NEW BUILDING

RESIDENTIAL

STRUCTURAL MATERIALS

ALUMINUM

RECLAIMED ALUMINUM

[Recommendations] [Advantages/Disadvantages] [Comments] [Some data]

RECOMMENDATIONS

Reusing of aluminum is an ideal solution when the elements are bolted.

If it is not possible to reuse aluminum elements, choose products made from recycled scrap.

Consider design strategies that make it easier to reuse or recycling the materials later.

Use Aluminum when being lightweight is the most important requirement..

For temporary structures which need to be assembled and disassembled often ,the lightweightness of aluminum save labor time and transportation energy.

Use anodized and powder coated finishes.

 

ADVANTAGES

Aluminum is an easy material to recognize and recycle.

As it is lightweight it can be conveniently used for temporary structures.

DISADVANTAGES

Bauxite strip causes some loss of tropical forests.

The embodied energy of aluminum is very high.

Most airborne emissions are recovered, but a small amount of carcinogenic hydrocarbons escape incineration.

Manufacturing process produces heavy metal sludges and a large amount of waste water requiring treatment of toxic chemicals.

Hazardous waste is generated in the manufacturing stage.

Aluminum has a very high embodied energy, around 70 times more than steel and hundred times more than concrete and timber.

 COMMENTS

Bauxite comprises about 8% of the earth's crust but is a Finite resource.

 SOME DATA

Aluminum produced from recovered scrap and recycled aluminum rather than bauxite ore saves about 80 % of total energy consumption.

 

MANUFACTURERS

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