5.01 Positive and Negative Impacts on Society and the
Environment
Major positive and negative impacts of structural systems on
society and the environment
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Positive impacts of structural systems
Negative impacts of structural systems
Impacts made by structural systems on the environment
Impacts made by structural systems on society
Expected and unexpected consequences
Impacts on either land, water, air and space
_____________________________________________________________
The impacts of structural systems are all around us from the moment we
wake up. Houses and apartments provide shelter. Offices and factories are
the workplaces for many people. Sports centers and playgrounds and parks
provide recreational outlets. Medical centers and hospitals give us medical
care. Streets and highways provide the conduit to enable many of us to
travel. Whether we are working, resting or playing all these activities
involve the use of a structural system of one form or another.
This objective (5.01) builds on Objective 1.01 to investigate the major
impacts (positive and negative) of structural systems on society and the
environment as well as the expected and unexpected consequences. Also to
be considered are the trade-offs to determine if the structural system is for
the best. One can also notice the effects of structural systems immediately
as well as long term sometimes taking years to notice the effects of structural
systems.
For example, as cities began to develop, many tended to radiate
out in an unplanned fashion. Consequently the larger cities
began to develop building codes to establish some sense of
order and management within the community. The Chicago
fire of 1871 spread rapidly throughout the city, since homes
were built very close together. The fire resulted in many
building codes being established to help prevent similar catastrophes
occurring in the future. However as the city developed, giving rise to the
skyscraper in the early 20th. Century flooding became a problem because
malls, parking lots and highways covered the soil that was normally used to
drain the rains.
5.01 Positive and Negative Impacts on Society and the
Environment
When investigating a structural systems impact analysis, students can either
undertake this as a stand-alone activity or it may be embedded within the
context of a larger project they are studying. Several different ways of
conducting the report can be undertaken but whatever method is taken, it
should cover the following steps:
 Identify the structural system
 Characterize the impacts
 Investigate the positive (desirable) and negative (undesirable) features
(planned and unplanned)
 Recommendations
 Conclusions
It is important to remember that structural systems can be used on land,
water, air and space and involves the use of several inter-acting parts to meet
a service requirement. Thus just the investigation of, say a building or
structure is insufficient since unless it includes the several human and
material systems that are also part of that structure. This can be viewed
within a systems analysis of input-process-output and feedback. When
investigating the impacts (changes) of this system there can be negative and
positive effects as well as expected and unexpected effects. For example
structures provide us with shelter from the weather and
allow us to live in a range of different climates.
However as these structures become grouped together
as towns and cities they may also develop challenges
like pollution and sprawl. It is hoped that as students
investigate the impacts of structural systems in a
systematic way they will be able to evaluate the range
of impacts such a system may have on society and the
environment. Note also that a structure is a single unit
such as a building, tower or monument. A structural
system also includes the many subsystems that support
the main system such as water, heat and light.
When considering society this involves the individual and communities,
when considering the environment this involves the surroundings including
the land and space occupied by these individuals and communities as well as
the whole system of plants and animals often termed the ‘natural
environment’. Sometimes the investigation into the impact of structural
systems will uncover issues that are controversial and become hard to
5.01 Positive and Negative Impacts on Society and the
Environment
establish what is ‘right’ and ‘wrong’. However the investigation should
be able to establish the main impacts, in a manner that is clearly reasoned
and evidenced. Environmental conditions vary enormously depending on a
multitude of factors that must be considered when being investigated.
The seven resources for structural systems also may need to be
considered when investigating these impacts on society and the
environment. These resources are People, Information, Materials, Tools
and Equipment, Energy, Capital and Time.
The following table is used to illustrate the impacts of structural systems.
Structural systems taxonomy of impacts
Areas Impacted
Issues
Example
Society
Road transportation
 Increase in roads to
enable travel by car
Urban renewal
 Urban renewal in
downtown areas
Environmental
Pollution
 Can increase pollution
(air, noise, chemical
etc)
Green Space
 Reduction in ‘green
Resources
space’
Habitat
 Depletion of resources
 Natural habitats of
plants and wildlife
Cultural
Residents like space
 Residents want space
Economic
Costs
 Is it affordable
Jobs
 Creation of jobs
 Lcal economic need
Political
Building Codes
 Community needs v
Publicly funded projects
property owner’s rights.
 Increase in taxes or a
bond
 Zoning laws
Ethical
Is it right/wrong
 People want jobs
5.01 Positive and Negative Impacts on Society and the
Environment
Structural systems include but are not limited
to:
Residential
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Houses (single/multifamily)

Apartments/Condominiums

Mobile Homes/Manufactured
Housing
Commercial

Banks
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Factories

Business/Government
Industrial

Factories

Foundries
Public Works/Civil Engineering

Sewage

Power plant

Hydro-electric

Bridges

Tunnels

Roads

Dams
Structural System Impact Assessment on Society and Environment
Instructions: Assess a structural system in the following areas, highlighting
major impacts. Use additional paper if necessary. Note that there are
cultural, economic and political impacts of structural systems (along with
social and environmental). These need to be assessed depending on their
respective importance under ‘other’ below.
Use the form on the following page.
5.01 Positive and Negative Impacts on Society and the
Environment
Student Name:___________________________________
Structural System: ________________________________ Date of
Assessment: ___________
Date(s) of use: _____________ Location(s) of use: __________________
Purpose of the Structural System:
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
1. Known Positive Effects
a. Social:
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
b. Environmental:
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
c. Other:
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
2. Known Negative Effects
a. Social:
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
b. Environmental:
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
c. Other:
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
5.01 Positive and Negative Impacts on Society and the
Environment
3. Unexpected Positive Effects
a. Social:
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
b. Environmental:
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
c. Other:
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
4. Unexpected Negative Effects
a. Social:
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
b. Environmental:
____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
c. Other:
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
5. Do you think the structural system has more positive or negative
impacts? Explain your answer.
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
6. Do you believe the structural system should have been constructed?
Explain your answer.
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
5.01 Positive and Negative Impacts on Society and the
Environment
7. What recommendations would you make to lessen the negative effects
of the structural system? Be specific.
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
8. What conclusion(s) can you make? Be specific.
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
Evaluation
Evaluation is based on the following criteria:
Known Positive Effects
(Social, environment and other)
0-20 points
Known Negative Effects
(Social, environment and other)
0-20 points
Unexpected Positive Effects
(Social, environment and other)
0-20 points
Unexpected Negative Effects
(Social, environment and other)
0-20 points
Recommendations and Conclusion(s)
0-20 points
Resources
RWDI Impacts of skyscrapers
http//www.rwdi.com/html/archeng/pro/highrises.asp
Architecture week, Engineers explain WTC Collapse
http://www.architectureweek.com/2002/0515/news_1-1.html