A General Appraisal Metrics Framework for Optimal Design in the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction Industry: Considering Constantly Updating Expectation

Building and construction sector involves numerous complex factors. Completing a construction project always refers to diverse professionals and various stakeholders. Generally, total factors, originated form the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry, are supposed to be taken into consideration to attain a more pleasing, reliable, efficient, and environmentally-friendly result. Besides, the design stage is the most important part of the building and construction whole life cycle with greater value through less capital investment. Therefore, in order to facilitate architects and engineers during the design phase, this paper develops a general appraisal metrics framework for optimal design as the aided tool so as to clarify the design procedure concerning considerable aspects as well as strengthen collaboration among architects, engineers and constructors. The development of building and construction technology is reviewed first to figure out the contemporary construction criteria, with a particular emphasis on updating expectation such as net-zero, decarbonization, sustainability, climate resilience, and circularity with initiatives proposed by the United Nations (UN), Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), World Green Building Council (WorldGBC) or other authorities. More attention will be paid to the whole building life carbon calculation especially about the embodied carbon. Subsequently, comparison and summary have been made among different existing evaluating tools and assessment frameworks. Furthermore, a general conceptual appraisal metrics framework is established hierarchically with the view to all kinds of influencing factor during the whole building life cycle. The framework is the fundamental step to form a comprehensive evaluation system. It contributes to building up a highly efficient integrated design method as well as promoting the transparency of intelligent design and construction progress.