Part Two: Construction Cost and Standardization
Barrier: Construction Cost
We consider many cost elements during the design stage of a project. The time frame of the project, the size of the structure, labor wages, and the cost of materials are just a few examples of what adds up during construction.
Opportunity: System and Component Standardization
One of the main opportunities to save money during tall building construction is taking advantage of standardization and repetition of systems and their components. Standardization can be accomplished by creating uniformity in the systems throughout the building. Choosing to use variations of air handler units, pump pipes, or electrical conduits on each floor, for example, increases the production and installation costs while running the risk of creating future troubleshooting confusion for the building engineers.
The benefits of standardization go hand-in-hand with those of economies of scale. When units can be produced on a larger scale, production costs are more likely to decrease and less excess material is wasted. Therefore, manufacturers are more willing to lower the unit price when larger quantities are purchased.
Kingdom Tower
Standardization was a critical part of the development of the Kingdom Tower project. As buildings become taller, they become more expensive to construct. There is a larger quantity of components being ordered and systems being installed. In order to manage the expense of Kingdom Tower?s design, we are looking to standardize components as much as possible to facilitate a simple approach. Standardized components include air handling units, heat exchangers, pumps, storage tanks, electrical switchboards, transformers, etc.