LG Darmstadt Online Event - Cost Estimates for Decision Making in the Process Industries with Mirela Tsagkari

Cost Estimates for Decision Making in the Process Industries

Date: Thursday, 22 October 2026
Time: 18:00–19:30 CEST
Format: Online via Microsoft Teams
Language: English
PDU: 1 PDU
Organised by: PMI Germany Chapter – Local Group Darmstadt
Contact: LGDarmstadt@pmi-gc.de

Cost estimates are more than a forecast of project cost. In the process industries, they are an important input for decisions on project concepts, investment approval, budgeting and progression to the next project phase.

The challenge is that many of these decisions must be made while the project scope is still developing and uncertainty remains high. A good estimate therefore needs to communicate not only a cost figure, but also its level of maturity, key assumptions, risks and expected accuracy.

Following her previous PMI Darmstadt webinar on the fundamentals of cost estimation, Dr. Mirela Tsagkari returns to focus on how cost estimates can support better project and investment decisions.

The session will address topics such as:

• The role of cost estimates throughout the project lifecycle
• Matching estimate maturity with project definition
• Understanding uncertainty, ranges and expected accuracy
• Using benchmarking and historical data to validate estimates
• Considering risk and contingency in decision making
• Communicating cost information effectively to management

The webinar is particularly relevant for project managers, project controls professionals, engineers, cost estimators and PMO professionals involved in CAPEX projects and the process industries.

About the Speaker

Mirela Tsagkari, Ph.D., CEP is an experienced specialist in capital cost estimating, benchmarking and project controls in the process industries.

She is currently Senior Manager CapEx Cost Estimating at Boehringer Ingelheim and Director of AACE Region 9 – Europe & Africa.

Mirela holds a Ph.D. in Process Systems Engineering and Cost Estimation of Biorefineries and a Diploma in Chemical Engineering. Her career includes experience in cost estimating and process engineering from both contractor and owner perspectives.

She is an AACE Certified Estimating Professional (CEP) and previously joined PMI Local Group Darmstadt in January 2025 for a webinar on Cost Estimation in the Process Industries.