The Integration of Economic Analysis and Computer-based Building Models

Most current methods used to evaluate the economics of building designs are inadequate in that they focus on the evaluation of completed designs and do not assist in the development and creation of designs. They are used after most major design decisions have been made. This paper describes the first year of a two year research project (funded by the National Science Foundation, the U.S. Government) which seeks to integrate economic analysis techniques into design decision-making within the context of an interactive computer-aided architectural and engineering design system. Issues reviewed include the current state of computer software, existing economic analysis models and existing economic analysis software. A conclusion is reached that most economic analysis systems fall into the category of single purpose software and are not adaptable to the wide range of idiosyncratic evaluation models used in real estate, architecture, engineering, construction and building management. Objectives are proposed for a general purpose, interactive cost modelling system that is integrated with a geometric computer-based building model. Initial experiments with a prototype of this system at various stages of the design-construction-use process are discussed. Further development of this system as a research tool for exploring alternative economic modelling procedures is presente