Economic life of a building
Several definitions have been developed to assess or specify the life of buildings, structures and their components, from the perspective of different stakeholders.
Economic life refers to the amount of time an element is in service before its replacement is more advantageous economically than the continued maintenance that will be required to keep it in service.
Economic life may be a key consideration of owners, particularly if they are managing the an asset from which they wish to ensure an adequate return on the investment they have made by purchasing or building it and operating it.
However, as there is no general legally-agreed definition of economic life, if it is to be included in contract documentation as a performance requirement, it is important that it is carefully defined within those contract documents and that it is consistent with all other requirements in the contract documents.
NB BG 87/2024, Useful Information Guide, written by Chin Hang “Kay” Lam and published by BSRIA in 2024, defines economic life as: ‘The estimated number of years until an item no longer represents the least expensive method of performing its function.’
Other definitions of life include:
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings
- Concept structural design of buildings.
- Decommissioning.
- Demolition.
- Design quality for buildings.
- End of life potential.
- Fitness for purpose.
- Life.
- Life cycle assessment.
- Service life.
- Structures at the end of their design life.
- Useful life.
- Utilising life cycle costing and life cycle assessment.
- Whole-life costs.
Featured articles and news
Costs and insolvencies mount for SMEs, despite growth
Construction sector under insolvency and wage bill pressure in part linked to National Insurance, says report.
The place for vitrified clay pipes in modern infrastructure
Why vitrified clay pipes are reclaiming their role in built projects.
Research by construction PR consultancy LMC published.
Roles and responsibilities of domestic clients
ACA Safety in Construction guide for domestic clients.
Fire door compliance in UK commercial buildings
Architect and manufacturer gives their low down.
Plumbing and heating for sustainability in new properties
Technical Engineer runs through changes in regulations, innovations in materials, and product systems.
Awareness of the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism
What CBAM is and what to do about it.
The new towns and strategic environmental assessments
12 locations of the New Towns Taskforce reduced to 7 within the new towns draft programme and open consultation.
Buildings that changed the future of architecture. Book review.
The Sustainability Pathfinder© Handbook
Built environment agency launches free Pathfinder© tool to help businesses progress sustainability strategies.
Government outcome to the late payment consultation, ECA reacts.
IHBC 2025 Gus Astley Student Award winners
Work on the role of hewing in UK historic conservation a win for Jack Parker of Oxford Brookes University.
Future Homes Building Standards and plug-in solar
Parts F and L amendments, the availability of solar panels and industry responses.
How later living housing can help solve the housing crisis
Unlocking homes, unlocking lives.
Preparing safety case reports for HRBs under the BSA
A new practical guide to preparing structural inputs for safety cases and safety case reports published by IStructE.
Male construction workers and prostate cancer
CIOB and Prostate Cancer UK encourage awareness of prostate cancer risks, and what to do about it.