Nugatory work in building design and construction

In construction and development, the term nugatory refers to efforts, contracts, expenditures, or legal actions that are futile, of no value, without legal force, or that have become pointless due to changing circumstances. It describes time, money, or resources that do not contribute to the final completion of a project or which provide no benefit to the project or the parties involved. It is very similar to the term abortive, though abortive work (or abortive costs or abortive fees) refer more to the result of a failed process, premature ending, work that does achieve its final goal or contribute to the final development. Whilst the outcomes are essentially the same the process by which they come about differ, with nugatory stressing the lack of importance or value (ineffective or worthless), and abortive focussed more on failure tof a process to be completed. See also Abortive work in building design and construction.

Procurement of materials and services

Nugatory costs are wasted expenditures, such as work that is later abandoned, or expenses that add no value to the final project, redundant, or disconnected. Professional fees for construction work that is cancelled might be referred to as nugatory but more likely described as abortive work, where as work rendered useless is nugatory. Nugatory resource or material use might be over ordering which results in increased waste (as opposed to waste resulting from design changes) or systems that are no longer operational, necessary, useful or functional.

Regulations and planning

Where a design or construction completely fails to meet the required regulations, so previous effort are useless. Where administrative or legal works are void because of being ineffectual or pointless as they do not meet the needs of a project. Where a design is dismissed because of poor planning, rather than rejected outright (more likey abortive work)

Design and programme

Where system designs create unintended consequences that make them ineffectual for example where energy systems designed to reduce usage or carbon emissions are too complex to be used correctly and result in no reductions or worse higher emissions. Or where material selection and associated detailing no longer meet requirements and as such are void. Finally where project delays in scheduled tasks result in the subsequent activities being temporarily futile if carried out.

[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings

• Abortive work in building design and construction.
• Change control procedure
• Cost control.
• Remedial work.
• Scope creep.
• Variation.
• Value engineering.
• Value management.