Life cycle cost analysis is sometimes used to make informed choices of building materials and systems. It is not an exact science and it is very subject to manipulation, so it is best made by the facility owner or be carefully reviewed by the owner.

In a nutshell, life cycle cost analysis predicts the total cost of a material, including maintenance, over its predicted life. By dividing original cost plus maintenance by the predicted life span, you can generate an estimated annual life cycle cost which can be compared to annualized life cycle costs for other options.

Life cycle cost analysis does NOT usually take into account important factors such as disruption for material replacement/reconstruction, degrading appearance or usefulness as a material ages, or the esthetic or immediate functional value of differences between materials. For example, it doesn't account for a heating system that provides a higher level of comfort nor for the esthetic difference between brick and cheap plywood siding.

It is not practical nor valuable to perform life cycle cost calculations on all of the thousands of materials used in a building. It is often used on materials most subject to wear and tear, such as:

The spread sheet linked from here has a hypothetical example of a life cycle cost analysis of floor materials. Be warned that the numbers are hypothetical and don't represent actual research.

TRUTHS:
Life cycle cost analysis, if rigorously performed, can be a useful tool for selection of building materials and systems.

MYTHS:
Life cycle cost analysis is an exact science.

RESOURCES:

Whitestone Building Maintenance and Repair Cost Reference
Whitestone Research
PO Box 1250
Seattle, WA, 98101

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