BuildSteel is tracking the sustainability initiatives led by various members of the steel framing industry.
“SFIA member companies are taking steps to reduce their carbon footprints through new low-carbon process technologies,” says Larry Williams, Steel Framing Industry Association (SFIA) executive director. “We’re excited about the future of cold-formed steel (CFS) and can’t get there fast enough.”
Here is some recent sustainability news to report.
US Steel, Equinor and Shell Plan a Regional Clean Energy Hub
Finished coils at the United States Steel Irvin Plant, part of the Mon Valley Works in Pennsylvania.
In August 2022, United States Steel Corporation (NYSE: X), an SFIA member, Equinor US Holdings Inc., and Shell US Gas & Power, LLC, announced an agreement to advance a collaborative clean energy hub in the Ohio, West Virginia, Pennsylvania region.
The hub would focus on decarbonization opportunities that feature carbon capture utilization and storage, as well as hydrogen production and utilization.
“U. S. Steel is investing significant resources to achieve the sustainability goals in our Best for All® strategy,” said Richard L. Fruehauf, U. S. Steel’s chief strategy & sustainability officer. “We cannot —and will not —stand still, and this agreement is another effort to advance profitable, sustainable steel solutions for people and the planet.”
The CCUS and hydrogen hub aligns with both the United States’ and the project partners’ ambitions to realize net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.
Equinor and Shell will jointly apply for U.S. Department of Energy funding designated for the creation of regional clean energy hubs. U.S. Steel is evaluating its role in the hub, which includes potential funding.
See the complete U. S. Steel news release here.
Worthington Industries Commits to Science-Based Targets for GHG Emissions Reductions
In March 2022, Worthington Industries, Inc. (NYSE: WOR), an SFIA member, announced plans to set greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets that are aligned with a 1.5 degree Celsius science-based target, setting a pathway to net-zero emissions by 2050.
“Worthington’s pledge to set emissions reduction targets aligned with a 1.5 degree Celsius science-based target clearly demonstrates our commitment to sustainability,” said Andy Rose, president and CEO of Worthington Industries.
The company will apply to the Science Based Targets initiative attain formal verification later this year. SBTi is a global body enabling businesses to set ambitious emissions reduction targets in line with the latest climate science. The initiative is a collaboration between CDP, the United Nations Global Compact, World Resources Institute and the World Wide Fund for Nature and is one of the We Mean Business Coalition commitments.
Worthington Industries also announced plans to strategically focus on products and services that support reductions in GHG emissions including gas containment systems for the growing hydrogen ecosystem and other technologies.
Worthington Industries is in the process of conducting an environmental, social and governance materiality assessment and assessments of Scopes 1, 2 and 3 calculations that will be used as a basis for emissions reduction targets and to identify priorities for future action.
See the complete Worthington Industries news release here.
Steel Dynamics to Invest in Low-Carbon Aluminum Flat Rolled Mill
Mark. D. Millett, Steel Dynamics Inc. chairman, president and CEO
Steel Dynamics Inc., one of the largest steel producers and metals recyclers in the United States and an SFIA member, announced in July 2022 plans to construct and operate a 650,000-ton low-carbon, recycled aluminum flat rolled mill in the Southeastern United States, along with two supporting satellite recycled aluminum slab centers.
The capital investment is estimated to be $2.2 billion for the three facilities. Commercial production is planned to begin in the first quarter 2025. The SDI releases said the low-carbon aluminum flat rolled mill investment aligns with SDI’s core steelmaking and recycling platforms.
“We are incredibly excited to announce this meaningful growth opportunity, which is aligned with our existing business and operational expertise,” said Mark. D. Millett, SDI chairman, president and CEO.
SDI’s new mill will use a significant amount of aluminum scrap, making it an extension of the company’s metals recycling platform. SDI “is the largest nonferrous metals recycler in North America,” the release said.
Millett said the company’s focus on decarbonization, thus far, has primarily been achieved within the carbon steel industry.
See the complete SDI news release here.
CFS Meets All Sustainability Requirements
Cold-formed steel (CFS) meets the highest sustainability requirements set in all major green building standards and rating programs, including the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) from the U.S. Green Building Council, the National Green Building Standard (ICC-700) for residential buildings, ASHRAE Standard 189.1 for commercial construction and the International Green Construction Code (IgCC).
The American Iron and Steel Institute reports:
- Steel framing contains a minimum of 25% recycled steel and is continually and completely “remade without any loss of quality”
- Most other construction products can only be down-cycled into lower-quality products
- Steel framing minimizes construction site waste
Additional Resources
- Update #1 | Steel Framing Industry Sustainability Initiatives
- Steel Industry Pushes Toward Net-Zero Energy Target
- Infographic: The True Sustainability of Steel in Numbers