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Baba A, Mahjoubi L, Olomoilaiye P, and Colin B (2013) Decision support framework for low impact housing design in the UK. In: Smith, S D and Ahiaga-Dagbui, D D (Eds.), Proceedings 29th Annual ARCOM Conference, 2-4 September 2013, Reading, UK, Association of Researchers in Construction Management, 1341–1350.

  • Type: Conference Proceedings
  • Keywords: architect, building performance, energy simulation, early design stage, design decision, low impact housing
  • ISBN/ISSN: 978-0-9552390-7-6
  • URL: http://www.arcom.ac.uk/-docs/proceedings/ar2013-1341-1350_Baba_Mahjoubi_Olomoilaiye_Colin.pdf
  • Abstract:
    There is an increasing drive to achieve sustainability agenda, as well as climate change challenges. For UK buildings, design is believed to be the key in delivering the low impact agenda. Hence, a fundamental change to designers’ approach in designing for low impact buildings is needed. However, existing design- decision support tools had not addressed in full the expectation of architects to design such buildings. The tools, specifically the Building Performance Energy Simulation (BPES) tools are not fully integrated into the design process, to enable UK architects to make informed decision at the early stage of the design process. Thus, this study seeks to provide a decision support framework that defines the required characteristics of BPES tools for architects to achieve low carbon housing (LCHs) design in United Kingdom (UK). It sets out to determine how UK architects can achieve the design; what the needs of architects are in BPES tools to deliver the design; and what design decision tasks are required, towards development of the framework. Consequently, the research examined low impact housing design. Existing statutory and non-statutory regulations, as well as design and decision support tools, which relate to the design and its delivery, were identified. These were used to frame the questions for the qualitative semi structured, face-to-face and in-depth interviews with architects in practice and in the academia. Data analysis revealed that there is lack of fitness between existing decision support tools, in form of Building Performance Energy Simulation (BPES) tools, and the various stages of the design process. It emerged that architects use BPES tools, primarily at the later stage of the process. Support for the early design stage remains poor, especially at the conceptual stage of the design process. The findings confirmed that design decisions for low impact housing design vary significantly in terms of level of accuracy, flexibility, and detail. At the earlier stages of the process, as relatively little information is available, flexibility and approximation in BPES tools is more relevant to support design decisions. As the design develops, and more information becomes available, precision and higher level of detail is required in BPES tools.