The Lark: reducing carbon emissions through collaboration and good relationships – a model for everyday concrete frames

Multistorey concrete-framed residential buildings are a common choice for developers because of their strength, durability, inherent fire resistance, design flexibility, and cost-effectiveness. However, with concrete accounting for a significant portion of global carbon emissions, engineers have a responsibility to both minimise concrete volumes and reduce the carbon intensity of concrete mixes to deliver a sustainable solution. In this article, Peyrouz Modarres of Walsh describes the consultant's approach to the engineering design of The Lark, a multistorey residential project at Nine Elms, London. The article examines the optioneering process through which the grid and slab thicknesses were optimised to reduce the embodied carbon of the sub- and superstructure, collaboration with the contractor over the concrete specification, and the benefits that a trusted relationship with the client brought to the project.