Abstract

The production of steel and concrete for construction accounts for one third of global industrial CO2 emissions. With the world-wide floor area of buildings projected to double over the next 40 years, structural engineers have the opportunity, and responsibility, to ensure that these materials are used sparingly. Most of a building’s embodied carbon exists within the structure, which is in turn dominated by the floors, making these a primary target for efficiency improvements.

This project proposes a novel concrete flooring system harnessing membrane action, rather than bending, leading to high material efficiency. Compared to traditional flat slabs, savings in weight and embodied energy of up to 60% are demonstrated.