IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v17y2025i2p781-d1571008.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Multi-Criteria Sustainability Analysis for Variable Refrigerant Flow System Manufacturer Selection: An Integrated Multi-Criteria Decision-Making Approach to Environmental and Technical Performance

Author

Listed:
  • Turhan Karakaya

    (Industrial Engineering Department, Doğuş University, İstanbul 34775, Turkey)

  • Hamit Metin Örnek

    (Engineering Management Department, Bahçeşehir University, İstanbul 34353, Turkey)

  • Yavuz Selim Balcıoğlu

    (Department of Management Information Systems, Faculty of Business Administration, Dogus University, Dudullu OSB Umraniye, İstanbul 34775, Turkey)

Abstract

This study presents a comprehensive framework for the sustainable selection of manufacturers in variable refrigerant flow (VRF) air conditioning systems by integrating environmental impact considerations with traditional technical and economic criteria using multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) methods. This research addresses the growing need for sustainable HVAC solutions while acknowledging the complexity decision-makers face when evaluating multiple manufacturers across environmental, technical, and economic dimensions. Unlike previous studies that focus solely on technical performance or evaluate brands individually, this research introduces a novel approach by grouping manufacturers according to their country of origin (Japan, South Korea, China, Germany, Italy, and France) and assessing them through a sustainability lens. This study employs a three-tier methodology: first, utilizing the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) to determine criteria weights with particular emphasis on environmental factors; second, developing a consensus decision matrix through expert evaluations; and third, applying VIKOR and EDAS methods for comprehensive ranking. The analysis encompasses environmental criteria, including energy efficiency, carbon footprint, and refrigerant global warming potential, alongside traditional technical, marketing, financial, and network considerations. The results indicate that while Japanese manufacturers maintain strong technical leadership, European manufacturers, particularly German ones, demonstrate superior environmental performance. These findings suggest that manufacturers can enhance their market position by balancing environmental sustainability with traditional performance metrics, particularly through improved energy efficiency, sustainable refrigerant selection, and circular economy practices. This research contributes to the growing body of knowledge on sustainable manufacturer selection in the HVAC industry and provides practical guidelines for decision-makers prioritizing environmental sustainability alongside technical performance.

Suggested Citation

  • Turhan Karakaya & Hamit Metin Örnek & Yavuz Selim Balcıoğlu, 2025. "Multi-Criteria Sustainability Analysis for Variable Refrigerant Flow System Manufacturer Selection: An Integrated Multi-Criteria Decision-Making Approach to Environmental and Technical Performance," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(2), pages 1-29, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:2:p:781-:d:1571008
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/2/781/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/2/781/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Miguel A. Morales Mora & Andrea Marín Rovira & Vicente A. Soriano Ramirez & Patricia López Rivera & Omar Guillen Solis & Vincent Pozos Castillo & Gonzalo AngelesOrdoñez & Alejandro Castillo Antonio & , 2024. "An integrated analysis of the Mexican electrical system’s metabolic pattern and industry sector in the energy transition," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 26(9), pages 24313-24338, September.
    2. M S Sodhi & S Lee, 2007. "An analysis of sources of risk in the consumer electronics industry," Journal of the Operational Research Society, Palgrave Macmillan;The OR Society, vol. 58(11), pages 1430-1439, November.
    3. Brent, Alan C. & Rogers, David E.C. & Ramabitsa-Siimane, Tsaletseng S.M. & Rohwer, Mark B., 2007. "Application of the analytical hierarchy process to establish health care waste management systems that minimise infection risks in developing countries," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 181(1), pages 403-424, August.
    4. Chua, K.J. & Chou, S.K. & Yang, W.M. & Yan, J., 2013. "Achieving better energy-efficient air conditioning – A review of technologies and strategies," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 104(C), pages 87-104.
    5. Nikolaos Barmparitsas & Sotirios Karellas & Platon Pallis & Sotirios Thanopoulos & Daniel Kobelt, 2023. "An Innovative Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Circular Economy System for Reducing Carbon Dioxide Emissions in Europe via Extensive Reuse of Existing Fluorinated Gases," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(23), pages 1-15, November.
    6. Xue Wan & Xiaoning Yang & Quaner Wen & Jun Gang & Lu Gan, 2020. "Sustainable Development of Industry–Environmental System Based on Resilience Perspective," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(2), pages 1-23, January.
    7. Cleff, Thomas & Rennings, Klaus, 2013. "Do first mover advantages for producers of energy efficient appliances exist? The case of refrigerators," ZEW Discussion Papers 13-054, ZEW - Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research.
    8. Manuel Sousa & Maria Fatima Almeida & Rodrigo Calili, 2021. "Multiple Criteria Decision Making for the Achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals: A Systematic Literature Review and a Research Agenda," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(8), pages 1-37, April.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Jing, Gang & Cai, Wenjian & Zhang, Xin & Cui, Can & Yin, Xiaohong & Xian, Huacai, 2019. "An energy-saving oriented air balancing strategy for multi-zone demand-controlled ventilation system," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 172(C), pages 1053-1065.
    2. Niamsuwan, Sathit & Kittisupakorn, Paisan & Suwatthikul, Ajaree, 2015. "Enhancement of energy efficiency in a paint curing oven via CFD approach: Case study in an air-conditioning plant," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 156(C), pages 465-477.
    3. Svetlana Ratner & Yuri Chepurko & Larisa Drobyshecskaya & Anna Petrovskaya, 2018. "Management of Energy Enterprises: Energy-efficiency Approach in Solar Collectors Industry: The Case of Russia," International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy, Econjournals, vol. 8(4), pages 237-243.
    4. Yang, Xiaohu & Yu, Jiabang & Guo, Zengxu & Jin, Liwen & He, Ya-Ling, 2019. "Role of porous metal foam on the heat transfer enhancement for a thermal energy storage tube," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 239(C), pages 142-156.
    5. Wang, Wenqing & Kolditz, Olaf & Nagel, Thomas, 2017. "Parallel finite element modelling of multi-physical processes in thermochemical energy storage devices," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 185(P2), pages 1954-1964.
    6. Yang, Shiyu & Wan, Man Pun & Ng, Bing Feng & Dubey, Swapnil & Henze, Gregor P. & Chen, Wanyu & Baskaran, Krishnamoorthy, 2020. "Experimental study of model predictive control for an air-conditioning system with dedicated outdoor air system," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 257(C).
    7. Yuan, Zhipeng & Liu, Qi & Luo, Baojun & Li, Zhenming & Fu, Jianqin & Chen, Jingwei, 2018. "Thermodynamic analysis of different oil flooded compression enhanced vapor injection cycles," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 154(C), pages 553-560.
    8. Tong, Zheming & Chen, Yujiao & Malkawi, Ali & Liu, Zhu & Freeman, Richard B., 2016. "Energy saving potential of natural ventilation in China: The impact of ambient air pollution," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 179(C), pages 660-668.
    9. Md. Sohrab Hossain & Nik Norulaini Nik Ab Rahman & Venugopal Balakrishnan & Vignesh R. Puvanesuaran & Md. Zaidul Islam Sarker & Mohd Omar Ab Kadir, 2013. "Infectious Risk Assessment of Unsafe Handling Practices and Management of Clinical Solid Waste," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 10(2), pages 1-12, January.
    10. Zu, Kan & Qin, Menghao & Cui, Shuqing, 2020. "Progress and potential of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) as novel desiccants for built environment control: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 133(C).
    11. Cui, X. & Islam, M.R. & Mohan, B. & Chua, K.J., 2016. "Theoretical analysis of a liquid desiccant based indirect evaporative cooling system," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 95(C), pages 303-312.
    12. Brandenburg, Marcus & Govindan, Kannan & Sarkis, Joseph & Seuring, Stefan, 2014. "Quantitative models for sustainable supply chain management: Developments and directions," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 233(2), pages 299-312.
    13. Bijay Halder & Papiya Banik & Hussein Almohamad & Ahmed Abdullah Al Dughairi & Motrih Al-Mutiry & Haya Falah Al Shahrani & Hazem Ghassan Abdo, 2022. "Land Suitability Investigation for Solar Power Plant Using GIS, AHP and Multi-Criteria Decision Approach: A Case of Megacity Kolkata, West Bengal, India," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(18), pages 1-21, September.
    14. Yang, Zili & Zhang, Kaisheng & Hwang, Yunho & Lian, Zhiwei, 2016. "Performance investigation on the ultrasonic atomization liquid desiccant regeneration system," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 171(C), pages 12-25.
    15. Wang, Kai & Peng, Jinqing & Li, Sihui & Li, Houpei & Zou, Bin & Ma, Tao & Ji, Jie, 2024. "Compressor speed control for optimizing energy matching of PV-driven AC systems during the cooling season," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 298(C).
    16. Zhou, Yuren & Lork, Clement & Li, Wen-Tai & Yuen, Chau & Keow, Yeong Ming, 2019. "Benchmarking air-conditioning energy performance of residential rooms based on regression and clustering techniques," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 253(C), pages 1-1.
    17. Petr Iakovlevitch Ekel & Matheus Pereira Libório & Laura Cozzi Ribeiro & Mateus Alberto Dorna de Oliveira Ferreira & Joel Gomes Pereira Junior, 2024. "Multi-Criteria Decision under Uncertainty as Applied to Resource Allocation and Its Computing Implementation," Mathematics, MDPI, vol. 12(6), pages 1-20, March.
    18. Yuan, Jun & Nian, Victor & Su, Bin & Meng, Qun, 2017. "A simultaneous calibration and parameter ranking method for building energy models," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 206(C), pages 657-666.
    19. Zhao, Rui & Zhou, Xiao & Han, Jiaojie & Liu, Chengliang, 2016. "For the sustainable performance of the carbon reduction labeling policies under an evolutionary game simulation," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 112(C), pages 262-274.
    20. Lehmann, Christoph & Beckert, Steffen & Gläser, Roger & Kolditz, Olaf & Nagel, Thomas, 2017. "Assessment of adsorbate density models for numerical simulations of zeolite-based heat storage applications," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 185(P2), pages 1965-1970.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:2:p:781-:d:1571008. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.