ARC480H1 S
Instructor: David Bowick
Meeting Section: L0101
Winter 2025

Buildings account for roughly 40% global greenhouse gas emissions. Building structures account for a staggering 80% of that.

Structures gain their strength by quantity of materials, strength of materials and form. Acquisition of strength by addition of material or increase in material strength will generally result in higher embodied carbon. This course will explore strategies for carbon reduction through form. How can we shape a structure to minimize material use and strength demand?

We will explore this topic in a series of sections.

The first section will be an exploration of truss forms. Trusses resists forces using only axial forces which is as much as 100% more efficient that bending systems. Through a series of lectures and exercises we will seek to gain an understanding of optimization of form, appropriateness of uses in various contexts and materials.

The second section will focus on tensile structures in cable and fabrics. Tensile structures are the lightest and least carbon intensive way of spanning spaces, relying heavily on form to generate strength and achieve spanning capability. We will explore tensile forms through computer and physical models. Included in this section will be an exploration of shell structures – both grid shells and concrete shells.

Recognizing that many structures require flatness for functionality, a third section will look at means of material reduction in flat structures, such as voiding and waffle systems in slabs, post-tensioning etc.

Understanding that form is part, not all, of the solution, we will engage with some guest speakers to talk about carbon reduction in building materials including steel, concrete and wood, and the SE2050 initiative to achieve zero net carbon structures by 2050.