Purpose Where does one need to intervene in to be most effective? The purpose of this study is to rank areas of the resource system, according to how much of a change can be expected from interventions in an area, in relation to the problem of depleting resources. Design/methodology/approach Principles of structured analysis are used to model how society uses resources. From this model, nine intervention areas are defined. These intervention areas are ranked in terms of effectiveness, through the use of the analytic hierarchy process. Findings To be most effective, one must prioritize intervention areas as follows: material inputs to the operation phase; process inputs to the operation phase; products’ longevity; process inputs to the manufacturing phase; and material inputs to the manufacturing phase. Practical implications Most decisions are not made on the basis of rigorous analysis but by using heuristics (rules of thumb). The results of this study are expressed as rules of thumb. They can help decision makers prioritize what is most important, but without imposing new ways of working. Originality/value In the construction domain, heuristics that generalize the impact of actions (content), instead of intervention areas (context), currently seem to prevail. The heuristics of this study generalize the impact of intervention areas. Therefore, they provide an extra perspective for many decision makers. This extra perspective can help reduce mistakes that are typically made by oversimplifying matters.

The current usage of natural resources cannot be maintained forever -our resources are depleting. A substantial share of resource usage, and therefore the problem, is related to the construction sector. Meanwhile, there are signs that buildings are being demolished prematurely. This premature demolition of buildings is a waste of resources. This dissertation's end goal is to contribute towards mitigating the problem of resource depletion. Changeability has been selected as the means through which to pursue this goal. This research aims to both understand design and to create support to help improve design, specifi cally regarding the topic of design for change in relation to sustainable resource usage. In Chapter 2, i.e. "Resource depletion, where is an intervention most eff ective?", the topic of resource depletion is dealt with. Chapter 2's aim is to rank areas of the resource system, according to how much of an impact can be expected from interventions in the area, in relation to the problem of depleting resources. Firstly, principles of Structured Analysis are used to model the process of resource usage, and, from this model, fi ve intervention areas are defi ned. Secondly, these intervention areas are ranked in terms of eff ectiveness, through the use of Analytic Hierarchy Process. To be most eff ective, one must prioritize intervention areas as follows: (1) material inputs to the operation phase; (2a) process inputs to the operation phase and (2b) products' longevity; (4) process inputs to the manufacturing phase; and (5) material inputs to the manufacturing phase. In this study, changeability is not pursued for the sake of changeability. Changeability is pursued for the sake of mitigating the problem of resource depletion. Chapter 2's outcome can guide this pursuit of changeability in the right direction. In Chapter 3, i.e. "The evolution of ordinary houses, does it justify demolition?", the topic of longevity in relation to change is dealt with. Chapter 3's aim is to determine how the ordinary house, in the Netherlands, has changed throughout the last 100 years. This information is then used to discuss: to what extent the house's evolution justifi es demolition. A non-random sampling method is used to select 68 housing projects from the city of Nijmegen. These projects contain a total of 8270 housing units (≈10% of Nijmegen's housing stock). Of each project, a standard housing unit is analysed in terms of: (1) length and width; (2) fl oor-to-ceiling height; (3) utilitarian rooms; (4) spatial layout; (5) type of structure; (6) roof structure; (7) insulation; and (8) separating wall's thickness. Chapter 3's outcome provides a fi rst indication of to what extent a building's longevity is determined by its design. This knowledge contributes to a more valid assessment of changeability's contribution towards mitigating the problem of This page is intentionally left blank.