Our approach to economical & sustainable design
From the start of every project one of our first considerations is to try and achieve the most economical & sustainable design. We are acutely aware that now is the time, more than ever before, to push for sustainable development, not just during construction but throughout the design process and a scheme’s whole lifecycle & legacy.
We are committed to;
- Working with our clients to achieve their own sustainability goals
- Meeting the highest possible BREEAM target levels
- Research into modern methods of construction
- Reduce the steel reinforcement used in our structures
- Reduce cement content and overall concrete volumes
- Specify the most economical concrete mixes
- Encouraging pre-casting of concrete and off site fabrication
- Consider alternative structural materials and the embodied carbon generated
- Designing for durability and future adaptability
- Re-use as much site won material as possible for external works, enabling works & temporary working platforms
- Carry out detailed cut & fill analysis for sites to optimise material re-use and reduce wastage on site
- Analyse where savings can be made, which in turn makes for a more sustainable design and build
- Working with the design team to encourage as much usable green space as possible to secure biodiversity & a future legacy for schemes
- Include the most biodiverse and environmentally friendly SuDS techniques into our designs, including Swales, Blue Roofs & Green Roofs
We have an ongoing commitment to reduce our impact on the environment & climate change through our own in-house policies, research into new design technologies, renewable materials & building techniques and are fully signed up members to
www.structuralengineersdeclare.com & www.civilengineersdeclare.com.
Some examples of PTA projects where we have applied these processes;
100% Carbon Neutral Piles at The Eight Gardens, Watford
Attenuation Storage at Billingshurst Business Park
Stream Naturalisation at 40:40 Link, High Wycombe
