Building Form and Structural Strategies for Enhanced Performance - Under Review
- Title
- Building Form and Structural Strategies for Enhanced Performance - Under Review
- Abstract
-
This overview paper has made a modest attempt to examine residential building design in terms of environmental performance, adaptability, resilience, and socio-cultural outcomes, particularly in British Columbia (BC) and the Canadian context. In BC, buildings account for about 25% of provincial end-use energy and the residential sector alone contributes approximately 14%, highlighting the significant impact of early design decisions on long-term energy demand and associated greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
The study synthesizes findings from literature, mostly published between 2010 and 2025, demonstrating that compact building design can significantly minimize heating demand in cold climates, while optimized façade and natural ventilation strategies can enhance daylight performance and improve natural ventilation. The paper discusses the advantages of adaptable design, such as modular, prefabricated and demountable construction, which can minimize construction waste by 50-70% and lower lifecycle carbon impacts.
Additionally, the review discusses social, cultural, and accessibility perspectives and emphasizes the need for culturally responsive design, especially in Indigenous communities. This evaluation emphasizes the significance of conceptualizing building form as interconnected socio-technical systems. The paper discusses critical research gaps and future research opportunities in building design. It establishes a foundation for more integrated, evidence-based approaches to building design. - Contributor
- R. Kumar, E. Girgis, A. Dekin, M. Prince, T. Froese, P. Mukhopadhyaya
- Date Submitted
- 2026/03/18
- Format
- Type
- Text
- Extent
- 19 pages
- Language
- en-CA
- Identifier
- 34