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Being sober. And, thinking backwards!

Being sober. And, thinking backwards!

First, thank you to the editors of Archicomm, that in the last issue of this year, I am allowed, just like that, to commit my thoughts to paper - and thus to you! - may entrust! I am happy about that. These musings I would like to share with YOU: let's not wait any longer with changes that we can already apply now. Our industry can work much more sustainably without immediate consequences for its own operations. 

And, don't wait for the other person. You - as a structural engineer or designer - can just take the lead and lead the way. Because, I want to talk to you - as I said - about sustainability and circularity. In fact, don't we already agree that we should just use fewer materials and resources?

A few practical examples below. You may also consider them as tips:

1. Create at least 250 mm space between the top of the frame recess and the floor. This way you do not have to place a lintel above the frame and the casement wall will have this function. You can take this into account as a designer: faster assembly with fewer lintels. This applies to openings up to about 2500 mm.

2. You can also have a wall act as a wall girder imposed on the house separating walls. This avoids loads on the floor. This can then be dimensioned to normal thickness. In short ... a saving!

3. If we replace reinforced wide slab floors with prestressed hollow-core slabs, we save concrete and steel. The channels require less concrete and the prestressing requires less steel.

4. We know that a structural floor should be able to last 200 years but an installation maybe 25 years at the most. This means that we have to deal with the installation in a (new) building differently at the design stage. When designing, you should divide the floor into two parts: a structural layer and an installation layer. When the installation is replaced, the structural floor remains and only the part where the installations sat (or: sit) is replaced.

5. Ultimately, as a designer, you have to be able to design holistically. Putting two or three random floor plans on top of each other is out of date. It's all about adding up the whole. Therefore, a few small concessions need not be negative at all, but can save you materials, especially when it comes to stability.

6. A structural engineer knows that stability is important, but application of a compression layer should not be automatic. A braced framework and who knows if there are other options?


In short, shall we have a little more focus on the end result? Before we start building, we should think about how to disassemble the building, when the time comes again. Demolition should become disassembly. If we do that, we can make a better and smarter construction start. Just be a little down-to-earth. And think backwards. 

Johan Oltvoort is director/owner at Olbecon BV, a supplier of concrete floor and wall solutions.

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