Introduction to Sustainable Design - Simplified Design of Reinforced Concrete Buildings - page 315

built environment have a significant impact on energy consumption, it also affects water and material use
and waste generation (Ref.12.2). Therefore, what we choose to build and how we choose to build it have
increasingly important implications in a world where global climate change, growing populations, and rapid
depletion of limited natural resources (water and energy) are occurring simultaneously. Fortunately, we also
have more and better tools at our disposal to help make informed decisions about the buildings we build.

Simplified Design is primarily concerned with structural design in concrete; element sizing, optimized and
simpler reinforcement patterns, and good details. The concepts presented indicate ways to design buildings
more efficiently to save time, materials, or both. This introduction is intended to broaden the view from
structural implications to design considerations about materials and non-structural aspects. As buildings
become more complex, there are more considerations involved, and early planning becomes more even
important. By incorporating sustainable design attributes from the outset, it's possible to maximize the
sustainable benefits.

Sustainable development and green construction include things like building layout and operations to mini-
mize operating energy, improve interior conditions, and advance the role of buildings in managing one of our
most precious resources: water. This chapter highlights various ways in which concrete can contribute
to sustainability, both as a material and as part of a building system. In this way, it is possible to speak
generically about using concrete to make a difference in a building's performance and which attributes might
be used to advantage to demonstrate (and ultimately quantify) sustainability in various green rating systems.

This information is an introduction to a complex topic. The broad view does two things. First, it allows a
complete overview of a multifaceted topic—sustainable construction—that will continue to influence how we
build, perhaps increasingly so. Second, as the specific methods of achieving sustainable attributes evolve, the
broad view speaks to general goals rather than explicit choices. This helps prevent getting bogged down with
details of any particular rating system, such as earning points.

Key areas addressed by many of the green rating systems are as follows:

• Site selection and development

• System selection

• Water management

• Energy and atmosphere

• Materials and resources

• Indoor environmental quality

Following are some of the ways in which concrete systems can add to a project's sustainability.

SITE SELECTION AND DEVELOPMENT

Concrete's strength can be selected to meet the project needs. Higher strength allows us to build tall buildings.
This increases density, leads to smaller building footprints, and results in smaller amounts of material usage,
less habitat disturbance, and more open space. By keeping more vegetation, heat island effect is reduced.
This provides more comfort outside the building and reduces energy use to cool the buildings, which improves
air quality (indoors and outside) for everyone and saves building owners money.