Northeastern University
Simpson Gumpertz & Heger
Project Description
Concrete and its steel reinforcement contribute to a substantial 50% of embodied carbon emissions in typical high-rise commercial building . Substituting concrete diaphragms with lighter alternatives, such as cross-laminated timber (CLT), holds potential for significantly reducing embodied carbon emissions. This reduction extends beyond mitigating emissions from concrete, steel rebar, and corrugated decking, as it also results in a decreased floor load, consequently lightening the steel frame's weight. The utilization of CLT diaphragms not only lessens carbon emissions but also allows for extended periods of carbon storage. Opting for steel framing with CLT diaphragms (Steel+CLT), rather than an entirely mass timber structure, emerges as the most promising and realistic approach to swiftly achieve net-zero buildings on a consequential scale by 2050. The pivotal consideration lies in designing systems with durable, deconstructable, and fully reusable components.
Principal Investigator
- Prof. Jerome F. Hajjar, Northeastern University