The programme integrates cost and carbon estimates within a single platform for the first time to help identify optimum sustainable solutions at the beginning of every project.
The first phase of the roll out will be used to calculate capital cost and whole-life carbon, with later phases focused on whole-life cost estimates, integration with BIM and supply chain data. It is anticipated that, once fully deployed, the tool will enable the Environment Agency to consider whole-life assessments for both cost and carbon during investment decision-making.
Environment Agency project manager Alex Jones said: “By combining this capability into one platform we expect to benefit from faster estimates built around one consistent methodology with added transparency in the estimation build-up. We expect this improved transparency will help early supplier engagement and allow projects to assess options, reach optimal solutions and make better informed decisions earlier.”
The carbon and cost tool is based on off-the-shelf software from Ares Prism (Prism Estimating), configured by Aecom to deliver the required functionality.
Aecom cost intelligence director Tristan Harvey-Rice said: “Bringing together carbon and cost data in this new way of working means carbon can sit at the heart of project prioritisation every single time. The tool makes huge amounts of up-to-date cost and carbon data very accessible, bringing efficiencies to the estimating process and crucially, enabling better informed decision-making around carbon. By adopting this new tool across all its projects, the Environment Agency is leading the way as public bodies across all sectors in the UK continue their efforts to cut carbon emissions.”
The tool forms part of the Environment Agency’s asset information management systems (AIMS) programme that collates data held across the organisation. It uses a centralised rate library that is based on information from industry sources, as well as the Environment Agency’s own historic project data. As new cost and carbon data from delivered projects become available, the rate library is automatically updated.
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