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Thornton Tomasetti launches first-of-its-kind carbon measuring tool
Thornton Tomasetti, the
international engineering firm, has launched Beacon, an embodied carbon
measurement tool poised to change the way structural engineers understand and
manage embodied carbon optimization.
The tool – a first-of-its-kind
– gives users the ability to measure embodied carbon, allowing for more
informed decisions throughout the design process.
Beacon is being introduced
after a three-year research and development process led by Thornton Tomasetti’s
CORE studio, a firm-wide virtual incubator focused on innovation through
computational modeling and research.
The tool is a sophisticated
Autodesk Revit plugin that generates a data visualization of a project’s
embodied carbon.
Beacon provides data in a
manner similar to the engineer’s thought process, providing a clear
visualization of a project’s embodied carbon quantities by material type,
building element and floor levels, allowing engineers to know exactly where
embodied carbon can be minimized for optimization.
It also grades the model’s
embodied carbon levels against the Carbon Leadership Forum’s database of models
by building type using a red, yellow, and green rating system.
“Thornton Tomasetti continues
to lead the industry’s efforts on efficient and environmentally conscious
designs,” said Robert Otani, principal and chief technology officer at Thornton
Tomasetti. “We decided to make Beacon an open-source and easy-to-use tool, so
it can be shared at a global scale. We hope this unique and comprehensive tool
will push the industry forward into developing innovative strategies that
result in more sustainable and efficient structures.”
Beacon’s launch follows
Thornton Tomasetti’s November release of results from its multi-year embodied
carbon measurement study.
The study focused on
identifying the type of structures, materials and components with the highest
carbon emissions.
“The built environment is
estimated to be responsible for about 40 percent of global greenhouse gas
emissions when building materials are factored in,” said Amy Seif Hattan, corporate
responsibility officer at Thornton Tomasetti. “Therefore, it is up to us to
help effect change.
“Beacon will help
structural engineers address embodied carbon in new construction. It will
also be extremely valuable to measure progress toward the Carbon
Leadership Forum’s Structural Engineers 2050 Challenge’s primary goal of zero
carbon buildings by 2050.”
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