DIN 276 and cost group 400
DIN 276 (the German standard for costs in building construction) divides construction costs into cost groups. For building operation, cost group 400 is central: it covers the technical systems, from wastewater, water and gas systems through heating, ventilation and electrical systems to building automation.
Why a cost standard organises the plant
DIN 276 was created as a cost breakdown, but in as-built data capture it is used as a classification system. The reason is practical: its breakdown of the technical systems is widely known in German-speaking construction, and both sides mean the same thing when they talk about cost group 430.
This results in the division of labour by which an as-built survey is structured:
- The building is broken down according to DIN 277. It describes the areas.
- The building services are broken down according to DIN 276. It describes the plant.
- The two are linked via the room number.
In short: DIN 277 describes the areas, DIN 276 the plant.
What this means for data capture
The cost group does not determine the depth of capture but the assignment. Whether a ventilation unit is recorded with nameplate, year of manufacture and condition rating or only as an object in the room is a question of the level of information need. Where it belongs is determined by DIN 276.
The distinction from the model is important here: an MEP model shows the building services geometrically; the plant data for operation is something else. Both can come from the same survey, but they are two separate deliverables.
Related terms
Frequently asked questions
What does cost group 400 contain?
The technical systems of a building: wastewater, water and gas, heat supply, air handling, electrical systems, communication systems, conveyor systems, use-specific systems and building automation.
DIN 276 or DIN 277?
Both, for different things. DIN 277 classifies the areas, DIN 276 the plant. In as-built data capture, the two data sets are linked via the room number.
How deeply is plant recorded?
As deeply as the intended use requires. The cost group determines the assignment, not the level of detail. That follows from the agreed level of information need and is set before the site walk-through, because nameplates recorded afterwards cost a second walk-through.