Sustainable steel constructions – Life-cycle inventory, methods and applications

This document gives an overview of the challenges and issues related to a sustainable use of steel in the construction sector. After an introduction that concerns the challenges associated to the use of steel as a sustainable material, the principles of a life-cycle analysis are presented. The paper then focuses on the life-cycle inventory data of several products: finished cold-rolled coil, electro-galvanized steel, section rolling and rebar. The data are presented for two (sometimes three) different recycling rates. Indeed, since steel is recycled to more than 85% at the end of its life and recyclable and indefinite number of times, the presented inventory includes allocation for scrap inputs and outputs using the closed material loop recycling methodology developed by the International Iron and Steel Institute (IISI). A description of the method principles is also provided. The influence of the end-of-life credit method will be discussed. Corrosion and subsequently maintenance of steel products will be treated afterwards and a brief comparison of the life-cycle inventory will be provided for electro-galvanized steel and finished steel.