Understanding the Value in Value Engineering

摘要

When New York's Four Seasons Hotel and Private Residences needed to find ways to reduce overall project costs, it took a closer look at its heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) design. This system was targeted because it was estimated to incur 15% of the total cost. How did the property reduce the cost, and concurrently ensure that its five-star quality was not compromised? Enter value engineering. Using software called Virtual Environment (VE), a performance simulation tool from Integrated Environmental Solutions, the property's engineering team was able to build a 3D model, simulate the loads, and vary the system inputs to arrive at an optimal system. Ultimately, it reduced cost, while meeting specifications.