Materials / LCA#
The materials subject is a new subject in Advanced Building Design. We have added it to support greater investigation of different material options in project. Including their LCA implications. Additionally the subject is responsible for the DGNB-Lite documentation of the project.
This subject explores the emerging potential of an architectural materials engineer as an integral part of the building design team.
Material Requirements#
Besides the below, there will be more specific Structural Requirements included in one of the first teaching sessions.
Sustainability and the build environment#
A central part of this subject is to understand and potentially challenge the taken for granted, In regard to how we build. This is done from a sustainability point of perspective. But how can we argue that something is sustainable and what does that entail. during the subject you will explore and try to define sustainability in context to your building project.
Green Building Rating Systems#
A central criterion for the high-rise building is the DGNB lite certification. A simplified version of the GBRS, DGNB, that is the most common used in Denmark. A green building rating system functions both as a tool to documentation but should also be considered as a set of criteria’s that can help support or define parts of the building design process. Understanding these criteria, where and how they affect your teams process and what measures you can plan out to accommodate the needed information at the right time to the right people. DGNB screening and initial process plotting for knowledge sharing or interventions.
DGNB lite Requirements#
Identify, analyse and delegate DGNB lite requirements to the different subject groups. Inform and plan with PMs to align with DMS continually through the process. Develop and performco-design processes across the building team to develop solutions. Balancing the needs of different disciplines and the DGNB lite requirements through development of metrics and decision support tools.
Circularity in the build environment and life circle assessment#
Principles of circular economy has increasingly become a part of how the future is envisioned also within the build environment. This means that we need to both understand the current linear life cycle of a building, as well as how we can begin to reimagine and design buildings from a more circular perspective. Part of this is being able to account on the impact of different actions such as mining for iron, casting foundation or heating the building. It is however also to put a value on these effects and their impact on both the global and local environment. Her we use Life cycle assessment both as a tool for documenting the expected effects of the building, but also to inform and guide the design process, by highlighting problematic material uses or enabling us to create scenarios of different designs and compare them.
Understand and balance the needs of the different disciplines.#
The building project can be viewed is an arena of development. Consisting of different actors with different values, strengths, and shortcomings. There are global rules of what you can do within this arena but also local rules of thumb within the different disciplines, that sometimes blind them from seeing alternatives to business as usual. You can almost se them as different cultures with different values that they worship and put above all else in their priorities, going into this project arena: Aesthetics, resilience, strength, ease of maintenance, safety, agile process…
In many ways you are the new actor entering in an already existing arena, the new kid on the block. Therefore, you need to understand the different actors of the arena, their values, priorities, and stakes in this Arena. Where do they align and where might they clash? Where is the opportunities and need for collaboration? From this understanding you are better able to create tools for negotiation between these different values and how the different requirements, values and needs can be combined and co-designed into something more than its parts.
PerformLCA on the building.#
During this project initial faces, you will need to Create an initial baseline model that can support early identification of hotspots in the design of the building sketch and support prioritised decision making, in later scenario development. The scenarios you develop should be to a degree that enables informed decision making with clear evaluations on information shortcomings, advantages, and drawback from an Environmental performance standpoint. The hope is to support a transdisciplinary process of knowledge sharing and prioritisation and decision making.
Lastly you will need to create a complete LCA of the building including all the regulation required life cycle stages. Pay attention and document all insecurities or shortcomings in your model as well as a discussion and perspectivation of the final LCA analysis and results.
It is expected that you manage to keep a information link to the LCA calculation tools (including your Life cycle inventory) and the interface to the BIM models, so there is a clear project model alignment through the process.
Coordinate with the PM on how to achieve this and make sure this is included in the DMS.
Material knowledge, search and strategies for sustainable building design#
The materials that go into constructing a building is vast in quantity, taking up and imbedding large amounts of resources and energy in a structure for decades.
To design and build more sustainable buildings now and in the future, we need to gain a better understanding of the direct and indirect effects and consequences of the materials we choose to use, how they are put together and perform as well as how we mange them when they are not going to be part of our building anymore.
Here the material subject people have a critical role in identifying problematic materials or building designs. Using an array of design tools and methods to both map out and communicate the issues as well as enabling collaborative processes with the relevant subject groups involved, to develop alternative material or design proposals.
Material Integration#
Material -> Architecture#
Support decision making through collaboration around circular design strategies. Support in material choices and knowledge along the decision process. Key in communicating needs and criterias of other subjects and ensure strategic collaborative processes with relevant subject groups along the design process.
Material -> Structure#
Support structure subject to make material decisions on the structure of the building. Collaboratively define the structural unit of the structure to support the LCA calculations. Encourage the structures subject to provide information early to you and make assumptions where appropriate to support your calculations. Develop and collaborate on dynamic life cycle inventory “material model” of the building and its parts.
Material -> MEP#
Coordinate closely with the MEP subject to establish the scope of the LCA regarding heating, energy use, water use scenarios for replacement/service, as well as additional energy and resource use, in the “use” face of the buildings life cycle. The material subject should collaborate on identifying opportunities for green innovation or optimization as well as representing the needs of the MEP subjects focus.
Material -> Geotech#
Whilst there may be more limited options for materials in the Geotech, early quantification and exploration of the impacts of the proposals will support the Geotech subject investigations. Geotech and Material should collaborate on mapping potential local environmental concerns in regards to the building process and use, ground water levels, potential chemical pollution, earth absorption levels exec. Again, it is important to consider assumptions to support the articulation and deliberation of different options as well as considering the complex interactions and effects of constructing a building.
Material -> Fire#
A core role of the subject group is to help the team to explore the important relationship between sustainability and safety. Your role here is to listen to the needs of the different subjects and produce options that helps them to make decisions about the best way forward.
Introducing new or lesser used materials in a building can in some cases be a fire safety concern, therefore it is central that you collaborate around material selection criteria’s and limitations, as well as being able to communicate/translate these to the other subject teams.
Ultimately you are responsible for the materials and can ‘override’ other groups, but this would not be a good option if you have not considered their needs – it should be a compromise.
Material -> PM/ICT#
This collaboration should be clearly defined in the DMS.
Clear communication and planning between PM and MAT is central for the intended collaboration and co -design process as well as managing expectations and prioritising in the planning of the project and the goals set for different subjects.Material should also continuously communicate and collaborate on achieving the DGNB lite goal and documenting it appropriately.