Overview
Steel is the most sustainable of construction materials not just because it can all be recycled or re-used again and again without ever degrading its quality, but also because major advantages flow from the decision to select steel as a solution, advantages that add up to significant benefits to the users of steel and society as a whole.
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| Economic | If it’s not made of steel, it’s made using steel |
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| Social | Steel is fundamental to everyday life |
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| Environmental | Iron is the most abundant element on the planet |
Good design
Judged by either internal or external appearance steel-framed buildings, incorporating steel based cladding systems or tubular steel architectural features, strike a modern note.
Recycling
An unrivalled sustainability strength of steel is its ability to be repeatedly re-used or recycled without any degradation in the quality of the material. Other materials are often recycled only once before downgrading, which means that, they eventually find their way to landfill.
Waste Minimisation
Virtually no steel is sent to landfill as waste. Steel has a value at all stages of the process, whether it is in use as a construction product, or being re-used or recycled.
Responsible Supplier
As a responsible supplier Corus is committed to fulfilling the duty of care that is owed to the environment, our suppliers and customers, our workforce and the communities in which we operate.
Flexibility
If a building can’t be easily adapted to meet new demands placed on then owners face the costs of demolition and redevelopment. Steel offers a more sustainable solution and steel-framed buildings are among the most adaptable and flexible assets in which a business can invest.
Off site manufacture
Off-site manufacture is an essential element of Modern Methods of Construction, and it is has always been a key feature of steel construction. This means that steel scores on many sustainability criteria as well as being safer, faster and more economic.
Conclusion
Constructing in steel is one of the best ways that our generation can ensure that it does not leave intractable legacy problems for future generations. Sustainability demands satisfying social, economic and environmental criteria - the ‘triple bottom line’ – and steel ticks all of those boxes.
