Decision support model for the allocation of resources in rehabilitation projects

Maintenance management is becoming increasingly important in the building industry. Some of the reasons for this trend are: The large variety of uses for which buildings are constructed, the increase in the number of tall buildings, the increased use of electromechanical systems in buildings, and the higher performance of buildings. Because the financial resources for the maintenance of buildings and infrastructures are always limited, there is a need to find ways to allocate them among the various projects suggested for rehabilitation, renovation, and upgrading of existing buildings. The model developed in the present research to solve the problem of resource allocation is implemented in two stages, namely: (1) elimination of unfeasible solutions and (2) identification of five solution configurations that are close to the optimum. The model may be implemented in either of two ways: (1) maximization of benefits while adhering to a fixed budget or (2) minimization of costs while putting the emphasis on the performance of the buildings. The first approach is suitable for organizations interested in reducing the costs of maintenance. The second approach is suitable for organizations that wish to achieve the highest performance possible. The model developed was tested in a computer decision support system. The resultant solutions were evaluated using a large number of representative cases. The development of the model was finalized after subjecting it to sensitivity analyses. In this way, the effects of variations in conditions on the overall performance and costs were examined.