Value Methodology
Turning Project Challenges into Opportunities
The difference between doing a project right—and doing the right project. That’s the power of Value Methodology (VM).
From value analysis, planning and engineering to cost management and Life-Cycle Cost Analysis, Benesch is a pioneer in the principles of VM. Our trained experts specialize in a wide range of techniques to help you evaluate alternatives, save money, plan for unknowns, sharpen project schedules, and develop innovative ways to manage long-term maintenance costs.
As your value partner, we identify what your project provides vs. what it actually needs to achieve both immediate and long-term benefits.
Maximizing Value and Innovation
At Benesch, our experts specialize in using Value Methodology techniques to turn project challenges into opportunities that create immediate and long-term benefits. No matter where you are at with your project, our team’s experience and expertise will ensure you are maximizing your dollars and implementing quality solutions that are innovative and even award winning.
There is a major difference between ‘doing the project right’ and ‘doing the right project.’ This is where Value Planning comes into play. During the planning phase, ensuring that the proposed project is effectively meeting your goals and objectives is critical to its future success.
By assessing the project challenges, working to define the project scope, managing project risks, identifying stakeholders’ requirements and expectations, and developing project budgets, Benesch’s Value Planning experts help set projects up to deliver the desired value.
At Benesch, solving complex problems is what Benesch does best, so you can count on our experts to uncover groundbreaking opportunities.
Whether you need assistance complying with federal guidelines or a fresh set of eyes to evaluate a project with tricky problems, Benesch Value Engineering experts are on hand to help.
Using a holistic and integrated approach, we conduct Value Engineering studies that consider not only the technical aspects of design and construction but also the economic, environmental, social and regulatory aspects. Our experts excel at assessing and balancing these factors’ impacts on project success and ensure that the final project delivers the best possible outcomes in terms of functionality, cost-effectiveness, sustainability and overall value to stakeholders.
This structured and logical approach makes sure your decisions are defendable, giving you the full documentation required to back up your results.
Through value analysis, our experts will examine a project’s components, materials, systems and processes to identify opportunities for improvement, cost reduction, and enhanced value without compromising quality or functionality.
Taking a collaborative and systematic approach, we promote creative problem-solving and continuous improvement. We’ll ensure that your project delivers the best possible value to stakeholders while meeting functional requirements and adhering to budgetary constraints.
Deadlines are a part of every project, driving all aspects of both design and construction. But no matter what stage the project is in, it’s never too late to apply value engineering principles – and reap the benefits.
By meticulously analyzing every aspect of a project, from design to construction, seeking opportunities for improvement and efficiency, we deliver VECPs that result in substantial savings, accelerate project timelines, and increase overall performance.
Determining your project’s costs throughout its useful life is critical to ensuring it is a valuable use of funds.
Our life cycle cost analysis includes first cost, maintenance cost, operation cost, agency cost and user cost. Sensitivity analysis and probability analysis can also be performed to compute the expected cost. Benesch experts can then develop a database for maintenance and operating costs.
It’s a Transparent, Defendable Process
Benesch’s VM experts use a structured and logical study approach that will help you make defendable decisions for the future of your project. From planning and budgeting to concept development, this VM approach can verify your program costs, check the comprehensiveness of the scope, help communicate expectations, and evaluate the risks. By providing you with full documentation, you’ll be able to back up the results and more easily gain stakeholder buy-in.
We Achieve Nationally Recognized Results
Benesch was the first consulting engineering firm to receive the SAVE International Excellence in Value Engineering Award in 1989, which recognized us for ten years of outstanding contributions to the practice of VE in the areas of civil engineering and buildings.
Benesch continues to be regularly recognized by SAVE, most recently for our VM work with the Department of Transportation in Madison, Wisconsin.
As the Wisconsin Department of Transportation was preparing to upgrade the Madison Beltline between Whitney Way and IH39, they turned to Benesch to conduct a time and cost saving Value Engineering Study. The study not only accomplished those goals, but it was also recognized by SAVE International with the Alphonse J. Dell’Isola Outstanding Accomplishment in Construction award.
We Bring Stakeholders Together
The 130th Street and Torrence Avenue project in Chicago was an extremely complex intersection reconfiguration that involved numerous stakeholders including: three major railroads; city and state agencies; public and private utilities; local residents and businesses; and Ford Motor Company.
During the planning process, Benesch achieved consensus by tackling constraints with collaboration. The team met with each stakeholder, then held VP sessions to weigh alternatives addressing project needs and concerns. This approach resulted in stakeholder support and helped build for the future while respecting current needs – proof that value planning pays off.
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We Invest in Your Success
Tight budgets don’t mean that Value Engineering is too costly to include. On the contrary – it uncovers opportunities for savings that keep you on, and even under, budget.
That was the takeaway from the Chestnut Street & Schuylkill Avenue Bridges in Philadelphia, PA. Built in the 1930’s, the bridge crosses the Schuylkill River, railroad tracks and a trail, providing a gateway between two heavily populated neighborhoods.
Benesch was retained to inspect and ultimately rehabilitate the six-lane Market Street bridge as part of this project. While the budget seemed to only allow for short-term rehabilitation improvements, Benesch conducted a VE study that resulted in a plan to replace a portion of the bridge. Not only did this solution align with the cost of the original rehabilitation plans, but it added long-term sustainability and aesthetic appeal to a structure that holds significant value for the community.
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It’s Not Just a Method—It’s a Mindset
Benesch has been at the forefront of VM since its beginning, and we consider it a part of our DNA. Over the last three decades, we’ve applied those principles to projects large and small, and even helped clients implement Value Methodology programs of their own. Benesch staff have also been instrumental in the development and publishing of VM training guidelines.
Today, we continue to weave VM into our work and identify innovative solutions for our clients’ biggest engineering challenges while shortening construction schedules, strengthening stakeholder acceptance and saving anywhere from a few thousand to a few million dollars on projects of all sizes.
Learn About Our VM Legacy
