ABSTRACT
Decision-making in building permitting is a critical and complex process that involves balancing regulatory requirements, project goals, and stakeholder interests. This chapter challenges the conventional binary framing of building permit decisions as simply ‘pass’ or ‘fail’. It argues that permitting outcomes are more accurately understood as layered and conditional judgements, shaped by complex interactions between regulatory frameworks, human interpretation, and contextual factors. Through a conceptual framework informed by decision theory, cross-jurisdictional insights, and abductive reasoning, the chapter introduces the ‘unknown’ as a legitimate intermediate decision state, highlighting how incomplete information, tolerances, and compensations affect permitting outcomes. The study underscores that building permitting is not merely a technical process but one involving discretion, trade-offs, and professional judgement, often under conditions of uncertainty and institutional variation. As digital tools such as Automated Compliance Checking and Building Information Modelling are integrated into permitting systems, understanding the nuanced structure of decisions becomes critical. The proposed framework supports more explainable, adaptable, and resilient digital permitting ecosystems by moving beyond rule-based automation and recognizing the indispensable role of human agency in regulatory processes. This foundation lays the groundwork for future empirical research and the development of hybrid decision-support tools that accommodate the realities of contemporary permitting practice.
