Estimating the Costs and Performance of Enhanced Building Design: A Case Study of Functional Recovery for New Buildings

Published

September 17, 2025

Author(s)

Sherief Elsibaie, Yating Zhang, Juan Fung, Dustin Cook, Siamak Sattar, Peter Morris, Henry Burton, David Welch, Kamiar Anaraki

Abstract

This report details the development of different structural design building archetypes and other seismic enhancements, the cost estimation process applied to those archetypes, and the economic implications and estimation of differing functional recovery times of the structural design choices after earthquake events. This culminates in a comparative benefit-cost analysis (BCA) of damage and recovery after earthquake events across the different structural archetypes and varying levels of structural stiffness. Using a framework that integrates civil engineering principles with economic evaluation, the research quantifies the economic implications of differences in performance of common structural systems—such as steel and concrete moment-resisting frames, shear walls, and braced frames, at different structural and non-structural intervention levels—under seismic loads. The cost estimation development process is described, and comparisons are made between industry and commercial construction cost data sources. The report lays the groundwork for the quantification of the trade-offs between initial construction costs, potential earthquake-induced damages, and economic benefits. The results suggest substantial direct savings from recovery-based design in terms of repair costs. These insights provide actionable guidance for engineers and policymakers seeking to balance safety, resilience, and cost-efficiency in seismic design, ultimately contributing to more economically resilient infrastructure in earthquake-prone regions.

Citation

Technical Note (NIST TN) - 2351

Report Number

2351

NIST Pub Series

Technical Note (NIST TN)

Pub Type

NIST Pubs

Download Paper

https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.TN.2351

Local Download

Keywords

building design, cost estimation, functional recovery, re-occupancy, seismic design

Citation

Elsibaie, S. , Zhang, Y. , Fung, J. , Cook, D. , Sattar, S. , Morris, P. , Burton, H. , Welch, D. and Anaraki, K. (2025), Estimating the Costs and Performance of Enhanced Building Design: A Case Study of Functional Recovery for New Buildings, Technical Note (NIST TN), National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD, [online], https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.TN.2351, https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=959854 (Accessed September 19, 2025)