Holistic Quality Model and Assessment—Supporting Decision-Making towards Sustainable Construction Using the Design and Production of Graded Concrete Components as an Example

Deniz Frost (), Oliver Gericke (), Roberta Di Bari (), Laura Balangé, Li Zhang, Boris Blagojevic, David Nigl, Phillip Haag, Lucio Blandini, Hans Christian Jünger, Cordula Kropp, Philip Leistner, Oliver Sawodny, Volker Schwieger and Werner Sobek
Additional contact information
Deniz Frost: Institute for Social Science—Chair of Sociology of Technology, Risk and Environment (SOWI), University of Stuttgart, 70174 Stuttgart, Germany
Oliver Gericke: Institute for Lightweight Structures and Conceptual Design (ILEK), University of Stuttgart, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany
Roberta Di Bari: Institute for Acoustics and Building Physics (IABP), University of Stuttgart, 70563 Stuttgart, Germany
Laura Balangé: Institute of Engineering Geodesy (IIGS), University of Stuttgart, 70174 Stuttgart, Germany
Li Zhang: Institute of Engineering Geodesy (IIGS), University of Stuttgart, 70174 Stuttgart, Germany
Boris Blagojevic: Institute for System Dynamics (ISYS), University of Stuttgart, 70563 Stuttgart, Germany
David Nigl: Institute for Lightweight Structures and Conceptual Design (ILEK), University of Stuttgart, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany
Phillip Haag: Institute of Construction Management (IBL), University of Stuttgart, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany
Lucio Blandini: Institute for Lightweight Structures and Conceptual Design (ILEK), University of Stuttgart, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany
Hans Christian Jünger: Institute of Construction Management (IBL), University of Stuttgart, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany
Cordula Kropp: Institute for Social Science—Chair of Sociology of Technology, Risk and Environment (SOWI), University of Stuttgart, 70174 Stuttgart, Germany
Philip Leistner: Institute for Acoustics and Building Physics (IABP), University of Stuttgart, 70563 Stuttgart, Germany
Oliver Sawodny: Institute for System Dynamics (ISYS), University of Stuttgart, 70563 Stuttgart, Germany
Volker Schwieger: Institute of Engineering Geodesy (IIGS), University of Stuttgart, 70174 Stuttgart, Germany
Werner Sobek: Institute for Lightweight Structures and Conceptual Design (ILEK), University of Stuttgart, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 18, 1-32

Abstract: This paper describes a holistic quality model (HQM) and assessment to support decision-making processes in construction. A graded concrete slab serves as an example to illustrate how to consider technical, environmental, and social quality criteria and their interrelations. The evaluation of the design and production process of the graded concrete component shows that it has advantages compared to a conventional solid slab, especially in terms of environmental performance. At the same time, the holistic quality model identifies potential improvements for the technology of graded concrete. It will be shown that the holistic quality model can be used to (a) consider the whole life cycle in decision-making in the early phases and, thus, make the complexity of construction processes manageable for quality and sustainability assessments and (b) make visible interdependencies between different quality and sustainability criteria, to help designers make better-informed decisions regarding the overall quality. The results show how different quality aspects can be assessed and trade-offs are also possible through the understanding of the relationships among characteristics. For this purpose, in addition to the quality assessment of graded concrete, an overview of the interrelations of different quality characteristics is provided. While this article demonstrates how a HQM can support decision-making in design, the validity of the presented evaluation is limited by the data availability and methodological challenges, specifically regarding the quantification of interrelations.

Keywords: holistic quality model; holistic quality assessment; decision-making support; graded concrete; sustainable construction; social quality; environmental quality; technical quality; co-design; interrelation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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