Human-Centered Value Analysis: Building-Value Aggregation Based on Human Values and Building-System Integration

Understanding and assessing the value of infrastructure systems based on human values (e.g., safety, energy conservation) has become critical. However, there is a lack of understanding and modeling of how to valuate a whole infrastructure based on the values of its various subsystems (and components). This paper proposes a mathematical object value aggregation model for quantifying the value of a whole building system (or supersystem) to its stakeholders based on the values of its individual parts (subsystems or components), the importance levels of these parts to the value of the whole, the goodness degrees to which the parts physically integrate as a whole, and the matches/mismatches of the parts in value fulfillment levels. The proposed model is theoretically grounded in axiology (theory of value) and integration theory. It was validated through predictive validation, which measures the correlation between actual stakeholder rankings of valuated objects and model-predicted rankings. The results of the validation show that there is a very strong and significant positive correlation between the two types of rankings, which indicates that the proposed valuation model is valid. This research provides a more explicit understanding of how the parts of a building system unite as a coherent whole toward fulfilling human values.