Decision-Making
for Alternative Materials

Our research evaluates the ability of Critical Thinking Decision-Making (CTDM) methods to help architectural and design teams identify and select a sustainable alternative during residential building design.

Decision-Making Process in Residential Building Design

The decision-making process in residential building design is considered as a multi decision making context, in which many  internal  stakeholders and professionals are  involved  (owner,  architect, structural,  mechanical,  electrical,  etc. ).  Hundreds of decisions  are made  in  different  phases  of  the  due-diligence and design process  with  different  levels  of involvement and interactions.

Our decision-making in residential building design  can  be  categorized into  six main stages:

(1) Property owner’s needs & goals identification: The design team needs to identify the purpose of the decision.

(2) Specify & set design goals: The design team needs to transfer the client needs into design goals to facilitate decision-making.

(3) Identify or suggest alternatives: The design team  needs  to identify  or  suggest alternatives aligned with the design goals.

4) Data Collection: The  design  team  needs  to  collect relevant and reliable  data  in  order  to  realize the characteristics and features   of   the   alternatives.   This   data   can   be   quantitative   (e.g.,   technical   or environmental performance) or qualitative (e.g., durability, life-span, quality).

(5) Choose an alternative material: The design team needs to understand the main differences between alternative materials, the risks and uncertainties associated with them, and choose the  best  one  according to the design specifications, budget and availability.

(6) Reconsider: The  design  team  needs  to  assess  if  the  alternative materials  meets  the  goals and objectives  of the  design,  and  their context/interface with  other design parameters.