Value engineering is a technique that evolved in manufacturing engineering in theUSA and there are a range of definitions:18,19❏ The creative organised approach whose objective is to optimise cost and/or performanceof a product or service.❏ A disciplined procedure directed towards the achievement of essential function forminimum cost without detriment to quality, reliability, performance or delivery.❏ The systematic review and control of costs associated with acquiring and owninga facility or system.❏ The systematic application of techniques which identify the function of a productor service, establish a monetary value for that function, and provide the necessaryfunction reliably at the lowest overall cost.Although these definitions imply attention to cost, they identify that value engineeringdiffers from conventional cost control in that rather than focusing on simple cost itconcentrates on value.