Whole life costing - Worked example 3 tables

The whole life cost (WLC) of an asset is defined as the present value of the total cost of that asset over its operating life (including initial capital cost, maintenance and replacement cost, energy cost and the cost or benefit of the eventual disposal of the asset at the end of its life).

Whole life costing techniques can be used to evaluate options at the elemental, component and total building levels. For example, during the design process, it may be appropriate to compare window-cleaning access options or alternative heating solutions. At the initial design stage, a whole life comparison of building refurbishment against demolition and new build would recognise the life-cycle efficiencies of the latter, and could be crucial to efforts to establish the correct way forward.

Examples of each of these option appraisal calculations are included in this table and the other two parts of the worked example.