Edited IMRAD Synthesis #1

Sustainable design has grown to become a powerful influence in the engineering field. The aim
of sustainable design is the ability to produce places, products and services in a way that reduces use of
non-renewable resources, minimizes environmental impact, and relates people with the natural
environment (Engineering Your Future). Its impact on structural design in the field has begun to change
the way engineers look at the future of engineering. Stephen H. Lucy, a professional engineer at JQ Civil
Engineering firm, found that there is an increased demand by industries and society to create greater
efficiencies. In an effort to establish a greater magnitude of sustainable design in today's society, the
operations and construction during the planning and designing processes needs to be explored. New
methods and innovations are the key factors to developing a more viable society. From minimizing
materials and waste to incorporating environmentally friendly alternatives in design plans, structural
engineers are working to influence the subject.
According to Danatzko and Sezen, civil engineering researchers at Ohio State University, the
goal of sustainable structural design is the production of a structural system that meets the needs of the
owner and user while minimizing the environmental impact and conserving resources where possible
(186). Structural engineers are working to develop innovative methods to address the environmental
impact, energy and material use, and other sustainability issues faced during the planning and design of
buildings. Current ways of thinking and designing dont incorporate the conditions necessary to be
sustainable. There are a variety of methods used to reach the goal of sustainable design. Studies suggest
that the relationship between the conditions of sustainability and the ultimate sustainable design is vague
due to the fact that it cannot entirely be measured. The application of any method depends on the specific
designs objective and limitations to which it is applied.
A vast amount of focus is placed on the idea of green design. Sustainable and green building
design work together to develop effective ways of reusing energy and materials to produce
environmentally efficient buildings. Building with green resources is a way to produce sustainable design.
Being green within the design process integrates the utilization of solar power, reusable water, and

recycled building materials. New programs within the engineering realm , such as Leadership in Energy
and Environmental Design (LEED) and the Green Building Initiative (GBI), credit companies for using
sustainable processes and materials. Special awards are given to best in-class buildings that reach the
environmental standards and prerequisites necessary to achieve various levels of certification. This
innovative method of designing has become more mainstream in the past years, driving focus on
renewable resources. Green design reduces cost, energy expenditure, material consumption, and natural
resource exhaustion. However studies have shown that solving the problem by making only one change
has little to no significant improvement to fix the problem. Structural engineers must lead in order to
progress in the field with new ideas.