 is designated by the new CSI-2004). In many cases, the intelligent building portions may also be split out in a separate RFP or on the bid forms for a supplier decision directly by the owner. The most radical approach, which is being used on projects outside of North America, is to hire a firm to design the building’s technologies and they, in turn, hire an architect and the rest of the project team. These approaches have the same desired result: to focus on creating a better building and not be overcome by the challenges of budget and schedule.