Integrated Buildings & Structures

I have been an advocate for durability / resiliency / sustainability and energy efficiency for many years.  My small firm works on integrated designs using Autodesk Revit.  

Does anyone know of an ASCE or AIA Integrated Building Group that was focusing on 'Resilient/Sustainable' Integrated Designs?  If not, is anyone interested in the forming such a conceptual design and engineering 'think-tank' group? It could be an offshoot group within this 'Integrated Buildings  & Structures' group.   

This contact was prompted following Dorian's devastation of the Bahamas. Well past the very urgent recovery needs, such a group may have a head-start on providing guidance for future rebuilt Bahama neighborhoods, or for any similar fragile semi-remote locations. Integrated Building Designs could be a core around which other requirements like infrastructure and energy could be developed. This group could be the fastest route to providing a more resilient future for these areas.

From the photos I've seen, past the human recovery and bulldozer clean up, the group might propose or conceptualize long term planning schemes for a sustainable more resilient Bahamas. Many areas appear to require complete reconstruction. This means starting with basic infrastructure then continuing to rebuild neighborhoods with more durable dwellings, workspaces, and public structures.

If I dream of an integrated design construction future, it would build the best public and private resilient sustainable designs. Geo-Mapping experts could team with Civil 3D experts to create accurate sites for designer use. Skilled designers and design schools could compete and exchange their best concepts for specific island neighborhoods or for entirely new community developments. 

It might use 3D concrete printers and other robotic block and panel fast construction methods to create more storm-resistant structures.  The designs would apply future leaning structural methods with the most advanced MEP designs and concepts. Solar and wind energy would support the latest public, private, and commercial public and material transport methods.  The integrated designs would apply the best sustainable living and shelter-in-place practices.

I know, these are big hopeful ideas, but they could start right here.  A round table or kick-off meeting could take place at ASCE 2019 in Miami on this October 10-13.  

Let me know of any already existing groups, or if you have interest in creating such a group.  I can help arrange and to participate in any such effort.  I can also start to compile a email discussion group.

Feel free to share this email with your peers and industry contacts. 

Gary Beck, P.E., Eco-Holdings LLC (F-7395), Houston, Texas 

ASCE has long considered sustainability an evolving strategic issue confronting practicing civil engineers. Its integration into professional practice is required to address changing environmental, social, and economic conditions ethically and responsibly.

Although challenging issues such as climate change, urbanization, and the rapid pace of technological advancement create opportunities, they also require serious re-evaluation of current professional practice and standards.

A Roadmap to Sustainable Development: Four Priorities

1. Sustainable Project Development: Do the Right Project

Economic considerations predominantly drive current project development methodologies. Engineers must begin to approach projects in a new way. The focus of our engineering efforts must shift from the product of our work-the stormwater management system, the bridge, the building-to the needs and benefits that the project aims to address. We must consider all possible alternatives before projects and programs are conceived, executed, and operated-in other words, to "do the right project."

2. Standards and Protocols: Do the Project Right

While "doing the right project," engineers must still "do the project right." Current prescriptive standards may apply in conditions of stationarity. However, where non-stationarity (a condition where statistical properties, such as mean or variance, of a data set are not constant over time) is prevalent, we must develop new standards and protocols that are performance-based rather than prescriptive. Those standards must address resiliency to develop infrastructure that ensures society's safety and its ability to recover from disruptions.

3. Expand Technical Capacity

Achieving the necessary transformation requires civil engineers to build or expand their capacity to achieve the visions and principles of sustainable development through new training and professional development opportunities, including formal and continuing education opportunities.

4.     Communicate and Advocate

Transforming the civil engineering profession and methods for sustainable infrastructure development requires communication with all stakeholders and advocacy to promote acceptance and adoption. The end goal is a membership and public that demand environmentally, economically and socially sustainable infrastructure that meets the needs of human welfare equitably and enables healthy communities.

Key Points

• The civil engineer's responsibility to practice sustainably was recognized in the ASCE Code of Ethics in November 1996.
• Sustainability was first identified by the ASCE Board as a priority in 2008.
• Engineers need to be their clients' trusted advisors and get involved with projects at preliminary planning phase and help determine, "Is this the right project?" and "Are we doing the project right?"

Key Points

• ASCE provides resources and education to help civil engineers and future civil engineers incorporate sustainability principles into practice, provide leadership on sustainability, and derive competitive and other benefits from their expertise.
• ASCE is developing standards and educational resources to promote widespread implementation of sustainable engineering principles.
  • Six courses are available to help civil engineers acquire skills in the following areas:
    • Engineering for a Sustainable Future
    • Sustainable Project Management
    • Life Cycle Analysis for Sustainability
    • Ecological Systems
    • Community Participation: Effective Stakeholder Involvement Throughout the Project Lifecycle
    • Access and Mobility for the 21^st Century
    • Sustainable Land Use
  • A certificate in sustainable infrastructure can be earned by completing a series of five of these courses. www.asce.org/sustainable-infrastructure-certificate-program
  • ASCE helped found the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure to develop a sustainability rating system called Envision.
    • More than 8,000 professionals have earned the ENV SPs credential
    • More than 40 projects have earned Envision awards
    • Students earn the provisional Envision Sustainability Professional (ENV PV) credential.
  • ASCE organized the International Conference for Sustainable Infrastructure in Brooklyn, NY, in 2017 and in Long Beach, CA, in 2014. ASCE co-hosted ICSI 2016 in Shenzhen, China. Proceedings are available. The next International Conference for Sustainable Infrastructure will be held in Los Angeles, November 7-9, 2019.
  • The Innovation in Sustainable Civil Engineering Award is presented annually to a project that exemplifies creativity in the form of innovative sustainability. The lessons of selected projects promise broad application to future projects.

Guiding Principles for ASCE's Sustainability Initiative

• Consider the technical, environmental, economic and social dimensions while ethically and responsibly carrying out the initiative.
• Proactively seek collaborative opportunities domestically and internationally with other disciplines and organizations.

ASCE's Definition:

Sustainability is a set of environmental, economic and social conditions in which all of society has the capacity and opportunity to maintain and improve its quality of life indefinitely without degrading the quantity, quality or availability of natural, economic and social resources.

Related Policy Statements:

• The Role of the Civil Engineer in Sustainable Development – PS 418
• Owners Commitment to Sustainability – PS 556
• Building Engineering Capacity – PS 506
• Sustainable Development Goals – PS 517
• Combating Corruption - PS 510
• Relationships with International Engineering Organizations – PS 146
• Impact of Climate Change – PS 360
• Greenhouse Gases – PS 488

ASCE has long considered sustainability an evolving strategic issue confronting practicing civil engineers. Its integration into professional practice is required to address changing environmental, social, and economic conditions ethically and responsibly.

Although challenging issues such as climate change, urbanization, and the rapid pace of technological advancement create opportunities, they also require serious re-evaluation of current professional practice and standards.

A Roadmap to Sustainable Development: Four Priorities

1. Sustainable Project Development: Do the Right Project

Economic considerations predominantly drive current project development methodologies. Engineers must begin to approach projects in a new way. The focus of our engineering efforts must shift from the product of our work-the stormwater management system, the bridge, the building-to the needs and benefits that the project aims to address. We must consider all possible alternatives before projects and programs are conceived, executed, and operated-in other words, to "do the right project."

2. Standards and Protocols: Do the Project Right

While "doing the right project," engineers must still "do the project right." Current prescriptive standards may apply in conditions of stationarity. However, where non-stationarity (a condition where statistical properties, such as mean or variance, of a data set are not constant over time) is prevalent, we must develop new standards and protocols that are performance-based rather than prescriptive. Those standards must address resiliency to develop infrastructure that ensures society's safety and its ability to recover from disruptions.

3. Expand Technical Capacity

Achieving the necessary transformation requires civil engineers to build or expand their capacity to achieve the visions and principles of sustainable development through new training and professional development opportunities, including formal and continuing education opportunities.

4.     Communicate and Advocate

Transforming the civil engineering profession and methods for sustainable infrastructure development requires communication with all stakeholders and advocacy to promote acceptance and adoption. The end goal is a membership and public that demand environmentally, economically and socially sustainable infrastructure that meets the needs of human welfare equitably and enables healthy communities.

Key Points

• The civil engineer's responsibility to practice sustainably was recognized in the ASCE Code of Ethics in November 1996.
• Sustainability was first identified by the ASCE Board as a priority in 2008.
• Engineers need to be their clients' trusted advisors and get involved with projects at preliminary planning phase and help determine, "Is this the right project?" and "Are we doing the project right?"

Key Points

• ASCE provides resources and education to help civil engineers and future civil engineers incorporate sustainability principles into practice, provide leadership on sustainability, and derive competitive and other benefits from their expertise.
• ASCE is developing standards and educational resources to promote widespread implementation of sustainable engineering principles.
  • Six courses are available to help civil engineers acquire skills in the following areas:
    • Engineering for a Sustainable Future
    • Sustainable Project Management
    • Life Cycle Analysis for Sustainability
    • Ecological Systems
    • Community Participation: Effective Stakeholder Involvement Throughout the Project Lifecycle
    • Access and Mobility for the 21^st Century
    • Sustainable Land Use
  • A certificate in sustainable infrastructure can be earned by completing a series of five of these courses. www.asce.org/sustainable-infrastructure-certificate-program
  • ASCE helped found the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure to develop a sustainability rating system called Envision.
    • More than 8,000 professionals have earned the ENV SPs credential
    • More than 40 projects have earned Envision awards
    • Students earn the provisional Envision Sustainability Professional (ENV PV) credential.
  • ASCE organized the International Conference for Sustainable Infrastructure in Brooklyn, NY, in 2017 and in Long Beach, CA, in 2014. ASCE co-hosted ICSI 2016 in Shenzhen, China. Proceedings are available. The next International Conference for Sustainable Infrastructure will be held in Los Angeles, November 7-9, 2019.
  • The Innovation in Sustainable Civil Engineering Award is presented annually to a project that exemplifies creativity in the form of innovative sustainability. The lessons of selected projects promise broad application to future projects.

Guiding Principles for ASCE's Sustainability Initiative

• Consider the technical, environmental, economic and social dimensions while ethically and responsibly carrying out the initiative.
• Proactively seek collaborative opportunities domestically and internationally with other disciplines and organizations.

ASCE's Definition:

Sustainability is a set of environmental, economic and social conditions in which all of society has the capacity and opportunity to maintain and improve its quality of life indefinitely without degrading the quantity, quality or availability of natural, economic and social resources.

Related Policy Statements:

• The Role of the Civil Engineer in Sustainable Development – PS 418
• Owners Commitment to Sustainability – PS 556
• Building Engineering Capacity – PS 506
• Sustainable Development Goals – PS 517
• Combating Corruption - PS 510
• Relationships with International Engineering Organizations – PS 146
• Impact of Climate Change – PS 360
• Greenhouse Gases – PS 488

JAMES P. HOLLAND

 Program Director Military Installation Resilience

Department of Defense

Office of Economic Adjustment

2231 Crystal Drive, Suite 520  

Arlington, VA  22202

<maskemail>james.p.holland8.civ@...</maskemail>

Office: 703-697-2188

Cell: 571-329-5851

JAMES P. HOLLAND

 Program Director Military Installation Resilience

Department of Defense

Office of Economic Adjustment

2231 Crystal Drive, Suite 520  

Arlington, VA  22202

<maskemail>james.p.holland8.civ@...</maskemail>

Office: 703-697-2188

Cell: 571-329-5851