When it comes to structural steel, what can’t it do?
It’s one of the strongest building materials on the planet, offers year-round protection, energy efficiency, and is pretty nice to look at (for years to come! Steel buildings don’t “age” as fast as other building materials).
While steel offers many benefits, in honour of Earth month, we want to highlight how amazingly sustainable steel truly is. From the steel-making process, all the way to your finished steel building.
DID YOU KNOW?
Structural steel is the premier green construction material.
All structural hot-rolled sections, including typical wide-flange beams and columns, are made in electric arc furnaces. This technology uses electricity to melt cars, refrigerators, decommissioned bridges, and other scrap into new steel without any loss of quality.
The average new member contains 93% recycled steel, and EAF steelmaking emits 75% less CO2 than traditional steelmaking.
Steel is the most recycled material on the planet.
Today’s modern steel mills produce steel containing an average of 90% recycled material. At the end of a building’s life cycle, 100% of the steel frame can be recycled (the current recovery rate for structural steel is 98%).
With low environmental impacts on a per-square-foot-of-construction basis, steel is the premier choice for environmentally conscious, sustainable projects.
Your first car became a skyscraper…
As structural steel is 93% recycled and 100% recyclable, it’s a material that can be circular for generations. Instead of going to the landfill or an incinerator, decommissioned bridges and buildings go right back into the supply chain to become steel again and again.
Meaning, your old fridge, washer, dryer, car – may have had a second (new) life as a bridge, building, or even a spaceship.
Other ways building with steel makes the planet happy
To boot you can also count on a low-maintenance, weathertight, energy-efficient building solution that keeps your lifetime energy and maintenance costs down – which also makes the Earth happy.
In colder climate building areas, you can insulate your steel building roof and wall panels, and add energy rated doors and windows to keep your energy costs down to a minimum.
With less energy use, damage issues, and chance of fire, pests, you catch the drift – you can also save the environment from unneeded chemical sprays, toxic smoke, rebuilds, and other high-impact resources.
So when you think of building green, think of structural steel. With all of its benefits and sustainability, it will make both you and the planet happy.
Ready to go green? Talk to us about your building project today, or get started now with a fast quote.
You can also visit us on Facebook or YouTube to see more Kodiak steel buildings in action.