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In present trends of global warming, depletion of natural resources, increase of carbon emissions and many more reasons, the term ‘sustainability’ has come into major prominence. The key word sustainability and its importance have been utilized in every branch of science and engineering. In construction industry, use of sustainable materials and practices had started in each and every aspect. Many materials had been developed for sustainability and steel is one which has major advantages. Steel construction, by now is considered as sustainable construction which includes sustainable design, construction phase, operations and maintenance and end of life.

Steel is one of the most widely used construction materials, due to its versatility and excellent mechanical properties. It provides strength and a high loading capacity, while also having flexibility and ductility. Steel can bend without cracking and can also handle great force without sudden failure, providing more time to react during emergencies.

In addition to its beneficial properties as a construction material, steel also reduces construction waste. Once the steel manufacturing process has been completed, it can be recycled continuously without losing quality. Even when steel production consumes plenty of resources and energy, its durability minimizes the environmental impact in the long run. Simply choosing steel as a construction material enables specifiers to deliver unrivalled sustainability performance – for life, and for all its subsequent lives.

Sustainable qualities of steel:

High strength-to-weight ratio

Steel’s inherent strength-to-weight ratio is exploited in resource efficient structures and buildings. Long-span steel solutions create open, column-free space that is flexible to changes in building use. Service integration within the structural depth of steel frames not only reduces cladding cost and heat loss through the envelope, but can also enable additional floors to be constructed in multi-storey buildings.

Multicycling

Steel can be reused and recycled repeatedly without ever losing its qualities as a construction material. This unique characteristic gives all steel a high economic value at all stages of its life cycle which, unlike some other construction materials, ensures that it is routinely recovered and reused. It can be recycled at any point of its service life, even in small scraps. Recycling steel eliminates waste and avoids the environmental impacts associated with producing new products from virgin sources. The magnetic properties of steel simplify recycling, since it can be easily separated from waste.

Adaptable

Significant environmental damage can be caused at the end of a building’s life when it has to be demolished and its materials scrapped. Steel-framed buildings, however, do not decay, and are easily adaptable if the configuration of the building needs to change. The ability of steel to bridge long spans means that steel buildings contain large open-plan spaces which are easily reconfigured with partition walls. The steel frame itself can be adapted, with parts added or taken away, and its light weight means that extra floors can often be added without overloading existing foundations.

Reusable

Reuse is the best form of recycling as little or no additional energy is required for reprocessing. The durability of steel also allows it to be reused of numerous products, which is enhanced through proper design. The reuse of steels extends the product life cycle and hence conserves resources. Components for steel construction such as roofing materials, wall elements, and structural beams are reused and increasingly being designed for reuse.

Demountable

Entire steel structures can be fully dismantled and reconstructed in a different location in a matter of days, without creating any dust and dirt, and very little noise. This demountable capability is inherent in a steel building – it doesn’t need to be specially designed in and rarely requires any extra provision in the construction process. Constructing a building from a demounted structure is one of the most sustainable ways of creating a ‘new’ building.

Fast

The speed of steel construction has made it the framing material of choice for the construction sector. A shorter construction programme reduces disruption and disturbance around the site. Steel is relatively clean and quiet to erect, and requires few site deliveries. Speed of construction delivers an economic benefit too, which is fundamental to sustainable development. The shorter on-site period reduces the cost of preliminaries, reduces the period of financing and delivers a building that is operational faster – providing a quicker return from rent or sale.

Manufactured off-site

One of the main advantages of constructional steelwork is offsite manufacture, which is more efficient, faster and safer than traditional site construction. All steel construction products rely on offsite manufacture, from standard structural sections to fully fitted-out steel modules, all of which are made offsite and delivered to site pre-engineered and quality assured. The benefits include enhanced quality control, dimensional accuracy, reduced construction time on site and overall programme savings. Environmentally, offsite construction generates less waste and also creates less noise and disruption for local residents. There are also social benefits connected with offsite construction, as a permanent and stable factory workforce will benefit and contribute to the local community.

Safe

Industry surveys consistently demonstrate that steel is the safest construction material. Components are fabricated offsite in a safe, controlled factory environment. From here they are delivered to site and erected by a small number of skilled personnel. There is minimal requirement for on-site cutting or adjustment, and no need for the time-consuming and potentially hazardous shuttering and handling operations associated with other construction materials.

Low waste

Steel always has a value and is only ever sent to landfill as a last resort. Waste generation is one of the least sustainable aspects of construction. Choosing a steel-framed building is the simplest and most effective way to reduce waste. Even during steel manufacture and fabrication, any swarf or offcuts are recovered and recycled in the steelmaking process.