Integrated design process of green building projects: A review towards assessment metrics and conceptual framework

Integrated design process (IDP) as an innovative and collaborative design approach for green building (GB) delivery has gained recognition in practice over the past decade. Yet, a significant knowledge gap exists theoretically and practically on how the process can be assessed for possible improvement. The purpose of this paper is to develop evaluation metrics and a conceptual framework for assessing IDP of green building projects. Through a critical review and content analysis of extant industry guidelines, models, and peer-reviewed articles, four sets of IDP metrics were identified. The first metric focuses on the project's attributes, including cost, complexity, scope, as well as intended sustainability features. The second set pertained to process attributes, including goal-setting process, delivery system, timing of activities, as well as communication-related issues. The third metric concerned team attributes, ranging from team members' resourcefulness, competency, and skilled recourse. The client attributes within the organizational and managerial context represent the fourth metric. A framework was proposed which established the relationship between IDP indicators and green building delivery performance. The proposed framework would be beneficial for research into IDP effectiveness as well as aiding practice, policy decisions, and development of new IDP guidelines. The possibility of decision support models through innovative algorithm and digitalized platform was brought to the fore.