Sustainable Design - the Challenge for the Structural Engineer

While Sustainable Design is fairly clear cut for the Mechanical/Electrical/Plumbing Engineer (simply selecting the appropriate MEP systems, which have typically demonstrated good performance) and while

Sustainable Design opens up wonderful opportunities of creativity and innovation to the Architect (basically allowing the Architect to practice in the way that he/she always dreamed of doing),

for the Structural Engineer it typically presents hard choices, increased work effort, use of often risky construction procedures, use of ("granted" innovative) new construction methods that lack a proven track record or significantly increase the cost of construction and/or (very importantly) significantly increases professional liability.

It doesn't have to be that way, but it most often is.

What is needed, is an Holistic Approach to Structural Engineering and Sustainable Design, looking at the process in a different way, understanding the materials and how they perform.

We presently have the tools necessary to save Energy and Resources in our Structural Designs with the present design methods and materials that currently exists.

In future blogs, I will discuss the opportunities and risks of Sustainable Structural Design using the different construction materials and how we at POSTEN Engineering Systems believe that we have accomplished Sustainable Design with Post-tensioned Concrete.