CABA free report calculates lifecycle cost of building systems

The Continental Automated Buildings Association (CABA) has released a free report that calculates the life cycle cost of a building system.

CABA, located in Ottawa, is an international not-for-profit industry association dedicated to the advancement of connected home and intelligent building technologies. “The core objective of the “Life Cycle Costing of Intelligent Buildings” research report is to identify what needs to be done, and by whom, to make life cycle costing a mainstream criteria for building system evaluation in North America,” says CABA.

The research found that building technology purchases are most often based on low cost and relationships with past vendors. Despite this, the study participants agreed that life cycle costing is a valid prerequisite for building industry purchases and a key benchmark in the years to come.

One valid concern that the industry has with life cycle costing, says CABA, is “its rare and irregular application in the design process when developing intelligent building plans and technologies, which causes obvious incongruence later in the process.”

The study found that budgetary restrictions often hinder the adoption of the best suite technology or project, particularly when life cycle cost is not taken into consideration. It also found a lack of collaboration among building technology segments.

The report was written by Frost & Sullivan for CABA and CABA members: such as the buildingSMART Alliance, Cadillac Fairview Corporation, Consolidated Edison of New York, CSA Group, Hydro One Networks, Hydro-Québec, Honeywell, International Facility Management Association (IFMA), Ingersoll Rand/Trane, Johnson Controls, Microsoft Corporation, PCN Technology, Philips, Public Works and Government Services Canada, Siemens Industry, The Siemon Company, Southern California Edison and WattStopper/Legrand.

To obtain the report, click here.