Multicriteria Decision-Making Model for the Selection of an Affordable Prefabricated Housing System Using Delphi-AHP Method
Publication: Journal of Architectural Engineering
Volume 28, Issue 3
Abstract
In cases where the use of a prefabricated housing system is necessary, the lack of a proper decision-making model for selecting an affordable prefabricated housing system can lead to the selection of an unsuitable system, deviation from project goals, loss of employer capital, and depriving residents comfort. Accordingly, this study aims to propose a decision-making model for the selection of an affordable prefabricated housing system for Iran. The research method of the present article is descriptive-analytic, in which Delphi and the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) are used for data analysis, and the research subjects who filled up questionnaires included 150 experts. Using the Delphi method, 25 important criteria and 5 decision dimensions were identified. Then, using the AHP method, it was found that the decision-making dimension of sustainability (with 7 specific criteria) was the most important and the ecoMOD was the most affordable prefabricated system. According to the results, decision makers in the construction industry in Iran are suggested to consider seven criteria of the sustainability dimension for selecting a system before any other criteria.
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Acknowledgments
The authors sincerely thank all experts involved in the Delphi and AHP panel for their responses and insightful comments. The authors also thank the editor and reviewers of the Journal of Architectural Engineering because of their valuable comments.
Notation
The following symbols are used in this paper:
- !
- factorial of an integer is the product of all integers below it down to one. For example, 4! = 4 × 3 × 2 × 1 = 24; and
- number of binary combinations out of n options. For example, options: {a, b, c} → binary combinations: {ab, bc, ac} → = 3.
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Journal of Architectural Engineering
Volume 28 • Issue 3 • September 2022
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© 2022 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Nov 23, 2021
Accepted: Mar 31, 2022
Published online: May 25, 2022
Published in print: Sep 1, 2022
Discussion open until: Oct 25, 2022
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