Topic > Using Value Engineering (VE) in Civil Engineering...

1. Introduction: Value engineering (VE) has been defined by various researchers, for example Connaughton and Green (1996) defined it as "a systematic approach to providing required functions at the lowest cost without prejudice to quality, performance and reliability" and Kelly and Male (1993) defined VE as ''The process of identifying and eliminating unnecessary costs during the design and construction phases''. Coming back to the history of VE, in 1947 the VE methodology was initially implemented as “value analysis” by Lawrence Delos Miles in order to make grounding material to increase the value of the product. It has been used to mean studying the product during the design phase (WCL, 2014) and “uses a value equation that says value equals function divided by cost” (Elayache, 2010). This equation calculates the functionality of the project relative to the total cost of the project (all construction costs plus operating costs). In any project, including civil, EV implementation can result in increased functionality or cost reduction. However, it is important to say that VE is not a “cost reduction approach” (PM, 2012). Figure 1 shows the VE process which goes through seven stages (Nolan, 2014). Conducting such workshops requires greater planning and involvement of stakeholders and team members to develop a good understanding of VE and its main objectives (Mukhhopadhyaya, 2009). Then all the brainstorming thoughts will be captured, selected and reviewed to make them clear and concise. These captured ideas are analyzed and evaluated to generate theoretical and applicable propositions. The selected visualizations are developed and integrated into the project to be implemented and optimized for better improvement.2. VE Advantage: One of the main advantages of VE is the creation of an approved and safe working environment where all parties and project team members are involved in the project and work as owners from the initial stage of civil engineering projects. Furthermore, VE focuses more on value improvement and not just cost savings. Furthermore, value engineering improves customer satisfaction by knowing their exact needs and expectations (DBIA, 2010). Furthermore, it strengthens the collaboration between the client and the contractors, therefore the contractor will proactively participate in any risk probability by providing advice to mitigate the risks. Often, the creative phase plays a vital role in providing a good opportunity to familiarize the client with teamwork. Additionally, they share potential ideas and proposals to reduce costs; without negatively affecting quality or functionality. As a result, there will be a base of classified and classified ideas and opinions.