Circular Steel 2024: Insights and Opportunities in Advancing Steel Reuse
Recently members of Twin & Earth had the opportunity to attend Circular Steel 2024, a groundbreaking event hosted by Steve Gilchrist focused on driving sustainable steel practices within the circular economy. The event brought together industry leaders, sustainability experts, and construction professionals to discuss the evolving landscape of steel reuse. Below, we’ve captured key insights from the panels we attended, highlighting both challenges and opportunities for the future of circular steel.
Meeting the Demand for Steel Reuse
The need to address the timing of steel reuse emerged as a key challenge. From the early engagement of demolition contractors to the scheduling of pre-demolition audits, precise timing is critical to maximize reuse opportunities. Unfortunately, contractors are often involved too late, limiting the potential to recover and reuse steel efficiently.
Equally pressing is the gap between supply and demand. While demand for reclaimed steel has grown significantly, the supply chain has struggled to keep pace, partly due to a lack of understanding around the processing and equipment needed for effective reuse.
The UK is making progress, particularly with government initiatives promoting circular economy practices, but there is still room for improvement compared to some other nations. The newly introduced BS ISO 59004:2024, part of a series of five international standards on the circular economy (CE), defines the concept of a circular economy and provides key principles and general guidance for its implementation.
Writing the Brief: Early Engagement and Client Decisions
British Land emphasized the importance of addressing steel reuse from the pre-construction (early) stages. Documenting lessons from previous projects and incorporating those insights into early design discussions can make a significant difference. It's crucial to understand why clients may resist steel reuse and work to address their concerns directly.
Clients’ reluctance often stems from worries about cost and timelines. Engaging them in open dialogue about the long-term benefits of reuse, both in terms of sustainability and potential cost savings, can mitigate these concerns. Pre-demolition audits should be prioritized as soon as a project begins to ensure steel reuse options are identified early.
Promoting steel reuse should be a continuous conversation throughout the project, not something relegated to a single meeting. Regular engagement keeps reuse at the forefront of stakeholders’ minds and helps ensure it remains a viable option throughout the project's lifecycle.
Buying the Stock: Early Contractor Involvement and Risk Mitigation
When it comes to procuring reused steel, early engagement with contractors is crucial. Contractors offer valuable insights on how steel reuse can be managed and integrated into the construction process. Having a specialist in steel reuse as part of the team can further enhance the success of these efforts.
Pre-demolition audits, whether conducted in a single or two-stage approach, are critical in identifying reuse opportunities. The panel also highlighted the importance of showcasing case studies of successful steel reuse projects, which can give clients confidence in adopting reuse strategies.
One of the major risks identified was clients’ concerns about potential disruptions to cost or programme. Addressing these concerns proactively by outlining the benefits and flexibility of reuse strategies is vital to keeping projects on track and sustainable.
Fabrication and Testing: Real-World Challenges and Opportunities
Steel fabrication presents some of the most significant challenges in the steel reuse process. As fabrication requires a significant amount of skilled human effort and time, particularly due to the complexity of reworking, testing, and adjusting reused steel to meet specific project requirements, real-world experience is essential for identifying and resolving issues early to ensure structural integrity and quality.
The UK has emerged as a leader in steel reuse, but unique challenges, such as structural issues in reused steel (like existing holes), require careful design considerations to ensure safety and integrity. Following established steel fabrication standards and manuals, such as P427 and P440, which are publications from the Steel Construction Institute (SCI), provides essential guidance and standards for steel design and fabrication in the construction industry. Here's a brief overview of each:
P427: Structural Steel Reuse
Offers guidance on the reuse of structural steel, helping to incorporate circular economy principles into construction. It covers how to assess the quality and suitability of reclaimed steel for new projects, including material testing, design considerations, and compliance with structural codes. The goal is to ensure the safe and efficient reuse of steel while maintaining structural integrity.
P440: Fabrication and Erection of Structural Steelwork
Focuses on best practices for the fabrication and erection of structural steelwork. It covers specifications for welding, bolting, cutting, and assembling steel components. This manual is a key resource for ensuring that steelwork meets the necessary safety, durability, and quality standards during construction.
Hands-on experience remains critical in overcoming fabrication obstacles. The more we learn from each project, the more effectively we can adapt and refine fabrication practices to optimize steel reuse.
Reflections and Key Lessons
Attending Circular Steel 2024 highlighted several important lessons for advancing steel reuse and integrating circular economy practices into the construction industry. Chief among them is the need for full client buy-in. Steel reuse will only be successful if clients are committed to prioritizing sustainability, even if it requires some compromises on cost or timelines. Flexibility in steel specifications such as allowing variations in grade, length, or width can also unlock more reuse potential.
Another key takeaway was the importance of integrating health and safety considerations into reuse strategies from the very beginning. Though it may add to initial costs, ensuring these aspects are factored into the plan is essential for project success. Attending Circular Steel 2024 reinforced our commitment to advocating for and implementing sustainable practices. At Twin & Earth we will continue to promote steel reuse and circular economy principles, ensuring that we are contributing to a more sustainable future in the construction industry.