Model proposal for the evaluation of facade technologies used in building envelope

Building design is a multidimensional process that proceeds simultaneously on more than one building element. During the building design, architects continue the design process with their existing knowledge and have some difficulties in adapting the ever-evolving and changing technology to their designs. As a result of this situation, a technology concept emerges, which is included in the design of the project at the wrong time or in the wrong way and then in the production. Therefore, time and cash losses and unforeseen and irreparable errors may occur most of the time. In order to prevent these losses and unforeseen errors, a technology evaluation model was proposed in the thesis study, aiming to systematically include the concept of technology in the early stages of the design. Because of the model created in the thesis can be applied to the design of different building elements, it has been decided to continue the model specifically for the building envelope in order to limit the study. For the decision model, an algorithm created specifically for the thesis. In the study, the mixed research method, in which quantitative and qualitative research methods are used together, was preferred. A detailed literature review were made on the building element, building envelope, technology, the development and change of the concept of technology in the historical process. After that decision-making methods, it was decided to use 2 different methodologies in order to synthesize quantitative data, and the model was set up. The evaluation model consists of 4 main phases, namely Analysis-Synthesis-Evaluation and Decision, and 3 sub-phases of each phase. In the analysis phase, respectively; the decision of the building element on which the thesis will be built has been made, and the performance requirements and design criteria of the building element have been determined. Within the scope of this phase, two interview forms were prepared and interviews were held. The first interview was made with architects and engineers working in companies operating in the sector, and the second was made with expert academicians working in the field of building technology. After the initial interviews, performance requirements and design criteria were determined. After the second interviews, the effects of the building element design criteria on each other were transferred to the Dematel method, which is the first methodology decided to be used. After that all the obtained data were transferred to the synthesis phase. In the synthesis phase, respectively; the importance and relative importance weights of the design criteria were calculated. Then, 2 consecutive tables, which were created to reveal the current status and investigate the technology of the determined buildings and, were filled for buildings that have education or office functions and are determined to be less than 21.50 m high. Within the scope of the first phase, the data obtained as a result of the interviews with expert academicians in the previous phase were transferred to the Dematel method. The weighting processes that generally used would be insufficient in terms of the originality of the thesis, Dematel method was preferred in order to conduct an impact analysis of criteria used. As a result, importance and relative importance weights were determined based on the effects of each design criterion on each other. Then, a general building information table was prepared in order to reveal the weighted performance scores of the determined buildings according to the design criteria. Afterwards, technology research tables were filled in order to investigate the reason for the score the buildings received and the information obtained was transferred to the next stage. In the evaluation phase; a technology classification was created by transferring the information obtained from the previous stages, respectively. Then, with the Quality function deployment methodology, which is the second methodology that was decided to be used within the scope of the thesis, 2 consecutive matrices were created and the priorities of the technologies and facade types were determined. Technology classification is the most important step in the thesis, which is created in the light of all the information obtained from the previous stages of the thesis and will be used as a base in all subsequent studies. In the technology classification, all technologies that can be used in the design of the vertical building envelope have been systematically transferred. Quality function deployment methodology, which is the second methodology used in the thesis was carried out in 2 stages. With the quality function deployment methodology, firstly, the priorities of the targeted technologies according to the design criteria were found. Then, it was determined in which facade types the technologies applied according to their purpose could be used and passed in the decision stage. The decision stage is the stage where the designer can have an idea by evaluating the facade technologies used in the building envelope through the applied examples, in the light of the information obtained from the entire thesis study. Then the designer can decide whether to integrate it or not, and if so, can have an idea about which systems and methods can be included. As a result, by following the steps of the suggested model, money and time losses can be prevented by preventing the use of the wrong technology in an inappropriate way at an inappropriate time.