The influence of architectural design parameters on the maintenance costs of building services of office buildings in the city of Nairobi

Abstract

This is a study of office building design and maintenance cost of building services in an urban setting. The hypothesis of this study is that architectural design parameters have an influence on maintenance costs. Ithas been established in the literature review that the design indicators for maintenance cost are height, perimeter, shape, area of windows, area of floors, number of storeys and the age the of building. These seven independent variables are regressed against maintenance cost of engineering services; the dependent variable. The analysis of the data collected revealed that more maintenance cost is expended in the mechanical services than electrical services. The analysis further indicated that maintenance cost of mechanical services is determined by the following design variables: height, shape and perimeter of the building. It was also found that height. is a determinant of maintenance cost of electrical services. The overall maintenance costs of engineering services were found to be a function of height and perimeter of the building. This study concludes that a relationship exists between maintenance costs of building services and design parameters. Thus designers should design for maintainability of office building services among other factors.