Applying Desirability Functions To Preference Modelling In Low-Energy Building Design Optimization

Building Simulation Conference proceedings, vol. 16, pp. 3030–3037

Abstract

Building performance optimization is a valuable aid to design decision-making. Most existing research takes an ‘a posteriori’ approach, where stakeholder preferences are considered after deriving optimised results. Whilst this approach yields technically optimal solutions, it overlooks sub-optimal solutions that still satisfy stakeholder preferences. This research develops a technique to incorporate preferences into optimization by applying a “desirability function” to each criterion for multiple stakeholders. The approach enables the tradeoffs between decision-makers to be visualised as a Pareto frontier and aids “democratic” decision-making. Hence, incorporating preferences in advance of optimization may increase the likelihood of finding a desirable solution.

Authors 5

1. Elaine Robinson

   Loughborough University

   Affiliation as printed

   Loughborough University , Loughborough , UK

   Loughborough University, Loughborough, UK

2. Christina Johanna Hopfe

   Loughborough University

   Affiliation as printed

   Loughborough University , Loughborough , UK

   Loughborough University, Loughborough, UK

3. Michael Emmerich Aachen

   Leiden University · Loughborough University · De Montfort University

   Affiliation as printed

   Leiden University , Leiden , The Netherlands

   De Montfort University, Leicester, UK

   Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands

   Loughborough University, Loughborough, UK

4. Iryna Yevseyeva

   De Montfort University

   Affiliation as printed

   De Montfort University , Leicester , UK

5. Jonathan A. Wright