Whole-of-System Thinking for Sustainable Construction - Prof Rebecca Gravina

Prof Rebecca Gravina examined decarbonisation from a material-agnostic perspective, comparing timber and concrete systems. She emphasised that decarbonisation cannot be achieved through any single material but requires a holistic lifecycle approach that considers durability, maintenance, end-of-life scenarios, and economic drivers. The presentation showcased the promise of hybrid construction systems that combine timber with other materials to optimise structural performance while reducing carbon emissions, and stressed the importance of cross-material collaboration and system-level thinking.