Developing a Basis for Design-Embodied Carbon in Structures

摘要

To date, most considerations for the impact of carbon emissions in the built environment directly relate to building operations. However, in most major projects it takes approximately 20 years of operational life before operational carbon exceeds the carbon embodied in the original construction. Minimum acceptance goals for implementation must then be created to encourage a responsible approach to environmental design-one that accounts for carbon emissions from groundbreaking through the building's service life. A tall building, at the time of construction, has a large impact on the environment through the production of building components, delivery, and construction as well as considering life-cycle in areas of abnormal loading (i.e., seismicity). SOM has developed an advanced algorithm called the Environmental Analysis Tool that evaluates embodied carbon as well as cost benefits of enhanced seismic force resisting systems in buildings and infrastructures. An evaluation of embodied carbon in over 200 built structures has revealed trends and correlations among common design parameters such as building height, occupancy type, seismic and wind conditions. This information can be utilized to set design goals and to provide standards for the reduction of embodied carbon through high performance seismic systems such as seismic isolation and pin-fuse devices, as well as ideas including Sustainable Form-Inclusion Systems (SFIS). Finally, an advanced parametric model has been created for new and existing urban developments. The Parametric City Model (PCM) will be used to illustrate the effects of material, construction, and urban density on the environment. Specific national and international tall building examples will be discussed. Buildings will include many of the tallest to date, including the Burj Khalifa, Dubai. These projects amongst others will be used as a basis to develop standards for design and construction for embodied carbon in structures. It is the hope that these requirements would eventually become standards for the industry.