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Pre-engineered steel buildings have many properties that make them environmentally desirable in our current global climate. Steel is easily recycled, has unmatched strength and durability, malleability and minimizes out-gassing. Steel can be recycled, remanufactured and lose none of its structural properties. Environmental responsibility is maintained when recycled steel is chosen as the most appropriate material to use in the building’s design application and when all construction site waste is recycled after project completion. Before analyzing the advantages of building “green,” however, it may do well to explore some fundamental facts about steel.
Although historically steel has been used extensively in the railroad and automobile industries it is making large inroads as the material of choice for modern-day building construction. Over the past twenty years cold-formed steel has seen increased usage in structural framing for both residential and commercial construction applications. For example, in certain sections of the country, like California and Hawaii, steel buildings are replacing more conventional structures because of their resistive qualities to seismic activity, high winds, insect infestations and brush fires.
There are some very basic truths about steel that are very attractive to owners, investors, and contractors alike.
A steel building is code compliant to the area in which it will be erected. Cold formed steel framing is used in numerous commercial and residential applications both single and multi-story in thousands of communities nationwide. These structures are in compliance to the International Building Code (IBC) and/or International Residential Code (IRC) as required.
Steel is manufactured nationally to very strict standards and is dimensionally stable regardless of climate. It does not contain warps, twists, or knots.
Steel is very light in weight. Steel components and members weigh less than conventional lumber of similar dimensions. This lighter weight reduces total structural loads, freighting, storage costs, and fatigue factors for the worker.
Steel is very resistant to pests and termites. All cold-formed steel components are not susceptible to the damage caused by cellulose eating insects and termites.
Steel is a noncombustible material. Steel does not burn and can be designed to meet fire rating strictures for any local building codes.
All structural components and members are installed for continuous load transfer from roof to footing.
Pre-engineered steel buildings have seen substantial growth in popularity globally over the past few years. There has been a lot of building done with the use of steel recently because of its environmentally friendly profile. In fact, the Green Building Resource Guide gives steel framing its highest 5 icon rating making it a true “green” product.
Steel utilized in construction has about a 70% recycled content. Pre-engineered steel construction processes result in very minimal waste. It also will not rot, sag, split, crack or be subject to insect infestation. Steel studs are also utilized with thermal breaks that allow for less heat loss than wood.
Steel is also nontoxic because it does not off-gas and contaminate the quality of indoor air. Steel simply bolts together so that steel members can be simply unbolted and reused when a structure is scheduled to be demolished. There are a number of environmental benefits to using steel construction and it qualifies as a true “green” product.
Pre-engineered steel building construction is the right choice in building technology in the 21st century. First, rigid I-Beam construction is very successful in designs and functions where it addresses a number of challenges. For instance, any steel structure that is built in a high wind speed region combined with a very hot and humid climate with the probability of a heavy insect infestation will have numerous advantages over conventional construction processes.
The environmental performance characteristics of steel are unquestioned. According to the most recent numbers the total post-consumer recycled content of steel in the United States is 50.8%. Structural steel (for buildings), however, tops in at 66%. Scrap steel makes up most recycled steel, in large part from project waste materials and junked cars. All steel remains 100% recyclable and the most recycled material in the world. The value in recycling steel is also seen in the use of only 25% of the energy required to create new steel from raw materials when mining, manufacturing, and transportation are all part of the equation. Each ton of recycled steel saves twenty five hundred pounds of iron ore, one thousand pounds of coal, and forty pounds of limestone.
The durability of steel to withstand the effects of the elements has been proven over and over again. The material of choice for commercial construction, transportation structures and vehicles is steel. Steel will not warp, crack, split, rot and is highly resistant to fire and insect infestation. It will also not support mold growth. This mitigates risks to the environment when steel is the material of choice for new commercial construction ventures. Cold-formed steel used in pre-engineered steel buildings has been proven to have over a two hundred year life span.
The affordability of building with steel is another environmental advantage. The initial cost of steel framing for construction is sometimes higher than that of wood framing materials. But the higher initial costs can certainly be offset by expanded design capabilities with steel and better performance in extreme weather climates than other materials. Again, steel is pre-engineered and pre-fabricated for new building construction so that project waste handling and hauling costs are minimized. Cold-formed steel is highly fire resistant and can save builders up to 25% in building risk premiums. Additionally, building owners may realize insurance discounts on all-steel construction as well.
The energy efficiencies of steel construction can save resources, both power and money. Steel is more thermally conductive than wood. Use of exterior rigid foam insulation helps prevent “thermal bridges” across the studs.
Technological refinements in steel production have improved warranties. Some pre-engineered steel building manufacturers and suppliers have increased the structural warranties on their buildings to 50 years. Maintenance is minimal and “call backs” to the site to fix irregularities in construction are rare. A well built steel structure will not be a demolition project in a couple of years due to defective materials.
This year environmentally concerned consumers and builders will continue to consider the advantages of utilizing steel when planning their next construction project. The benefits of selecting steel will be evident many years after the building is completed.
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