Citation: PAN, W., DAINTY, A. and GIBB, A., 2012. Establishing and weighting decision criteria for building system selection in housing construction.
Journal of Construction Engineering and
AbstractA lack of value-based decision criteria leads to an inability to effectively compare prefabrication and offsite production with conventional construction, which inhibits the realization of benefits of offsite approaches. This paper develops value-based decision criteria and quantifies their relative importance, for assessing building technologies systematically. The research employed a multi-methodological strategy within a broad case-study based design, with six large housebuilding organizations in the UK. These companies together accounted for over a tenth of new-build homes completions in the UK.Over fifty criteria were developed, grouped under cost, time, quality, health and safety, sustainability, process, procurement, and regulatory and statutory acceptance. Cost was ranked most important, which, coupled with time and quality, predominated technology selection in these companies. Sustainability, process and procurement were weighed lower, while health and safety and regulatory and statutory acceptance were deemed compulsory, hence offering no trade-off opportunity. A lack of incorporating innovative sustainable technology into corporate strategy is observed. The developed criteria and the systematic process should help housebuilding organizations manage technological innovation and hopefully achieve more informed corporate decisions.