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Kate Dougherty, Head of Decarbonisation and Sustainability for Building Services, is working with clients to deliver low carbon building solutions and is leading the upskilling of our Property & Building engineers and MEP teams. Here she shares her thoughts on why the construction sector needs to adopt a systems thinking approach to decarbonise effectively.

map marker United Kingdom | 23 May 2024

One of the biggest challenges in reducing carbon emissions from our buildings is to consider the complex interactions between the building, its occupants, its surroundings, and the wider environment. A linear, siloed approach to design does not capture these dynamics and may lead to suboptimal or even counterproductive outcomes, for example focusing exclusively on energy efficiency measures to the detriment of occupant comfort and embodied carbon. That is why we must adopt a systems thinking approach. One that accounts for the multiple factors and feedback loops that affect the performance of a building, and its impact within and beyond its red-line boundary.

 

Systems thinking in the context of designing sustainable buildings

Author

Kate Dougherty
Kate Dougherty
Head of Decarbonisation and Sustainability for Building Services
United Kingdom
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There are a number of specific tools and techniques associated with systems thinking. However at a philosophical level it is about taking a holistic perspective. Systems thinking views systems as interconnected and emphasises the relationships and dynamics within those systems rather than focusing solely on individual parts . It is about seeing the big picture, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts, and finding solutions that balance the many different variables that creates the desired outcomes.

In the context of designing sustainable buildings, if the outcome is to decarbonise buildings, this means looking beyond the isolated impacts of operational carbon and considering how embodied carbon, energy efficiency, health and wellbeing, indoor environment, holistic sustainability, and broader energy systems interact and influence each other. There is no one simple answer or perfect solution, but by pre-empting potential trade-offs and assessing their impacts, we can optimise designs.

Finding the optimal design solution is a balancing act

Take the example of determining the perfect amount of glazing for a building. Increasing window areas might improve daylight and hence reduce lighting energy and improve the wellbeing of occupants. However, it is also likely to increase solar gain, cooling load and heat loss, therefore increasing operational energy. The optimal design solution will balance all of these outcomes, and will be unique to the particular building and its occupants.

There are already instances of tools and methodologies being used in the industry that incorporate elements of systems thinking. The Passivhaus standard, for example, optimises the interaction between building fabric, ventilation and solar gain to improve energy efficiency. It also includes metrics for air quality, thermal comfort and acoustic comfort.

This has been implemented in the WSP designed passivhaus schools in Carmarthenshire, Wales, which not only saved carbon and energy costs, but also enhanced the indoor air quality, the students' health and wellbeing and their concentration levels.

 

Joining the dots with a multidisciplinary approach

Comprehensive, holistic systems thinking requires a joined up multidisciplinary approach, something that WSP is uniquely placed to offer.

A standout example of this is our parametric design tool Daisy, which has been developed in house through multidisciplinary collaboration in our Property and Buildings team. Daisy allows us to test thousands of combinations at the earliest stages of design, where we can have the biggest impact, to understand the interaction between architecture, structures, building services and façades.

Daisy’s multi-objective results will identify a bespoke set of options able to prioritise varying parameters, such as the amount of daylight, additional heating and cooling requirements through integrated façade and environmental simulations, as well as the overall embodied carbon of the various design permutations.

Daisy is already being used to help our clients make informed design decisions across the UK.

Embracing systems thinking allows us to move beyond isolated solutions and instead seeks comprehensive strategies that balance competing objectives. By using systems thinking, we can create buildings that are more resilient, efficient and comfortable for the people who occupy them.