Integrating Sustainability into Early Construction Design via Material Selection Framework
A structured conceptual framework can guide material selection in the preliminary design phase to significantly enhance the sustainability of construction projects.
International Journal of Sustainable Construction Engineering Technology · 2021
Key Findings
- 01The preliminary design phase is critical for embedding sustainability through material selection.
- 02A conceptual framework encompassing economic, environmental, and social factors is essential for guiding sustainable material choices.
- 03Sub-aspects like total cost, cost efficiency, budget management, and water efficiency are key indicators for sustainable material selection.
Application
Design takeaway
Incorporate a sustainability-focused material selection framework from the earliest stages of construction design to ensure long-term environmental, social, and economic benefits.
How to apply
When initiating a construction design project, develop or adopt a checklist of sustainable material criteria (e.g., embodied energy, recycled content, lifecycle cost, local sourcing) to be evaluated during the preliminary design phase.
Project actions
- 01When researching materials for your design project, look beyond just performance and aesthetics to consider their environmental and social impact.
- 02Consider developing a simple scoring system for material selection based on sustainability criteria relevant to your project.
Method & Evidence
Variables
Strengths & Limitations
Strengths
- +Addresses a critical gap in integrating sustainability early in the design process.
- +Provides a structured approach for material selection.
Limitations
The availability of comprehensive sustainability data for all materials can be a challenge.
Reliability & validity
The validity of the framework relies on the comprehensive review of existing literature and established assessment methods. Reliability would be enhanced through empirical testing and validation across diverse projects.
Think critically
To what extent can the proposed conceptual framework be practically implemented in real-world construction projects with varying budgets and timelines?
Design Principles
"Proactive sustainability integration in early design phases yields more responsible and impactful outcomes."
Early-stage decisions in construction, particularly material selection, have a profound and long-lasting impact on a project's environmental, social, and economic footprint. By formalizing sustainability considerations at this crucial juncture, designers and engineers can proactively mitigate negative impacts and foster more responsible building practices.
What This Means for Your Design
To make buildings more eco-friendly, we need to think about the materials we use right at the start of the design process, using a special checklist that covers cost, environmental impact, and social good.
How to use in your project
- 1.Reference this research when justifying the selection of materials based on sustainability principles in your design project's development and evaluation.
Add to My Project
Quick Cite
(2021). Building A Comprehensive Conceptual Framework for Material Selection in Terms of Sustainability in The Construction Preliminary Design Phase. International Journal of Sustainable Construction Engineering Technology. https://doi.org/10.30880/ijscet.2021.12.04.007 Retrieved from https://designdex.org/study/8a2f3e88-94c8-46d5-8d35-c82b55efe5f5/integrating-sustainability-into-early-construction-design-via-material-selection-framework
Paragraph starter
The preliminary design phase is a critical juncture for embedding sustainability into construction projects, particularly through informed material selection. Research by Dinh and Dinh (2021) highlights the necessity of a conceptual framework that integrates economic, environmental, and social sub-aspects to guide these early decisions, emphasizing factors such as lifecycle cost and resource efficiency. This approach ensures that sustainability is a core consideration from inception, rather than an afterthought, leading to more responsible and impactful design outcomes.
Source
International Journal of Sustainable Construction Engineering Technology
Building A Comprehensive Conceptual Framework for Material Selection in Terms of Sustainability in The Construction Preliminary Design Phase
journal · 2021
View sourceQuestions about this research
- What does the research say about integrating sustainability into early construction design via material selection framework?
- Incorporate a sustainability-focused material selection framework from the earliest stages of construction design to ensure long-term environmental, social, and economic benefits. Evidence: International Journal of Sustainable Construction Engineering Technology (2021).
- Why does "Integrating Sustainability into Early Construction Design via Material Selection Framework" matter for design?
- Early-stage decisions in construction, particularly material selection, have a profound and long-lasting impact on a project's environmental, social, and economic footprint. By formalizing sustainability considerations at this crucial juncture, designers and engineers can proactively mitigate negative impacts and foster more responsible building practices.
- How can designers apply this research?
- Incorporate a sustainability-focused material selection framework from the earliest stages of construction design to ensure long-term environmental, social, and economic benefits.
- What were the main findings?
- The preliminary design phase is critical for embedding sustainability through material selection.. A conceptual framework encompassing economic, environmental, and social factors is essential for guiding sustainable material choices.. Sub-aspects like total cost, cost efficiency, budget management, and water efficiency are key indicators for sustainable material selection.
- What research method was used?
- Literature Review and Framework Development.
- How strong is the evidence?
- Evidence strength is rated Moderate effect, based on a 2021 journal from International Journal of Sustainable Construction Engineering Technology.
- What should I do differently in my next project?
- When initiating a construction design project, develop or adopt a checklist of sustainable material criteria (e.g., embodied energy, recycled content, lifecycle cost, local sourcing) to be evaluated during the preliminary design phase.
- What are the limitations?
- The framework is conceptual and requires further development into practical methods for each criterion and detailed implementation plans.
- Is there evidence that material selection affects design outcomes?
- The research proposes a structured approach to selecting construction materials early in the design process, focusing on economic, environmental, and social impacts to ensure greater project sustainability. Early-stage decisions in construction, particularly material selection, have a profound and long-lasting impact o Source: International Journal of Sustainable Construction Engineering Technology (2021).
- Where does this environmental social research apply?
- Construction industry, preliminary design phase It sits within sustainability research on designdex.org.
Related research topics
material selection design research · evidence on material selection · does material selection improve design outcomes · environmental social studies for designers · material selection and environmental social findings · sustainability research evidence