Multicriteria decision analysis applied to the design of light-frame wood wall assemblies

Designers of light-frame wood wall assemblies should consider several performance criteria simultaneously in addition to minimum requirements set by building codes. Evaluation of various performance characteristics can help select the most suitable configuration for a given project in a given context. In a previous article, we identified appropriate criteria and explored their means of evaluation. Following up, this article integrates the context and the preference of the decision-maker and seeks to obtain a ranking of the various alternatives using quantitative and qualitative information. Four multicriteria decision analysis (MCDA) techniques are explored: weighted sum, MACBETH, ELECTRE II, and PROMETHEE. The approach is applied to a case study where five wall assemblies are compared within six different decision contexts. It shows how the choice of the appropriate aggregation method depends on the nature of the performance evaluation scales and demonstrates the usefulness of MCDA to consider simultaneously different aspects of wall performance.