International Cost Management Standard

International Cost Management Standard KCTang

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Note

  • 15/3/2022: Expanded.
  • 7/3/2022: Split from Pre-Contract Cost Planning and Control.

Intro

  1. International Cost Management Standard (ICMS) (https://icms-coalition.org/the-standard/), formally called "International Construction Measurement Standards", is intended to provide global consistency in presenting construction life cycle costs and carbon emissions.

Aims

  1. Provide global consistency in classifying, defining, measuring, recording, analysing and presenting entire construction life cycle costs and carbon emissions at a project, regional, state, national or international level.
  2. Allow costs and carbon emissions to be managed and potentially reduced.
  3. Allow:
    • construction life cycle costs and carbon emissions to be consistently and transparently benchmarked (comparative benchmarking)
    • the causes of differences in life cycle costs and carbon emissions between projects to be identified (option appraisal)
    • properly informed decisions on the design and location of construction projects to be made at the best value for money (investment decision-making) and
    • data to be used with confidence for construction project financing and investment, decision-making, and related purposes (certainty).

Characteristics

  1. Global: co-existing with the locals.
  2. High level.
  3. For the first time, building works, civil engineering works and carbon emissions are now also covered by the same classification at the high level.
  4. Same for costs and carbon emissions.

Timeline

  1. 17 June 2015: Formation of ICMS Coalition – a non-governmental, not-for-profit professional coalition.
  2. November 2015: Standards Setting Committee starting to work.
  3. July 2017: Release of the 1st Edition covering capital construction costs of building and civil engineering works,
  4. August 2019: Release of the 2nd Edition extended to cover other life cycle costs and more civil engineering project types at the PAQS Congress in Malaysia.
  5. November 2021: Release of the 3rd Edition extended to cover carbon emissions and more civil engineering project types. Change of names to International Cost Management Standard and Standard Setting Committee.

Evolution of cost classification

 

  1. "elements" in the traditional QS sense was called "Cost Groups" and "Cost Sub-Groups" in ICMS 1 and 2.
  2. With the addition of carbon emissions in ICMS 3, it is now called "Groups" and "Sub-Groups" to make them common for costs and carbon emissions.

Hierarchical framework

  1. Simple
    • This framework is simpler than that commonly used in Hong Kong, which is for building works only.
  2. Shared groups
    • Construction, Renewal and Maintenance all share the same Groups.
  3. Composite and prefabricated work
    • It is covered.
  4. Development budget

    • For new developments, the total of the Acquisition Costs and Construction Costs represents the capital cost of development or development budgetary cost.

Codes

  1. Code: 01.2.03.030
    • Meaning: Buildings: Construction: Structure: Frames and slabs (above top of ground floor slabs).
Level 1 Project Type 01. Buildings
Level 2 Category 2. Construction
Level 3 Group 03. Structure
Level 4 Sub-Group 030 Frame and Slabs

Relationship between ICMS, LCC and WLC

  1. ‘Occupancy Costs’ are considered part of the ‘Non-Construction Costs’.
  2. Compatible with ISO 15686-5:2017 Buildings and constructed assets – Service life planning – Part 5: Life-cycle costing.

Carbon reporting framework

  1. The reporting structures for costs and carbon emissions are identical.

Groups and Sub-Groups

Acquisition Groups and Sub-Groups

  1. Carbon emissions are reported for Acquisition only if they are significant.

  2. 2-digit code for Groups and 3-digit code for Sub-Groups.

Code Description
    Group (Level 3)
    Sub-Group (Level 4)
 
1.   Acquisition Costs (AC) | Acquisition Carbon Emissions (AE) (each Sub-Group includes Risk Allowances
  01. Site acquisition
  01.010 Costs and premium required to procure site
  01.020 Compensation to existing occupiers
  01.030 Demolition, removal and modification of existing properties by way of payment to existing owners instead of carrying out physical work
  01.040 Contributions for the preservation of heritage, culture and environment
  01.050 Related fees to agents, lawyers, and the like
  01.060 Related taxes and statutory charges
  02. Administrative, finance, legal and marketing expenses
  02.010 Client’s general office overheads
  02.020 Client’s project-specific administrative expenses:
•    in-house project management and design team
•    supporting project staff
•    project office venue, furniture and equipment if not included in Constructor’s preliminaries | site overheads
•    stores and workshops
•    safety and insurances
•    staff training
•    accommodation and travelling expenses for in-house team and external parties
  02.030 Interest and finance costs
  02.040 Legal expenses
  02.050 Accounting expenses
  02.060 Sales, leasing, marketing, advertising and promotional expenses
  02.070 Taxes and statutory charges related to sales and lease
  02.080 License and permit charges for operation and use

Construction | Renewal | Maintenance Groups and Sub-Groups: Buildings

  1. Carbon emissions are reported at the Sub-Group level by exception.

  2. 2-digit code for Groups and 3-digit code for Sub-Groups.

Code Description
    Group (Level 3)
    Sub-Group (Level 4)
 
2.   Construction Costs (CC) | Construction Carbon Emissions (CE)
3.   Renewal Costs (RC) | Renewal Carbon Emissions (RE)
5.   Maintenance Costs (MC) | Maintenance Carbon Emissions (ME
    (CC | CE, RC | RE, and MC | ME share the same Groups below, so far as applicable. Those separated by ‘ | ’ in [ ] are respective alternative terms.)
  01. Demolition, site preparation and formation
  01.010 Site survey and ground investigation
  01.020 Environmental treatment
  01.030 Sampling of hazardous or useful materials or conditions
  01.040 Temporary fencing
  01.050 Demolition of existing buildings and support to adjacent structures
  01.060 Site surface clearance (clearing, grubbing, topsoil stripping, tree felling, minor earthwork, removal)
  01.070 Tree transplant
  01.080 Site formation and slope treatment
  01.090 Temporary surface drainage and dewatering
  01.100 Temporary protection, diversion and relocation of public utilities
  01.110 Erosion control
  02. Substructure
  02.010 Foundation piling and underpinning:
•    mobilisation and demobilisation
•    trial piles and caisson
•    permanent piles and caisson
•    pile and caisson testing
•    underpinning
  02.020 Foundations up to top of lowest floor slabs:
•    excavation and disposal
•    lateral supports
•    raft footings, pile caps, column bases, wall footings, strap beams, tie beams
•    substructure walls and columns
•    lowest floor slabs and beams (excluding and beyond basement bottom slabs)
•    lift pits
•    composite or prefabricated work
  02.030 Basement sides and bottom:
•    excavation and disposal
•    lateral supports
•    bottom slabs and blinding
•    sides
•    vertical waterproof tanking, drainage blanket, drains and skin wall
•    horizontal waterproof tanking, drainage blanket, drains and topping slab
•    insulation
•    lift pits, sump pits, sleeves
•    composite or prefabricated work
  03. Structure
  03.010 Structural removal and alterations
  03.020 Basement suspended floors (up to top of ground floor slabs):
•    structural walls and columns
•    beams and slabs
•    staircases
  03.030 Frames and slabs (above top of ground floor slabs):
•    structural walls and columns
•    upper floor beams and slabs
•    roof beams and slabs
•    staircases
•    fireproofing to steel structure
  03.040 Tanks, pools, sundries
  03.050 Composite or prefabricated work
  04. Architectural works | Non-structural works
  04.010 Non-structural removal and alterations
  04.020 External elevations:
•    non-structural external walls and features
•    external wall finishes except cladding
•    facade cladding and curtain walls
•    external windows
•    external doors
•    external shop fronts
•    roller shutters and fire shutters
  04.030 Roof finishes, skylights and landscaping (including waterproofing and insulation):
•    roof finishes
•    skylights
•    other roof features
•    roof landscaping (hard and soft)
  04.040 Internal divisions:
•    non-structural internal walls and partitions
•    shop fronts
•    toilet cubicles
•    moveable partitions
•    cold rooms
•    internal doors
•    internal windows
•    roller shutters and fire shutters
•    sundry concrete work
  04.050 Fittings and sundries:
•    balustrades, railings and handrails
•    staircases and catwalk not forming part of the structure, cat ladders
•    cabinets, cupboards, shelves, counters, benches, notice boards, blackboards
•    exit signs, directory signs
•    window and door dressings
•    decorative features
•    interior landscaping
•    access panels, fire service cabinets
•    sundries
  04.060 Finishes under cover:
•    floor finishes (internal and external)
•    internal wall finishes and cladding
•    ceiling finishes and false ceilings (internal or external)
  04.070 Builder’s work in connection with services:
•    plinth, bases
•    fire-proofing enclosure
•    hoisting beams, lift pit separation screens, lift shaft separator beams
•    suspended manholes
•    cable trenches, trench covers
•    sleeves, openings and the like not allowed for in ‘Fittings and sundries’
  04.080 Composite or prefabricated work
  05. Services and equipment
  05.010 Heating, ventilating and air-conditioning systems/air conditioners:
•    seawater system
•    cooling water system
•    chilled water system
•    heating water system
•    steam and condensate system
•    fuel oil system
•    water treatment
•    air handling and distribution system
•    condensate drain system
•    unitary air-conditioning system
•    mechanical ventilation system
•    kitchen ventilation system
•    fume and smoke extraction system
•    anaesthetic gas-extraction system
•    window and split-type air conditioners
•    air-curtains
•    fans
•    related electrical and control systems
•    submissions, testing and commissioning
  05.020 Electrical services:
•    high-voltage transformers and switchboards
•    incoming mains, low-voltage transformers and switchboards
•    mains and submains
•    standby system
•    lighting and power
•    uninterruptible power supply
•    electric underfloor heating
•    local electrical heating units
•    earthing/lightning protection and bonding
•    submissions, testing and commissioning
  05.030 Fitting out lighting fittings
  05.040 Extra low voltage electrical services:
•    information and communications technology system
•    staff paging/location
•    public address system
•    building automation
•    security and alarm
•    close circuit television
•    communal aerial broadcast distribution and the like
•    submissions, testing and commissioning
  05.050 Water supply and drainage above ground or inside basement:
•    cold water supply
•    hot water supply
•    flushing water supply
•    grey water supply
•    cleansing water supply
•    irrigation water supply
•    rainwater disposal
•    soil and waste disposal
•    planter drainage disposal
•    kitchen drainage disposal
•    related electrical and control systems
•    submissions, testing and commissioning
  05.060 Supply of sanitary fittings and fixtures (installation included in ‘Water supply and above ground drainage’ unless not separable from costs of ‘Fittings and sundries’)
  05.070 Disposal systems:
•    refuse
•    laboratory waste
•    industrial waste
•    incinerator
•    submissions, testing and commissioning
  05.080 Fire services:
•    fire hydrant and hose reel system
•    wet risers
•    sprinkler system
•    deluge system
•    gaseous extinguishing system
•    foam extinguishing system
•    audio/visual advisory system
•    automatic fire alarm and detection system
•    portable hand-operated appliances and sundries
•    related electrical and control systems
•    submissions, testing and commissioning
  05.090 Gas services:
•    coal gas
•    natural gas
•    liquid petroleum gas
•    medical gas/laboratory gas
•    industrial gas/compressed air/instrument air
•    vacuum
•    steam
•    submissions, testing and commissioning
  05.100 Movement systems:
•    lifts | elevators
•    platform lifts
•    escalators
•    travellators | moving walkways
•    conveyors
•    submissions, testing and commissioning
  05.110 Gondolas
  05.120 Turntables
  05.130 Generators
  05.140 Energy-saving features
  05.150 Water and wastewater treatment equipment
  05.160 Fountains, pools and filtration plant
  05.170 Powered building signage
  05.175 Audio/visual entertainment system
  05.180 Kitchen equipment
  05.190 Cold room equipment
  05.200 Laboratory equipment
  05.210 Medical equipment
  05.220 Hotel equipment
  05.230 Car park or entrances access control
  05.240 Domestic appliances
  05.250 Other specialist services
  05.260 Builder’s profit and attendance on services
  06. Surface and underground drainage
  06.010 Surface water drainage
  06.020 Storm water drainage
  06.030 Foul and wastewater drainage
  06.040 Drainage disconnections and connections
  06.050 CCTV inspection of existing or new drains
  06.060 Buried Process Pipe
  07. External and ancillary works
  07.010 Permanent retaining structures
  07.020 Site enclosures and divisions
  07.030 Ancillary structures
  07.040 Roads and paving
  07.050 Landscaping (hard and soft)
  07.060 Fittings and equipment
  07.070 External services:
•    water supply
•    gas supply
•    power supply
•    communications supply
•    external lighting
•    utility disconnections and connections
  08. Preliminaries | Constructors’ site overheads | general requirements
  08.010 Construction management including site management staff and support labour
  08.020 Temporary access roads and storage areas, traffic management and diversion (at the Constructors’ discretion)
  08.030 Temporary site fencing and securities
  08.040 Commonly shared construction plant
  08.050 Commonly shared scaffolding
  08.060 Other temporary facilities and services
  08.070 Technology and communications: telephone, broadband, hardware, software
  08.080 Constructor’s submissions, reports and as-built documentation
  08.090 Quality monitoring, recording and inspections
  08.100 Safety, health and environmental management
  08.110 Insurances, bonds, guarantees and warranties
  08.120 Constructor’s statutory fees and charges
  08.130 Testing and commissioning
  08.140 Extras for extreme climatic or working conditions (if priced separately according to local pricing practice)
  09. Risk Allowances
  09.010 Design development allowance
  09.020 Construction contingencies
  09.030 Price Level Adjustments:
•    until tendering
•    during construction
  09.040 Exchange rate fluctuation adjustments
  10. Taxes and Levies
  10.010 Paid by the Constructor
  10.020 Paid by the Client in relation to the construction contract payments
  11. Work and utilities off-site (including related risk allowances, taxes and levies)
  11.010 Connections to, diversion of and capacity enhancement of public utility mains or sources off-site up to mains connections on-site:
•    electricity
•    transformers
•    water
•    sewer
•    gas
•    telecommunications
  11.020 Public access roads and footpaths
  12. Production and loose furniture, fittings and equipment (including related risk allowances, taxes and levies)
  12.010 Loose production, process and operating furniture, fittings and equipment not normally provided before completion of construction
  12.020 Fixed production, process and operating furniture, fittings and equipment installed before completion of construction
•    production (including process and operating) equipment (including furniture and fittings)
•    related instrument and control systems
•    related safety and environmental control systems
•    related storage and transfer systems
•    services and equipment as described in Group 05 but dedicated to serve production equipment
•    surface and underground drainage as described in Group 06 but dedicated to serve production equipment
•    testing and commissioning
•    licences and certifications to start production
•    risks allowances
•    taxes and levies
  13. Construction-related consultants and supervision (including related risk allowances, taxes and levies)
  13.010 Consultants’ fees and reimbursable:
•    architects (architectural, landscape, interior design, technical, etc.)
•    engineers (geotechnical, civil, structural, mechanical, electrical and plumbing, technical, etc.)
•    project managers
•    surveyors (quantity surveying, land surveying, building surveying, cost engineering, etc.)
•    specialist consultants (environmental, traffic, acoustic, facade, BIM, etc.)
•    value management studies
  13.020 Charges and levies payable to statutory bodies or their appointed agencies (in connection with planning, design, tender and contract approvals, supervision and acceptance inspections)
  13.030 Site supervision charges (including their accommodation and travels)
  13.040 Payments to testing authorities or laboratories

Construction | Renewal | Maintenance Groups and Sub-Groups - Civil Engineering Works

  1. Carbon emissions are reported by exception at the Sub-Group level.

  2. 2-digit code for Groups and 3-digit code for Sub-Groups.

Code Description
    Group (Level 3)
    Sub-Group (Level 4)
2.   Construction (CC | CE)
3.   Renewal (RC | RE)
5.   Maintenance (MC | ME)
    (CC | CE, RC | RE, and MC | ME share the same Groups below, so far as applicable. Those separated by ‘|’ in [ ] are alternative terms for respective Groups)
  01. Demolition, site preparation and formation
  01.010 Site survey and ground investigation
  01.020 Environmental treatment
  01.030 Sampling of hazardous or useful materials or conditions
  01.040 Temporary fencing
  01.050 Demolition of existing structures and support to adjacent structures
  01.060 Site surface clearance (clearing, grubbing, topsoil stripping, tree felling, minor earthwork, removal)
  01.070 Tree transplant
  01.080 General site formation and slope treatment (including embankments / cuttings required by more than one Sub-Project)
  01.090 Temporary surface drainage and dewatering
  01.100 Temporary access roads and storage areas (provided under an advance contract)
  01.110 Temporary protection, diversion and relocation of public utilities
  01.120 Erosion control
  01.600 Water surface development (including common facilities and services, and dredge spoil recovery area)
  01.610 Dredge spoil recovery area
  01.620 Hydrographic / bathymetry surveys
  01.630 Water quality monitoring
  01.640 Excavation (of soft silt, peat, sands, gravels, clay, rock, etc., including mobilisation and demobilisation of excavators, blasting, transportation, disposal, reclamation, compaction and monitoring)
  01.650 Dredging (of soft silt, peat, sands, gravels, clay, rock, etc., including mobilisation and demobilisation of dredgers and barges, blasting, transportation, disposal, reclamation, compaction and monitoring)
  01.660 Special disposal and treatment of contaminated sediment
  01.670 Reclamation or filling (with imported rock, concrete, or other hard materials)
  01.680 Reclamation or filling (with dredged materials)
  01.690 Surcharging or consolidation of lands and monitoring of settlement
  01.700 Habitat protection systems
  02. Substructure
  02.010 Embankments / cuttings (specifically required for the Project or Sub-Project)
  02.020 Excavation, disposal and lateral supports (specifically to receive any substructure construction but excluding general site formation and slope treatment)
  02.025 Geotextile or other geomembranes
  02.030 Trenching / common trenches
  02.040 Drilling / boring
  02.050 Piling / anchoring
  02.060 Structural backfill / ground remediation
  02.070 Earth-retaining structures
  02.080 Abutments / wing walls
  02.090 Pile caps / footings / bases (nearest to the ground level or water level if constructed in water)
  02.100 Sub-base to pavements and rail track structures
  02.110 Bases to supports for tanks, pipes, well heads and the like
  02.120 Beds and surrounds to underground pipes
  02.600 Pile retaining walls (combi walls / H-pile walls / secant piled walls
•    sheet piled walls
•    gravity quay walls
•    relieving platforms
•    pile supported structures
•    special types
  02.610 Diaphragm walls
  02.620 Quays / docks / wharfs / moorings / piers /dry dock structure foundations
  02.630 Marine anchor systems
  02.640 Mooring dolphins
  02.650 Breakwaters
•    cores
•    primary armour (interlocking units)
•    secondary armour
  02.660 Rock revetments / gabions
  02.670 Cofferdams
  02.680 Bank protection
  03. Structure
  03.010 Piers and towers
  03.020 Suspension system
  03.030 Decks
  03.040 Bearings
  03.050 Tunnel lining
  03.060 Roads / track bases
  03.070 Pavements
  03.080 Service roads and approaches
  03.090 Parapets / edge treatment
  03.100 Main structures (in case of land formation and reclamation, referring to those of project types not separately reported as Sub-Projects)
  03.105 Service stations and houses for district utility services
  03.110 Tanks, rigs, storage containers and the like
  03.120 Supports for tanks, pipes and the like
  03.130 Civil pipework
  03.140 Valves and fittings
  03.600 Seawalls
  03.610 Lake and river lining
  03.620 Prefabricated marine structures – off-site fabrication
  03.630 Prefabricated marine structures – transport to site location
  03.640 Prefabricated marine structures – installation on site location
  03.650 Slipways / gangways / linkways
  03.660 Dock and lock gates
  03.670 Pontoons
  03.680 Coastal protection systems
  03.690 Deck / surface structures (ground bearing or suspended concrete slabs)
  03.700 Locks and guidance structures
  03.710 Revetments
  03.720 Flood defences
  03.730 Navigational aids
  03.740 Dry docks structures
  03.750 Weirs
  03.760 Aqueducts
  04. Non-structural works
  04.010 Non-structural removal and alterations
  04.020 Non-structural construction
  04.030 Running surface
  04.040 Signage, markings and the like
  04.050 Gantries and the like
  04.060 Safety facilities
  04.070 Barriers / rails and means of access
  04.080 Special equipment and fittings
  04.090 Interior landscaping
  04.100 Builders’ work in connection with services
  05. Services and equipment
  05.005 District heating, ventilating and cooling systems
  05.010 Mechanical systems
  05.020 Lighting systems
  05.030 Illuminations
  05.040 Low-voltage power supply
  05.050 Cables/cable trays
  05.060 Other electrical services
  05.070 Control systems and instrumentation
•    signalling systems
•    telecommunications systems
  05.080 Pipe racks / supports (localised)
  05.090 Water supply and drainage above ground or inside underground construction (localised)
  05.100 Refuse and waste disposal systems
  05.110 Fire services
  05.115 Gas services
  05.120 Movement systems: lifts / elevators / conveyors
  05.600 Boat lifts
  05.610 Cranes / rigs/ rails
  05.620 Under water / sea service pipe installation
  05.630 Under water / sea electrical / data cabling
  06. Surface and underground drainage
  06.010 Surface water drainage
  06.020 Storm water drainage
  06.030 Foul and waste water drainage
  06.040 Pumping systems
  06.050 Drainage connections
  07. External and ancillary works
  07.010 Site enclosures and divisions
  07.020 Ancillary structures
  07.030 Roads and paving (not amounting to a Sub-Project)
  07.040 Landscaping (hard and soft)
  07.050 Fittings and equipment
  08. Preliminaries | Constructors’ site overheads | general requirements
  08.010 Construction management including site management staff and support labour
  08.020 Temporary access roads and storage areas, traffic management and diversion (at the Constructors’ discretion)
  08.025 Temporary concrete batching yard, precast concrete casting yard
  08.030 Temporary site fencing and securities
  08.040 Commonly shared construction plant
  08.045 Marine plant and equipment (e.g. ships / barges / vessels, floating cranes, dredgers, floating drill rigs, cofferdams, caissons, etc.)
  08.050 Commonly shared scaffolding
  08.055 Workpeople living accommodation
  08.060 Other temporary facilities and services
  08.065 Mobilisation and demobilisation where significant and not elsewhere reported
  08.070 Technology and communications: telephone, broadband, hardware, software
  08.080 Constructor’s submissions, reports and as-built documentation
  08.090 Quality monitoring, recording and inspections
  08.100 Safety, health and environmental management
  08.110 Insurances, bonds, guarantees and warranties
  08.120 Constructor’s statutory fees and charges
  08.130 Testing and commissioning
  08.140 Extras for extreme climatic or working conditions (if priced separately according to local pricing practice)
  09. Risk Allowances
  09.010 Design development allowance
  09.020 Construction contingencies
  09.030 Price level adjustments
•    until tendering
•    during construction
  09.040 Exchange rate fluctuation adjustments
  010. Taxes and Levies
  010.010 Paid by the Constructors
  010.020 Paid by the Client in relation to the construction contract payments
  11. Work and utilities off-site (including related risk allowances, taxes and levies)
  11.010 Connections to, diversion of and capacity enhancement of public utility mains or sources off-site up to mains connections on-site:
•    electricity
•    transformers
•    water
•    sewer
•    gas
•    telecommunications
  11.020 Public access roads and footpaths
  12. Production and loose furniture, fittings and equipment (including related risk allowances, taxes and levies)
  12.010 Loose production, process and operating furniture, fittings and equipment not normally provided before completion of construction
  12.020 Fixed production, process and operating furniture, fittings and equipment installed before completion of construction
  13. Construction-related consultants and supervision (including related risk allowances, taxes and levies)
  13.010 Consultants’ fees and reimbursable:
•    architects (architectural, landscape, interior design, technical, etc.)
•    engineers (geotechnical, civil, structural, mechanical, electrical and plumbing, technical, etc.)
•    project managers
•    surveyors (quantity surveying, land surveying, building surveying, cost engineering, etc.)
•    specialist consultants (environmental, traffic, acoustic, facade, BIM, etc.)
•    value management studies
  13.020 Charges and levies payable to statutory bodies or their appointed agencies (in connection with planning, design, tender and contract approvals, supervision and acceptance inspections)
  13.030 Site supervision charges (including their accommodation and travels)
  13.040 Payments to testing authorities or laboratories

Operation Groups and Sub-Groups

  1. Carbon emissions are reported by exception at the Sub-Group level.
  2. 2-digit code for Groups and 3-digit code for Sub-Groups.
Code Description
    Group (Level 3)
    Sub-Group (Level 4)
4.   Operation Costs (OC) | Operation Carbon Emissions (OE)
  01. Cleaning
  01.010 External cleaning (routine and periodic)
  01.020 Internal cleaning (routine and periodic)
  01.030 Specialist cleaning (define type)
  02. Utilities
  02.010 Fuel (state type: gas / electricity / oil and other fuel sources)
  02.020 Water, drainage and sewerage
  03. Waste management
  03.010 Waste collection and disposal
  03.020 Recycling and savage
  04. Security
  04.010 Physical security
  04.020 Remote monitoring
  05. Information and communications technology
  05.010 Communication systems
  05.020 Specialist technology / sensors
  06. Operators’ site overheads | general requirements
  06.010 Administration
  06.020 Property insurance
  07. Risk Allowances
  07.010 Operation related (user definable)
  07.020 Contractual obligations
  08. Taxes and Levies
  08.010 Taxes
  08.020 Levies

End of Life Groups and Sub-Groups

  1. Carbon emissions are reported by exception at the Sub-Group level.
  2. 2-digit code for Groups and 3-digit code for Sub-Groups.
Code Description
    Group (Level 3)
    Sub-Group (Level 4)
6 6. End of Life Costs (EC) | End of Life Carbon Emissions (EE)
  01. Disposal inspection
  01.010 Dilapidations report
  01.020 Contractual hand-back obligations
  02. Decommissioning and decontamination
  02.010 Shutdowns and decommissioning
  02.020 Decontamination
  03. Demolition, reclamation and salvage
  03.010 Demolition
  03.020 Reclamation
  03.030 Salvage
  04. Reinstatement
  04.010 Agreed reinstatement works
  04.020 Contractual obligations
  05. Constructors’ site overheads | general requirements
  05.010 Administration
  05.020 Overheads (project specific)
  06. Risk Allowances
  06.010 End of life specific (user definable)
  06.020 Abnormal risks (user definable)
  07. Taxes and Levies
  07.010 Taxes
  07.020 Levies
  07.030 Credit for grants

Rationale for some classifications

Composite or prefabricated work

  1. There are items for ‘composite or prefabricated work’, but in principle their costs and/or carbon emissions are to be split into the relevant Groups and Sub-Groups as much as possible to facilitate analysis and comparison with non-composite or prefabricated work.
  2. Include in the ‘composite or prefabricated work’ only if the composite or prefabricated work integrates different construction components across different Groups and Sub-Groups serving the functions of more than one Sub-Group and is priced without further breakdown in the contract.

Substructure and Structure Delineation

  1. “Superstructure” is not used.
  2. The “Substructure” and “Structure” delineation for various project type is shown in the diagrams below.
  3. Why are they delineated into “Substructure” and “Structure”, not “Substructure” and “Superstructure”?
  4. Usually, substructure refers to the structure below the ground surface and superstructure refers to the structure above ground.
  5. However, as shown in the diagrams, many of the main structures for civil engineering works (such as roads, tunnels, tanks, pipelines, wells, boreholes, etc.) can be totally below the ground surface, if these main structures are classified as substructure, there would be nothing left to be reported for the superstructure.
  6. Therefore, ICMS classifies all the main structures as “Structure” whether or not they are underground or underwater, and classifies all structures supporting or encasing the main structures as “Substructure”.

Split of Basement for Buildings

  1. The basement sides and bottom (shown in deep blue in the diagram below) are classified as an item (code [2|3|5].02.030.030) under the Substructure Group, while the basement suspended floors (shown in red box in the diagram below) are classified as a Sub-Group (code [2|3|5].03.020) under the Structure Cost Group.
  2.  
  4. Why are the basement sides, bottom and suspended floors not grouped together as substructure or basement, like common language use? It is also usual for tender pricing to group the basement works under a section.
  5. Answers:
  6. The design of the basement sides and bottom do not vary in direct proportion to the total building floor area nor to the total basement floor area, and is highly dependent on the site conditions even for the same building design. The cost of the basement sides and bottom should therefore be reported separately from the cost of the basement suspended floors.
  7. If the basement suspended floors are reported separately from the superstructure, the “unit cost per total building floor area” of the basement suspended floors ($400/m2) and of the superstructure ($2,700/m2) as given in the high-level cost summary, as shown in the example below, would not be useful when one wants to roughly estimate how much a similar building of 12,000 m2 would cost. One would need to know the floor areas of the basement and the superstructure or their proportions, and use $4M and $27M for pro-rata calculations.
  9. While it may be easy to separate the architectural works | non-structural works into basement and superstructure, it would not be logical from the costing point of view to do a similar separation for services and equipment because it is often required to put main services and equipment serving the whole building in the basement, but allocating the costs of main services and equipment based on their locations would give a misleading unit cost per basement floor area and unit cost per superstructure floor area for further use.
  10. If the basement suspended floors and superstructure are grouped together, the unit cost per total building floor area ($3,100/m2) as shown in the example below would then be more useful for quick pro-rata calculation and comparison. Furthermore, per their respective floor areas, the design of the basement suspended floors is generally heavier than that of the superstructure, but the former is exclusive of external structural walls, while the latter is inclusive. The two aspects can have an off-setting effect such that $4,000/m2 and $3,000/m2 in the above example can be closer to each other, and grouping together would be appropriate.
  12. ICMS is for high-level cost presentation for comparative benchmarking and option appraisal, etc. The above classification should make the unit costs more readily useful for such purposes. For tender pricing, users can choose to group the basement works in their preferred ways.
  13. If one wants to show the basement and superstructure costs separately in the cost report to match the sections in tender pricing, one can adopt the following presentation:

External structural walls as structural parts vs External elevations

  1. Some cost classifications classify external structural walls as part of the “External elevations” or as “External walls” whether above or below ground. Why does ICMS 2 not so classify but classify the external structural walls as structural parts?
  2. Answers:
  3. External structural walls serve two functions, one taking structural loading of the building, and the other enclosing the building. 
  4. It is considered difficult to separate the external structural walls (reinforcement in particular) at “A” below from the rest of the core structure, and it would give an incomplete structural cost if both the external structural walls at “A” and “B” below are grouped under “External elevations”, say, when answering the question “what would be the structural cost without non-structural parts?”. 
  5. For construction, the structural parts should come first before the non-structural parts are added on. Therefore, the external structural walls are classified as structural parts under:
    • [2|3|5].02.030: Basement sides and bottom – sides
    • [2|3|5].03.030: Structure – Frames and slabs – structural walls and columns
  6. For present day buildings, the design of the external structural walls above ground and that below ground can be very different, the walls are therefore separated as above.

Fitting out lighting fittings / Supply of sanitary fittings

  1. Lighting fittings (decorative) and sanitary fittings are usually chosen by the architects instead of the building services engineers, and their costs are not usually included in the cost estimates provided by the engineers, they are therefore separately as two Sub-Groups.
  2. However, since they are more related to Services and Equipment, they are therefore included as part of “Services and Equipment”.

Builder's profit and attendance on services

  1. Services and equipment are likely the subject of nominated sub-contracts on which the builders price profit and attendance separately. This Sub-Group is intended for such profit and attendance.
  2. The costs of other works should include profit and attendance.

Project Attributes and Values

  1. To enable consistent and concise evaluation and comparison between different Projects or different design schemes, ICMS provides a set of Project Attributes and Values describing the principal characteristics of each Project or Sub-Project.
  2. The Project Attributes are given under the following groups:
Common Each Project Type
  • Report
  • Construction Cost Price Level
  • Construction Cost Currency Conversion
  • Construction Programme
  • Site
  • Construction Procurement
  • Life Cycle Cost Related
  • Carbon Emissions Related
  • Code
  • Works
  • Project Quantities
  1. Examples:

Project Quantities

  1. ICMS provides the following Project Quantities (physical or functional) such that the total costs can be expressed as unit cost per unit project quantity for comparison and benchmarking purposes.
Projects Project Quantities (Physical) Project Quantities (Functional)
Buildings
  • Site area (within legal boundary of building site, excluding temporary working areas outside the site) (m² | ft²)
  • Covered area on plan (m² | ft²)
  • Gross external floor area as IPMS 1 (EXTERNAL) (m² | ft²)
  • Gross internal floor area as IPMS 2 (INTERNAL) (m² | ft²)
  • number of occupants | number of bedrooms | number of hospital beds | number of hotel rooms | number of car parking spaces | number of classrooms | number of students | number of passengers | number of boarding gates | production capacity (specifics to be stated) | other stated
Roads and motorways
  • Total length (between two places, irrespective of number of lanes) (km | miles)
  • Equated lane length (being the length of all lanes along the route, including those in passing loops, sidings and depots reduced toa single length) (km | miles)
  • Total paved area (m² | ft²)
  • capacity (vehicles per hour)
Railways
  • Route length (between start and finish points of longest route plus start and finish points of ancillary routes irrespective of number of tracks) (km | miles)
  • Equated track length (being the length of all tracks along the route, including those in passing loops, sidings and depots reduced to a single length) (km | miles)
  • weight of traffic expressed as estimated gross million tonnes or tons per annum (M tonnes | M tons/year)
  • passenger journeys (million journeys per year)
Bridges
  • Deck length measured from face to face of abutments (km | miles)
  • Surface area of deck (m² | ft²)
  • capacity (vehicles | litres | gallons | tonnes | tons per hour)
Tunnels
  • End to end length (km | miles)
  • Equated track length (being the length of all tracks inside the tunnel) (km | miles)
  • Equated lane length (being the length of all tracks inside the tunnel) (km | miles)
  • Volume of excavation (m³ | yd³)
  • capacity (vehicles | litres | gallons | tonnes | tons per hour)
Wastewater treatment works
  • Site area (area of land covered by permanent work, excluding temporary working areas outside the site) (hectares | acres)
  • capacity (mega litres | litres | million gallons | gallons per day)
Water treatment works
  • Site area (area of land covered by permanent work, excluding temporary working areas outside the site) (hectares | acres)
  • capacity (mega litres | litres | million gallons | gallons per day)
Pipelines
  • Total length of pipes (km | miles)
  • Length from servicing inlets to outlets (km | miles)
  • capacity (litres | gallons | m³ | ft³ per hour)
Wells and boreholes
  • Total length drilled/bored (m | ft)
  • capacity (m³ | ft³ | litres | gallons per hour)
Power-generating plants
  • Site area (area of land covered by permanent work, excluding temporary working areas outside the site) (hectares | acres)
  • capacity (MW)
Chemical plants
  • Site area (area of land covered by permanent work, excluding temporary working areas outside the site) (hectares | acres)
  • output of products (m³ | ft³ | tonnes | tons | litres | gallons per day)
Refineries
  • Site area (area of land covered by permanent work, excluding temporary working areas outside the site) (hectares | acres)
  
Refineries
  • Site area (area of land covered by permanent work, excluding temporary working areas outside the site) (hectares | acres)
  • input of crude oil (tonnes | tons | litres | gallons | barrels per day)
  • output of products (tonnes | tons | litres | gallons | barrels per day)
Dams and reservoirs
  • Site area (surface area of stored liquid at maximum capacity) (square km | square miles)
  • reservoir capacity (million m3 | million yd3)
  • power generation capacity (MW)
Mines and quarries
  • Site area (area of land covered by permanent work, excluding temporary working areas outside the site) (hectares | acres)
  • ore extraction (tonnes | tons per annum)
  • throughput of product (tonnes | tons per day)
Offshore structures
  • Surface area of platform (m2 | ft2)
  • Mass prefabricated offshore structure (tonnes | ton)
  • crude oil production (tonnes | tons/day | barrels/day)
  • natural gas production (measured at 100 kPa (0.987 atmosphere) and 15oC or 14.696 psi (1 atmosphere) and 60oF (m3 | ft3)
  • electricity production MWh | BTU
Nearshore works
  • Quay length + retaining height (m + m | ft + ft)
  • Number of fenders
  • Fender surface load (kN/m² | Ib/ft²)
  • Surface area of quayside (m2 | ft2)
  • Site area (area of land covered by permanent work including land reclaimed from the sea, excluding temporary working areas outside the site) (hectares | acres)
  • description and units to be provided where possible
Ports
  • Quay length + height (from seabed to top of retaining structure) (m + m | ft + ft)
  • Surface area of structure (m2 | ft2)
  • Volume of breakwaters/dredging/ other stated (m3 | ft3)
  • Site area (area of land covered by permanent work including land reclaimed from the sea, excluding temporary working areas outside the site) (hectares | acres)
  • functional units (ships | passengers | tonnes | tons per year)
Waterway works
  • Length of structure (m | ft)
  • Site area (area of land covered by permanent work including land reclaimed from the sea, excluding temporary working areas outside the site) (hectares | acres)
  • description and units to be provided where possible
Land formation and reclamation
  • Total land area (hectares | acres)
  

 

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