CHAPTER 1. Introduction 1 CHAPTER 2. Background 6 2.1 Engineering Decision Making 6 2.2 Interactive Environments 7 2.3 Virtual Simulation Environments 9 2.4 Comprehensive Decision Making Environments CHAPTER 3. framework development 3.1 VE-Suite 3.2 Development of VE-Suite Plug-ins 3.3 Development of Integration Capabilities 3.3.1 User Interface Develo,~ment 3.3.2 Integrating Microsoft Excel 3.3.3 Integrating StarCD~ 3.3.4 Graphical Decision Support Tools CHAPTER 4. Interactive fire hazard analysis 4.1 Background 4.2 Problem Description 4.2.1 The Physical Space 4.2.2 Current Analysis Process 4.2.3 Integration of Analysis Tools 28 4.3 Using the Fire Analysis Environment 3 8 CHAPTER 5. Interactive design of biomass cookstoves 5.1 Background 46 5.