Elemental cost planning is a system of and Cost control, typically for buildings, which enables the cost of a scheme to be monitored during design development. 1951 saw the publication of the Ministry of Education Building Bulletin No 4 which essentially introduced the concept of elemental cost planning to the UK construction industry. Its Author was James Nisbet. The concept has been refined and developed over more than 50 years in the UK by BCIS (the Building Cost Information Service of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors).... It should :-