A knowledge-based decision support system for roofing materials selection and cost estimating : a conceptual framework and data modelling

A plethora of materials is available to the modern day house designer but selecting the appropriate material is a complex task. It requires synthesising a multitude of performance criteria such as initial cost, maintenance cost, thermal performance and sustainability among others. This research aims to develop a Knowledge-based Decision support System for Material Selection (KDSMS) that facilitates the selection of optimal material for different sub elements of a roof design. The proposed system also has a facility for estimating roof cost based on the identified criteria. This paper presents the data modelling conceptual framework for the proposed system. The roof sub elements are modelled on the Building Cost Information Service (BCIS) Standard Form of Cost Analysis. This model consists of a knowledge base and a database to store different types of roofing materials with their corresponding performance characteristics and rankings. The system’s knowledge is elicited from an extensive review of literature and the use of a domain expert forum. The proposed system employs the multi criterial decision method of TOPSIS (Technique of ranking Preferences by Similarity to the Ideal Solution), to resolve the materials selection and optimisation problem. The KDSMS is currently being developed for the housing sector of Northern Ireland