The Built Environment

Architecture, engineering and construction affect us as individuals, as communities, as nations and as a world. Whatever the scale, the built environment needs to be economically, environmentally and socially sustainable. We seek to enable this by developing knowledge, tools and materials that enhance "triple bottom line" sustainability at all stages of a project's life. 

Our academic and research programs include Structural Engineering and Geomechanics , Architectural Design, Construction Engineering and Management, Design-Construction Integration and Sustainable Design and Construction.

Cradle-to-Cradle Design

Our built environment will be sustainable only when its social and environmental context is given rigorous attention at all stages of a project’s life from planning, design and construction to operation, demolition and reuse.

We can no longer allow short-term economic savings to override the potential social unrest of introducing new infrastructure with higher long-term fees. We can no longer believe that considering the environment means being mindful of the natural habitat being displaced by a project and yet ignore resource use, emissions and landfill volume resulting from every project decision. We must improve our fragmented understanding of the interactions between the built environment and its natural, social and economic contexts.

Impact

Through partnerships with industry, utilities, non-profits and governmental agencies, our research insights and the technologies we devise are frequently applied in practice.

Current projects include work on new structural methods that are reshaping building codes in earthquake-prone areas; software tools for managing massive construction projects; novel zero-energy water treatment systems for developing nations; and a new generation of rapidly recyclable building materials that are made from reused waste.