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Value Engineering the Residential Lighting Design Process

What is value engineering?

We at Aterra believe that it represents the only effective way to approach business relationships; it is the epitome of team building and creative thinking that allows everyone to benefit.

It doesn’t happen without concerted effort and a commitment to develop and implement problem-solving strategies that permeate through every level of business and personal relationships.

In our business, that reach extends from each person within our ranks to every individual associated with our product suppliers and the homebuilders and subcontractors we work with, as well as to architects, designers and home buyers. 

The Recipe for Success

In November 2017, I spoke about a Recipe for Home Building Optimization and noted that our strategy for home building success was: Technology + Building Efficiency + Skilled Labor + Standardized Customization. Today, as I review the new programs we have introduced over the past six months and reflect on our achievements, it is with pride that I can truly say we have moved in the right direction.

We will continue down that path, with the unshakable conviction that the process of value engineering our approach to client service is the catalyst for growth and the way to assure we meet our goals for the future. 

As always, there are four components to the value structure:

  • Cost reduction: We work with production builders to offer lighting and electrical options at the lowest prices;
  • Value added: At the same time, by working with buyers to customize their homes, we are often able to increase builder profits through value added options.
  • Life-Cycle Analysis: Both in terms of product selection and longevity, and as costs relate to the project as a whole, we look at the “big picture.”
  • Sustainability: We are increasingly aware of both the natural world and the built environment, and seek to balance “people needs” with energy-efficiency and green concerns. In terms of specific products, we also look for durability and long-term maintenance ease. 

Enhancing the Homebuying Process

Just as we believe that proper lighting will enhance a home, making it more efficient and enjoyable, at Aterra we believe that the builders and buyers who choose to work with us agree that we bring a new dimension and a fresh approach to the home buying process. 

It has been our goal for the almost 20 years of our company’s existence to help bring builders, contractors and buyers together to create unique homes. We have built a team that shares a common goal. 

We work with custom, semi-custom and production builders, and we know that the same principles apply. Every buyer, no matter what the price point, wants to maximize the impact of the dollars spent. By the same token, every builder hopes to keep prices as reasonable as possible and realize a fair profit. 

That’s the creative vision that drives all our efforts, and it is the keystone of our team approach. We believe that by working together, we create a product that is greater than the sum of its parts — a masterpiece, if you will, created by a team of skilled individuals, a home perfectly suited to the needs, desires and personalities of its future owners. 

That’s exactly what we mean by value engineering.