For several years, this has been the buzzword in the architectural industry. However, because of our experience on the construction side of projects, we were value engineering long before the term was even coined. Essentially, value engineering is the process of having bidders propose alternate, more economical materials that still meet the specifications of the architect. And we agree that it's always wise to explore any comparable, less-expensive products to minimize the cost of a project. However, the owner should also be a little wary. Many times value engineering takes place in areas where it shouldn't. Value engineering can be good — but be careful.