Multi-criteria decision-making process for buildings

The paper focuses on a process designed to facilitate two key decision points early in the building design process that are critical to a building's ultimate sustainability. As vital decisions are made during the building's design, the process and accompanying tools assist the design team in prioritizing their goals, setting performance targets, and evaluating design options to ensure that the most important issues affecting building sustainability are considered. Both the methods used and the tools required to carry out the methods are described. The process has been conceived to make the most efficient use of both the time and resources of the design team, suggesting that it will actually receive widespread use. The process is being tested within the context of the International Energy Agency Task 23, Optimization of Solar Energy Use in Large Buildings and has also been comprehensively tested by the United States Federal Energy Management Program.