Improving regulations for automated design checking through decision analysis good practices: a conceptual application to the construction sector

Abstract

Automating regulations is difficult because they were not drafted for computers. This article suggests decision analysis good practices to structure, analyze and support regulation drafting, namely: structuring rules using a means-ends objectives network, identifying the level at which rules should be set, developing performance measures for each fundamental objective, setting compliance thresholds based on the respective upper-level objectives and trade-offs, and monitoring and adapting rules. The approach is illustrated and validated through its theoretical application to Portuguese rights to light regulation. It proposes specific performance-based metrics on three fundamental objectives from this regulation: direct sunlight; natural daylight; and solar energy. Climate-based daylight simulation methods coupled with Building Information Modeling (BIM) provide the breakthrough to develop better performance-based metrics, rules, and building design optimization.