Stainless Steel Ideal Sustainable Building Materials

Versatility, Functionality and aesthetic value of stainless steel metal are among the main reasons why most architects use the metal. The metal can be used in wall treatments, as an exterior façade detail, making windows and ceilings supports.

As a home or business owner, stainless steel is an ideal sustainable building material because if offers the following benefits:

High End of Life (EOL) Recapture Rate

Architectural fabrics made from stainless steel lasts longer because they don’t rust or corrode easily. The metal has chromium element which forms chromium oxide when exposed to oxygen and water (conditions necessary for rusting). Rusting wears out a metal prompting regular replacements which could be costly.

The chromium oxide layer formed protects the internal layers of the metal from corroding reducing repair and replacement costs in addition to lasting longer. Every home or business owner prefers using durable construction materials to avoid regular repair costs.

Besides lasting longer, the metal fabric can easily be recycled by melting it down once its use is over or its design is outdated. Therefore, stainless steel metal has high end of life recapture rate because you will not throw the metal away.

Resists Corrosion

The ability of stainless steel to resist corrosion is the main reason why most architects prefer using it. The metal is an alloy of nickel, chromium, iron ore and silicon. With about 10.5% chromium, the metal resists corrosion making it last longer without deteriorating although it is exposed to different weather conditions.

Acidic conditions e.g. near seas, oceans and lakes facilitate corrosion. Stainless steel metal is used in construction of bridges among other architectural structures all over the world even in acidic, alkaline and high temperature areas due to their high resistance to corrosion.

 

Energy Conservation

When stainless steel fabrics are used in ceilings, windows or walls, they can conserve energy because they’ve a high solar reflective index (SRI) value that aids in reflecting sun rays away. This may help in minimizing solar radiations in your home helping you conserve the amount of energy needed in air conditioning purposes.

It is important to understand that SRI value is inherent to the metal and hence it would not deteriorate over time. This guarantees energy cost savings as long as the fabric is in place. You can therefore reduce your utility bills by just having stainless steel fabrics in your home or business premises.

It is evident that stainless steel has both cost saving and environmental benefits. Its ability to last long and get recycled after use ensures that there are few or no remains of these fabrics left scattered around.

With numerous environmental programs and organizations around the world encouraging people to conserve their environment and use environmental friendly material, stainless steel fabrics certainly are a suggestion.

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