How can thoughtful design shape resilient futures?

From concept to construction to operation, every decision made benefits both people and the planet. Key principles guiding the design of sustainable structures include:

Early-stage decisions are especially critical. Choices made during concept design, such as orientation, structural systems and material selection, can significantly influence sustainability outcomes. For example, GHD’s work on the Barwon Water headquarters in Victoria, Australia, embedded passive design and renewable energy strategies from the outset, resulting in a building that is both efficient and community-focused.

Instead of demolishing the headquarters’ two original brutalist buildings, we adopted a regenerative design that preserved and repurposed the structures, linking them with a central atrium to enhance daylight, ventilation and community interaction. Sustainable features like solar panels, rainwater reuse, adaptable workspaces and a high-performance façade, combined with passive design and local materials, significantly reduced embodied carbon and highlighted the long-term environmental and social benefits of early design decisions.

Assessing how sustainable a structure is involves a mix of environmental, social and performance metrics. Common indicators include:

• Embodied carbon: Measured using tools like OneClick LCA, EC3 or Tally
• Material efficiency: Ratio of structural material to usable area
• Life cycle assessment: Evaluating environmental impact across design, construction, use and end-of-life
• Durability index: Comparing predicted service life to design life
• Circularity score: Measuring reusability and recyclability of components
• Construction waste reduction: Percentage of waste diverted from landfill
• Accessibility: Making spaces usable by everyone
• Safety: Implementing strong safety standards
• Community resilience: Designing adaptable spaces to support communities in changing situations

These KPIs are often aligned with certifications such as LEED, BREEAM, Green Star and the WELL Building Standard. For instance, our involvement in San Francisco’s first WELL-certified building helped balance daylight access, air quality and energy use, setting a new benchmark for workplace design.

ISO and the GHG Protocol have formed a strategic partnership to create unified global standards for greenhouse gas emissions reporting. This initiative promises to standardise metrics like embodied carbon, especially impacting sustainability in structural design.

Regional factors play a major role in shaping sustainability strategies too. Climate, seismic activity and local regulations all influence design choices. This philosophy shaped our approach to NZ1 in Masdar City, UAE — a net-zero energy building designed to endure harsh desert conditions while remaining efficient and comfortable.

Risk and resilience are essential in seismic zones. Structures must not only withstand earthquakes but also continue functioning after one occurs. The goal is not to rebuild after an earthquake but to maintain functionality with minimal retrofitting. Key concepts include:

• Fragility curves: Graphs that show how likely a building is to be damaged during an earthquake, based on its design and materials
• Redundancy: Incorporating backup systems and alternative load paths so that if one part fails, others can take over and the structure remains safe
• Post-disaster functionality: The ability of a building to keep operating and provide essential services after an earthquake
• Operational continuity: Making sure that critical systems like power, water and emergency services stay available during and after a disaster
• Resilience planning: Preparing for hazards by including strategies such as rapid repairs, flexible spaces and strong infrastructure to minimise downtime and support quick recovery

These measures prepare communities so that they can maintain vital services and recover faster after a seismic event.

Digital tools are transforming how sustainability is analysed. BIM-integrated platforms, energy simulation software and lifecycle assessment tools allow teams to model performance, test scenarios and make informed decisions. These technologies are becoming standard practice, helping designers quantify impact and optimise outcomes.

Designing sustainable structures means making thoughtful choices that support environmental, social and economic goals. It starts with clear principles and early collaboration, continues through rigorous evaluation and regional adaptation, and is accelerated by digital innovation. When sustainability is embedded from the beginning, it leads to buildings that are efficient and resilient.