Framework development for state-level appraisal indicators of sustainable construction

Abstract

To keep pace with global trends in sustainable development, the construction industry worldwide also needs to examine their practices for sustainability. The purpose of this study is to establish a proper indexing system for assessing the performance of a nation in terms of sustainable construction. In this study, a framework for the assessment of state-level sustainable construction is established. The framework consists of five layers, from bottom to top: the indicator; the indicator category; the core cluster; the theme; and the overall performance. The max–min fuzzy Delphi method is employed to identify the proper items of each layer. In addition, the fuzzy analytic hierarchy process is applied to determine the weight of items in each layer. With the developed framework, Sustainable Construction Index of a nation can then be computed to assess its progress in sustainable construction. The result can help a nation to pinpoint areas needing improvement.

Keywords:

• sustainable construction
• indicator
• fuzzy Delphi method
• fuzzy analytic hierarchy process

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the National Science Council of the Republic of China, Taiwan, for the support of this research through grant NSC 98-2221-E-008-107-MY2. The authors are also most grateful for the constructive suggestions from the experts who participated in the questionnaires.