NEW BUILDING

RESIDENTIAL

STRUCTURAL MATERIALS

STEEL

RECLAIMED STEEL

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

Keep track of the advice

RECOMMENDATIONS

Recycling of steel is a common practice today. The most important thing is now to try to reuse elements as many time as possible. Reuse steel reduce total energy consumption drastically. Steel can be reused several times if it is not oxidized.

To minimize construction site waste, metal scrap can be sent back to the manufacturer.

Use prefabricated elements:

prefabricated reduces job site operation and scrap production. Consideration of the high cost of labor and workers safety make prefabricated a very valuable option.

Steel has a very low volume and the transport is less of a problem than concrete if the elements are less than 60 feet long. So 60 feet should be considered as the maximum dimensional module.

Structural elements can be cut off site and assembled without on-site scrap. (P. Koenig house)

Bolted or screwed assemblage is recommended.

Bolted connections are easily disassembled allowing materials to be reused.

To avoid thermal bridging install a layer of insulation sheathing over the framing.

Do not use steel for exterior wall framing without taking measurers to control thermal bridging.

Light-gauge steel is just beginning to enter the residential market. It is even available on most discount building material super stores.

Air and water quality degradation can be a result of mining and manufacturing.

Water risks result from improper disposal of process water in mining.

For increased durability and to provide the possibility of being reused, steel should be treated.

 

ADVANTAGES

All raw materials used to make steel framing are in plentiful supply. Much new steel is made from scrap.

It is durable, lightweight, insect resistant. Standard steel contains approximately 50% recycled metal, and is also recyclable. Steel studs can also be reused in structural applications when a building is dismantled.

Elements can be completely disassembled and reused or recycled, the only problem could be the fire treatments.

It is considered the most recyclable material since it is easily separated from the waste stream magnetically and reprocessed into a high quality product.

Advances in technology which apply to the production process can be consider much cleaner than 20 years ago.

Consistent quality, insect resistant.

Steel is inert,it does not have any indoor air quality impact.

 

DISADVANTAGES

Steel has a high value of embodied energy.

The major environmental concerns include energy, resource use, disruption of the affected area, and air and water quality degradation as a results of mining and manufacturing activities

It is one of the most energy-intensive industrial materials, generating pollution and waste from all stages of the process, including coking coal, purifying iron, and galvanizing.

Potential problems with condensation. Steel is highly conductive, which increases potential for thermal bridging

Manufacturing production causes combustion emissions.

Galvanizing is very energy intensive and produces severe pollution in production.

New steel is more energy intensive than wood.

Requires fire-proofing treatments that must be covered by gladding. That increase both materials and labor costs.

 COMMENTS

No specific studies are available about the toxicity of the fire resistant products and the impact on the indoor air quality.

Workers risks: limited to the factory, could be a problem on site for larger dimensions.

 SOME DATA

Production of steel from scrap requires approximately 39% of the energy required for production of steel from raw materials. (4)

The primary use of steel is for the construction industry.

MANUFACTURERS

 

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