Case Studies – SE2050

ECOM – Embodied Carbon Estimator

Join Our Commitment to Zero

This section includes embodied carbon case studies of buildings and building types performed primarily by structural engineers.

Buildings

- Carbon Leadership Forum:
  - LCA of Katerra’s CLT and Catalyst Building

- Athena Sustainable Materials Institute
  - Assessing the Carbon-Saving Value of Retrofitting versus Demolition and New Construction at the United Nations Headquarters
  - Life Cycle Assessment of UBC Biological Sciences Complex Renew Project

Building Types

- Court, A. B., Podesto, L., & Harburg-Petrich, P. (2013). “SEAOC LCA Study Comparing Environmental Impacts of Structural Systems.” 2013 SEAOC Convention Proceedings. Paper presented at the SEAOC Convention, San Diego, CA. (pp 137-153).
- Stringer, M., & Comber, M. (2015). “Differences in Embodied Carbon Assessments of Structural Systems.” 2015 SEAOC Convention Proceedings. Paper presented at the SEAOC Convention, Seattle, WA. (pp 131-141)

Case Studies in Carbon Reduction from the University of Bath

Introduction by Glenn Bell

In December 2020 I had a great pleasure to lecture (virtually) in a course entitled Architectural Structures in the Department of Architecture & Civil Engineering at the University of Bath in the UK. At Bath students of architecture and structural engineering learn together in a program that stresses climate, (low) carbon, creativity, and collaboration. It is one of the best programs I’ve seen anywhere for preparing creative building structural engineers.

The Architectural Structures course, headed by Professor Tim Ibell, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering and Design at Bath, includes lectures by invited practicing engineers. The aim is “To develop an appreciation of novel and innovative structural engineering design solutions for a range of specific applications.”

For the course’s final project, students must choose a project designed by a notable living structural engineer and redesign it with the primary goal of reducing its carbon footprint. The students then present their case in a 5-minute video presentation uploaded to YouTube, and then defend their solution in front of their fellow students and the course lecturers.

I attended the final presentations and was astounded by the students’ creativity, grasp of the issues, and professionalism. The strategies for carbon reduction are invaluable for students and practicing professionals as well.

–Glenn Bell, President 2020 of the Structural Engineering Institute of ASCE and Galletly-Dickson Visiting Scholar, Department of Architecture & Civil Engineering, University of Bath

Cynthia Liu – 111 West 57th Street

Henry Fagan – Bosjes Chapel

Heum-hak Yoon – Busan Cinema Center Design Analysis

Jo Da Silva

Bill Baker

Faith Wainwright

Creative Collaboration

Thuc Bui

The Savill Building

Cecil Balmond

Munich Olympic Stadium Roof – Jorg Schlaich

Santiago Calatrava: Athens Olympic Stadium