You don't need to be an engineer to apply Value Analysis or participate in activities related to it
Everyone can benefit from using Value Analysis
AECOM and the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) conducted a Value Engineering (VE) Study for the I-25/U.S. 34 Interchange in Larimer County. The study looked at capital cost improvements, improved
The Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) requested that its design consultant for the “Park over the Highway” project, Crawford, Murphy & Tilly, Inc. (CMT) conduct a construction staging workshop at the 50-percent-plans design stage. The purpose of the workshop was to improve constructability, shorten the schedule, and reduce adverse impacts on local users and stakeholders during construction, as well as to help forge a large, diverse group of involved agencies into a unified project team.
In addition to replacing the bridge over Whitemans Creek on Hwy 24 south of Paris Ontario, part of the project involved correcting the substandard vertical curves through the Whitemans Creek valley. This included lowering the highway by more than 3 m in some locations. One of the major concerns during design was how to manage the groundwater that would daylight during the foundations work and excavation without affecting Whitemans Creek itself, which is a sensitive pristine watercourse and a significant cold water fishery.
Most recent trends indicate an increased acceptance and implementation of green construction standards across the globe. It is hence anticipated that by 2015, over 50% of the firms involved in construction will be dedicated to over 60% in green projects. A recent study to be released by the CaGBC - Canadian Green Building Council also reflects the same trend og growth in green build construction across Canada, Ontario and BC in particular.
The Garden City Skyway is one of the largest structures in MTO’s bridge inventory, with 48 spans and a total length of 2.2 km. The structure is located on the Queen Elizabeth Way (QEW), a vital economic corridor carrying significant commercial and tourist traffic between the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), Niagara Region and the USA. The existing bridge deck is nearing the end of is service life and it is anticipated to require replacement by 2025. A preliminary design study was initiated to determine a long term strategy to address the structural, traffic, safety and operational needs of this important structure. Integrated Value Engineering and Schedule/Cost Risk studies were undertaken to review the short listed preliminary design concepts and support decision making to select a preferred solution. The studies engaged a wide range of design and construction expertise, as well as key project stakeholders to identify a best value solution based on 100 year risk-based life-cycle costs.
Sound Transit is the transit agency overseeing the expansion of the transit systems, light rail and trains, in the Puget Sound region, including Seattle. VE studies are being conducted during the early planning stages of their projects including review of options for alignment and station locations. This presentation will discuss how this was applied to a couple of Sound Transit’s projects prior to finalizing the environmental document and evaluating project options. The discussion includes some of the benefits and challenges of doing VE early in the life of a project and lessons learned.
MMM undertook a VA study to review the TransCanada Highway Alignment in the vicinity of Tower Road east of Regina. The base case design involved a tight horizontal curve on the TransCanada Highway, a complex interchange geometry and extensive property acquisition and the adjacent property owners (the City, the Rural Municipality, landowners, developers and adjacent businesses) were not in favor of the project as planned due to property and access concerns. The VA assignment was undertaken to address the cost, road geometry access, property and safety concerns associated with the base case design.
It can be difficult to challenge tried and true design approaches and accepted wisdom with new ideas. A Value Analysis workshop provides a structured approach to problem identification and the development of alternative solutions. The VA process leverages creativity and can introduce new ideas that once accepted in a VE study can then be introduced on other projects. A Value Analysis and Risk Analysis (CRAVE) study of a proposed interchange upgrade to facilitate the planned rebuild of a nuclear plant complex resulted in new approach to the utilization of roundabouts at freeway ramp terminals. The new treatment for roundabouts was then considered for use on subsequent projects, leveraging the creativity from one project to other projects.
The Ministry of Transportation, Ontario (MTO) undertook a Value Analysis study for the proposed twining of the Trans-Canada Highway 11/17 east of Thunder Bay. The base case involved major electrical transmission line conflicts and challenging foundation conditions. The Value Analysis study identified risks and mitigation measures along with providing costs for various alignment alternatives. By involving the electrical utility as active participants during the workshop, both MTO and the utility were able to share their concerns and objectives, while working toward a solution that offered benefits to both parties.
The City of Nanaimo has developed a 50 year vision for long term water supply. Key directions resulting from the Water Supply Strategic Plan include providing a safe, sustainable and affordable water supply, and adopting a multi-barrier approach.
The City of Nanaimo is one of the largest municipalities in British Columbia that still relies solely on chlorination for surface water treatment.
The Vancouver Island Health Authority altered the City’s WaterWorks Permit to require both filtration and disinfection, to attain a given standard of finished water quality.Safe drinking water is a cornerstone for public health, social and economic well-being, and is a fundamental human need.
Starting in 2009, the City began the process to design and construct a water treatment plant. In the beginning, it set several key goals for the project, including:
Adopting a multi-barrier approach
To meet or exceed GCDWQ, VIHA regulations
To proceed with sustainable design objectives
To minimize liquid discharge from the site
Meet 20 year max day demand
To achieve the lowest Life Cycle Cost
To meet these goals, the City is currently mid-way through constructing a 116 ML/d submerged membrane water treatment plant, interconnecting pipelines, and new clearwell. The unique element of the project is that the water will be drawn through the membranes by siphon, taking advantage of the existing hydraulics to avoid pumping the water supply.
In support of the key objective of achieving the lowest life cycle cost, the City undertook two Value Engineering Studies under the direction of a Certified Value Specialist – one at completion of preliminary design; the second at completion of the 50% detailed design. The timing and results of the VE Study produced an extremely positive result on the project, in terms of operability, lower cost and preparation for future expansion. The VE Team, consisting of experts from across North America, were particularly supportive towards the project and enabled the City to realize great benefit, value and excellent return on investment for the Study.
Tenders were received that were significantly over the estimated cost, and the lowest bidder recommended conducting a further VE, or scope-reducing exercise to help trim the capital cost.
The presentation will provide a brief overview of the project, including major ‘before and after’ changes, lessons learned about VE, and an Owner’s perspective on the value of Value Engineering.
Snow removal equipment often operates under the most adverse conditions when conspicuity is most important. Every effort is made by MTO and its contractors to keep highways safe and to provide efficient winter maintenance services. Part of this effort of keeping the highways safe is continuous improvement in the equipment and methods used. This session will explain how MTO working with HDR used a Value Analysis workshop to improve the visibility of snow removal equipment. MTO has a long history of success with the Value Analysis methodology mainly on highway design projects, but more recently they have moved into more process and business organization studies to harness more benefits from this tool. The study revealed that much of the “brand identity” that the public had associated with snow removal equipment in Ontario has been lost and whatever solution was to be selected had to re-establish a new brand identity. The workshop results recommended that improved rear markings should be applied consistently to all snow removal equipment. The workshop also was key in obtaining quick stakeholder buy-in to the revised design by actively involving the stakeholders in the process.
One intrinsic element of a VE Study is an identification of costs for the various elements of the project. The very definition of Value is Function/Cost. It is common practice that the Owner and/or the Engineer will provide an in progress cost to the VE team for information along with other contract documents including drawings, specifications, reports, analyses, etc. The VE Team then bases its Study on these documents as a “Base Case” to which all idea & recommendations are compared. How the denominator “Cost” element is addressed will vary reflective of the Facilitator’s perspective. Are costs to be “reconciled”? Are “cost corrections” to be offered? Will the Engineer’s cost be “validated”? So the question is: To what extent has the VE Team (Facilitator AND Team Members) assumed liability for the costing of items and can they be held responsible for any cost errors/inaccuracies of some implemented project recommendation that negatively impacts the financial viability of the project?
The success of a VE Study is largely determined by the composition of the project team. Typically, members are chosen for their prowess in their technical areas of expertise. However, another important team member should not be ignored; the stakeholder. Collaboration with stakeholders through Value Analysis results in better overall solutions to projects and a meaningful engagement with stakeholders.
A VE study was undertaken in 2014 for the Parliament Hill West Block project which showcased VE to the federal government as a successful management tool. The project dealt with an over budget project that required Treasury Board approval to proceed if it could not be delivered on budget. The VE methodology was used to refocus the design team, contractor and client user groups on their performance requirements. The success of the study resulted in a project that could meet the current budget and avoided schedule extensions to request additional funding. Mr. Taylor will describe the success story and the continued efforts to engage Treasury Board to adopt VE in their update of policies.
The $600M 15km Hanlan Feedermain project is Peel Region’s largest-ever infrastructure initiative. The new feedermain is intended to address aging infrastructure and unnecessary risk by introducing a greater measure of redundancy in the system for operational and maintenance purposes, and to provide additional capacity. A separate 1200mm watermain providing additional capacity to accommodate intensification of the Mississauga City Centre area was also included in the scope of the project.
AECOM and the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) conducted a Value Engineering (VE) Study for the I-25/U.S. 34 Interchange in Larimer County. The study looked at capital cost improvements, improved
The Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) requested that its design consultant for the “Park over the Highway” project, Crawford, Murphy & Tilly, Inc. (CMT) conduct a construction staging workshop at the 50-percent-plans design stage. The purpose of the workshop was to improve constructability, shorten the schedule, and reduce adverse impacts on local users and stakeholders during construction, as well as to help forge a large, diverse group of involved agencies into a unified project team.
In addition to replacing the bridge over Whitemans Creek on Hwy 24 south of Paris Ontario, part of the project involved correcting the substandard vertical curves through the Whitemans Creek valley. This included lowering the highway by more than 3 m in some locations. One of the major concerns during design was how to manage the groundwater that would daylight during the foundations work and excavation without affecting Whitemans Creek itself, which is a sensitive pristine watercourse and a significant cold water fishery.
Most recent trends indicate an increased acceptance and implementation of green construction standards across the globe. It is hence anticipated that by 2015, over 50% of the firms involved in construction will be dedicated to over 60% in green projects. A recent study to be released by the CaGBC - Canadian Green Building Council also reflects the same trend og growth in green build construction across Canada, Ontario and BC in particular.
The Garden City Skyway is one of the largest structures in MTO’s bridge inventory, with 48 spans and a total length of 2.2 km. The structure is located on the Queen Elizabeth Way (QEW), a vital economic corridor carrying significant commercial and tourist traffic between the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), Niagara Region and the USA. The existing bridge deck is nearing the end of is service life and it is anticipated to require replacement by 2025. A preliminary design study was initiated to determine a long term strategy to address the structural, traffic, safety and operational needs of this important structure. Integrated Value Engineering and Schedule/Cost Risk studies were undertaken to review the short listed preliminary design concepts and support decision making to select a preferred solution. The studies engaged a wide range of design and construction expertise, as well as key project stakeholders to identify a best value solution based on 100 year risk-based life-cycle costs.
Sound Transit is the transit agency overseeing the expansion of the transit systems, light rail and trains, in the Puget Sound region, including Seattle. VE studies are being conducted during the early planning stages of their projects including review of options for alignment and station locations. This presentation will discuss how this was applied to a couple of Sound Transit’s projects prior to finalizing the environmental document and evaluating project options. The discussion includes some of the benefits and challenges of doing VE early in the life of a project and lessons learned.
MMM undertook a VA study to review the TransCanada Highway Alignment in the vicinity of Tower Road east of Regina. The base case design involved a tight horizontal curve on the TransCanada Highway, a complex interchange geometry and extensive property acquisition and the adjacent property owners (the City, the Rural Municipality, landowners, developers and adjacent businesses) were not in favor of the project as planned due to property and access concerns. The VA assignment was undertaken to address the cost, road geometry access, property and safety concerns associated with the base case design.
It can be difficult to challenge tried and true design approaches and accepted wisdom with new ideas. A Value Analysis workshop provides a structured approach to problem identification and the development of alternative solutions. The VA process leverages creativity and can introduce new ideas that once accepted in a VE study can then be introduced on other projects. A Value Analysis and Risk Analysis (CRAVE) study of a proposed interchange upgrade to facilitate the planned rebuild of a nuclear plant complex resulted in new approach to the utilization of roundabouts at freeway ramp terminals. The new treatment for roundabouts was then considered for use on subsequent projects, leveraging the creativity from one project to other projects.
The Ministry of Transportation, Ontario (MTO) undertook a Value Analysis study for the proposed twining of the Trans-Canada Highway 11/17 east of Thunder Bay. The base case involved major electrical transmission line conflicts and challenging foundation conditions. The Value Analysis study identified risks and mitigation measures along with providing costs for various alignment alternatives. By involving the electrical utility as active participants during the workshop, both MTO and the utility were able to share their concerns and objectives, while working toward a solution that offered benefits to both parties.
The City of Nanaimo has developed a 50 year vision for long term water supply. Key directions resulting from the Water Supply Strategic Plan include providing a safe, sustainable and affordable water supply, and adopting a multi-barrier approach.
The City of Nanaimo is one of the largest municipalities in British Columbia that still relies solely on chlorination for surface water treatment.
The Vancouver Island Health Authority altered the City’s WaterWorks Permit to require both filtration and disinfection, to attain a given standard of finished water quality.Safe drinking water is a cornerstone for public health, social and economic well-being, and is a fundamental human need.
Starting in 2009, the City began the process to design and construct a water treatment plant. In the beginning, it set several key goals for the project, including:
Adopting a multi-barrier approach
To meet or exceed GCDWQ, VIHA regulations
To proceed with sustainable design objectives
To minimize liquid discharge from the site
Meet 20 year max day demand
To achieve the lowest Life Cycle Cost
To meet these goals, the City is currently mid-way through constructing a 116 ML/d submerged membrane water treatment plant, interconnecting pipelines, and new clearwell. The unique element of the project is that the water will be drawn through the membranes by siphon, taking advantage of the existing hydraulics to avoid pumping the water supply.
In support of the key objective of achieving the lowest life cycle cost, the City undertook two Value Engineering Studies under the direction of a Certified Value Specialist – one at completion of preliminary design; the second at completion of the 50% detailed design. The timing and results of the VE Study produced an extremely positive result on the project, in terms of operability, lower cost and preparation for future expansion. The VE Team, consisting of experts from across North America, were particularly supportive towards the project and enabled the City to realize great benefit, value and excellent return on investment for the Study.
Tenders were received that were significantly over the estimated cost, and the lowest bidder recommended conducting a further VE, or scope-reducing exercise to help trim the capital cost.
The presentation will provide a brief overview of the project, including major ‘before and after’ changes, lessons learned about VE, and an Owner’s perspective on the value of Value Engineering.
Snow removal equipment often operates under the most adverse conditions when conspicuity is most important. Every effort is made by MTO and its contractors to keep highways safe and to provide efficient winter maintenance services. Part of this effort of keeping the highways safe is continuous improvement in the equipment and methods used. This session will explain how MTO working with HDR used a Value Analysis workshop to improve the visibility of snow removal equipment. MTO has a long history of success with the Value Analysis methodology mainly on highway design projects, but more recently they have moved into more process and business organization studies to harness more benefits from this tool. The study revealed that much of the “brand identity” that the public had associated with snow removal equipment in Ontario has been lost and whatever solution was to be selected had to re-establish a new brand identity. The workshop results recommended that improved rear markings should be applied consistently to all snow removal equipment. The workshop also was key in obtaining quick stakeholder buy-in to the revised design by actively involving the stakeholders in the process.
One intrinsic element of a VE Study is an identification of costs for the various elements of the project. The very definition of Value is Function/Cost. It is common practice that the Owner and/or the Engineer will provide an in progress cost to the VE team for information along with other contract documents including drawings, specifications, reports, analyses, etc. The VE Team then bases its Study on these documents as a “Base Case” to which all idea & recommendations are compared. How the denominator “Cost” element is addressed will vary reflective of the Facilitator’s perspective. Are costs to be “reconciled”? Are “cost corrections” to be offered? Will the Engineer’s cost be “validated”? So the question is: To what extent has the VE Team (Facilitator AND Team Members) assumed liability for the costing of items and can they be held responsible for any cost errors/inaccuracies of some implemented project recommendation that negatively impacts the financial viability of the project?
The success of a VE Study is largely determined by the composition of the project team. Typically, members are chosen for their prowess in their technical areas of expertise. However, another important team member should not be ignored; the stakeholder. Collaboration with stakeholders through Value Analysis results in better overall solutions to projects and a meaningful engagement with stakeholders.
A VE study was undertaken in 2014 for the Parliament Hill West Block project which showcased VE to the federal government as a successful management tool. The project dealt with an over budget project that required Treasury Board approval to proceed if it could not be delivered on budget. The VE methodology was used to refocus the design team, contractor and client user groups on their performance requirements. The success of the study resulted in a project that could meet the current budget and avoided schedule extensions to request additional funding. Mr. Taylor will describe the success story and the continued efforts to engage Treasury Board to adopt VE in their update of policies.
The $600M 15km Hanlan Feedermain project is Peel Region’s largest-ever infrastructure initiative. The new feedermain is intended to address aging infrastructure and unnecessary risk by introducing a greater measure of redundancy in the system for operational and maintenance purposes, and to provide additional capacity. A separate 1200mm watermain providing additional capacity to accommodate intensification of the Mississauga City Centre area was also included in the scope of the project.