| Title |
Reframing the Integrated Design Process for Sustainable Architecture Through the Decision-Making Role of Early Carbon Information |
| DOI |
https://doi.org/10.5659/JAIK.2026.42.10.169 |
| Keywords |
Sustainable Architecture; Integrated Design Process; Embodied Carbon; Decision-Making; Value Engineering; Early Design Stage; Data-Driven |
| Abstract |
Conventional studies on the integrated design process (IDP) in sustainable architecture emphasize early interdisciplinary collaboration.
However, as embodied carbon becomes a key performance metric, procedural coordination alone is no longer sufficient to guide early design
decisions or manage changes during later project stages. Limited attention has been given to the role of early carbon data in guiding design
option selection and preventing changes during value engineering. This study reframes the procedure-oriented IDP as a data-driven process in
which early carbon information serves as a key benchmark for decision-making. A review of previous studies and a comparative analysis of
four global case studies were conducted, focusing on the timing of carbon integration, performance targets, decision-making roles, and the
effects of later-stage design changes. The findings show that carbon data is no longer simply a post-evaluation tool. Instead, it actively
guides structural systems, project strategies, and material selection from the early design stage. Based on these findings, a three-stage
data-driven IDP framework is proposed: baseline setting, option comparison and design lock-in, and change validation and design defense.
This framework shifts the IDP from a collaboration-focused procedure to a data-driven decision-making structure, helping preserve early
sustainability goals throughout later design modifications. Further empirical validation using internal project records is needed. |