News Brief
On average, floors account for the largest portion of embodied carbon from structural systems, according to a recent study.
Structural engineering accounts for 55% of a typical new building’s overall embodied carbon, according to the firm. In an average commercial building, that impact is comprised of:
To reduce the embodied carbon of structural systems, Thornton Tomasetti suggests alternatives like hollow-core slabs, voided slabs, or timber floors.
The analysis also found that steel buildings had more embodied carbon in their structures than concrete or composite buildings. And LEED-certified buildings had lower average embodied carbon than non-LEED buildings (510 kg/m2 versus 590 kg/m2)—likely because LEED rewards the use of recycled steel and fly ash in concrete.
After learning how influential structural engineering choices can be, Thornton Tomasetti is also building a tool for Revit that will allow users to optimize for low embodied carbon.
Published January 7, 2020 Permalink Citation
Pearson, C. (2019, December 20). Structural Engineers Study Embodied Carbon of 600 Buildings. Retrieved from https://www.buildinggreen.com/newsbrief/structural-engineers-study-embodied-carbon-600-buildings
Dear Sir,
We are using low carbon cement - soil cement , lime cement and pozzolan. We use an emulsufier equivalent to PH7 to burn the excess carbon. Our concrete is expansive. Thermal value 1,21 . Ultrasonic 4,3 . Non destructive tests with 35% of fly ash 39,7 mpa in 14 days. Setting time -Walls -7 hours . Roof any span =12 hours.
We want to test the embodied energy.
The key to accurate assessments of Embodied Carbon is the quality of the Life Cycle Assessment tools used. Full Cradle-to-Grave assessments are required and artificial discounting of 'biogenic' emissions must be avoided.
Add new comment
To post a comment, you need to register for a BuildingGreen Basic membership (free) or login to your existing profile.