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Sustainable design, also called eco-design or green design, goes far beyond using recycled or eco-friendly materials in a building. Goals include helping companies discover, suggest, and deliver on long-term, environmentally conscious design choices that reduce a building’s impact as it’s being built and throughout its lifecycle.
Today, businesses recognize that sustainable building design is a challenge to meet and an opportunity to lead. As companies shift toward more environmentally responsible practices, they set standards in their fields that will inspire competition and increase interest from potential clients.
But designing for sustainability isn’t limited to early phases of the process. Sustainable design should be built into the fabric of a project, from planning to maintenance to eventual deconstruction. Industry leaders are pushing forward with eco-conscious designs, products, and builds because they’re good for right now, because they have less impact on resources and the immediate environment, and because they’re good for the future, because they move the U.S. and other countries toward the goals of the Paris Agreement and other climate initiatives.
The built environment is responsible for 40% of global energy consumption. Reducing energy consumption in building construction and operations can go a long way toward net-zero goals. Sustainable building design has a lot of considerations, and companies that opt in will find the benefits last as long as—and potentially longer than—the building itself.
Sustainable design considers the sustainability of a building in all phases: design, procurement, construction, maintenance, and disassembly. Its goals are to lessen waste, improve lives, and reduce environmental impacts.
It’s not difficult to understand why the drive for sustainability in design is increasing every year. The earth is warming, weather is changing, and the environment is taking the brunt of these shifts, which also seriously impacts human living conditions. Companies are adopting a sense of urgency around making construction, which is notoriously wasteful, a less harmful sector.
It’s estimated that 80% of a product’s lifetime emissions are determined in the product design stage. This translates to building and construction, too. In fact, the construction industry is responsible for more than 30% of natural-resource extractions and produces 30% of annual solid waste globally. Multiply that waste by the growing building and construction business: By 2060, the world will have 2.5 trillion more square feet of buildings. That’s the equivalent of building a new New York City every month—and producing the corresponding waste.
Now is the time to step into a broken cycle and change the direction—quite literally. Most of construction is built around a linear economic model that does not consider the end-of-life stages of a building or product. It’s a form of production that relies on waste. But smart, effective, and sustainable design principles can make the shift toward this type of design easier and can also be rewarding for all stakeholders of a project.
The phrase “reduce, reuse, and recycle” remains a good guide for sustainable design. It translates into real strategies or principles with achievable endpoints:
Energy efficiency: Energy efficiency in sustainable design is expansive. While the practice of reducing energy consumption onsite does save money, it also considers the energy used in the production of materials and how a building will operate. Builders and architects can use various software to simulate energy usage and redesign for smarter choices.
Material selection: From the materials used to build a foundation to the paint that goes on the walls, a build project requires hundreds, if not thousands, of material choices—each presenting an opportunity for a more sustainable decision. Non-toxic and recycled materials are just the start. Builders and engineers can also m the embodied carbon cost of a material thanks to an open-source tool called the Embodied Carbon Calculator (EC3). This gives the builder and client insight into the sustainability “cost” of a material before it’s selected and transported, so they can make more sustainable choices. Autodesk’s own tool, Total Carbon Analysis, part of the AECO portfolio, produces insights into the carbon usage of every decision, helping reduce energy usage and lower the carbon footprint of the build and the structure’s long-term use.
Water conservation: A changing climate means a change in resources, too; for example, water sources are growing scarce or unstable in many parts of the world. Sustainable design should consider water use and waste during construction as well as when the project is complete. Can native plants and trees help retain water in the environment? Can waste water be used to provide cooling for the building? Autodesk’s hydraulic modeling software can measure the impact of rain runoff and other natural water sources, creating a plan for sustainable water use. Some of the software can help engineers plan the network of sewer and water lines, running models that can predict wear-and-tear and performance in high-usage situations like floods.
Indoor environment quality: Designing with sustainability considers more than the physical building and structure. It also weighs the impact of choices on the indoor environment, from air quality and temperature regulation to access to light and air. Revit is used by architects and designers to imagine the possibilities of a new built space; a BIM model can simulate a range of situations, spelling out potential outcomes and needs of each, which helps architects and designers create an interior space that’s as well-considered and planned for as any exterior space.
Designing for reuse and biodegradability: A building is unlike other designed products. Its lifecycle is longer, certainly, but its endpoint is often unknown or unclear when it’s designed and developed. Good sustainable design can plan for many scenarios and pre-condition the building for all phases of its practical use.
Minimizing pollution: In the case of sustainable design, minimizing pollution is a call to think beyond eliminating waste. For example, building a beautiful structure that meets criteria for green certification is admirable, but what if you build it so far away from employees or the intended occupants that they generate more pollution commuting to it? Sustainable design choices must look at a broader scope of “pollution” to understand the net impact. AutodeskInsight within Revit can model carbon usage for every element of a build and beyond. Using this data, better choices can be made about materials and design so as the building ages, it continues to have a low carbon impact.
Assistive technologies are key to incorporating sustainable principles within design. At every step, applications and software can plan, produce, and reimagine projects in line with goals and parameters established by an architect or engineer. Humans harness real-world experiences; technology takes choices beyond what’s already been done to what’s possible.
Most of the impact of a product or building is decided in the earliest stages of design—but that’s not the only time partners in a project have an impact. Successful sustainable design carries through from the design phase to pre-construction, construction, and even maintenance and deconstruction.
Engineers turn a design into a real entity, with real costs and real materials. The partnership among engineers, architects, designers, and even the client is pivotal to achieving the sustainability goals of a design. To put it another way, an engineer bridges the gap between a design that promises net-zero carbon and one that actually is net-zero. In turn, the engineer contributes new ideas and feedback that can enhance the architect’s next project and build more sustainability into the built world.
Technology can help designers and engineers understand the impact of materials, the cost of cooling or heating a building, and the environmental impact of a building site. Software and applications can simulate nearly any situation a building may encounter—and as part of sustainable design, a designer, architect, or builder can make adjustments. They can also use advanced technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI) or building information modeling (BIM), to get ahead of the curve and help a building age better.
That could mean using simulations to predict how soon a fan in a cooling tower needs to be replaced—and how long you can extend its product life through regular maintenance. Internet of Things (IoT) devices can monitor equipment in real time to catch potential infrastructure problems before they happen, avoiding costly breakdowns.
Real-time sensors and smart building technologies can also help you understand the impact of a building’s use and tell you what, if anything, needs to be adjusted to improve sustainability or minimize waste.
These technologies and tools bring more than eco-friendly solutions to the table. They bring significant cost savings. For new builds, the average reduction in operating costs in the first year is 10.5%; the five-year cost savings tops 16%.
Like many elements of design and production, sustainable design is changing rapidly. Using, learning, and implementing these trends will help deliver the latest in sustainable design choices—and dream of future possibilities, including:
Smart building technologies: Like smart appliances and smart televisions, buildings can be set up for real-time monitoring with sensors, AI, and more. This stream of information helps occupants and managers gather data and analyze it for feedback, maintenance, and insight. This information can improve the quality of life for occupants, reduce waste, and identify potential problem sources. As an example, sensors may report that an area of the building is not in use after a certain time of day. The HVAC system for that area can be programmed to conserve energy, and lighting can be dimmed or eliminated. This practice can lead to significant savings: The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) says companies using smart technology can reduce energy use in an office by 18%.
Passive design strategies: Passive design is a bit of a misnomer—in most cases, the design choices are very intentional. This refers to designs that take advantage of local climate and siting to reduce the need for active heating and cooling. Determining the best location for a building can consider various factors for improving sustainability. For example, the building might need to face a certain way to harness the morning sun for warmth, yet prevent the afternoon sun from making the building too hot. To optimize that choice, thermal mass techniques can be employed to use the available solar energy for heating or power.
Biomimicry and biophilic design: A good sustainable design evaluates how a building engages with its environment and how the building’s environment can inform smart choices. Biomimicry uses nature’s best tools as inspiration for new building materials or energy efficiency. For example, the water-repelling nature of marine animals may inspire new fabrics that increase water runoff from buildings so more of it can be reclaimed and returned to the natural environment. Biophilic design integrates elements of nature into building plans to improve quality of life or meet sustainability goals. For example, a company may plant a tree-lined rooftop terrace that provides occupants with a space that provides natural light and fresh air, while also using the trees to shade the building for lower energy costs.
Adaptive reuse: Most buildings are designed to last five decades; some last many more. But in that half-century time frame, a building’s use can change. Adaptive reuse retrofits, modernizes, and reimagines older buildings, giving them new relevancy. Buildings that undergo a green renovation or retrofit see operational cost savings that are similar to those in new builds: In the first 12 months, average operating costs fall by 11.5% (PDF; p.2)
Jill Kurtz is the sustainability program manager at Page, an architecture and engineering firm in Houston, Texas. There, she helps shape the firm’s design choices while delivering sustainability options to clients and partners.
Kurtz got her bachelor’s degree in architecture, then went to work in India for nonprofit organizations. It was during this period that Kurtz says she began to understand the need for greater integration among designers, architects, and sustainability experts.
For example, Kurtz uses building performance analysis to quantify the environmental impact of a build for clients so they can get a better understanding of choices and alternatives. A massing study, for example, can demonstrate the impact of integrating glass into a building, as well as how it’s used. Glass can maximize heat gain to warm a building with less traditional HVAC infrastructure, and it can be used to increase the usable daylight in a building to lower electricity costs and improve quality of life for occupants.
Implementing sustainable design and learning about new technologies and techniques requires a continuous loop of communication, education, and collaboration. This starts far before any early project discussions, and it continues after the final installation is complete. Practical steps to implement sustainable design include:
Early planning: BIM and modeling technologies are vital to the early development of projects. They can help designers and engineers plan necessary elements of a project, from timelines to budgets, but can also help partners target specific areas to eliminate waste, save money, reduce carbon impact, and improve safety for the build team.
Collaboration: Construction is a collaborative industry, requiring dozens or sometimes hundreds of contractors, designers, and subcontractors. Engineering and construction company BAM Ireland used an integrated planning technique for a large project with multiple builds. Instead of pushing a timeline on partners, they were brought in for a planning session where stakeholders shared expectations and potential exceptions to create a realistic timeline with sustainability as a key focus.
Continuous education: Sustainable design has made rapid advances over the last decade, and it’s changing even faster now. Architecture and design firms have to implement several levels of education and reskilling to center sustainability. This includes formalized instruction, like continuing education courses and virtual training, as well as informal opportunities like post-build retrospectives.
Client education: The best sustainable design won’t amount to much if clients don’t choose those options. Simulation studies can demonstrate operational cost savings and maintenance schedules that prevent major breakdowns and failures. But in a real-world setting, clients may also want to see these choices in action. That’s where designers and builders can demonstrate outcomes from previous clients, a show-and-tell of sorts, for future builds to make the impact of sustainable design tangible.
As companies move forward with sustainable design, they pave the way for industry-wide changes that benefit everyone. By choosing to invest in eco-friendly practices, businesses are not only committing to a greener today but also ensuring a more sustainable tomorrow.
Kimberly Holland is a lifestyle writer and editor based in Birmingham, AL. When not organizing her books by color, Holland enjoys toying with new kitchen gadgets and feeding her friends all her cooking experiments.
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