Decarbonisation is one of the pressing challenges in the built environment as the unprecedented growth of cities, particularly in Asia will continue to have a massive environmental impact. Planners, construction industries, governmental agencies and stakeholders will require new approaches to design and respective material choices to minimise the embodied carbon. Data and tools are fragmented and hardly allow for a holistic integration of knowledge in one platform as the digitalisation in the building industries is still at its infancy. One of the areas that is difficult to measure is the embodied carbon of a building in its planning process, indicated as Global Warming Potential (GWP in kg CO2-eq per kg of material). Most available Carbon Calculators depend on detailed data such as Building Integration Management (BIM) models that are usually only available in later design stages.
Our research at SUTD has developed methods, mathematical models and mock-up computational tools that allow designers to make informed design decisions and assess the environmental performance in early design and assessment stages. We have also established a framework for flexible building designs, since demographic changes put additional pressure on how we plan buildings for uncertain futures. Habitation patterns are continuously changing and unforeseen situations such as the 2020 pandemic demand the ability for quick adaptations.
