Case Studies and Decarbonisation

Designing buildings with decarbonisation in mind has become a critical focus in both higher education institutes and further education buildings. The fabric and form of education buildings should be designed to inspire the minds of our future generations. This session will present research and show example pathways towards net zero in higher education buildings. The work is presented through a whole life carbon lens, highlighting the importance of design when targeting a balance between operational efficiency and material sufficiency. Insights into material selection and detailed design are presented for embodied carbon reduction and circular economy enablement, while a combination of research and experience is used to explain the holistic approach to operational carbon. This session will also include a representative from the Netherland Universities sector to share knowledge and case studies. Within discussion, there will be identification of transferable lessons from the Netherlands and identifying ways of engaging students in decarbonisation.