How structural engineers can reduce carbon emissions

How is IStructE helping its members navigate the challenges of achieving net zero?

At IStructE, we have been preparing a wealth of guidance (see our Sustainability Resource Map opens in new tab/window). This includes key books like How to calculate embodied carbon, Design for zero, and Circular economy and reuse: guidance for designers.

We’re also implementing changes to our Chartered Structural Engineer requirements, requiring engineers to be able to calculate and reduce carbon in their work. These are being rolled out this year.

Additionally, we have updated our awards to celebrate projects that are good for the planet — take a look at the winning 2022 Structural Award projects opens in new tab/window.

What critical preparation is needed for structural engineers to succeed in achieving net zero?

I think there are a few key things that are really critical. You must be able to calculate the carbon impact opens in new tab/window of your work. If you don’t measure it, how do you know if you’re reducing it? You need to be able to reuse existing structures as well as existing materials and components. And then you also need to be able to take a client’s brief and make suggestions that use less material but deliver the same outcomes the client really needs.

How is the work of your engineers helping to create a greener and more sustainable world?

Constructional steel and concrete combined make up about 10% of global emissions. This is controlled by structural engineers. Rough calculations show that a typical structural engineer might be able to remove between 100T and 1000T of CO2e from a design in a typical year. Compare that with their personal carbon footprint of 10T per year and you see that their opportunity at work vastly outweighs what they can affect at home.

Enabling our engineers to reduce carbon is key to reducing global emissions. We are a global membership body — the largest one in the world dedicated to structural engineering — so if we can get our members to focus on reducing carbon emissions, then we hope that this will help other countries to decarbonize too.

Which pitfalls or obvious obstacles to achieving net zero are your members most focused on? And what are some less obvious obstacles?

Low-carbon design is often perceived as being higher cost. The reality is that this doesn’t have to be the case; it can actually be lower cost. Designing efficient layouts from day one — and reusing existing structures as part of the plan from day one — can reduce material use and reduce cost. Helping members to help their clients understand the truth about low carbon and cost is important.

What are some notable achievements that count towards progress in achieving net zero?

We know that this topic is of significant interest to our members. Our carbon calculator, The Structural Carbon Tool opens in new tab/window, has been downloaded 6,000 times and has won two awards. Our first-ever Climate Emergency Conference in 2020 had over 500 participants, and similar subsequent events are always well attended. This demonstrates a real industry interest in this topic — something we should continue to capitalize on.

It is also significant to see how many firms continue to place sustainability and net zero at the heart of their business strategies.

Can you highlight some opportunities for IStructE in the transition to net zero?

It’s been great to see the IStructE prioritizing sustainability and net zero, putting it on the same level of importance as safety has always been. The main opportunity is as mentioned before — constructional steel and concrete are (responsible for) 10% of global emissions opens in new tab/window, and we can reduce that through good design!

Where do you see the most potential for net zero related change in the next 2 to 5 years?

I think we will see more designers calculating embodied carbon and reducing it through creative ingenuity on their projects. I believe we can also expect to see more interest, research and development into materials. Lower carbon concretes and steels may not make it into mainstream project use within 5 years’ time, but I think that we’ll see really interesting developments in labs and on prototype projects.