Description
The building sector is aiming for carbon neutrality and the field of structural engineering is witnessing a surge in regulatory requirements. In order to meet environmental policies and with their strong impact on building carbon footprints, structural designers have to update their methods. It is therefore ofgreat interest to familiarize them with Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) principles and integrate efficient LCA tools to their workflow, and avoid having to refer exclusively to external environmental practices. This industry-driven research delves into the challenges faced by structural engineers and explores key changes and steps that can be implemented to reduce the environmental impacts of projects without adding to the workload. A first challenge lies in the diverse array of working habits and tools used by engineers within the same office, and the need to propose solutions tailored to all of them. Additionally, the dynamic nature of projects, evolving at each design stage, means LCAs are usually deferred to final stages to avoid time inefficiencies, meaning building designs are fixed and no changes can be made. Solutions implemented and presented range from the development of user-friendly LCA plug-ins directly integrated to in-house tools, to the creation of early design tools enabling real-time approximation of embodied GHG emissions, making for rapid verification of computed results, as well as facilitating decision-making and design impact assessment. Finally, the research presents ways of systematically gathering in-house data and leveraging knowledge from these databases, to enable a broader understanding of project footprints and help bridge the data gap in the building industry. By examining both challenges and opportunities experienced in their every day work, this study aims to assist structural engineering practices in meeting current environmental objectives.
| Period | 25 Aug 2024 → 30 Aug 2024 |
|---|---|
| Event title | International Association for Shell and Spatial Structures : Redefining the Art of Structural Design |
| Event type | Conference |
| Location | Zurich, Switzerland |
| Degree of Recognition | International |