Digital Value Engineering for Sustainable Commercial Buildings: A BIM and Life Cycle Cost-Based Decision-Making Framework

Abdul Mateen Khan (Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS, Bandar Seri Iskandar 32610, Perak,)
Wesam Salah Alaloul (Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, UAE University, P.O. Box 15551, Al Ain,)
Muhammad Ali Musarat (Faculty of Civil and Mechanical Engineering, Riga Technical University, Kipsalas Street 6A, LV-1048 Riga,)
Socheatra Soeung (Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS, Bandar Seri Iskandar 32610, Perak)

Journal of Engineering and Technological Sciences
Vol. 58 No. 3 (2026): Vol. 58 No. 3(2026): June

Sustainable commercial buildings require cost-effective and environmentally responsible design solutions. Traditional Value Engineering (VE) methods, while effective in cost reduction, often lack integration with digital tools, limiting their ability to optimize sustainability and performance. This study develops a Digital Value Engineering Model (DVEM) that aligns with Industry 4.0 principles, incorporating Building Information Modeling (BIM), Life Cycle Cost (LCC) analysis, and a weighted evaluation matrix to enhance decision-making transparency, cost efficiency, and environmental impact assessment. The model was implemented in Autodesk Revit and applied to a real-life commercial building project in Malaysia, systematically following six VE phases. The results demonstrate a 28% cost reduction while optimizing material selection, energy efficiency, and lifecycle performance. Unlike conventional VE, DVEM enables automated cost analysis, real-time sustainability assessment, and function-based decision modeling. By bridging traditional VE with modern digital workflows, this study provides a replicable, data-driven approach to optimizing commercial building design. The findings contribute to the construction industry by introducing a structured, scalable framework that enhances decision-making efficiency, resource utilization, and sustainability compliance in commercial building projects.