Sustainability

Steel is the most recycled material on the planet, and at the end of a steel framed structure’s lifecycle, 100% of the steel can be recycled. Most steel today in the consumer market contains approximately 86% recycled steel. Every 2000 square feet of CFS framing leaves 2 acres of trees in the ground (approx. 1200 trees) 

All steel products, including steel framing and steel roofing, contain recycled steel. Steel framing contains at least minimum of 88 percent recycled steel and is continually and completely recyclable. Using recycled steel takes the pressure off renewable resources: if built with wood, that same 2000-square-foot home would require about 40 to 50 trees. With steel, only the equivalent of about six scrapped automobiles is needed for the same size home. In contrast to many other building materials, steel is routinely collected in aggregate quantities from construction and demolition sites and recycled into new steel products. Often times the money brought back into a project from selling the recyclable scrap steel can offset many project expenses. 

At the end of a steel-framed home’s product life the steel components would also be recyclable. Framing with steel as a material consumes only 6.25 percent of the total life cycle energy used by a home; the balance is consumed by heating and cooling, food refrigeration and lighting 

We purchase steel from suppliers that produce steel using recycled content. With over 200-year life expectancy, our Steel joists are a sustainable building material that will stand the test of time. LifeTec joists are reusable, reclaimable, and recyclable. 

Building with cold-formed steel (CFS) framing offers a solution that addresses these concerns. The Steel Recycling Institute confirms that steel is the most recycled material on the planet — more than all other materials combined. Steel retains an extremely high overall recycling rate, which, in 2018, stood at 88 percent. The metallurgical properties of steel allow it to be recycled continually with no degradation in performance, and from one product to another. 

CFS is also an efficient building material, as evidenced by its high sustainability rating. According to the Steel Framing Alliance, CFS is positioned to meet the highest sustainability standards. Steel is recognized in all major green building standards and rating programs, including the National Green Building Standard (ICC-700) for residential buildings, ASHRAE Standard 189.1 for commercial construction, and the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED program, which covers all types of buildings. 

Strategic waste reduction through the use of CFS framing helps building owners and developers reign in project costs, protect the environment, and boost their bottom lines.