Home Steel Structures

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According to the Environmental Resource Guide, produced by the American Institute of Architects, more than 30% of the energy consumed in the United States goes to making and maintaining buildings. This includes both operating energy --the energy required for space heating and cooling, lighting, refrigeration, water heating and other building functions--, and energy embodied in the physical structure.

The Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation, and SAR Engineering, have developed a computer program called "Optimize" that is designed to estimate the embodied energy, lifecycle energy, and environmental impact of a house.

Figures from the creators of the Optimize program provide the estimate that for a "standard house in Toronto with a 40-year life", the total embodied energy is 2,352 Gj (One gigajoule is equivalent to about 1 million Btu). The total operating energy over 40 years is 9,060 Gj, which results in expected operating energy of approximately 226 Gj per year. This means that a typical house will exist and operate for ten years before the total operating energy starts to outstrip the embodied energy contained in the building components. The embodied energy of a house is not static, either. Very few houses go through an entire 40-year life span without undergoing remodeling projects that involve tearing out old materials and installing new ones, further increasing the embodied energy contained within a house.

Since the combustion of one Gigajoule of natural gas produces 52.8 Kilograms of CO2, the construction of a typical home contributes to global warming with 124,186 Kilograms of greenhouse gases.

A similar home built with the Terra-Steel System developed and patented by Sunway Homes reduces a 40% on the embodied energy, because walls are built with the greenest of all construction materials: earth's soil.

The timber industry always responds to the critics saying: "trees grow back", but according to a study by Albert Meier and David Duffy from the University of Georgia, clearcut decimates the biodiversity of a forest. The Popular Science Magazine, reporting on the findings of the study, came to the conclusion that:

"Trees grow back. Ecosystems probably not"

Sunway Homes proudly supports environmental issues and believes their product will help preserve the American, Mexican and Canadian forests.

The American Steel Industry recycles approximately eight million junked automobiles per year.

Today, 68% of Steel available in the market has been recycled. That makes steel the most recycled material on earth planet .

A Sunway Steel Structured home is built with metal from 6 to 10 recycled automobiles.

FAST FACTS

•Since the early 1990s, the steel industry has reduced its energy use to produce a ton of steel by approximately 1/3.
•More than 95% of the water used in the steel making process is recycled and returned - often cleaner than when it was taken from the source.
•Every piece of steel used in construction contains recycled content. Further, all steel can be recovered and recycled again and again into new high quality products.
•Steel is durable, safe, and strong. It is not susceptible to rot, termites, or mold. Steel used for framing will last from hundreds to over a thousand years due to its zinc coating, a natural element. Steel structures require less material (both reduced weight and reduced volume) to carry the same loads as concrete or masonry or wood structures.
•Steel is dimensionally stable: it will not warp, split, or creep - making it durable and built to last. Don’t waste time and dollars on costly call backs. Minimize cracking and pops in drywall and other finishes with CFS framing.

Steel and Green Building Codes and Standards

•As more and more green codes and standards begin to make their way into adoption, Sunway Homes steel structures are well positioned to help your project meet the highest sustainability standards. Steel is recognized in all major green building standards and rating programs, including the National Green Building Standard (ICC-700) for residential buildings, ASHRAE Standard 189.1 for commercial construction, and the US Green Building Council’s LEED program that covers all types of buildings. How is this possible? More than 82 million tons of steel were recycled in the US in 2008 - more than aluminum, glass and paper combined. That steel goes back into new studs, joists, and other members used in buildings. In fact, steel is the only material with an automatic minimum default value for recycled content in the LEED program. Further, most green codes and standards recognize the excellent potential of steel structures at reducing the amount of construction waste generated at a site. For example, of all the waste from a 2000 sq. ft. residence framed with steel, less than 2 % of steel is left over and can be recycled compared to that same house built of wood generating 20% of waste that will be sent to landfill.