Elizabeth J. Heider, AIA, Skanska USA Building Inc, Alexandria, Va.

      In the last 20 years, design and construction professionals have been buffeted by a roller coaster economy. Now more than ever, clients insist that projects be delivered on budget. Innovation is imperative but may not be realized without the ability to deliver the project within budget and without the need for costly redesign. We’ll identify methods to safeguard architecture fees and the client’s budget-aligning and managing scope requirements, fostering quality expectations, and maximizing available funding as powerful design tools.

Learning objectives:

• Explore the language of cost-how it is expressed, how program and non-program areas influence cost, and how to improve project value by monitoring cost drivers
• Identify cost drivers, including site, project type, building configuration, program, efficiency, and quality
• Assess tools to facilitate the dialogue between cost and design and discuss ways to empower the design team and hold clients accountable for requirements and changes that influence project cost.