Sustainable design often incorporates high performance architectural and mechanical systems, but what is a high performance building from a structural standpoint, and how does it fit within the context of sustainable design?  As more federal, state, and local governmental agencies, building owners, and the general public are now requiring or favoring buildings that  incorporate sustainable design practices, it is important that engineers understand their role as a proactive member on the sustainable design team.  Responding to these demands will be good for our standards of practice, good for our environment, and perhaps most importantly, good for our businesses.

Structural engineering can incorporate sustainable design in many areas: judicious and selective use of materials, resourceful use and application of structural systems, and provisions for future adaptability of the buildings that are designed today.  Material selection can be optimized, and recycled, reclaimed or salvaged materials can be used.  Structural design that considers the future adaptability and eventual deconstruction of a building increases the likelihood that the building’s life will be extended and that the components can be reused in another form.  Collaboration with other design professional is critical to the structural engineer's successful role on a project. Understanding lighting, stacking, thermal mass, cooling and heat gain strategies enables the structural engineer to anticipate and respond to these issues in the building structure.  

Additionally, the performance, reliability, and reparability of structures and their contents subjected to natural disasters is a key consideration that is often ignored in sustainable design.  However, the structural performance of a building has far reaching effects for the life cycle performance and embodied energy of all of the building’s systems.  This presentation will discuss "best practices" for the sustainable structural engineer and offer examples that illustrate how to incorporate them into your practice.

Erik Kneer, SE, LEED AP is a Project Engineer for Degenkolb Engineers and chair of the Structural Engineers Association of California's (SEAOC) Sustainable Design Committee where he has co-authored two papers on the engineer's role in sustainability: "Structural Engineering Strategies for Sustainable Design" and "Consideration of Building Performance in Sustainable Design: A Structural Engineer's Role". Publications also include “Disaster Resilience as Sustainable Design”, published in Structural Engineer Magazine in 2008. He received his Bachelor's Degree in Architectural Engineering from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, and a Master's Degree in Structural Engineering and Geomechanics from Stanford University. With over 10 years experience in the A/E/C industry, he has focused on providing structural engineering solutions incorporating sustainable design and integrated practice.