Decision-Making Framework for Sustainable Construction Products Selection in SMEs

Abstract

In the construction industry, decision-making plays an important role in achieving sustainability. Decision-making processes have significantly expanded to consider detailed product information when selecting sustainable alternatives in order to make more accurate choices; however, it has also turned out to be a barrier due to the knowledge intensiveness of the process and unreliable product information, especially in SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises). This research focuses on developing a simple decision-making framework for selecting sustainable products as alternatives. The proposed framework is developed with analysis of two transparent factors: (1) life cycle cost and (2) technology growth rate. A decision-making model also provides a visual comparison of the alternatives in consideration with quadrant model. The resulting framework provides a distinct anticipated outcome description for each product considered; thus, enabling the decision-makers to identify and choose the most suitable alternative. The framework is expected to influence the spread of sustainable products in SMEs.