ABSTRACT
Integrated structural design provides methods and methodologies for structural design to meet the requirements of sustainable development during the entire service life of structures, and thus to achieve a good life cycle quality. A number of general principles, and assessment and analysis methods, which serve as a basis for development of integrated life cycle design already exist. In ISO 14001 and 14004 the principle of a continued improvement process to achieve improvements in overall environmental performance is expressed. In life cycle design, analysis and design are expanded into two economic areas: financial and ecological. Generally speaking, the results of comparisons as regards ecological requirements, lead to the conclusion that differences between different materials and structural solutions during the construction phase are quite small. Heat energy consumption can be modelled as a function of the thermal insulation factors of the building envelope, interior ventilation and air leakage flow through the envelope.
