The lifecycle-optimized building
Our clients think long-term because they have recognized that the largest cost item for their building is its operation rather than its design and construction. And they know that the parameters and cost drivers for the refurbishment, demolition and operation of the building are determined at the very beginning of the lifecycle.
The briefing process and initial design phase offer clients and designers their best opportunity for reducing the overall costs of the building. It turns out that the time invested at an early stage in the integrated design of a sustainable building concept is “repaid” quickly once it has started operating. Only an integrated design process adequately addresses the long-term flexibility and marketability of the property and, hence, ensures the long-term security of the investment.
Because of its interdisciplinary quality assurance, integrated design is eminently suitable for fully optimizing design decisions in the early project stages. It is the best guarantee of long-term project success because, in contrast with an additive-sequential design process in which key information from different specialists is successively “added” to the design, the integrated design process allows this information to be integrated – and checked by all other project participants - simultaneously. The sought-after quality of use and operation can be comprehensively and efficiently addressed at a very early stage.
Only in this way can a tailor-made solution become a successful one!
As we have been practicing and developing integrated design for over 40 years, the creation of lifecycle-optimized buildings is an intrinsic part of the ATP design philosophy.
Hence, we understand the direct causal relationship:
- Sustainable building development demands consideration of the lifecycle.
- The consideration of the lifecycle requires integrated design.
- Integrated design is optimally visualized by the BIM design tool
