Developing a Knowledge-Based Evaluation Tool to Support User Selection of Interior Finish Materials

Choosing the appropriate material that satisfies facility end-users and project requirements has become a difficult task. Due to their lack of knowledge on building materials and ineffective communication methods, end-users are often not involved in facility designs. This research aims to formalize a knowledge-based evaluation tool for interior finish materials used for floors, walls and ceilings which can be easily accessible by users. The evaluation tool adapts techniques of Quality Function Deployment while combining the multi-criteria decision analysis method, TOPSIS, to calculate the score of interior finish materials specific to each user. In addition, the evaluation tool becomes a database for users to gather information on common interior finish materials. Users will be able to evaluate finish materials and make their selection on which material they most prefer. The tool acts as a template for end-user education while becoming an effective communication method that can adhere to project requirements.M.A.S