Net benefits

The New Rules of Measurement (NRM) are published by the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). They provide a standard set of measurement rules for estimating, cost planning, procurement and whole-life costing for construction projects.

NRM3: Order of cost estimating and cost planning for building maintenance works, the terms ‘Net Savings’ (NS) and ‘Net Benefits’ (NB) refer to:

'…the present value of savings/benefits in the operation ‘in use’ phase less the present value of the additional investment costs to achieve them. It provides a measure of cost effectiveness and of the benefits to be achieved from investment options. NS/NB greater than 0 (zero) indicates positive cost effectiveness.'

In natural heritage terms, net benefit (enhancement / new benefit) refers to: ‘… the genuine (as opposed to asserted) improvement of the natural heritage interest of a site or area, for example, because adverse effects are limited in scope and scale, and the project includes measures to improve the physical state or management of landscapes or habitats, or new landscape features or habitats, which are better than they are at present. There is, therefore, a net or new benefit to the natural heritage.’ Ref A handbook on environmental impact assessment, 4th edition, published by Scottish Natural Heritage in 2013.

[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki

• Capital costs for construction projects.
• Cost plan.
• Cost-benefit analysis in construction.
• Development appraisal.
• Discounting.
• Internal rate of return for property development.
• Investment.
• Life cycle assessment.
• Net present value.
• NRM1.
• NRM2.
• NRM3
• Profitability.
• RICS.
• Value for money.
• Whole life costs.
• Yield.