(1) The goal of the department and its consulting design professionals should be to create a capital investment that meets the user’s functional requirements and program requirements and provides the most economical life cycle cost for the taxpayer.
(2) Buildings and structures will often be used for periods exceeding fifty (50) years and, consequently, should be designed for durability, adaptability, and economy of operation and ease of maintenance.
(3) The state currently has many functioning buildings that are over fifty (50) years old.
(b)
(1) Building system components should be selected based on life cycle cost.
(2) If an increased first cost or initial cost can be documented to show a reduced life cycle cost for the state, particularly for operating and personnel cost, then the design should incorporate the more expensive first cost feature or system.
(3) Studies have shown that the initial construction cost for most buildings equals ten percent (10%) or less of the total cost of owning and operating a building over the life cycle of the building.
(4) Departments shall require the design professional to produce life cycle cost data for review before approving a design element or system where required by the Arkansas Energy Office of the Division of Environmental Quality’s rule, Energy Efficiency and Natural Resource Conservation in Public Buildings, 22 CAR pt. 10.
(c)
(1) Departments must be alert to ensure their consulting design professionals exercise discipline in their designs to promote efficient use of facility space in terms of floor area and building volume.
(2) Exterior design features and materials should be consistent with the architectural character of the surrounding buildings and should complement the natural materials at the site.
(3) Excessive features or unusual geometry which are not related to the function or intended use of the facility shall be avoided.
(d)
(1) Acceptance of a particular design does not imply that other more cost-effective designs are not acceptable.
(2) Good architecture can be achieved simply by good design which implies sensitivity to scale, mass, proportion, color, materials, lighting, and detail, none of which necessarily cost more.