Decision‐making in a model‐based design process

Abstract

Decisions early in the design process have a big impact on the life cycle performance of a building. The outcome of a construction project can be improved if different design options can rapidly be analysed to assist the client and design team in making informed decisions in the design process. A model‐based design approach can facilitate the decision‐making process if the design alternatives' performances can be evaluated and compared. A decision‐making framework using a performance‐based design process in the early design phase is proposed. It is developed to support decision‐makers to take informed decisions regarding the life cycle performance of a building. A scenario is developed in order to demonstrate the proposed framework of evaluating the different design alternatives' energy performance. The framework is applicable to decision‐making in a structured design process, where design alternatives consisting of both objective and subjective evaluation criteria can be evaluated.

Keywords:

• Decision making
• design process
• energy
• design decision
• BIM

Acknowledgement

The result presented in this paper is part of InPro (2010) (http://www.inpro-project.eu), an integrated project co‐funded by the European Commission within the Sixth Framework and the project efficient design of low energy houses financed by the centre for energy and resource efficiency in the built environment and the construction industry's organization for research and development in Sweden.