Decision support tools based on multi-attribute analysis involve the use of different types of variables. These variables are aimed at providing a framework that allows preferences to be quantified. This is particularly useful in the field of sustainability, where variables with different units are involved. One widely accepted framework for standardizing different units is the value function. Studies of value function are complex and frequently have limited physical meaning. In this context, this paper emphasizes the need to define a general equation that reflects the preferences of the decision maker in a clear and easily applied way. The paper proposes a new general equation that fulfils these requirements. By modifying certain parameters, this general equation represents the most commonly used relationships (linear, convex, concave and S-shaped). The proposed equation is finally applied to four variables used in the field of industrial buildings and sustainability.

Environmental and sustainability assessment tools have an important role in moving towards a better world, bringing knowledge and raising awareness. In the architecture and civil engineering sector, these assessment tools help in moving forward to constructions that have less economic, environmental and social impacts. At present, there are numerous assessment tools and methods with different approaches and scopes that have been analyzed in numerous technical reviews. However, there is no agreement about which method should be used for each evaluation case. This research paper synthetically analyzes the main sustainability assessment methods for the construction sector, comparing their strengths and weaknesses in order to present the challenges of the Spanish Integrated Value Model for Sustainability Assessment (MIVES). MIVES is a Multi-Criteria Decision Making method based on the value function concept and the Seminars of experts. Then, this article analyzes MIVES advantages and weak points by going through its methodology and two representative applications. At the end, the area of application of MIVES is described in detail along with the general application cases of the main types of assessment tools and methods.

Since 2008, the Spanish Structural Concrete Code (EHE in Spanish) has generally focused on respecting the environment; as a result, it has become a support tool for designing sustainable concrete structures. The Ministry of Public Works took charge of the initiative and a wide range of professionals and researchers, encompassing various points of view in this sector, carried it through. It is a pioneering initiative, opening up an avenue for the future of sustainable structural design. The purpose of this paper is to summarize the procedure used in drafting the sustainability appendix for the EHE and to present the EHE model for assessing the sustainability of concrete structures. Although the project has had its problems, the model that it produced is very thorough. It includes practically all the main criteria, taking into account the current state of the art and the fact that this was the first time a sustainability assessment technique has been included in a structural code.

Sustainability has increasingly become key in universities, as the objectives of sustainable development are essential to establish policies, guidelines and indicators that guide institutions to be more sustainable. This recognition has led many authors to develop methods to assess universities based on their performance in terms of sustainable development. This article presents a review of these methods. The review focuses on identifying existing methods and classifying the methods according to seven characteristics: (1) nature of the data, (2) data collection, (3) scope, (4) level of implementation, (5) pillars of sustainability, (6) university function, (7) country perspective taken, which will allow identifying the differences between methods when assessing sustainability. The seven criteria established for the characterization of the sustainability assessment methods contain a total of 27 sub-criteria distributed among the properties. The main contribution of the study is the analysis of the revised methods through a comprehensive characterization and systematic grouping. In the discussion, the results are examined by looking at the comprehensiveness, heterogeneity and objectivity of the methods reviewed. Together with previous research in the area, this study highlights the need to continue deepening the design of sustainability assessment methods with standardized criteria.

The electrical and piezo-resistive responses of recycled carbon fibre (rCF)-reinforced concrete is analysed in this article. Two different PAN-based rCFs (monofilament rCF and fibrillated rCF sheets) incorporated into dry concrete mix were investigated. Piezo-resistivity was evaluated by simultaneously monitoring the variation in the applied DC voltage during both flexural and compressive tests. Although both plain and rCF-reinforced concrete samples showed piezo-resistive responses, the latter show increased signal-to-noise-ratio and thus behave like self-sensing materials. The electrical behaviour suggests a mixed control owing to both ionic and electronic conductivity, with the dominant one depending on the rCF content and rCF dispersion. This work enhances the possibility of generalising the use of smart cementitious materials in the civil engineering industry.

There are very few methods that can be used for the assessment of pavement conditions. Their application to urban networks tends to be complex, given the wide variety of urban pavement types (concrete, asphalt, and paving tiles) and their different functions (traffic, pedestrian, or both). A flexible method that can address the complexity of different areas is therefore proposed in this paper through a case study of pavement conditions. Hence the interest of this new approach for pavement management that employs a multi-criteria method adaptable to various urban environments: the Integrated Value Model for Structural Assessment (MIVES). It incorporates the Value Function (VF) concept in an Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), combining both Multi-criteria Decision Making and Multi-Attribute Utility Theory. The methodology is presented and its sensitivity is evaluated by means of a case study in the city of Barcelona. The quality index of various pavements is assessed through a survey of pavement distresses in a systematic categorisation of urban network pavement categories that is accurate, consistent, and repeatable.