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Life-Cycle Cost Analysis Tool for Chem/Bio Protection of Buildings
The life-cycle cost analysis tool helps users make consistent comparisons of Chem/Bio protection strategies based on established economic evaluation practices. The wide range of Chem/Bio protection strategies, the permanence of investment-based solutions, and the expense of their installation, operation, and maintenance necessitate an evaluation tool that allows one to systematically and consistently evaluate competing alternatives.
The software tool enables such evaluations by incorporating life-cycle cost analysis based on industry consensus standard ASTM E 917. The software tool also implements the net savings method, ASTM E 1074, as an additional measure of economic performance. The software allows building owners and managers to define Chem/Bio hazard scenarios and compare Chem/Bio protection strategies that address those scenarios. The software's standardized measures allow life-cycle cost comparisons of alternative combinations of Chem/Bio protection strategies based on user-defined scenarios.
Uses
Version 1.0 produces the types of analysis results that provide decision makers with the basis for generating a cost-effective risk mitigation plan and includes help files to assist users.
Additional Information on Retrofits for Chem/Bio Protection of Buildings:
The Building and Fire Research Laboratory has completed a study for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to investigate retrofit options to increase building protection against potential Chem/Bio releases. A number of commercially available approaches to protecting buildings against accidental and intentional releases are identified and described, and their potential to protect building occupants from a number of generic contaminant releases is evaluated using building airflow and contaminant transport modeling. In addition, a case study is presented in which specific retrofit options are considered for two actual buildings, and pre-installation designs and cost estimates are developed. Based on the analyses performed, the results of the case study and other available information, guidance on the application and effectiveness of various retrofits are presented. This effort has been documented in NISTIR 7379.