Conceptual framework for potential implementations of multi criteria decision making (MCDM) methods for design quality assessment

Abstract

Architectural design can be considered as a process influenced by many stakeholders, each of which has different decision power. Each stakeholder might have his/her own criteria and weightings depending on his/her own perspective and role. Hence design can be seen as a multi-criteria decision making (MCDM) process. Considering architectural design, its evaluation and quality assessment within a context of MCDM is not regularly performed within building processes. The aim of the paper is to find/adapt proper methodologies of MCDM, used in other domains for assessment of design quality, adapt them to the construction domain and test their applicability. Current tools (for instance DQI, DEEP, AEDET, HQI, LEED, BREEAM, BQA) for quality assessment will be reviewed and compared with several MCDM methods (ie. AHP, ANP, PROMETHEE, SAW AND TOPSIS). Advantages and disadvantages of gathered outcomes from comparisons for assessment and applicability within architectural design will be discussed. Finally reflections on the outcomes will be provided.