Motivation
In 2020, many countries, including the EU and Japan, declared their commitment to carbon neutrality by 2050. This movement has gained momentum, particularly after the COVID-19 pandemic, with over 100 countries now involved. Despite the significant CO2 emissions of the concrete sector, concrete remains an essential material for human prosperity. To achieve sustainability goals, the world will require concrete structures with minimal CO2 emissions in the near future. Clients and taxpayers may begin to demand that designers, constructors, and owners quantify the CO2 emissions of their projects properly. In this context, the fib must be prepared to lead the change in the structural concrete community. It is essential that the fib shares its knowledge and provides proper methodological approaches to enable a reliable assessment of the environmental impact of concrete structures.
Scope and objective of technical work
To achieve its goal, the SAG will focus on three objectives:
- Establishing a comprehensive database of environmental impact data for structural materials used in concrete structures. The SAG will prioritize data related to the construction stage, but will also develop a strategy to manage data from the operational and maintenance stages, as well as the dismission stage. The data platform will need to be continuously maintained by collecting new data and updating existing data, with a focus on different lifecycle stages in different geographical areas. The SAG will source this data from manufacturers, designers, associations, and other institutions.
- Defining a reliable methodological approach to support designers in quantifying the environmental impact of concrete structure projects. The methodology will be based on LCA principles and focus on the requirements and performance of structures. The approach will be easily implementable and usable in the design process, with a common set of indicators and proper metrics established to compare data and allow for the definition of benchmarks. The methodology may also identify a Product Category Rule, according to the ISO 14000 series, to enable designers to produce EPDs for individual concrete structures.
- Identifying the best tools and knowledge to guide the decision-making process towards optimal structural solutions in terms of environmental impact while still satisfying expected structural and functional performances. The SAG will suggest proper optimization strategies and procedures and identify best practices for different structures, in various market conditions and geographical areas.
Commission Chair
Deputy Chair
Figure 1. Timeframe for carbon neutrality by 2050.
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TG.SAG.1 - fib Database
The TG.SAG.1 aim to establish a comprehensive database of environmental impact data for structural materials used in concrete structures. The TG.SAG.1 will prioritize data related to the construction stage, but it will also develop a strategy to manage data from the operational and maintenance stages, as well as the dismission stage. The data platform will need to be continuously maintained by collecting new data and updating existing data, with a focus on different lifecycle stages in different geographical areas. The TG.SAG.1 will source this data from manufacturers, designers, associations, and other institutions.
First name Last name Country Affiliation Costantino Menna Italy University of Naples Federico II David Fernández-Ordóñez Switzerland fib Domenico Asprone Italy University of Naples Federico II Kasperi Pirttikoski Finland Ramboll Finland Ruben Paul Borg Malta University of Malta Chiara Passoni Italy University of Bergamo Elisabetta Palumbo Italy - -
TG. SAG.2 - Sustainable Concrete Structures
The TG.SAG.2 aims to contribute to global carbon neutrality by 2050 through the further development of design practices for concrete structures. The objectives of TG.SAG.2 are:
- Identifying the best practices and optimal structural solutions in terms of environmental impact, fit for various market conditions and geographical areas, while exploring a full range of material, structural, and technological innovations to enhance the sustainability of concrete structures.
- Enabling performance-based design of sustainable structures in a life cycle perspective and consistently implementing the fib Model Code safety philosophy across a wide range of innovative solutions
- Identifying the best tools to guide the decision-making process towards optimal structural solutions in terms of environmental impact, while meeting the desired structural, functional, and economic performance requirements
Through the dissemination of best practices and methodologies, we aim to facilitate knowledge exchange and foster collaboration among stakeholders in the construction industry. Through enabling performance-based design of concrete structures, we will offer a more rational, efficient, and tailored approach to structural engineering, enabling designers to customize the design objectives based on the specific needs of the structure and its intended use. Through integrating multiple aspects of sustainability into the decision-making process, we will guide designers towards optimal structural solutions that minimize negative environmental consequences while meeting the necessary structural, functional and economic performance criteria. Ultimately, this will empower industry stakeholders to embrace innovative solutions for concrete structures and enable the collective commitment of industry professionals towards the goal of creating sustainable concrete structures that contribute to a more sustainable built environment.
The TG.SAG.2 is complementary to TG.SAG.1 and will carry out its work in a collaborative process involving all relevant fib Commissions and Task Group. Additionally, interaction will be sought with the relevant expert groups within RILEM and JCSS, and the outcomes of TG.SAG.2 activities will be shared with GLOBE (Global Consensus on Sustainability in the Built Environment).
First name Last name Country Affiliation Agnieszka Bigaj-van Vliet Netherlands TNO - Buildings, Infrastructures and Maritime David Fernández-Ordóñez Switzerland fib Kasperi Pirttikoski Finland Ramboll Finland Ruben Paul Borg Malta University of Malta Petr Hajek Czech Republic Czech Technical University in Prague Beatrice Belletti Italy Univ. degli Studi di Parma - Engineering and Architecture Marco Davolio Italy Politecnico di Milano Davide diSumma Belgium Ghent University Liberato Ferrara Italy Politecnico di Milano Domenico Asprone Italy University of Naples Federico II Karen Scrivener Switzerland EPFL Giovanni Plizzari Italy University of Brescia Diego Lorenzo Allaix Netherlands TNO Neitherlands Akio Kasuga Japan Sumitomo Mitsui Construction Co., Ltd Albert De la Fuente Spain Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya Arianna Minoretti Norway Statens vegvesen Carola K. Edvardsen Denmark Cowi AS Francesca Marsili Germany Helmut-Schmidt-University/ University of the Federal Armed Forces Hamburg Irene Josa United Kingdom University College London (UCL) Jean Michel Torrenti France Univ Gustave Eiffel Marco di Prisco Italy Politecnico di Milano Michael Haist Germany Leibniz Universität Hannover Robby Caspeele Belgium Ghent University Søren Hansen Denmark COWI SA Stefanie Von Greve-Dierfeld Switzerland TFB Technology and Research for Concrete Structures Stuart Matthews United Kingdom Matthews Consulting Sylvia Kessler Germany Helmut-Schmidt-University/ University of the Federal Armed Forces Hamburg Tomas Plauska Netherlands Consolis Venkataramana Heggade India Indian National Academy of Engineers ab van den bos Netherlands NLyse Harald Müller Germany SMP Ingenieure im Bauwesen GmbH Jan Bujnak Slovakia Peikko Group José Campos e Matos Portugal University of Minho Jörg Unger Germany Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung, BAM Alessandra Marini Italy University of Bergamo Alfred Strauss Austria BOKU University Cyrille Dunant United Kingdom Cambridge University Davide Lavorato Italy Università Roma Tre, Italia Konrad Bergmeister Austria Univ. Bodenkultur Ladin Camci United Kingdom CARES (Certification Authority for Reinforcing Steels) Patrizia Bernardi Italy University of Parma Simone Spagnuolo Italy University of Rome "Tor Vergata" Simone Stürwald Switzerland Private Tor Martius-Hammer Norway SINTEF AS Jaime Gálvez Ruiz Spain Universidad Politecnica de Madrid Andrew Minson United Kingdom GCCA Vanderley John Brazil USP Chiara Passoni Italy University of Bergamo Alice Sirico Italy - Giovanni Muciaccia Italy Politecnico di Milano Vazul Boros Germany AIT Austrian Institute of Technology Rebecca Ammann Switzerland - Adriano Reggia Italy - Alberto Meda Italy University of Rome “Tor Vergata” Camillo Nuti Italy Università degli Studi Roma Tre David Ruggiero Switzerland EPFL ENAC Elisabete Teixeira Portugal - Fabrizio Moro Switzerland - Fatemeh Jalayer Italy University of Naples Federico II Francesco Romeo Italy - Giulio Zani Italy Politecnico di Milano Jochen Köhler Norway NTNU Martin Cyr France Université de Toulouse Paolo Negro Italy European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) Rebecca Gravina Australia The University of Queensland Rob Vergoossen Netherlands Royal HaskoningDHV Silvia SANTINI Italy - Stephen Foster Australia UNSW Australia Tamon Ueda China Shenzhen University Thomas Blanksvärd Sweden - Vittoria Borghese Italy Università degli studi roma tre Elisabetta Margiotta Nervi Belgium Fondation Pier Luigi Nervi Jaakko Yrjölä Finland Peikko Martin Poljansek Italy Joint Research Centre in Ispra Matteo Spada Switzerland ZHAW Matthieu Bertin Ireland Ecocem Auli Lastunen Finland - Ramon Hingorani Norway SINTEF Eline Vereecken Belgium Hasselt University
Convener
Convener
| First name | Last name | Country | Affiliation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Domenico | Asprone | Italy | University of Naples Federico II |
| David | Fernández-Ordóñez | Switzerland | fib |
| Kasperi | Pirttikoski | Finland | Ramboll Finland |
| Camillo | Nuti | Italy | Università degli Studi Roma Tre |
| Sylvia | Kessler | Germany | Helmut-Schmidt-University/ University of the Federal Armed Forces Hamburg |
| Akio | Kasuga | Japan | Sumitomo Mitsui Construction Co., Ltd |
| Albert | De la Fuente | Spain | Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya |
| Ladin | Camci | United Kingdom | CARES (Certification Authority for Reinforcing Steels) |
| Agnieszka | Bigaj-van Vliet | Netherlands | TNO - Buildings, Infrastructures and Maritime |
| Jaime | Gálvez Ruiz | Spain | Universidad Politecnica de Madrid |
| Stefanie | Von Greve-Dierfeld | Switzerland | TFB Technology and Research for Concrete Structures |
| Simone | Stürwald | Switzerland | Private |
| Liberato | Ferrara | Italy | Politecnico di Milano |
| Tor | Martius-Hammer | Norway | SINTEF AS |
| Venkataramana | Heggade | India | Indian National Academy of Engineers |
| Fulvio | Parisi | Italy | University of Naples Federico II |
| Costantino | Menna | Italy | University of Naples Federico II |
| Tomas | Plauska | Netherlands | Consolis |
| Fabrizio | Moro | Switzerland | - |
| Adriano | Reggia | Italy | - |
| Silvia | SANTINI | Italy | - |
| Patrizia | Bernardi | Italy | University of Parma |
| Beatrice | Belletti | Italy | Univ. degli Studi di Parma - Engineering and Architecture |
| Ruben Paul | Borg | Malta | University of Malta |
| ab | van den bos | Netherlands | NLyse |
| Harshavardhan | Subbarao | India | Construma Consultancy Pvt. Ltd. |
| José Américo | Salvador Filho | Brazil | - |
