Real-world residential construction projects are demonstrating significant cost and carbon savings from reused structural steel.
Reused steel is available as beams or pipes that come from surplus stock or are reclaimed during demolition. It is increasingly used in major construction projects to help contractors hit their sustainability targets. However, recent evidence also demonstrates that reused steel can deliver similar benefits for home renovations and extensions.
"We are seeing a significant rise in enquiries and sales of reused steel for residential projects," said Roy Fishwick, Managing Director of Cleveland Steel & Tubes (CST), the UK leader in reused structural steel. "The amounts of steel supplied are relatively low compared to the tonnage we provide to major contractors. But the cost and carbon savings still stack up."
The sustainability benefits of reused steel are well understood. A recent lifecycle analysis report by Giraffe Innovation found that the greenhouse gas emissions savings were as high as 96% when using surplus steel compared to buying brand new steel. Repurposing existing tubes was also far more environmentally friendly than sending them back to the steel mill for recycling.
In addition, its attractive price profile often means that property developers can make savings of up to 60% compared to buying new steel.
A great example is Rosie Bard and Ed Farndale. They required structural steel for work on their Victorian terraced property in London. Rosie was the project's architect.
The couple needed a box frame to open up the rear façade for an extension, along with steel beams for the roof of the new extension, and roof steel for a dormer conversion. Timber wasn't an option due to height restrictions, typical in a London terrace. They researched reuse as a lower carbon alternative to new steel.
In total the project incorporated more than 1.3t of reused steel, representing a carbon saving of more than 3t of CO₂. In addition, the reused steel cost 60% less than the builder's quote for new steel, even including the additional structural engineer fees.
"We achieved our low-carbon retrofit goals while staying within budget," said Bard. "For homeowners considering similar projects, specifying reused steel is both an environmental win and a smart financial choice."
Another happy customer was architect Philippa Birch Wood, who wanted to incorporate reused steel into a garage conversion at her home in Staffordshire. Despite the project incurring additional surveyor and structural engineer fees, it still came in at £400 cheaper than the quote for new steel. In addition, the 1.1t of reused steel deployed delivered a total carbon emissions saving of 2.24t.
"Clients often come to us initially for the sustainability benefits of reused steel," added Fishwick. "But they are often pleasantly surprised by the cost savings that come with it."
Based near Thirsk, North Yorkshire, CST is the UK's largest supplier of reused steel, holding more than 70,000 tonnes in stock. It has supplied steel to major projects including the London Olympic Stadia and Canary Wharf's Wood Wharf.
CST has published a range of case studies and a guide to reusing steel on residential property developments. They are all available as free PDF downloads from its website.
"One of the challenges some of our clients encounter is that smaller building contractors are unaware of reused steel," said Fishwick. "Armed with our guide and case studies, any self-builder, property developer or renovator should be able to easily demonstrate that it is safe, legal, and easy to use."
