Whole-life thinking is an essential component of sustainable design. The idea is very simple: when comparing alternative designs for a construction project, don't just focus on minimising the initial investment, but select the alternative that performs best over the building's life-cycle. A durable and efficient design is often better value than lower specification alternatives that are less efficient in use, despite higher initial investment. But not always – investing more doesn't necessarily give good value. The basic principles apply equally from a CO₂-saving or a cost-effectiveness perspective.

Detailed whole-life assessment studies are likely to be carried out by specialists, but in order to interpret the results intelligently architects should understand the assumptions and limitations of whole-life assessment.

The talk gives an overview of whole-life assessment, with examples and exercises.

 

Speaker
William Fawcett, Cambridge Architectural Research Ltd