As the science of climate change hardens, clients are increasingly asking Davis Langdon to help them focus on reducing energy use and the costs of occupying buildings. Consideration of the return on investment in buildings is shifting to include fuller consideration of Whole Life Costs.

Whole Life Costs is “the systematic consideration of all relevant costs and revenues associated with the acquisition and ownership of an asset.” (CRISP)

In broad terms, Whole Life Costs analysis yields the most cost-effective balance of capital and revenue costs over the life of a building. It can be undertaken at any stage in a project; as part of an investment appraisal to define what is built and when, or during design and construction to consider specification options and predict future maintenance and running costs – or to update these for existing buildings.

Davis Langdon has the techniques, data and expertise to assist clients in these studies. We find that Whole Life Costs provides a particularly useful framework for generating pertinent questions during the assessment of design options.