Ron Klemencic, a director of the Charles Pankow Foundation and chief executive officer of engineering firm Magnusson Klemencic, can be reached at rklemencic@mka.com.
Sometimes the solution to a complex problem is right in front of our eyes. If we look at the issue of carbon reduction differently than we have so far, one opportunity lies in reexamining fundamental floor-loading assumptions.
Related Links: Charles Pankow Foundation's Ambitious Rebar Research Goal Pankow Foundation Whether we are architects, engineers or constructors, we're all facing an economy and environment much different than that of our predecessors. The world we're facing has many challenges. For example, the word "sustainability" wasn't even in the industry lexicon 20 years ago. Who would have thought that a ubiquitous materialsuch as portland cement, once considered harmless, would threaten the global environment because of its high energy demands and carbon footprint? And who would have considered that water, once believed to be so abundant that wasting large amounts wouldn't matter,
