Multiple criteria evaluation of rural building's regeneration alternatives

This paper deals with the problem of the re-use of derelict buildings. The main objective of the research is to rank the available building's regeneration alternatives from the multiple-criteria sustainability approach, by combining the economic benefits of the regeneration of buildings with the environmental potential as well as the social interest. A case study is presented and regeneration problems relating to derelict and mismanaged buildings in Lithuanian rural areas are analysed by means of multi-criterion decision-making techniques. The criteria are based on sustainability indicators and represent three typological groups in sustainable decision-making, as proposed by the authors in previous research and which include the current state of abandoned buildings and their environment , regeneration possibilities and the environmental impact of the implementation of a particular redevelopment alternative. Because the information about the analysed problem is incomplete and inconsistent, the authors suggest a fuzzy method of multiple-criteria complex proportional evaluation of an the projects. A multiple-criteria analysis of an abandoned building's regeneration alternatives in Lithuanian rural areas was performed and their priorities were determined for areas of active, moderate and regressing development. A degree of utility of the best regeneration alternative compared to the worst one ranged from 20% to 55%, depending on the terrain that was analysed and the strategic goals of the regional policy. It was found that the same solution could hardly be applied to any object over the whole territory of the country. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.