If you’re planning on building a home or business, you might well be thinking through your options when it comes to building supplies and materials. Most of us want to minimize our impact on the environment when doing so, and wherever possible (budget or other constraints pending) will opt for sustainable materials. While steel building materials are available in a wide selection of shapes and sizes, contrary to what you may believe, that doesn’t make them any less friendly for the environment. However, as structural steel can have different aesthetic values and physical characteristics, it’s essential that you choose your product from a steel fabrication company and manufacturer with a great reputation, to guarantee consistency and precision.
At Westline UK Structural Specialists, we go to great pains to ensure the eco-friendliness of our steel products, and take care to minimize the energy and by-products used in their construction. However, what many people fail to realise, is that steel is inherently eco-friendly, and here are just 4 of the many reasons why you should choose structural steel when building your home or business:
- Durability and longevity
When compared to other building materials, not a lot of structural steel is required to hold a building up, and even stainless steel, galvanised steel or mild steel are all capable of holding heavy loads.
Strong and incredibly durable, an entire building frame can be constructed using steel beams and columns welded together; commonly referred to as ‘steel frame buildings,’ and used often in both residential and commercial buildings.
- Recyclability
Did you know that steel can be recycled at any point during an application? If you construction contractor has trimmed, cut or rejected pieces of steel, these can be used for a variety of purposes without them losing any of their core durability or structural integrity, making them incredibly recyclable.
Entire steel framed buildings can even be disassembled and reused, and while preventing wastage is a priority for most structural specialists, there are times when it’s impossible to avoid.
- Reduced CO2 emissions
Over the years, the energy needed to produce raw steel materials has reduced significantly, and continues to do so. With the ability now to recapture carbon dioxide by-products, clean and reuse them in other applications, using structural steel is a great way of reducing CO2 emissions when constructing a building. In addition, electric arc furnaces (EAFs) enable steel to be produced from large percentages of scrap metal, further reducing energy usage.
- Zero harsh chemicals or toxins
Since steel products don’t emit any toxic chemicals, it makes it a great choice for construction when compared to other materials that produce plentiful harmful waste. Even when steel is exposed to excess heat, for example, it still doesn’t emit anything harmful to you or the environment.
Structural steel is a great choice for both residential and commercial construction projects, and should definitely be a contender when you’re weighing up your building material options, and trying to minimize your impact on Mother Earth.