All Lifetime costs articles

  • Features

    What it costs: Flooring

    2010-03-26T00:00:00Z

    Level access showers can improve quality of life for disabled users. Peter Mayer of BLP Insurance looks at the design options and lifecycle costs for retrofitting them into existing floors

  • Features

    What it costs: Tiled cladding

    2010-01-29T00:00:00Z

    Tiles, shingles and slate can provide traditional and thermally efficient covering for external walls. Peter Mayer of BLP Insurance considers the options

  • Features

    What it costs: Tensile fabric

    2009-10-02T00:00:00Z

    Fabric roofs are becoming the topping of choice for everything from bike sheds to concert venues. Peter Mayer of BLP Insurance looks through the available options

  • Features

    What it costs: Commercial biomass

    2009-07-17T00:00:00Z

    Biomass heating systems may cost a lot to install, but they’ll pay off in no time – assuming you choose the right system and the right fuel. Peter Mayer of BLP Insurance assesses the options

  • Features

    What it costs: curtain wall glazing

    2009-07-03T00:00:00Z

    Curtain wall glazing can do many things: control temperature and light levels, and even clean itself. Peter Mayer of BLP Insurance looks through the available options

  • Features

    What it costs: Suspended ceilings

    2009-06-19T00:00:00Z

    The many choices when specifying a suspended ceiling for a hospital are made more difficult by the regulations on cleaning and acoustics. Peter Mayer of BLP Insurance takes a look

  • Features

    What it costs: Heat pumps

    2009-04-09T00:00:00Z

    They are amazingly efficient, but setting up a ground source heat pump may be tricky if you haven’t considered all the factors. Peter Mayer of BLP Insurance gives us the lowdown

  • Features

    What it costs: Synthetic resin floors

    2009-01-30T00:00:00Z

    These hardwearing floors come in a baffling array of types, but fear not: Peter Mayer of Building LifePlans is here to simplify matters

  • Features

    What it costs: Pervious paving

    2008-12-05T00:00:00Z

    Sustainable urban drainage systems are a must for school and hospital developments. Peter Mayer of Building LifePlans gives the whole-life costs of one solution

  • Features

    What it costs: Insulated renders

    2008-11-07T00:00:00Z

    Insulated render systems save energy and look good. Peter Mayer of Building LifePlans sums up the variety of choices and highlights some topical issues and lifecycle costs

  • Green roof
    Features

    What it costs: Green roofs

    2008-10-03T00:00:00Z

    Green roofs may have environmental benefits, but what do they cost to install and maintain? Peter Mayer of Building LifePlans talks us through the issues

  • The SMLCC will provide 30-year cost plans, which makes it ideal for PFI projects such as schools
    Features

    Lifecycle costs: New standard for whole-life costing for buildings

    2008-09-12T00:00:00Z

    A new standard has been published that allows whole-life costing for buildings to be compared for the first time. Joe Martin of the BCIS explains how it works and applies it to a notional school project

  • News

    What it costs: Garage doors

    2008-09-05T00:00:00Z

    Residential garage doors come in a variety of shapes, sizes, finishes and styles. Peter Mayer of Building LifePlans considers their maintenance issues and lifecycle costs

  • Features

    What it costs: Thermal insulation

    2008-07-18T00:00:00Z

    Insulation is an effective way to help meet Building Regulations targets on carbon emission reduction. Peter Mayer of Building LifePlans examines the effectiveness of different materials

  • Features

    What it costs: Bathroom pods

    2008-06-20T00:00:00Z

    Using modular bathrooms can save cash, labour and time, says Peter Mayer. So here’s a shower of useful information to consider when specifying and fitting

  • Features

    What it costs: BREEAM – how to get good grades

    2008-04-25T00:00:00Z

    Many schools must now have a ‘very good’ BREEAM rating to meet regulations. Peter Mayer of Building LifePlans outlines the ways to get credits and the associated costs

  • Features

    Tread carefully

    2008-01-25T00:00:00Z

    It’s an extraordinary statistic but the Health and Safety Executive estimates that one serious slip accident occurs every three minutes in the UK.

  • Features

    Designs for life

    2007-10-19T00:00:00Z

    European structural design codes will introduce the concept of ‘design working life’ to British engineering. Peter Mayer of Building LifePlans explains exactly what that means.

  • Features

    Get off the fence

    2007-09-21T00:00:00Z

    Whether it’s timber, concrete, steel or plastic, a garden fence has to be sturdy and secure. Peter Mayer of Building LifePlans looks at the life-cycle costs.

  • Features

    What it costs: CHP (combined heat and power systems)

    2007-08-03T00:00:00Z

    Peter Mayer of Building LifePlans looks at the cost and environmental dividends from combined heat and power systems.With Combined heat and power (CHP) or co-generation systems, heat that might be lost as a by-product of electricity generation is captured for space and water heating. Locally supplied electricity incur lower transmission ...