APPLICATION OF FUZZY TOPSIS FOR SELECTING MOST SUSTAINABLE BUILDING WALL MATERIAL

Abstract

Appropriate selection of construction materials is crucial for the success of any project. Poor choice of materials can lead to higher costs during construction, higher long-term operation and maintenance expenses, and endanger humans and their surrounding environment. Since the three pillars of sustainability cover the economic, social, and environmental aspects, adoption of sustainability principles in decision making will ensure selecting the optimum construction materials. This paper presents a generic model to utilize Fuzzy Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) principles to compare the sustainability criteria of four wall material alternatives using normalized fuzzy matrices. A case study took place in United Arab Emirates (UAE) to validate the model. Several semi-structured interviews and meetings with industry experts representing material suppliers, engineering consultants, and construction contractors took place during this research. These meetings provided six selection criteria under the three main sustainability categories, agreed-upon weight for each criteria, and evaluation of the four wall material alternatives. Results obtained from consulted experts presented Sandwich Panels as the most sustainable alternative for the case study. The developed model is generic and can be implemented on any construction project, and the alternative selection can change according to the decision-makers’ opinions and preferences.