STRUCTURE OF THE THESIS

This thesis consists of eleven (11) chapters with their contents summarised below:

PhD thesis: Establishing MPDM framework for supporting the selection of GFTs 37| P a g e

Chapter 1 provides the thesis introduction with the background and justification towards the selection of a research topic. This chapter presents research aim, objectives and questions. The research approach and thesis structure are presented as also the research scope and contributions on the development of green office projects in Australia.

Chapter 2 reviews available literature on the broad areas of sustainability and its importance globally. This chapter presents sustainability tools related to office projects in Australia. The review of issues related to additional cost for sustainability requirements is also presented using global and Australian perspectives leading to a review of factors affecting the cost in green office projects. Based on this, the research identifies the research gap on the need for a simple and transparent sustainability assessment framework for supporting decision- making regarding Australian sustainable office projects. Finally, this chapter provides descriptions and clarification of decision-makers and project stakeholders in office projects. Chapter 3 presents a review of currently available models and frameworks established for mitigating the issues related to additional cost and supporting sustainability outcomes in such projects. These models and frameworks are objective-oriented, cost-benefit assessment and lifecycle assessment of sustainability, regression models and multi-criteria decision-making frameworks. Of these models and frameworks, this chapter demonstrates that a MPDM is a suitable assessment framework to address the research gap.

Chapter 4 discusses research design for addressing research questions and objectives. This chapter identifies a theoretical framework for developing an assessment framework based on examining appropriate theories. This chapter also presents research paradigms, quantitative and qualitative methods and advantages of using mixed research methods. Chapter 5 presents principal requirements of a multi-criteria decision-making framework (MCDM). Based on MCDM requirements adapting to MPDM framework in this research, this chapter initially analyses two principles: the selection of green features and technologies and determination of sustainability pillars and sub-pillars. GFTs selection is based on a review of Green Star rating tools, Environmentally Sustainable Design (ESD) principles, reports and previous studies related to green office projects. Pillars and sub-pillars are indicated by an extensive literature review related to sustainability assessment in Australian office projects.

Chapter 6 takes a logical extension to validate the selection of GFTs in Chapter 5 through the analysis of Green Star-rated office projects from 2004 to 2016 since the information of these projects have been published as open access on Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) website. Beyond GBCA website, the information related to these projects has been collected from different sources, such as project stakeholders’ websites. The information is analysed to understand frequencies of GFTs and validate GFTs availability in Green Star-rated office projects.

Chapter 7 presents the second research stage – the Survey. The survey is a questionnaire designed to be deployed comprising four main sections. This survey aims to seek sustainability assessment of GFTs from decision-makers and project stakeholders. Chapter 7 describes the survey pilot for revising survey questions and results initially before online distribution. Taking on board feedback from pilot participants, this chapter then undertakes revisions to survey questions. Also, the recruitment process of survey participants is presented, including participant selection criteria and measures for contacting and recruiting participants in the survey. Participants are from the academia and construction industry. Chapter 8 presents results from survey deployment using statistical analysis and AHP process. Data collection from the survey regarding assessment of GFTs contributions to TBL sustainability: economics, environment and society; is undertaken. This chapter also presents a holistic sustainability assessment determined by the integration of economic, environmental and societal assessments. Based on sustainability assessment, the rankings of GFTs are provided for further analysis of GFTs selection.

Chapter 9 leads to the establishment of a MPDM framework for selecting GFTs in new green office projects. Every step of this framework is described to explain the determination of weightings for pillars and sub-pillars. Subsequently, economic, environmental and societal assessments of GFTs are determined. A holistic sustainability assessment is indicated by the integration of these assessments. This chapter also describes primary characteristics of a MPDM framework and how to implement this framework in a new green office project. Chapter 10 validates MPDM framework through interviews. This research stage is designed to elicit participants’ feedback to determine real world application, performance and contribution of this framework in green office projects. This chapter develops a structured set of questions for the interview and establishes a recruitment process for interview

PhD thesis: Establishing MPDM framework for supporting the selection of GFTs 39| P a g e

participants. The chapter concludes with an analysis of how the interviews were undertaken and participants’ feedback regarding the proposed MPDM framework.

Chapter 11 discusses and concludes findings of this research. A summary of research process is presented, demonstrating how the research aim and objectives have been achieved by addressing every research question. This chapter also addresses overall research contributions, implications and recommendations for further research in sustainability and the building and construction industry. This chapter presents the research limitations and how to deal with these limitations.