Pre-design is the phase of analysis that occurs after some form of funding is secured and before design activities begin. Pre-design is the phase of work that begins after some form of funding is available. The phase involves analyzing the goals to be addressed by a project's design. Pre-design activities may include programming and feasibility studies, site analysis, construction cost analysis, and early consideration of value engineering opportunities.
During this phase, studies are conducted to define space requirements, evaluate site constraints and opportunities, and assess cost relative to the budget. The amount of funding available in the pre-design phase varies and is a critical factor in determining which studies take precedence. Funds may be available to develop a detailed project program or only to investigate certain technical issues to determine scope, budget, or project schedule. Studies are conducted to evaluate existing site and building conditions. These may include geotechnical investigations, hydrology studies, land and utility surveys, assessments of existing building conditions, and environmental due diligence, such as hazardous material surveys. Special studies determine if the data gathered for the project program regarding the site are complete, clear, and free of contradictions. A proposed project site is analyzed to understand the constraints and opportunities the site will impose on the project and its design. In many cases, multiple sites are evaluated.
Programming defines the project's functional requirements. It documents the user’s needs, the types and sizes of space, and their adjacencies. A project program provides a clear statement of needs and scope, serving as the foundation for development if the work is advanced to a capital project.
The pre-design phase may include site analysis, programming, construction cost analysis, and value engineering.
Site Analysis. Evaluates potential sites and existing conditions, including site selection, geotechnical investigations, and assessments of existing structures.
Programming. Identifies space and equipment requirements, as well as functional relationships. The resulting program establishes the basis of design and funding.
Construction Cost Analysis. Develops a construction cost estimate to inform the capital improvement budget (CIB) and provides a cost plan that justifies the budget request.
Value Engineering. Analyzes the program, site selection, and project budget to confirm the project goals can be accommodated within available resources and approved amounts.
A site analysis evaluates a proposed location, existing building, and/or infrastructure to identify physical, environmental, and regulatory conditions that may affect the proposed project’s feasibility and design. Typical studies include geotechnical reports, hydrology studies, land surveys (defining boundaries, topography, and utilities), assessment of existing structures, and environmental due diligence, such as hazardous materials surveys. In some cases, multiple sites are analyzed for a single project. The findings inform the project's feasibility, guide project development, and associated environmental impacts. See Professional Services Agreement and Executive Design Professional Agreement Contract Templates.
A location may engage a qualified geotechnical engineer to prepare a geotechnical report that provides information about the soils and geologic conditions on and below the surface at the proposed project site (s). The geotechnical report typically includes data from previous studies of neighboring buildings and results from new sampling.
Geotechnical Hazards. The report should identify potential geotechnical hazards, including:
- Areas subject to subsidence and liquefaction.
- Landslides and mudflow hazards.
- Fault zones.
Soil Sampling and Testing. Soil samples are tested in a laboratory to determine moisture content, soil type, expansion, percolation, bearing capacity, friction, and other factors pertinent to the proposed building. Other important data include:
- Drainage characteristics and permeability.
- Depth to groundwater.
- Depth to bedrock.
- Susceptibility to compaction and erosion.
- Shrink and swell potential.
- Compressive strength and stability (bearing capacity).
- Evidence of fill.
Recommendations. Findings from the geotechnical investigation inform design and construction, including:
- Site preparation methods, such as compaction or soil replacement.
- Bearing loads and expected settlement.
- Management of groundwater and surface water during construction and the finished project.
- Special foundation design requirements.
UCOP recommends that the location engages the geotechnical engineer to review the construction documents for compliance with the report’s recommendations and findings. It is also beneficial to have the engineer present during excavation to confirm that actual conditions align with those anticipated in the report.
Hydrology studies are performed by environmental consultants or hydrologic engineers. These studies are based on a review of existing maps, records, and data, supplemented by site-specific hydrologic measurements and field observations. The hydrology studies include:
- Surface water drainage patterns (both on and off site).
- Floodplain zones and potential inundation zones.
- Aquifers and groundwater recharge zones.
- Depth to groundwater.
- Storm drainage system capacity and requirements.
- Areas subject to erosion hazards.
- Debris flow and mudslide risks.
- Coastal flooding and tsunami hazards.
The findings of these studies inform site design, grading, and drainage strategies, and are essential for compliance with applicable floodplain management and stormwater regulations.
Land surveys document existing site features, project boundaries, and, when applicable, legal boundaries such as property lines, rights-of-way, and easements. The surveyor locates physical elements (including structures, roads, trees, and landforms) and reviews available records to gather information on utilities and boundaries. The survey determines the site configuration and area. The surveyor's elevation measurements are important for connecting the proposed project to existing roads, utilities, and, if needed, nearby buildings. Grades are measured in relation to a fixed point established for a location.
When a project involves one or more existing buildings, a variety of studies are conducted to assess the feasibility of reusing some or all of the structures. These studies evaluate functional performance, structural integrity, and code issues to determine whether the buildings can meet the project’s requirements. Typical areas of analysis include:
- Overall building suitability and adaptability for the proposed use (e.g., floor area, column spacing, floor-to-floor heights, and vibration / acoustic performance).
- Capacity and condition of existing engineered systems (e.g., electrical, HVAC, fire protection, and plumbing).
- Vertical load bearing capacity of structural elements (e.g., slabs, beams, girders, and columns).
- Earthquake resistance and lateral load capacity (e.g., shear walls and frame bracing).
- Compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and the California Building Code accessibility provisions.
- Fire and life-safety systems.
- Energy efficiency and compliance with the UC Sustainable Practices Policy.
Consultants are engaged to inspect existing sites or buildings that may contain hazardous materials. These consultants identify the presence and extent of the hazards and recommend the proper methods for removal, remediation, or mitigation. While location staff are generally aware of hazards on current sites, new sites or previously occupied sites may present risks, including soil or groundwater contamination resulting from prior use. The University has established procedures to guide location staff in the assessment of toxic and hazardous substances on real property. Procedures are also in place for reviewing gifts of real property for the presence of hazardous materials. Visit the Real Estate Services and Strategies Group website for more information.
To document existing project conditions, data is collected across various categories, including climate, site features, environmental influences, historical data, land-use and regulatory requirements, building codes, visual analysis, and circulation and access patterns. See Guidelines-EH&S, Fire Marshal and Site Analysis During Project Planning.
UCOP recommends that the site analysis report include any relevant studies and reports, including those previously completed by the University, related to the proposed project. These may include:
- Planning and Development
- Long-Range Development Plans and related Environmental Impact Reports
- Precinct or area development plans
- PhDF and other design guidelines
- Expansion plans for adjacent or nearby buildings
- Infrastructure
- Utility and infrastructure plans
- Circulation and Infrastructure
- Roadway and transportation plans
- Vehicular circulation plans
- Bicycle and pedestrian plans
- Circulation and parking plans
- Environmental and Safety
- Accessibility studies and compliance reviews
- Surveys of asbestos, PCBs, and seismic hazards
Site analysis drawings graphically combine a variety of the site analysis studies into a drawing or set of drawings. While these drawings may include environmental information, they are not intended to provide a comprehensive environmental assessment or to substitute for any of the requirements of the environmental impact report process.
A comparative site analysis measures trade-offs among different project locations against a set of criteria and draws conclusions as to the most appropriate project site. The first step in this analysis is to define the criteria and their relative priorities. The criteria are typically derived from goals, objectives, or specific performance requirements. These measures may be divided into threshold criteria, which are absolute either acceptable or not acceptable requirements, and more detailed criteria that have varying degrees of suitability. The criteria may include:
- Accessibility.
- Proximities.
- Hazards.
- Land availability and configuration (area and shape).
- Physical characteristics and constraints.
- Environmental impacts.
- Costs (development, operation, and maintenance).
- Timing.
- Design aspects.
- Acceptability.
- Compatibility of proposed use with existing uses.
- Availability of essential services.
A subsequent step in the comparative site analysis is defining functional and Facility requirements for the intended site. The project program, its phasing, and other operational and management considerations must be understood to test if the program fits the site. A comparative site analysis is a crucial step in preparing an EIR for the project. An EIR requires an evaluation of project alternatives, which can include alternative site locations. The preferred site must be justified based on its satisfaction of project objectives.
Programming defines the user's needs. That includes defining a project's functional needs, interior and exterior functional requirements, including space sizes, contents, activities, and relationships. A project program serves not only as a basis for design and a source of information about a project, but also as a basis for seeking funding. The final product of programming is the project program, sometimes referred to as the Detailed Project Program (DPP). See RD – Project Programmatic Guidelines.
The programming process concludes with a clear and orderly statement of the problem. Detailed program information is usually separated from the more general functional data. Project programs establish quality and scope. Quality is often defined abstractly in the project goals and more specifically in the project program. Scope is clearly defined and incorporates the following factors:
- The definition of the users and the purpose of the users
- The functions and programs
- The assigned square feet of the proposed facility
- Special factors
This section describes approaches used to establish construction costs for project budgets. The construction cost of a project is part of the total project cost in the present CIB.
Estimating construction costs typically involves using costs from similar prior projects and applying those costs to the present project, allowing for adjustments in location, scope, construction time period, and other factors.
The following methods are used to estimate construction costs (in order of increasing detail):
- Cost per gross square foot. This method utilizes data on the costs of various building types, published by cost information services or compiled in databases by organizations such as the Association of University Architects (AUA).
- Cost by building systems/components. Reference books are available that provide costs for components by building square footage and by square footage of building components.
- Cost by building trade or Construction Specifications Institute (CSI) division. This level of estimate is useful at the Construction Documents Phase when enough detail is available on the project to break the various systems into component parts and do an accurate quantity survey similar to that done by contractors who are bidding a project.
Contingencies are typically used in conjunction with all methods of estimating to account for unknowns. Avoid adding explicit contingencies on top of implicit contingencies. The CIB includes design and project contingencies. The design contingency accounts for the fact that projects often contain more elements when fully designed than could have been anticipated earlier in the design process. The project contingency is for unknowns during construction. The project contingency allows for unknown factors that could increase construction and related costs beyond the estimate. Project contingency is not the same as the escalation factor. Contact UCOP Design and Construction Services for cost indexing.
The University capital improvement project funding process requires a level of estimating detail equivalent to the Cost by building systems/components method discussed above before a building design is established with components from which to estimate. Estimating the design cost is done from a written description of what is included in the proposed design. Representative projects can be used as examples. Recommended comparisons are similar University-wide projects. By using the list of factors that influence costs and making assumptions about the factors relevant to the proposed project, these factors can be compared to those identified in the examples. A cost for each building component (factor) can be established by adjusting the related cost (e.g., weight of structure and loading) from the representative project to what are the assumed conditions of the proposed project.
Contact UCOP Design and Construction Services for cost indexing.
Where all or any part of the labor and/or materials to be used in the design and construction of a project will be donated for no consideration or transferred to the University “at cost”, state contracting laws and University policies may apply. Consult construction counsel and the Guidelines for Donation to properly characterize the donation and determine the best treatment. Where volunteer labor will be used on a project, all volunteers (and their parent or guardian, if applicable) should complete a waiver form and review Volunteer Labor.