A multi-criteria decision-making model for selecting curtain wall systems in office buildings

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to develop a model that facilitates the evaluation and selection processes of curtain wall systems used in office buildings. Design/methodology/approach A comprehensive literature review and interviews with local experts were conducted to identify common types of curtain wall systems used in office buildings and their selection criteria. A questionnaire was designed and completed using multi-criteria decision-making techniques through face-to-face meetings with consultants in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. The proposed model was implemented in prototype software as a proof of concept. Findings The results revealed that fire resistance scored the highest weighting of all the criteria. Furthermore, precast concrete cladding panels were found to be the best system for use in office buildings located in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. The model validation reveals that the score for any curtain wall system varies depending on the nature of the project and that the prioritisation of criteria can vary from one practitioner to another. Originality/value The model captures the knowledge of professionals who are experts in the prioritisation of criteria for selecting curtain wall systems. The research design presented expands the boundaries of knowledge of the relevant literature, through demonstrating a conceptual framework incorporating different techniques into a computerised model. It has practical implications through presenting a systematic procedure for developing and adopting a computerised decision-making tool, which aligns experts’ professional practice and requirements, for use in selecting fragmented options.

Factors affecting unitized curtain wall system adoption for Hong Kong's high-rise residential buildings: a multi-stakeholder perspective

“…Cordero (2015) proposed a novel frame-integrated CWS that provides better thermal transmittance and avoids the risk of condensation. Differently, the second group put emphasis on identifying critical factors that influence the selection of UCWS (Al-Hammad et al, 2014;Hamida and Alshibani, 2020;Mao et al, 2016). The identified factors include construction cost and period, product quality and performance.…”

“…Differently, the second group put emphasis on identifying critical factors that influence the selection of UCWS (Al-Hammad et al. , 2014; Hamida and Alshibani, 2020; Mao et al. , 2016).…”

Uptake and Dissemination of Multi-Criteria Decision Support Methods in Civil Engineering—Lessons from the Literature

“…Two MCDA methods, AHP and MAUT, were applied to the design of curtain walls in office buildings by [90] who identified 32 criteria to be considered after a consultation process with stakeholders who consisted of both the designers and users of the office spaces. For building exteriors, a MCDA approach was suggested for taking account of the interactions of external ecological elements with building cladding and the implications for energy consumption and noise, particularly in relation to urban trees [91].…”

Fachadas vidriadas: cálculo de transmitancia térmica

“…Se emplea de manera frecuente en edificios comerciales y de oficinas de mediana a gran envergadura, y en menor medida, en el sector residencial. Este sistema constructivo presenta numerosas ventajas para los edificios en varios pisos, entre las cuales se destacan la facilidad de armado y rapidez de montaje, la liviandad (especialmente relevante para las zonas sísmicas), la estanqueidad, así como un ambiente interior luminoso y confortable (Hamida y Alshibani, 2020;Yalaz, Tavil y Celik, 2018;Huang, Chen, Lu y Mosalam, 2017) siempre que esté garantizado el control de la radiación solar no deseada.…”