Chengtao Zhang

Journal Entry For
Module 9 - Make Your Pitch
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Link to Student

Structural Grid Optimization for Embodied Carbon (The Griddy)

Intended users

This tool is intended for structural and environmental engineers who are interested in optimizing building’s embodied carbon reduction through its structural grid.

Need you’re trying to provide a solution or support for

The need I’m trying to solve through my creation is that building’s initial 2D grid sizing significantly impacts material use and carbon footprint. However, grid sizing is often selected at the beginning of a project as an estimation rather than a calculated optimization. Trying to optimize the grid size later on in the project means the initial designs might have to be modified a lot, resulting in inefficient usage of time and resources. My tool for this project can help visualize carbon impacts of grid layout and spacing interactively through Dynamo, and ultimately being able to optimize a building’s structural layout and embodied carbon footprint at its early stage of design.

Inputs

The inputs of the tools and roughly how they will be represented using Dynamo:

Inputs
Notes
Column grid spacing x & y
Slider with a certain range
Floor thickness
Slider with a certain range
Material type
Drop-down

Underlying logic of the model you’ll implement

The logic and workflow of the tool will be:

  1. Calculate number of columns needed
  2. Calculate the volume of the structural elements (slab and column)
  3. Research embodied carbon factors from sources like The Embodied Carbon in Construction Calculator (EC3)
  4. Calculate the total embodied carbon of the building

Outputs

Total embodied carbon (kg CO2)

Carbon intensity (kg CO2 / m2 or kg CO2 / ft2)

Volume of the structural systems (m3 or ft3)

2D rendered grid layout in Revit