Insights

Cost Engineering
Knowledge Hub.

Practical articles, methodology guides and market analysis from CAF Corporation cost engineers — covering AACE practices, location factors, escalation trends and more.

All Topics AACE Methodology (12) Location Factors Cost Escalation (1) Benchmarking (7) Equipment Costs (4) Renewable Energy Labor Rates General (11)
Featured · General
The KPEX Ecosystem: From First-Generation Estimating to a Connected Cost Intelligence Network
The capital project industry is shifting from spreadsheets to integrated platforms and fully connected KPEX ecosystems. This transformation is redefining how cost estimates are produced, improving accuracy, accelerating decisions and enabling data-driven competitive advantage, while exposing the limits of fragmented, traditional approaches.
Ca
Carlos Fuenmayor
· May 2026 · 5 min read
Read article
AACE Methodology 12 Cost Escalation 1 Benchmarking 7 Equipment Costs 4 General 11
Equipment Costs
Carbon Capture Is Not the Challenge — Cost Certainty Is
Carbon capture is moving from pilot to commercial scale. We examine the cost drivers, equipment families and benchmarking metrics...
Dec 2025
5 min read
Read article
Benchmarking
How AI Analytics Is Transforming Cost Estimation on Capital Projects
Artificial intelligence is changing the speed, accuracy and defensibility of capital cost estimates. We examine the practical appl...
Nov 2025
5 min read
Read article
General
Implementing AI in Cost Engineering: A Practical Guide (Part 1)
How should a cost engineering organisation approach the adoption of AI tools? Part 1 covers the data foundation, use-case selectio...
Apr 2024
5 min read
Read article
AACE Methodology
AACE 31R-03: The Standard for Estimate Review and Validation
AACE Recommended Practice 31R-03 defines the methodology for independent estimate reviews. We examine what it covers, why it matte...
Feb 2024
5 min read
Read article
Equipment Costs
RAN Valuation: Insurance Cost Assessment for Process Plant Facilities
Replacement as New (RAN) valuation is a specialist cost estimation discipline required by insurers and asset owners. We explain th...
Jan 2024
5 min read
Read article
Benchmarking
Benchmarking Decommissioning Costs in Oil and Gas
Decommissioning cost estimation is one of the most data-scarce disciplines in the industry. We examine the key metrics, data sourc...
Dec 2023
5 min read
Read article
Benchmarking
Nuclear Decommissioning: The Most Complex Cost Estimation Challenge in Energy
Nuclear decommissioning combines radiological complexity, regulatory uncertainty and decade-long execution timelines to create the...
Dec 2023
5 min read
Read article
Benchmarking
Using Cost Benchmarking to Improve Forecast Accuracy on Capital Projects
Benchmarking is not just a validation tool — used correctly, it improves forecast accuracy from gate 1 through to project close-ou...
Mar 2023
5 min read
Read article
Benchmarking
Data Analytics in Cost Engineering: From Spreadsheets to Intelligence Platforms
The shift from spreadsheet-based benchmarking to integrated data analytics platforms is transforming what is possible in cost engi...
Nov 2022
5 min read
Read article
1 2 3 4 Showing 19–27 of 34 articles
Access the full Kpex knowledge base
Members get access to all gated articles, cost data and platform tools.
Create Free Account