Article: How Use of Steel in Construction Can Limit Your Carbon Footprint

Article originally posted on The Daily Journalist on May 14, 2019.

Global warming is the stark reality of our time. Its harmful consequences are damaging our planet as you read these lines. Some of the recent seasonal anomalies (e.g. polar vortex) have changed many minds regarding the gravity of the situation at hand.

If you are also one of those people who keep their conscience awake regarding the impact of human activity on the environment and want to contribute to eco-friendly practices, then read on this article because we are going to discuss how you can make your construction projects more eco-friendly with the use of steel.

Environmental Preservation Begins with Resource Preservation and You Can Do it with the Use of Steel

The major threat to our environment is the unrestrained use of natural resources. For instance, deforestation has played an integral role in increasing the average temperature of the planet. As per one study, to build a 2000-sq.ft building with timber-structure, one needs to deforest whopping one acre of land.

On the other hand, the construction of the same size of the steel building is possible with the recycled scrapped of a couple of cars. This means constructing a steel building doesn’t need the drilling of new metal mines. Nor do they need a huge number of tree trunks. This resource preservation can be your contribution to slow down the deterioration of the environment.

Steel Manufacturing Emissions Have Significantly Dropped

As mentioned earlier, industries are rapidly transforming their manufacturing and processing to make them compliant with environment-friendly practices. A new method of steel manufacturing has also been developed that produced significantly lesser carbon dioxide.

Moreover, the majority of steel facilities recycle the water that they use in the manufacturing of their products. Preservation of water is also important to slow down the ongoing global warming.

Steel Buildings Can Be Prefabricated

Steel buildings are also more eco-friendly because in many settings they can be prefabricated. You just need to install them at the site. Besides that, the construction of prefabricated steel buildings is streamlined throughout the process. Their on-site installation also entails lesser use of energy and resources.

Lastly, they come at a really reasonable price. For instance, one can get Quonset hut in $12 per SQFT. Similarly, I-beams that are also used in the making of prefabricated steel buildings come at the economical price of $17 per SQFT.

Steel Buildings Can Reduce the Utility Energy Consumption

Heating and cooling for any commercial or residential construction account for nearly half of its utility energy consumption. And we know that most of this energy is produced through sources that add more greenhouse gases to the environment.

By using a granular coating or insulation paints on the steel surfaces of the building, you can drastically reduce your heating and cooling use, which will eventually cut down your carbon footprint as well.

Steel Buildings Have a Long Operating Life

Having long operational life means steel buildings don’t need the repairs and tune-ups more often. This means the preservation of energy and sources, which again is an eco-friendly measure.

In short, the use of steel in any capacity in the building construction will have an eco-friendly implication, which is the need of the hour.