Sustainable steelconstructionBuilding a sustainable future

Corus Long Products PO Box 1Brigg Road Scunthorpe North Lincolnshire DN16 1BPUnited Kingdom T: +44 (0) 1724 404040 F: +44 (0) 1724 282040

www.corusgroup.com

The British Constructional Steelwork Association4 Whitehall CourtWestminsterLondonSW1A 2ESUnited KingdomT: +44 (0) 20 7839 8566F: +44 (0) 20 7976 1634

www.steelconstruction.org

Care has been taken to ensure that thecontents of this publication are accurate, but Tata Steel Europe Limited and itssubsidiaries do not accept responsibility orliability for errors or information that is foundto be misleading.

Corus and the BCSA care about theenvironment – this brochure is printed withbiodegradable vegetable inks and usingmaterial with at least 80% recycled content.

Contents

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Sustainable champions forthe UK building industryBuildings are responsible for almost halfof the UK’s carbon emissions, half of itswater consumption, around a third of itslandfill waste and a quarter of all rawmaterials used in the economy.

This means that the UK’s sustainabledevelopment targets cannot be metwithout a fundamental change to the wayin which buildings are constructed. Thenational targets for greenhouse gasemission reductions and the drive forbuildings that generate zero carbon inoperation present a huge challenge tothe building industry – a challenge whichthe steel construction sector is playing amajor part in overcoming.

The steel sector – comprising the BritishConstructional Steelwork Association(BCSA), Corus and the SteelConstruction Institute (SCI) – is delightedto be leading the way in developing amore sustainable construction industryfor the UK. Our commitments range fromproducing design guidance on creatingbuildings that meet the Government’szero carbon objectives to researching theenvironmental impact of steel in buildingsand developing products and processesto reduce that impact.

Sustainability has what is often known as a ‘triple bottom line’, comprisingenvironmental, social and economicfactors. Environmental issues receive themost attention, but social and economicfactors are also of vital importance, andthis document sets out the benefits ofsteel to all three issues. It also underlinesthe steel industry’s commitment tosustainable development, the unequalledsustainable benefits of steel as a buildingmaterial, the achievements of the sectorto date and its vision for the future.

The steelconstruction sector

The steel construction sector – introduction . . . 03

Steel sector commitments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 04

Steel: the ultimate sustainable material . . . . . . . 06

BCSA Sustainability Charter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 08

Sustainable procurement. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 09

Delivering the triple bottom line . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Design guidance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Target Zero . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Mitigating climate change . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Thermal mass and CO2: facts and figures . . . . . 16

Innovation in steel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Lakeside Energy from Waste Plant, Colnbrook(photograph: Ros Orpin)

Staythorpe Power Station, Newark (photograph: Severfield-Reeve Structures Ltd)

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Reducing the carbonfootprint of buildings isset to remain a toppriority for the steelconstruction sector

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Steel sectorcommitments

Sustainability is already high on theagenda for all companies involved in theconstruction sector. The importance ofsustainability will only increase in thecoming years as Government legislationcomes into full force and the subject isbetter understood thanks to continuingresearch and development.

The growing role of steel The steel construction sector in the UKwholeheartedly embraces the pushtowards greater sustainability inconstruction. Steel itself is an inherentlysustainable building material and isdestined to play a significant role inhelping the construction sector achieveits ambitious sustainable objectives.

Looking to the future Today, and for the years to come,the steel construction sector iscommitted to:

• Working with Government to meetthe objectives of its sustainableconstruction strategy

• Providing design guidance andinformation that allows designers tocreate buildings which reduce thewhole-life costs and environmentalburdens associated with buildings

• Providing design guidance andinformation that allows designers tocreate buildings that can achieve thehighest BREEAM ratings and whichmeet Government aspirations forzero-carbon building operation

• Developing patterns of sustainableprocurement consistent with therequirements of emerging standardsin this area

• Continuing to invest in researchand development to reduce thecarbon footprint of its processesand products

• Providing industrial companies inthe sector with the means ofimproving the performance of theirbusinesses through sustainablebusiness practices

• Giving specifiers and procurement agencies the opportunity to identify key supply chain partners that share a commitment to sustainable construction.

05Manchester Civil Justice Centre

in the construction process.Constructing a building from ademounted structure is one of the most sustainable ways of creating a ‘new’ building.

FastThe speed of steel construction hasmade it the framing material of choicefor the UK construction sector. A shorterconstruction programme reducesdisruption and disturbance around thesite. Steel is relatively clean and quiet toerect, and requires few site deliveries.Speed of construction delivers aneconomic benefit too, which isfundamental to sustainabledevelopment. The shorter on-site periodreduces the cost of preliminaries,reduces the period of financing anddelivers a building that is operationalfaster – providing a quicker return fromrent or sale.

ManufacturedAll steel components are manufacturedin the controlled environment of afabrication workshop, where consistentstructural elements with assured qualitycan be created to meet the specificrequirements of each project. In thisenvironment, steel parts can be easilystandardised, tested and certified. Anywaste material produced during the

fabrication phase can be recycled andused in the steelmaking process.

SafeIndustry surveys consistentlydemonstrate that steel is the safestconstruction material. Components arefabricated offsite in a safe, controlledfactory environment. From here they aredelivered to site and erected by a smallnumber of skilled personnel. There isminimal requirement for on-site cuttingor adjustment, and no need for thetime-consuming and potentiallyhazardous shuttering and handlingoperations associated with otherconstruction materials.

Zero wasteWhen you specify steel for a building,you can rest assured that it is unlikelyever to become waste. Steel always hasa value and is only ever sent to landfill asa last resort. Waste generation is one ofthe least sustainable aspects ofconstruction. Choosing a steel-framedbuilding is the simplest and mosteffective way to reduce waste. Evenduring steel manufacture and fabrication,any swarf or offcuts are recovered andrecycled in the steelmaking process.

Steel: the ultimatesustainablematerial

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Hafod Eryri, the Snowdon visitor centre, isan exemplar in offsite construction(steelwork contractor: Evadx; photograph:Ray Wood photography)

Recycled content

Recycled content is specified toencourage recycling of materialswhich would otherwise bedisposed of. However, it is not asuitable driver for metals that arealready recovered and recycledclose to their maximum. Specifyingrecycled content for steel does nothave any beneficial environmentaleffect, but can distort the marketand result in unnecessary transportcosts and emissions. All steel isrecyclable and will be multicycledmany times without any artificialstimulus.

All new steel manufactured by Corus has a significant recycledcontent. The modern steelmakingprocess requires the input of scrapand it is not possible to make steelwithout it. The average recycledcontent of structural steel used inthe UK is 60 per cent.

The sustainable qualities of steel are built in to thematerial. Simply choosing steel as a building materialenables specifiers to deliver unrivalled sustainabilityperformance – for life, and for all its subsequent lives.

Manufactured from the most abundantelement on earth, iron, steel can berecycled or reused endlessly withoutdetriment to its properties. Its superiorstrength-to-weight ratio means a littlesteel goes a long way, giving architectscomplete flexibility to achieve their mostambitious designs. Manufactured in acontrolled factory environment, pre-engineered steel components aredelivered to site ready for rapidassembly, with no waste.

MulticyclingSteel can be reused repeatedly withoutever losing its qualities as a buildingmaterial. This unique characteristic givesall steel a high value at all stages of itslife cycle. The recovery infrastructure forsteel recycling is highly developed andhighly efficient, and has been in place fordecades. Current recovery rates fromdemolition sites in the UK are 99 percent for structural steelwork and 94 percent for all steel construction products –figures that far exceed those for anyother construction material.

AdaptableSignificant environmental damage canbe caused at the end of a building’s lifewhen it has to be demolished and itsmaterials scrapped. Steel-framedbuildings, however, do not decay, and

are easily adaptable if the configurationof the building needs to change. Theability of steel to bridge long spansmeans that steel buildings contain largeopen-plan spaces which are easilyreconfigured with partition walls. Thesteel frame itself can be adapted, withparts added or taken away, and its light weight means that extra floors canoften be added without overloadingexisting foundations.

ReusableBecause steel frames are essentially a kit of parts, they can easily bedismantled and reused. Boltedconnections allow components to beremoved in prime condition and easilyreused either individually or en masse as entire structures. It means that steelcomponents are perpetually reused in a continuous loop, and never sent to landfill.

DemountableEntire steel structures can be fullydismantled and reconstructed in adifferent location in a matter of days,without creating any dust and dirt, andvery little noise. This demountablecapability is inherent in a steel building –it doesn’t need to be specially designedin and rarely requires any extra provision

Offsite construction –the sustainable choice

The nature of the steel constructionprocess is the source of numeroussustainable benefits. All of thefabrication, testing and certificationtakes place in a safe, carefullycontrolled and monitored factoryenvironment. Here, consistently highquality standards can be maintainedand assured, with each component manufactured to the exact specifications of each project. This leads to quicker, safer and more predictable on-site operations.

Offsite construction has clearenvironmental benefits, withon-site waste virtually eliminatedand fewer deliveries to site, cuttingcarbon emissions associated withtransport. Steel construction hasalways been carried out in this way,making it an exemplar forsustainable offsite construction.

Corus gives confidence to all of itssupply chains that its materials areresponsibly sourced, to provide a routefor customers to obtain credits under theBREEAM family of certification schemes.

Upstream influenceCorus is committed to minimising theenvironmental impact of its upstreamoperations. As a large customer, Corus iscommitted to wielding its influence overits global suppliers, encouraging them toadopt responsible practices. To supportthese efforts, Corus has an onlinesupplier assessment tool which it uses toscreen potential suppliers, as well as topromote and monitor the performance ofexisting suppliers.

Downstream benefitsCorus also takes responsibility formanaging the environmental impactsof its products once they leave itsmanufacturing facilities. Downstream,the properties of its products and theinformation Corus provides to customerscan have a significant impact on theenvironmental performance of completedbuildings and structures throughouttheir life.

Meeting sustainableprocurement expectationsCorus has worked with the BuildingResearch Establishment (BRE), the Eden Project and other organisations to develop its understanding of theconstruction industry’s requirements in relation to sustainable procurement. It supports the principles of BES 6001and is working to assess its products to the requirements of this standard.

Corporate ResponsibilityFor Corus, corporate responsibilityinvolves the integration of financial andstrategic goals with a commitment to thehealth, safety and well-being of itsemployees and communities; a focus onimproving environmental performanceand providing sustainable products, andconducting all aspects of its businesswith honesty and integrity. To read theCorporate Responsibility Report, pleasevisit www.corusgroup.com/responsibility

In 2005, the BCSA became the firstrepresentative organisation to launch asustainability charter. The objective ofthis charter is:

“To develop steel as asustainable form ofconstruction in terms ofeconomic viability, socialprogress and environmentalresponsibility.”

Member commitments BCSA Member and Associate Membercompanies that agree to be bound by the charter have to make a formaldeclaration of their commitment to a set of sustainable principles, and to be assessed and monitored against a range of environmental, social andeconomic criteria.

Charter Members formally declare thatthey will adhere to the following aimsand objectives:

• Operate their businesses to the highestethical standards in efficient andfinancially sustainable ways, in order toundertake contracts that satisfy clientsand add value for stakeholders

• Work to assess and minimise the effectof manufacturing and constructionactivities on the eco-efficiency of steelconstruction through its life cycle

• Work towards increasing the efficiencyof use of resources and energy in steelconstruction by promoting therecovery, reuse and recycling of steel

• Foster the health and safety ofemployees and others in the steelconstruction industry, and operategenerally in a healthy, safe andenvironmentally sound manner

• Demonstrate social responsibility bypromoting values and initiatives thatshow respect for people andcommunities associated with steelconstruction and with otherorganisations in the supply chain.

The Charter has been used to helpimprove understanding of sustainabilityamong steel construction companies, aswell as providing them with a tool to helpthem manage their businesses in moresustainable ways. Charter Members alsoagree to provide data which is used tocalculate sustainability Key PerformanceIndicators and benchmark theirperformance.

Sector commitmentsA second objective of the Charter takesthe BCSA’s sustainability initiativebeyond individual companies andrequires the sector to engage directlywith building specifiers and bridgeprocurement agencies. The aim is todevelop suitable “green” specificationsfor steel construction that draw on theestablished capabilities of BCSA CharterMembers in the supply chain.

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BCSA SustainabilityCharter

Sustainableprocurement

Cabot Circus Footbridge, Bristol, inconstruction (photograph: SH Structures)

The BCSA’s pioneering Sustainability Charter setsenvironmental objectives for its members and measuresperformance against key sustainability criteria

Raw materials areresponsibly sourcedby Corus, and thecompany championsenvironmentally responsiblepractices throughout itssupply chains

Vulcan House, Sheffield: a BREEAM Excellent-rated building

The triple bottom lineThere are three elements tosustainability: environmental, socialand economic – known as the ‘triplebottom line’. The environmental elementunderstandably receives the mostattention, but to be truly sustainable astructure must also deliver economicand social benefits.

Economic benefits of steelSteel construction has numerouseconomic benefits:

• Steel has a high strength-to-weight ratio, so less of it is needed to make a quality structure, and smaller foundations are required. This means that material costs for a given building will be lower with steel than with any other alternative

• Steel construction is quick. Quickerconstruction means lower labour costsand fewer time-consumingpreliminaries. It also means that abuilding is finished earlier, speeding upthe development process and enablingbuilding owners to achieve a fasterreturn on their investment. That’s vitalin challenging economic times

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Delivering the triple

bottom line

Castleford Footbridge plays a key role in alocal social regeneration project

Sustainable construction isabout more than deliveringenvironmental benefits – it’sabout reducing social andeconomic impacts too

• Steel also retains its value. Becauseit maintains all of its properties andqualities for life, it is endlesslyrecyclable. At the end of a building’slife, the most economic solution fora steel-framed building is either torefurbish it or for its components tobe demounted and rebuilt elsewhere.

Social benefits of steel Underpinning every environmentalbenefit of steel is a social benefit, as theexamples below demonstrate:

• Steel facilitates rapid construction,resulting in less disruption to thelocal community around the buildingsite. There are fewer vehiclemovements to site, very little on-sitenoise and zero waste

• Steel construction enables structuresto be demounted and rebuilt withoutnoisy and dusty demolition. That’sbeneficial to the local community andleaves behind no environmental legacy

• The steel industry requires skilled,settled workers. There is little need or desire for an itinerant workforce, and as such it provides more stable employment than in some other sectors

• The high strength of steel enables itto achieve long spans, creating bright,airy buildings that are a pleasure tolive and work in. Steel structures don’tdegrade with age either, so they neverlook tired and outdated.

Material costs for a given building will be lowerwith steel than with anyother alternative

The Kids of Steel programme, wherethousands of children across the countryparticipate in a mini triathlon, is one of the many community projects that Corus have initiated

Tackling greenhousegas emissions The provisions of the 2007 ClimateChange Bill have committed the UKGovernment to a reduction in nationalcarbon emissions by 80 per centcompared to 1990 levels. Becausebuildings in operation account for almosthalf of all greenhouse gas emissions inthe UK, the construction sector has amajor role to play in helping to achievethis target.

Achieving such a drastic cut ingreenhouse gas emissions fromconstruction will require radical changesto the way buildings are constructedand used in this country. Recognisingthis fact, the Government has setdemanding targets for the industry.All new residential buildings must bezero carbon in operation by 2016 andall non-domestic buildings must meetthis requirement by 2019.

Target Zero guidanceThe steel construction sector is fullycommitted to supporting theGovernment’s drive towards zero carbonbuildings. It recognises that reliable datais needed to help inform vital technicaldecisions about building construction ifthe Government’s zero carbon objectiveis to be achieved.

That’s why the BCSA and Corus haveresolved to provide and disseminate thismuch-needed information. They havecommissioned AECOM to lead a £1m,three-year development project togenerate fully detailed and costedsolutions for five building types that meetthe emissions reduction targets set outby Government. Guidance for each of thebuilding types will be published over a15-month period, starting in November2009 with guidance for school buildings.To find out more please visitwww.targetzero.info

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The steel construction sector iscommitted to developing anddisseminating best-practice designguidance. A range of guidelines onimplementing codes and standards hasbeen published. This has been furtherenhanced by extensions to the ruleswhich enable more innovative designsto be achieved.

Steel construction guides The Steel Construction Institute (SCI) isthe leading provider of guidance on theuse of steel in construction. It publishesaround 15 new reports each year. Recentguides have covered:

• Modular buildings• Floor vibrations• Acoustic performance and detailing• Thermal bridging• Energy efficient housing using light

steel framing.

The SCI has also created thewww.steelbiz.org website to givethose involved in steel constructiondirect online access to up-to-date,high-quality technical information onsteel construction.

Steel Essentials The Steel Essentials guide provideshelpful advice and useful referenceacross a number of steel constructiontopics, including sustainability, healthand safety, fire protection, acousticperformance, structural design andcorrosion protection. A copy of thispocket guide can be ordered ordownloaded fromwww.steelessentials.info

Leading the transitionto Eurocodes The steel construction sector is takinga leading role in the transition toEurocodes 3 and 4 in the UK. It hasdeveloped a number of tools, includingpublications, courses and onlineinformation, giving architects anddesigners step-by-step guidance onhow to use the Eurocodes.

As part of its commitment to supportingthe new standards and in conjunctionwith its partners in Europe, SCI hasdeveloped a fast, free and easy route tothe application of the Eurocodesthrough the multi-lingualwww.access-steel.com website.

Designguidance

Target Zero

We recognise that reliabledata is needed to help informvital technical decisions aboutbuilding construction if theGovernment’s zero-carbonobjective is to be achieved.

The stunning Cabot Circus roof, Bristol(photograph: MD & Associates)

Best practice designguidance for steelconstruction is widelyavailable, supported byonline tools and resourcesfor the construction sector

The steel construction sector is providing practicalguidance to underline its full commitment to supportingthe Government’s drive towards zero carbon buildings

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Today, carbon dioxide (CO2) emissionsfrom steelmaking are around 50 per centlower per tonne of steel than they were40 years ago. Nevertheless, the steelconstruction sector recognises that it hasa significant contribution to make infurther reducing global CO2 emissions.

Carbon reductionachievements Corus has long been working to improvethe efficiency of its processes, to saveenergy and reduce its environmentalimpact. The company recentlyestablished a Climate Change Taskforceto develop and implement its carbon-reduction strategy, with a target ofreducing CO2 emissions by at least 20per cent per tonne of steel by 2020,compared to 1990 levels.

Corus is now highly proficient atrecovering the gases arising from itsblast furnaces, coke ovens and steelplants. The gases are reused for processheating and electricity generation. On-site generation now accounts for40 per cent of all electricity used byCorus – equivalent to a 700,000 tonnecut in CO2 emissions from conventionalelectricity generation.

Embodied energy adviceThe steel sector is committed toimproving the design advice available onthe embodied energy of buildings andother structures. The updated advice willprovide information on the embodiedenergy and carbon in a range of buildingtypes with different framing solutions. Itwill help the industry to move away froma simplistic ‘per tonne’ calculationtowards more accurate and completeways of calculating embodied energyand carbon.

Corus has made a commitment toensure that all its calculationmethods and data are consistentwith the standards set by the WorldSteel Association and otherauthoritative bodies.

Developing environmentalbest practiceManufacturers of finished steel productsare also taking positive steps to reducetheir environmental impacts. The BCSAhas developed a carbon footprinting toolfor its Members, which all of its ‘Gold’status Charter Members are required touse. The data from this tool provides KeyPerformance Indicators for each memberand is used by the BCSA to developbest practice guidelines.

On-site generation nowaccounts for 40 per cent ofall electricity used by Corus– equivalent to a 700,000tonne cut in CO2 emissionsfrom conventionalelectricity generation

The ULCOS (ultra-low CO2steelmaking) project is a consortiumof 48 European companies andorganisations from 15 countries,supported by the EuropeanCommission. It has an ultimate targetof a 50 per cent reduction inemissions per tonne of steel by 2050.

Corus is a major partner in ULCOS.The first phase involves research toevaluate a new generation ofsteelmaking technologies, while thesecond phase will operate the mostpromising of these on ademonstration plant scale. It willfocus on four areas:

• A new generation of blast furnacesthat recycle top gas and captureCO2 for storage

• Direct reduction of iron• Smelting reduction• Carbon-reducing fuel technologies,

such as electrolysis, hydrogen cellsand biomass.

The level of investment in this project(around €360M) is testament to thecommitment of the European steelindustry to change things for thebetter and to develop innovativetechnologies that not only benefit ustoday, but also generations to come.

ULCOS – consortium for emissions reduction

Mitigatingclimatechange

Xstrata Aerial Walkway, Kew Gardens(photograph: Jane Wernick, Jane WernickAssociates)

Steelmakers andsteelwork contractorsare successfully workingtogether to cut thecarbon dioxide emissionsassociated withsteelmaking andsteel construction

Lakeside Energy from Waste Plant, Colnbrook

Cradle to gate valuesThere are other values in circulation forthe carbon content of steel. Some arehigher and some are lower than thevalues in the table opposite. Most othervalues have been derived by lessrigorous methods than systemexpansion. These other methodsgenerally rely on a cradle to gate analysisand thus ignore the environmentallybeneficial effect of recycling, which onlybecomes apparent during the full cradleto grave life cycle. Inferior cradle to gatemethods are used for comparisonbecause other material industries cannotprovide robust cradle to grave data tothe level of the steel industry.

The thermal mass mythResearch shows that the optimumfloor thickness required to achieve aneffective thermal mass is readilydelivered by steel-framed buildings

There is a common misconception thatbuildings must be heavyweight toachieve an optimum thermal mass.This myth has probably arisen becausebuildings such as churches are cool inthe summer. However, the main reasonthat churches stay cool is because theyhave very few windows, which reducessolar gain.

Steel delivers optimum floor thicknessIn modern buildings, the greatestaccessible mass is found in the concretefloor slab. Independent research hasshown that the optimum thickness ofconcrete floor slab for providing thermalmass is 75-100mm. This thickness ofconcrete floor slab is routinely availablein almost all steel-framed buildings,which are generally the lightest weightform of construction.

Extra weight unnecessaryThe extra weight associated with heavy,bulky concrete frames is not required toimprove thermal mass and is surplus torequirements. In fact, the extra mass ofheavyweight concrete components mayactually increase the energy required toheat and cool the building.

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The CO2 content of structural steelTo calculate the environmental impacts ofsteel manufacturing, the World SteelAssociation adopts the ‘system expansion’method of lifecycle assessment, which isthe preferred approach of the ISO 14040series of environmental standards. Thisapproach considers all new steel to be partof single global system of supply anddemand. Credits are given for co-productsused in the manufacturing process whichsave energy or emissions, such as processgases being used to generate electricity.

An example of the calculation method forthe carbon dioxide emissions associatedwith steel production can be viewed atwww.corusconstruction.com/sustainability

Carbon and energy impacts of steel products:

It is standard practice to express thesefigures on a per tonne basis. This may givethe impression that steel has higherimpacts than other construction products.However, steel has a higher strength-to-weight ratio than most other structuralmaterials meaning that one tonne of steelgoes a lot further. As a result, the CO2

emissions associated with any steelbuilding will be lower.

Thermal mass and CO2: facts

and figures

Plate Sections Tubes HDG Purlins & rails

CO2(tonnes pertonne of steel)

0.919 0.762 0.857 1.35 1.1

Energy (GJ per tonne of steel)

17.37 13.12 15.42 21.63 19.38

Interior of Bridge Academy, Hackney, showing exposed composite flooring

Bridge Academy, Hackney, made excellentuse of exposed thermal mass (mainphotograph: Martine Hamilton Knight)

Carbon dioxideemissions associatedwith steel manufactureare kept low by effectiveemissions reductioninitiatives and extensiveuse of steel scrap

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Innovation is essential if the constructionsector is to meet the UK Government’ssustainable development agenda.The steel sector has long embracedinnovation, in both productdevelopment and process efficiency,to help reduce the carbon footprint ofsteel construction.

Dedicated research anddevelopmentThorough, long-term and rigorousresearch and development is at the heartof innovation in the steel constructionsector. Dedicated teams at Corus arecontinuously seeking to improve theenvironmental and structuralperformance of steel products and theefficiency of manufacturing, constructionand finishing processes.

Recent research and developmentprojects in structural steel include:

• Improving the efficiency of compositefloor decks

• Developing improved standardconnections

• Improving the thermal performance ofbuilding cladding to enable steel-framed industrial buildings to meet thenew performance criteria for Part L ofthe Building Regulations

• Supporting the development ofimproved fire engineering techniquesleading to lower cost fire solutions

• Developing improved methods forcorrosion protection

• Developing newer and quickermethods of core construction

Innovation in steel

The Slimdek flooring system is a result ofextensive research and development work

• Photovoltaic metal roof and wallcladding – Corus is collaborating withAustralian company Dyesol – a worldleader in dye-sensitised systems – todevelop a metal roof and wall claddingproduct with dye-sensitised solar cell(DSC) functionality. DSC is anemerging photovoltaic technology thatmimics photosynthesis in plants.

Innovation and the triplebottom lineWhile innovation generates animprovement in environmentalperformance, it also has a positive effecton the economic and social factors of thetriple bottom line. For instance, steelworkis increasingly pre-engineered in a waythat makes pre-planning of operationseasier and more certain; a three

dimensional model of the steel frame canbe built in virtual reality, thus facilitatingdetailed planning of the erectionprocedure; steel is prefabricated offsite,which increases accuracy and reducesliability to errors that would generate sitehazards. All of these things improvehealth and safety: the number onepriority, and a vital socially sustainablefactor. Offsite innovation also has apositive economic impact, reducing timerequired on site, as well as the need forexpensive site preliminaries.

Offsite innovations Offsite product innovations in the steelconstruction sector include significantdevelopments in the use of light-gaugesteel in buildings. Cold-rolled sectionshave now been widely adopted for

structural elements such as purlinsand rails, floor decking, supports forinfill walls and demountable partitionsand as framing for residential andmodular construction.

These developments have increasedthe use of factory-made precisioncomponents in building construction,reducing the need for site-basedadjustment and finishing trades.

A ceaseless quest forimproved performance,efficiency and sustainabilitydrives continuousinnovation in structural steelproducts and processes

The structural A-frame uniting 201,Bishopsgate and the BroadgateTower, London