This (Engineering Doctorate) design science project elaborated a multi-objective decision-making method for circular and sustainable construction. It proposed an interactive method that supports decision-makers in choosing between multiple optimal design alternatives. The output was published in a report and conference paper.
Abstract
Today’s constructions need to meet a growing list of performance demands with often contradicting objectives. Construction clients and other stakeholders typically formulate many different objectives, which are sometimes conflicting and require decision-makers to balance their trade-offs. Sustainability is an important project objective and enhances, for example, reduced environmental impacts and circular design solutions. However, sustainability-related objectives typically need to be balanced against other objectives, such as structural safety or costs. These interdependencies lead to complex decision spaces with a diversity of potential optimal solutions. Novel multi-objective optimization models could support decision-making in such settings, but are rarely customized to the diverse needs of various project actors. This EngD project therefore explores how such models could be used for multi-actor decision-making.
Through adopting a design science research methodology, we developed an interactive method for decision-makers to use multi-objective optimization in construction projects. The iterative design process consisted of identifying the problem, formulating design objectives, developing an interactive decision-making method, demonstrating the interactive method in participatory test sessions, and evaluating its application. The interactive method supports stakeholders with interpreting design optimization results, (re)formulating design preferences, and selecting their most preferred design solution in a multi-actor setting. Furthermore, it was found that the interactive method enables decision-makers to have an informed and in-depth discussion during their decision-making and negotiation process, which allows decision-makers to find a balanced, justified and well-supported solution for the group. The findings show that a user-centric perspective to multi-objective optimization is needed to enable the implementation of interactive optimization methods for decision-making in multi-actor project settings. Ultimately, the proposed solution can contribute to the sustainability transition in the construction sector by reducing misalignments between actors in dynamic project organisations, and by facilitating social learning among actors within a socio-technical system.
| Type of project: | Engineering Doctorate |
| Candidate: | Susan Groenia |
| Supervisors/advisors: | Leentje Volker Marc van den Berg Siska Valcke Eduardo Barros |
| Status: | Completed: 26 February 2025 |
| Funding: | TNO |
| Research output: | Link |