A Comparison Between Set-based Design and Genetic Algorithms for Cost and Carbon Optimization of Building Structures

Paper in proceeding, 2025

Early structural design decisions significantly influence both cost and carbon emissions in construction projects. To understand the trade-offs between costs and carbon emissions, the design team should incorporate carbon calculations already in the conceptual design phase and include several alternative designs. However, adding carbon as an optimization objective increases the complexity of the design process and requires more sophisticated evaluation methods. Therefore, this study evaluates two multi-objective optimization approaches, Set-Based Design (SBD) and Genetic Algorithms (GA), by applying them to a multi-floor apartment building and comparing their processes and benefits. The paper concludes with recommendations for when to apply SBD and GA, as well as the possible use of hybrid approaches.