Multi-Criteria Decision Framework for Low-Carbon Building Material Selection Using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP)

Le résumé fourni par la source

The building sector accounts for approximately 39% of global energy-related carbon emissions, making low-carbon material selection essential for sustainable residential construction. However, selecting building materials requires balancing environmental, economic, technical, and social criteria while ensuring functionally equivalent comparisons. This study presents an integrated decision-support framework combining the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) to evaluate and prioritize low-carbon building materials. Thirteen evaluation criteria were applied to eleven materials grouped into structural, envelope, and insulation categories. Pairwise comparison matrices were developed using judgments from twenty-four experts, while cradle-to-gate environmental impacts were quantified using One Click LCA and SimaPro. The framework incorporates mathematically consistent normalization, explicit functional-group weighting, bootstrap uncertainty analysis, and sensitivity analyses addressing criterion weighting, transportation emissions, and biogenic carbon assumptions. A hypothetical residential building in Tehran demonstrates its practical application. Embodied carbon (25.4%) and cost (17.1%) emerged as the most influential decision criteria. Cross-laminated timber, low-carbon concrete, and timber ranked highest among structural materials, while AAC blocks, fly-ash bricks, and recycled insulation were the preferred envelope and insulation materials. The proposed framework provides a transparent and reproducible methodology for functionally consistent low-carbon material selection, supporting evidence-based decision-making in sustainable residential construction.

Ce résumé expose les affirmations des auteurs. BNTIC ne l’interprète pas comme une validation indépendante des résultats.