Considering such a feature of the construction industry as the individuality of each object, such analysis and assessment reflect only statistical data and confirm the theory of the effectiveness of the concept of the «Intelligent Building». However, such analysis, as a rule, is not a confirmation of the effectiveness of the implementation of a specific object for the investor.
Let's consider the possibility of applying the algorithm for assessing the effectiveness of an investment project for the «Intelligent Building» in terms of using the following indicators:
– net present value;
– profitability index;
– internal rate of return;
– payback period.
At the concept development stage, when the investor has decided on the location and general purpose of the facility, a decision is made on the feasibility of introducing “intelligence” into the building. The purpose of the assessment is to determine the final results of the project (its effectiveness). For this, the expression is used:
Project results (efficiency) = Change in benefits as a result of the project – Change in costs as a result of the project When conducting an analysis, it is necessary to compare the project implementation indicators with and without the “smart building” system.
The following types of analysis are usually distinguished:
technical, financial, commercial, economic, environmental and social.
The results of technical analysis are of interest to specialists (solving the problem by technical implementation of the project being implemented).
Financial analysis examines costs and results. Its goal is to extract maximum profit from the project.
Economic – studies the problem of implementation from the perspective of society as a whole.
The environmental and social impacts of a project are of greater interest to society as a whole than to the firms involved in the project.
It is also very important to understand that before making a decision to implement a project, it is necessary to consider all aspects of its life throughout the planned operational period. This approach protects the market from projects that provide a quick payback, but are not effective over time, and saves from the existing prejudice against projects that slowly gain momentum, but ultimately bring long-term benefits.
To calculate the costs of the planned operational period, the discounting method (bringing different values of cash flows to a certain point in time) must be used in the analysis.
The costs and results calculated for each year of project implementation are discounted and then summed up to obtain an overall indicator of project efficiency. If the net present value indicator is positive, the project is clearly profitable.
Such an analysis involves determining the cost of a conventional building (without an “intelligence system”), as well as the costs required to implement the “intelligent building” concept (for the most accurate forecast of these costs, you can use analytical data from a similar completed project).
Costs generally consist of two components:
– starting price (price of purchase, construction or repair of the building), – current expenses: costs of energy resources, operation and repair of equipment.
The costs of constructing an “intelligent building” exceed the costs of constructing buildings with a traditional composition of engineering equipment. According to estimates by foreign and Russian experts, “intelligent” components of the building’s life support system: the building management system, engineering system integration units, software, intelligent controllers and processors, make up approximately 5–7% of the total cost of all engineering systems and increase the cost of construction by $20–250 per 1 sq. m. of the total building area. The increase in cost depends on the size of the building and the technical requirements for the operation of engineering systems. For buildings with an area of 15,000 sq. m or more, the increase in cost is $20 per 1 sq. m. For buildings with a smaller total area, this figure increases. At the same time, it is these components that distinguish an intelligent building from a conventional one and lead to the desired effect (making a profit).
The dependence of the expected costs and income for two options: “with the system of an “intelligent building” and “without the system” and the analysis of the effectiveness of the projects can be illustrated by a large graph (Fig. 1).
When selecting and developing the technical characteristics of the project, the level of “intelligence” should optimally correspond to the needs of the expected further use of the facility (the tasks and level of business that it is intended to serve).
Unjustified excesses do not add “intelligence” to a building, but can lead to the opposite effect, significantly increasing the cost of construction and not increasing the profitability of use. The functionality of an “intelligent building” must cover the costs of its construction, otherwise there is no point in it.
The effect of introducing “intelligence” into a building is possible only after a certain period of operation. “Intelligence” needs some time to manifest itself.
The advantages achieved through the operation of an “intelligent building” are achieved through the following components:
– increased operational efficiency;
– reduced costs for maintaining the building;
– a number of other advantages achieved through the implementation of new information technologies and optimization of the enterprise’s business processes.
Savings in building operation are achieved in two ways: by reducing the costs of MAC operations (movement, removal and modification) in relation to personnel and subsystems, and by reducing the costs of resources consumed by the building (primarily energy). According to experts, on average, energy costs are reduced by 20-30% when implementing intelligent systems, building operation costs by 50-70%, and equipment repair and maintenance costs by 50-60%. Thus, only thanks to these three items, it is possible to save up to 50-60% of all operating costs.
A quick return on investment through more productive work of the staff is achieved by ensuring comfortable execution of business processes taking place in the building, primarily by maintaining optimal environmental parameters in the premises. If the corresponding English term «environment» is interpreted in a broad sense, then, in addition to climate control, this will mean, for example, the organization of workplaces in an optimal way (for interaction of employees), a well-thought-out scheme of elevator operation, etc.
The services and subsystems of an “intelligent building” are capable of preventing extreme situations that have arisen, and when they occur, preventing or minimizing material and human losses. This important aspect reduces the costs of insuring objects. Today, insurance companies provide discounts of up to 60% on insuring the risks of such a building.
Not only is the probability of a negative event being minimized, but also the time required to detect it, which significantly affects the amount of possible damage.
Depending on the purpose of the future facility, the introduction of “intelligence” into the building implies an increase in its class and prestige, which leads to an increase in the rental rate (according to various estimates, by 10-20%).
Exceptions are cases when the introduction of the solutions under consideration increases the profitability of business processes taking place at the facility, which ultimately pays for the costs of construction and further use of the building, despite the direct losses incurred by the customer during the construction process.
The introduction of “intelligence” into the building significantly increases its liquidity.
In general, an “Intellectual Building” is an effective investment solution that allows you to significantly reduce the costs of servicing and developing the facility. Such a building fully complies with modern international requirements and is an attractive market product, maintaining its investment attractiveness much longer than a building with a traditional composition of engineering equipment. |
