The Harvard Life Cycle Costing calculator was designed by the Harvard Green Campus Initiative, now the Office for Sustainability (OFS), to aid Harvard decision makers in considering all present and future costs related to new construction, renovation, equipment replacement, or any other project that involves upfront and ongoing expenditures.  The methods used in this calculator correspond to ASTM Life Cycle Cost Analysis standards.  Assumptions are Harvard-specific: utility rates are forecasted by University Operations Services (UOS), and the discount rate used is Harvard’s internal interest rate (currently 5.75%).  By using standard methodologies and assumptions, individuals and organizations across Harvard will be able to compare results and build confidence in their interpretations. See Training and Support for more information.

Two Options

The calculator can perform Life Cycle Costing in two ways:

Savings Comparison: Performs Life Cycle Costing on a single project.  Enter the initial project cost and the annual savings, as compared to a base case of not doing the project. (Example: You know that upgrading lights will cost $10,000 and will reduce electricity consumption by 25,000 kWh per year.)

Options Comparison: Compares two options to a base case.  Enter all capital and operating costs for both options and the base case.  (Example: You have 3 lighting options for a new space, you know the upfront costs and operating costs for each, and you want to choose the best option.)

The correct use of this calculator, and accurate interpretation of the results, are critical to the proper implementation of Life Cycle Costing in the decision-making process.  To that end, OFS offers a number of training courses to fit the needs of various potential users.  It is highly recommended that you attend training before using the LCC calculators.

HARVARD LCC CALCULATOR GUIDE

LOAN FUND APPLICATION

* Harvard's forecasted utility rates are updated twice per year, requiring an updated version of the calculator.

LCC Calculator Download:

To obtain a current version of the INTERACTIVE EXCEL CALCULATOR, input your email address below and click the download button. By providing your email address, you will be notified of updates to the calculator.