A recent project study commissioned by StrongForce for the Bvlgari Hotel & Residences concluded that by adopting a post tension system in comparison to the original conventionally reinforced design for the 80,000m2 structure will save 3,807 tonnes of carbon emissions (CO2e).

To quantify this figure to a comparable contributor of CO2 emissions, one car emits 5 tonnes of CO2e on average per year. This means by introducing the post tension system, the saving in CO2e would be equal to taking over 760 cars off the road for an entire year.

The above study was based on U.S.A. EPA emissions factors for concrete and BREAM (UK equivalent of LEED) emissions factors for steel, which specify a CO2e reduction of 0.3 tonne per m3 for concrete and 1.009 tonne per tonne for steel respectively. StrongForce were able to reduce over 4,800 m3 of concrete (18.57% reduction) and over 2,300 tonne of steel (54.98% reduction). The study also considered the additional post tension steel components when formulating the material reductions.

With an ever increasing demand from clients to push the envelope for greener and cleaner building technology, the above study confirms that by implementing post tensioning on commercial size structures the projects carbon footprint is reduced significantly due to the far superior and slender design of the concrete framework and the associated structural steel products installed inside of it.