It’s pretty common to see environmentalists decry most forms of construction as they can destroy the atmosphere, use tons of natural resources and leave behind a large carbon footprint after the fact. While this might be the case for many types of construction, with steel buildings a lot of these issues are minimized or even removed completely thanks to the nature of the material in general. There’s plenty of reasons why steel buildings are the perfect “green” buildings and why those who are concerned with the environment look to prefab steel as an excellent building option. Less Energy Used Overall, there will be much less energy used up by your steel structure in a number of ways. Firstly during the construction process, any tools or equipment needed to put the structure together will be used for a much shorter period of time since the construction process is a much shorter one than building with other materials. Not only that, but once the structure is completed and outfitted with any energy efficient appliances you might need, steel’s natural insulation will prevent your appliances from having to work overtime to heat or cool your space. This will be important not only to keep operating costs low, but also to ensure that unnecessary energy isn’t being burned. Less Waste Produced During the construction process, you will see a lot less waste produced when you compare it to erecting a structure made from wood, brick or concrete. Because the pieces of your structure will largely arrive at your job site already partially complete, our general contracting team at Rutherford won’t have to create much waste to be hauled away afterwards like you would when cutting and fitting raw materials. This is something that will leave behind a much smaller carbon footprint as well, as there will be less damage done to the environment in order to complete your structure. With wood, trees need to be cut down in order to provide the lumber for your project, but steel is a renewable resource that is mainly recycled; particularly for commercial projects. Whether you’re looking to complete the project on your own or seeking the help of a contracting company like Rutherford, there’s plenty of opportunity to have a job site that is environmentally conscious. 100% Recyclable Arguably the best thing about steel is the fact that it’s the most recycled material on the planet. The vast majority of steel used in commercial construction has been recycled and used in other forms previously. Scrap metal from vehicles, bridges and other buildings make up much of the steel used in prefab structural kits. It’s also important to understand that this constant reusing and recycling doesn’t at all affect the quality of the metal itself. No matter how many times steel is used, the strength and durability will remain completely intact. As a recyclable material, it’s a much better fit for a “green” structure than a material like wood which causes deforestation and other materials that contribute to pollution in their own specific ways. For more information about our contractor services for, call us at 1-800- 972-6794