Study on Sustainable Design in Space Structures

Abstract

The sustainable design approach presented in this paper supports an increased commitment to environmental stewardship and conservation, and results in an optimal balance of cost, environmental, societal, and human benefits while meeting the mission and function of the intended space structure. The aim of this paper is to develop the guidelines that could be applied in the design of a space structure in order to achieve the optimal overall lifetime performance of the space structure. Space structures are more than inanimate hunks of metal, glass and fabric. Every space structure that we design as structural engineers is like a child—a child that is conceived with a passionate vision of its form, structure and purpose; nurtured through the schematic design phase and the development of construction documents; and cared for during the labor pains of plan check corrections, requests for information, shop drawing review, and construction observation. Like children, our space structures mature, perform necessary functions during their lives, and eventually, grow old and die. The design of a sustainable space structure is a much more challenging and cross-disciplinary process than in the past and therefore it is necessary that the space structure is viewed as an integrated system and that all members of the design team work in a fully integrated fashion.