Thesis (Ph.D. (Geography and Environmental Studies))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2007.

When working on United States Green Building Council’s (USGBC) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design LEED projects, architects, designers, and engineers involved in a sustainable design project often require information and tools beyond energy simulation software. They may require resources (tools) to support their decisions and to assess the risk involved in decision making. This research has presented a framework that links building performance assessment tools with the LEED rating system. It aims at bridging a gap between Architects, engineers, contractors, facility managers and LEED professionals. This work provides information about performance tools that can be used for different phases during design, construction and operation of a LEED rated building. A simple logic of the transitive property of equality i.e. if a = b, b = c then a = c was used to link the LEED credits requiring decision support with the tools that have capabilities to achieve it. This research presents a 3-dimensional matrix of "Right tool for right job at right time" by linking LEED credits, software tools and phases of building design, construction and operation. Overall the findings of the research demonstrated that the framework developed can be used for achieving 21 percent of total possible LEED 3.0 credits by providing about 36 percent of total possible points.

Groundwater plays an important role in water supply to rural communities. This statement is supported by the survey conducted at clinics within the Limpopo Province where the majority of aquifers in the area can be classified as Sole Source aquifers, supplying 50 % or more of domestic water in the absence of any reasonable alternative. The water quality study also concluded that the impact from on site sanitation on the groundwater system is significant given that 44 % of water samples of clinics with their own water supply classified as either poor or dangerous quality according to DWAF criteria and poses a significant health risk to susceptible individuals. Groundwater quality should therefore be protected with an emphasis on prevention as in most cases groundwater pollution is difficult to reverse and remediation is often a lengthy and expensive exercise. Although South Africa has all the legal tools to promote sustainable development, financial considerations are usually the driving force behind technology selection and not social or environmental aspects. The aim of this research is to develop an environmental impact assessment methodology and decision support framework that will aid in the selection of the most appropriate on site sanitation technology for a given area integrating environmental, economical and social criteria. The decision support framework developed in this study had a strong stakeholder component, involving stakeholders in the decision making process from the conception of the project through to the resolution of actions. Providing objective information about the performance of options, coupled with an opportunity to participate in the decision-making process, increases the awareness and commitment of the community. Field testing of the decision support framework produced good results and sensible recommendations were made with regard to alternative selection. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Geography and Environmental Studies))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2007.

Groundwater plays an important role in water supply to rural communities. This statement is supported by the survey conducted at clinics within the Limpopo Province where the majority of aquifers in the area can be classified as Sole Source aquifers, supplying 50 % or more of domestic water in the absence of any reasonable alternative. The water quality study also concluded that the impact from on site sanitation on the groundwater system is significant given that 44 % of water samples of clinics with their own water supply classified as either poor or dangerous quality according to DWAF criteria and poses a significant health risk to susceptible individuals. Groundwater quality should therefore be protected with an emphasis on prevention as in most cases groundwater pollution is difficult to reverse and remediation is often a lengthy and expensive exercise. Although South Africa has all the legal tools to promote sustainable development, financial considerations are usually the driving force behind technology selection and not social or environmental aspects. The aim of this research is to develop an environmental impact assessment methodology and decision support framework that will aid in the selection of the most appropriate on site sanitation technology for a given area integrating environmental, economical and social criteria. The decision support framework developed in this study had a strong stakeholder component, involving stakeholders in the decision making process from the conception of the project through to the resolution of actions. Providing objective information about the performance of options, coupled with an opportunity to participate in the decision-making process, increases the awareness and commitment of the community. Field testing of the decision support framework produced good results and sensible recommendations were made with regard to alternative selection. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Geography and Environmental Studies))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2007.

The study investigated the feasibility of the Ottawa decision support tool to assist HIV positive mothers' infant feeding choice. The aim was to explore and describe the feasibility of the Ottawa Decision Support Tool (ODST) in counselling HIV infected pregnant women on decision-making regarding the choice of safe infant feeding. The finding of this study will assist and support HIV positive mothers to be independent decision makers in choosing an infant feeding option for their babies. A descriptive qualitative research approach guided the researcher to explore and describe the feasibility of the ODST to assist HIV positive mothers' infant feeding choice. This study is based on the Ottawa decision support framework (ODSF). Three focus group that comprised midwives as participants were conducted. The first focus group was conducted in January 2013 and the two subsequent ones in August 2013. Data was analysed using a framework approach. The following themes emerged from data-analysis: • Appropriateness • Receptiveness of intervention • Effectiveness Conclusions were drawn based on the attained objectives of the study. The overall conclusion was that the ODST is feasible to assist HIV positive mothers' infant feeding choice. Limitations of the study were identified and recommendations were made for nursing practice, nursing education and further research. / MCur, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

The study investigated the feasibility of the Ottawa decision support tool to assist HIV positive mothers' infant feeding choice. The aim was to explore and describe the feasibility of the Ottawa Decision Support Tool (ODST) in counselling HIV infected pregnant women on decision-making regarding the choice of safe infant feeding. The finding of this study will assist and support HIV positive mothers to be independent decision makers in choosing an infant feeding option for their babies. A descriptive qualitative research approach guided the researcher to explore and describe the feasibility of the ODST to assist HIV positive mothers' infant feeding choice. This study is based on the Ottawa decision support framework (ODSF). Three focus group that comprised midwives as participants were conducted. The first focus group was conducted in January 2013 and the two subsequent ones in August 2013. Data was analysed using a framework approach. The following themes emerged from data-analysis: • Appropriateness • Receptiveness of intervention • Effectiveness Conclusions were drawn based on the attained objectives of the study. The overall conclusion was that the ODST is feasible to assist HIV positive mothers' infant feeding choice. Limitations of the study were identified and recommendations were made for nursing practice, nursing education and further research. / MCur, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

There is an urgent need to adopt innovative sustainable technologies (ISTs) to reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions whilst improving process efficiency of existing retail buildings, due to rising energy prices and the impacts of retail buildings on the environment. Despite their reported advantages, exhibited performance and numerous policies and legislations that encourage their adoption, there is a slow uptake of ISTs in the retail sector. This is due to the fact that the majority of stakeholders consider the task of selecting ISTs as a complex multi-attribute, multi-valued problem involving a large number of stakeholders with numerous, often conflicting objectives. To overcome this problem, the thesis develops a Decision Support Framework to assist stakeholders in the selection of ISTs for delivering low carbon retail buildings. Firstly focusing on the wider retail construction industry, followed by an in-depth case study of a leading UK retail contractor, the drivers and barriers faced by stakeholders in the retail construction industry during the selection of ISTs were identified. The underlying cause to the slow uptake of ISTs (complex decision-making problem) and the need to optimise the use of ISTs were investigated. The results identified the lack of a Decision Support Framework for the selection of ISTs for stakeholders in the retail construction industry. To address the problem, the research developed a Decision Support Framework to assist stakeholders in the complex decision-making task of selecting ISTs. The developed Decision Support Framework was first validated with a leading UK retail contractor and proved favourable; facilitating the decision-makers in the selection process and resulting in the successful selection of eight ISTs. A more general validation was conducted to ensure the Decision Support Framework was applicable to the wider construction industry. The results indicated that the framework was an effective mechanism to optimise the selection of ISTs by improving the decision-making process; it could be used by other stakeholders and also transferable to other building types for selecting ISTs. The thesis contributes to the knowledge related to decision-making and construction management research by developing a Decision Support Framework to assist stakeholders in the selection of ISTs to deliver low carbon retail buildings. In addition, it identifies the drivers for and barriers to selecting ISTs for existing retail buildings; key stakeholders in the selection of ISTs, a set of selection criteria used by clients/developers and designers/constructors and a database of ISTs that can be implemented by stakeholders to achieve low carbon retail buildings.

Infrastructure management agencies are facing multiple challenges, including aging infrastructure, reduction in capacity of existing infrastructure, and availability of limited funds. Therefore, decision makers are required to think innovatively and develop inventive ways of using available funds. Maintenance investment decisions are generally made based on physical condition only. It is important to understand that spending money on public infrastructure is synonymous with spending money on people themselves. This also requires consideration of decision parameters, in addition to physical condition, such as strategic importance, socioeconomic contribution and infrastructure utilization. Consideration of multiple decision parameters for infrastructure maintenance investments can be beneficial in case of limited funding. Given this motivation, this dissertation presents a prototype decision support framework to evaluate trade-off, among competing infrastructures, that are candidates for infrastructure maintenance, repair and rehabilitation investments. Decision parameters’ performances measured through various factors are combined to determine the integrated state of an infrastructure using Multi-Attribute Utility Theory (MAUT). The integrated state, cost and benefit estimates of probable maintenance actions are utilized alongside expert opinion to develop transition probability and reward matrices for each probable maintenance action for a particular candidate infrastructure. These matrices are then used as an input to the Markov Decision Process (MDP) for the finite-stage dynamic programming model to perform project (candidate)-level analysis to determine optimized maintenance strategies based on reward maximization. The outcomes of project (candidate)-level analysis are then utilized to perform network-level analysis taking the portfolio management approach to determine a suitable portfolio under budgetary constraints. The major decision support outcomes of the prototype framework include performance trend curves, decision logic maps, and a network-level maintenance investment plan for the upcoming years. The framework has been implemented with a set of bridges considered as a network with the assistance of the Pima County DOT, AZ. It is expected that the concept of this prototype framework can help infrastructure management agencies better manage their available funds for maintenance.

Purpose: To synthesize evidence on decisional needs assessments and patient decision aid (PtDA) trials based on the Ottawa Decision Support Framework (ODSF) in order to validate the concepts and test the main assertion in the ODSF. Decisional Needs: The systematic review studies (n=45) validated all of the decisional needs identified in the ODSF. Nine new manifestations of ODSF decisional needs emerged (e.g. information overload, unreceptive to information/deliberation, relationship barriers with practitioner). PtDAs: The sub-analysis identified 24 ODSF PtDA trials. Compared to usual care, ODSF PtDAs improved decision quality, addressed decisional needs and reduced decision delay. Further evaluation is needed on downstream impacts of these improvements on decision-making. Conclusions: Using Walker and Avant’s theory testing steps, the integrated findings from the systematic review and sub-analysis validated the ODSF decisional needs concepts and tested the main assertion in the ODSF (that PtDAs address decisional needs and improve decision quality).

Scholars widely accept that the well-documented benefits of biophilia–the human being's strong urge to connect with nature–are genuine to improved health. Then why, with the global acceptance and scientific validity of wellness design concepts, do architects not use this beneficial concept regularly–especially when designing isolated workspaces? This qualitative research explores architecture's current design decision process to better understand this design phenomenon, and to identify where architectural biophilic knowledge domains may be deficient. This study explores questions such as: Does the architect's lack of biophilic knowledge and/or structured wellness design decision support framework affect the decision? Would the existence of a wellness design tool better support the design decision? An explanatory case study using a purposeful study sample of architects, biophilia design experts, and associated specialists is used to develop design decision support frameworks. Level 1 establishes a propositional theory derived from the literature and professional experience, level 2 from architect interviews and observational meetings, and level 3 from a Delphi workgroup session. Framework evolutions help identify design-phase-specific knowledge gaps. This study finds that a deficiency in early exposure to a priori, explicit and tacit biophilic knowledge is creating a critical gap, thus diminishing a posteriori biophilic knowledge and research in the architecture profession. This study asserts that early exposure to biophilic theories and principles can enhance the profession and provide a knowledge bridge using an informed biophilia design support framework with a proposed biophilia project management tool. / Doctor of Philosophy / Few will dispute that the well-documented benefits of biophilia–the human being's strong urge to connect with nature–are genuine to improved health. Then why, with the global acceptance and scientific validity of wellness design concepts, do architects not use this beneficial concept regularly–especially when designing windowless workspaces? A qualitative explanatory case study using a purposeful study sample of architects, biophilia design experts, and associated specialists was used to develop a design decision support framework that evolved from level 1-3. Framework progressions helped identify specific knowledge gaps in each design phase. This study found that a deficiency in early exposure to a priori, explicit and tacit biophilic knowledge is creating a critical gap, thus diminishing a posteriori biophilic knowledge and research in the architecture profession. This study asserts that early exposure to biophilic theories and principles can enhance the profession and provide a knowledge bridge using an informed biophilia design decision support framework with a proposed biophilia project management tool.