Steel Buildings in Europe

Part 2: Concept Design 2 - 12 steelwork on that elevation, and designing the elevation steelwork to resist the forces applied by any other parts of the structure that have collapsed. For many building types, such as exhibition halls, fire engineering analysis may be carried to out demonstrate that active protection measures are effective in reducing fire temperatures to a level where the structure is able to resist the applied loads in the fire scenario without additional fire protection. 1.5 Sustainability Sustainable construction must address three goals: • Environmental criteria • Economic criteria • Social criteria These three criteria are met by construction in steel: Environmental criteria Steel is one of the most recovered and recycled materials. Some 84% is recycled with no loss of strength or quality, and 10% reused. Before demolishing a structure, extending a building’s life is generally more beneficial. This is facilitated by steel construction, since large column-free spaces give flexibility for change in use. Advances in the manufacturing of raw materials means that less water and energy is used in production, and allows for significant reductions in noise, particle and CO 2 emissions. Economic criteria Steel construction brings together the various elements of a structure in an integrated design. The materials are manufactured, fabricated and constructed using efficient production processes. The use of material is highly optimised and waste virtually eliminated. The structures themselves are used for all aspects of modern life, including logistics, retail, commercial, and manufacturing, providing the infrastructure on which society depends. Steel construction provides low investment costs, optimum operational costs and outstanding flexibility of building use, with high quality, functionality, aesthetics and fast construction times. Social criteria The high proportion of offsite fabrication in steel buildings means that working conditions are safer, controlled and protected from the weather. A fixed location for employees helps to develop communities, family life and the skills. Steel releases no harmful substances into the environment, and steel buildings provide a robust, safe solution. Single storey structures The design of low-rise buildings is increasingly dependent on aspects of sustainability defined by criteria such as:  Efficient use of materials and responsible sourcing of materials  Elimination of waste in manufacturing and in construction processes