Cost benefit analysis (CBA) is an economic tool; a systematic approach used to assess the value to the community of investments, policy and regulatory changes. It involves comparing the costs of an action (monetary or otherwise) with its expected social, environmental and economic benefits (monetary or otherwise) with the ultimate goal of determining the feasibility and value of that action.
In simpler terms, a CBA answers the question, "what is the value to the community of this proposed change?"
We work in the private and public sectors across industries including the urban and rural water sectors, transport, energy and renewables markets, biodiversity, social infrastructure, telecommunications and more, including e.g:
Our team of seasoned economists utilise a combination of quantitative techniques, industry insights, and practical experience to provide comprehensive cost benefit analysis consulting services.
We recognise that no two projects are alike, and no two questions in a cost benefit analysis are alike. With decades of experience in economic analysis, we craft cost benefit analysis programs to ensure straightforward and actionable insights, no matter the challenge being investigated.
We believe in clarity. Our methodologies are transparent and consistent with best practice, ensuring you understand every step of the process.
Our robust CBA analysis methods, including data analysis and economic modelling, can help:
Given the increasingly interrelated nature of our water cycle, it’s no longer enough to separately assess our investments to manage long-term water security, short-term drought and wastewater and stormwater volumes.
Combining hydrological and economic analysis, our latest water model assesses the costs and benefits of alternative drought sequences to identify which supply or demand measure, or portfolio of measures, delivers the greatest value to the community, given uncertainty.
Our model helps decision makers answer questions like these, and more:
With 20+ years of experience in evaluating the economic, cultural, social and environmental costs and benefits of water security measures, under uncertainty, our Hydroeconomic CBA model provides advanced risk and uncertainty analysis using real options analysis.
The model combines the flexibility to model multiple drought sequences at once – to answer what should we do given we don’t know whether we will go into extreme drought and in-depth analysis of a single drought sequence to answer – if we were in this drought sequence, what should we do?
