|
By Terry D. Bennett, PLS, LLS, LPF, LEED AP
In the first two articles in this series, I discussed what sustainability is, why it’s important to civil engineers, and how a recent process development known as building information modeling (BIM) has enabled engineers to practice it in their design efforts leveraging rich models. I then went into specific detail about how BIM has impacted several key aspects of civil engineering design, including water, wind power, sewer, energy and materials, and waste and along the way, touched on several ways that incorporating more sustainable design practices could help your practice reap substantial business benefits. In this final installment, I’ll explore those benefits in greater detail.
The Business Benefits of Sustainability
Across the country and around the world, more and more businesses, municipalities, states, and countries are requiring design professionals to incorporate the principles of sustainable design into their projects. In order for their efforts to be most successful, civil engineers must think sustainably early in the project—before making key design decisions and I would argue you need to go into the project thinking sustainability at the outset even before you begin planning. Today’s BIM solutions offer powerful 3D design applications linked with analysis, simulation and visualization software along with web services. Using these tools in concert, engineers can design, analyze, and quickly revise based upon almost immediate feedback from the analysis tools. This process enables them to optimize their designs for sustainability much faster than traditional methods allow or in some cases could not have been done due to complexity.
 Image courtesy of Autodesk. Figure 1: Triple Bottom Line for Sustainability.
As world population continues to grow, the need for sustainable design will increase dramatically, especially from civil engineers, whose work impacts public health, security, the environment, and basic human services—such as water, wastewater, energy, and transportation—in a way matched by few other professions. Civil engineers who wish to thrive and prosper in the 21st century must incorporate sustainability [Figure 1] into all aspects of their work and their business culture, including training existing staff and hiring others who also understand this direction.
Yet, mandates and moral imperatives mean nothing if you have no practical—and affordable—way to put them into practice. Yes, sustainable design is possible using traditional 2D methods. But on the scales involved today—and in a shaky economy—these older methods are more than just slow, they are also not “intelligent” the way that 3D modeling is and therefore, too expensive and impractical.
That’s why it’s so important to spread the word about BIM. Information stored in a model is consistent, reliable, coordinated, and includes rich data. It makes sustainable design practical, affordable, and far more effective. Everyone who works in the industry—from civil engineers, surveyors and architects to regulatory agencies and politicians—as well as the general public must begin to understand the tremendous benefits sustainable civil engineering design offers to many of the environmental challenges we face today. These benefits include:
|
