Consider 'Life Cycle Cost' While Constructing a New Building
Pay Attention to These while Constructing a New House!
Construction Engineer Assistant Prof. Dr. Özgür Köylüoğlu highlights the importance of considering the 'Life Cycle Cost' when planning for the construction of a new building.
Due to Türkiye being a seismic-prone country, the way buildings are constructed holds great significance. The earthquakes centered in Kahramanmaraş on February 6 again showed the importance of structural integrity. There is a growing trend towards using steel or prefabricated structures in newly constructed buildings. Assistant Prof. Dr. Özgür Köylüoğlu, the Head of the Department of Civil Engineering at Yeditepe University, suggests recommendations to those planning to renovate or build new structures, stating, "Independent design-construction-supervision firms should carry out the construction of buildings. The initial investment costs of steel structures may be higher than other types of structures. However, considering the current perspective of 'Life Cycle Cost,' the price difference is insignificant, and it is possible to calculate that steel structures are economically more advantageous."
Assistant Prof. Dr. Özgür Köylüoğlu, the Head of the Department of Civil Engineering at Yeditepe University, also shared points to consider when constructing new buildings or buying a house.
"Project Manager Must Be Selected First"
Reminding that both old and new buildings collapsed in the February 6 earthquakes in Kahramanmaraş, Köylüoğlu stated that project or execution errors could be considered in the collapsed new buildings. Noting that building owners who want to renovate their buildings should first choose an experienced 'Project Manager,' Köylüoğlu continued her words as follows:" Then the building owner should choose designer architects and engineers with the help of the project manager; they should be able to compare at least 3 alternative companies and not only the price but also the experience of the people who will take part should be important here. An experienced civil engineer should prepare the design of the building. Approximate construction cost information should also be requested due to the design. When the design is ready, the building owner, again with the consultant's help, should determine the contractor by making a tender bid. Again, this should be an evaluation based on experience and price. Contractors should build the building according to this design. Also, the building owner should sign an inspection contract with an independent 'Building Inspection' company. Independent design-contracting-inspection firms should carry out the construction of buildings. The widespread build-and-sell contracting system in our country prevents a very healthy structure; the fact that the building owner and the contractor are the same person and even the inspector is paid by the same person eliminates the possibility of independent decision-making in production."Pointing out that the contractor covers all the financing in the build-and-sell system, Köylüoğlu said, "However, in the system, i mentioned, the building owners have to pay all these costs themselves. Therefore, special financing solutions may be needed during urban transformation."
"They Shifted Towards Steel Constructions"
Assistant Prof. Dr. Köylüoğlu pointed out that people are increasingly turning to steel structures, especially after the Kahramanmaraş earthquakes, because they are earthquake-resistant, well-engineered, lightweight buildings and profitable when long-term cost analysis is made. Köylüoğlu added, "After the February 6, 2023 Kahramanmaraş earthquakes, we see that both the Ministry and private building owners have increased their interest in steel and prefabricated building systems. It was seen that the steel structures in the earthquake zone survived even if they were damaged, and there was no significant damage in the structures if they were done with good engineering. The Museum Hotel Antakya and Iskenderun Steel Towers are examples of these. Apart from these, many industrial facilities were still usable."
"Steel Structures are Much Better Quality"
Köylüoğlu states that "steel structures are of higher quality both in terms of materials and application," and continued her words as follows: "The quality in steel and prefabricated constructions is achieved through well-managed processes of material selection, manufacturing, assembly, and maintenance. These structures should be designed by architects and engineers with more than 5-6 years of experience in steel structures and built by specialists in steel structure assembly. When assessing material quality, the most significant advantage is that steel and prefabricated building elements are factory-produced, ensuring a known and consistent quality, unaffected by local conditions, the contractor's level of awareness, or craftsmanship."
"Life Cycle Cost"
Köylüoğlu noted the importance of obtaining high-quality engineering services during the construction of the buildings and said, "When the design philosophy is designed accurately and reflected correctly on the field if steel structures are damaged after an earthquake, the building can continue to be used by replacing the parts designed to be damaged. The initial investment costs of steel structures can be higher than other types of structures. However, this price difference is not too much, and it is possible to calculate that steel structures will be more beneficial from an economic point of view when we look at it from a current perspective we now call 'Life Cycle Cost."
"Company Owner Should Be an Engineer"
Köylüoğlu provided recommendations to individuals looking to purchase a home and added the following:
"Whether the constructions are old or new, their information is available in the municipalities. When you go to the municipality, you can get the static projects of that building. There is also information about when the building was constructed and which architect, engineer, or contractor did those projects. Therefore, you can make these inquiries when purchasing a building. Of course, you need to get support from an engineer while making these inquiries. If the company's owner is a civil engineer, the engineer knows the risks and tries to build a healthy structure accordingly."
