Assessing the cost effectiveness of an environmental assessment scheme

This paper examines the key issues involved in evaluating cost and benefits of various accredited criteria of an environmental assessment scheme in Ho ng Kong. Economic benefit-cost ratios have been developed for various crite ria to help the developers and designers to identify the economic impact an d cost effectiveness of the accredited criteria. Results of this analysis r eveal that the economic benefit-cost ratios vary among different credits, a nd 24 out of total 56 credits could provide potential economic benefit for the developers and designers. Accordingly, a decision strategy for prioriti sing the criteria selection has been developed for the developers and desig ners. Besides, the use of economic benefit-cost ratios for revising the wei ghting scale within the performance-specific criteria is discussed. (C) 200 0 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.