Today, more people than ever are paying attention to the impact they have on the environment and energy prices continue to rise. These factors play a huge role in steel buildings becoming more and more popular. Metal buildings are much more sustainable and environmentally friendly than brick or wood structures. Here are 7 ways that steel buildings help reduce environmental impact.
1. Recyclability
Steel is 100% recyclable and has the great ability to be recycled over and over again. If you look around your home or business, odds are some of the steel used in items or structures around you may have been originally produced long ago. Steel does not lose strength when being recycled which means that when a steel building is destroyed, it’ll be recycled and used again. Re-using steel helps to lower the amount of iron that needs to be mined as well. This reduces the time and materials required to process and fabricate items.
2. Sustainability
When you make the decision to go with a steel building rather than a wooden structure, you are choosing a much more sustainable material. It takes more than 20 years for trees to grow replacements that are big enough to be harvested again. Once a wooden structure is being taken apart, it’s materials cannot be reused. Steel as we mentioned is 100% recyclable and is usually made of already recycled steel. Milling steel requires very little water. Milling steel also requires less energy and steel recycling plants are all over the country. This helps reduce transportation distances to deliver the steel to construction sites. Also, because steel has a much higher strength to weight ratio, it takes less materials to construct a steel building than a wood framed building.
3. Waste Reduction
Pre-fabricated steel buildings generally call for shorter construction times and much less construction waste than all other types of building materials. The erection process is quick and easy because the steel building components are cut to correct length and pre-punched before they arrive on the job site. While there will be some material waste left over on construction site after a steel building is completed, wood buildings require material to be cut on site and because of this, you’ll see a large amount of waste being left behind.
4. Energy Savings
Steel buildings help reduce the amount of energy that is used to cool or heat the building. Solar energy reflects off the steel material and leaves the building cooler. You can also easily insulate a steel building which would help reduce the need for more energy usage. Insulation helps keep the cold air out during cooler months and helps keep the inside of the building cooler during the warmer months.
5. Fewer “Heat Island” Issues
If you’ve ever stood on a baseball field and then stood on a large parking lot, you probably noticed the heat coming off the parking lot that is not coming off the baseball field. Concrete can create a large “heat island” which doesn’t allow solar energy to escape as easily. Reflective materials are the best way to go. Lighter steel roofs can reflect the most solar energy back into the atmosphere which helps reduce some heat island effects.
6. Lower Maintenance Costs
Steel buildings are extremely durable. This helps lower on any maintenance and renovations that you might need. There is no need for new coats of paint every year and the HVAC equipment shouldn’t be working as hard so it’ll breakdown less often. Because they require the least amount of maintenance or renovations, steel buildings are the most eco-friendly.
7. Durability
As mentioned so many times already, steel buildings are durable. They last forever and save people money on the upkeep and minimal repairs. When natural disasters strike, metal structures are always the last buildings still standing or the least likely to end up damaged and need repairs. Other materials aren’t just more costly long term, but having to buy new materials all the time just isn’t very sustainable.
Contact Simpson Steel Today
Simpson Steel Building Company is a renowned steel building manufacturer, providing customizable pre-engineered metal buildings for any application. To learn more about our buildings and the environmental impact of steel buildings, contact us today!
