Soft Concrete: Rethinking artificial rock through computational design and construction, material composition and thermodynamic gradients

What if our buildings, instead of producing 30% of the world’s carbon emissions, could act as a carbon sink? Soft Concrete aims to rethink concrete in the built environment. The goal of this study is to explore sustainable alternatives to concrete, one of the largest sources of carbon in modern construction, but to retain the fundamental principles and methodology of prefabrication in a precast concrete facility. The study uses research calculating embodied carbon (carbon produced during the life cycle of a material) to guide the design and construction of a celestial observation structure on the Eastern Shore of Nova Scotia, Canada. With a focus on local organic materials, we aim to create regionally appropriate alternatives to the carbon intensive construction industry in Canada.

Faculty Supervisor:

James Forren

Student:

Partner:

Canadian Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute

Discipline:

Engineering

Sector:

Construction; New and Digital Media; Sustainability & the Environment

University:

Dalhousie University

Program: