COMMITTED TO A GREENER BUILD.
We are committed to helping our project partners arrive at cost-effective design solutions that employ sustainable design practices – whether aiming for specific certifications such as LEED® Design or the Living Building Pilot Program, or simply helping to make this planet a little bit greener… DCI is here for you.
Below are a few ways we help our clients achieve their sustainability goals:
DCI's Sustainability Services
• Schematic Structural Life Cycle Assessment
Our team explores environmental impacts for consideration during the structural system comparison and selection process.
• Structural Life Cycle Assessment Design Coordination
We can track & optimize environmental impacts throughout the structural design process, assist with reduced carbon material procurement and coordinate structural LCA results with the project’s sustainability consultant.
• Structure & Enclosure Life Cycle Assessment
Our services also include green building rating system documentation & coordination including, but not limited to, LEED, ILFI, Green Globes, and AEGB.
• Embodied Carbon and Structural Sustainability Education
Contact the team for our official AIA-approved presentation, which is tailored to audience levels of experience and interests.
Click through DCI’s Embodied Carbon Action Plan and Sustainability Brochure below for a deeper dive on our efforts and expertise!
SUSTAINABILITY SERVICES
DCI Engineers is a trusted sustainability partner, offering both experience and the latest tools to leverage material optimization, cost savings and carbon reduction on projects across the country. Our technical experts utilize OneClickLCA, TallyLCA, Athena, EC3 and other programs that are tailored to meet project goals with amazing collaboration capabilities – creating a seamless workflow for any sustainability project effort!
• Discuss rating systems and applicable registrations
• Define building performance criteria
• Establish sustainability goals with team
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• Consider opportunities for material reuse
• Research structural and enclosure system options
• Select system that most aligns with sustainability, performance, cost and versatility goals
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• Investigate impact hot spots with LCA
• Perform structural and envelope optimization studies to reduce material and impacts
• Develop specifications & collaborate with contractor to consider low-impact alternatives
Reuse of existing structure (15-80% reduction in GWP)
Reuse of existing enclosure (5-25% reduction in GWP)
Optimize concrete mix design (10-30% reduction in GWP)
Mass timber design alternatives (25-50% reduction in GWP)
Utilizing high strength rebar (25% reduction in GWP/ton)
• Coordinate with material suppliers to optimize final structural and enclosure designs
• Review detailing for further material reduction and adaptability or deconstruction considerations
• Assist contractor with holistic bidding process and track alongside sustainability goals
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• Review submittals for further material reduction opportunities
• Collect EPDs and track alongside sustainability goals
• Share final results and lessons learned with team
Early-stage design decisions have the highest potential to reduce the environmental impacts project.