Arup is about to launch a design strategy to help clients to create fully sustainable buildings.

The aim is to encourage them to commission carbon-neutral buildings, constructed of sustainable products, that collect and reuse water.

What has been lacking in the past decade is a good strategy at the design stage to build in sustainability, said Adrian Campbell, associate director of Arup.

Clients tended to “cherrypick” issues to achieve isolated targets, he said. Arup’s strategy will look at the overall sustainability of a building from the very beginning.

The strategy will be launched this month. Arup also has a full-time psychologist within its sustainability team, looking at issues such as how people feel when working in a building. Campbell said buildings should be able to cope with climate change and make a positive contribution to the community.

Arup is working on the masterplan for what it says is the world’s first sustainable city, Dongtan in China.

Source

Building Sustainable Design