Steel is high in embodied energy. Its production has a number of environmental impacts, arising from mining, processing, manufacturing, fabrication and transport. Reducing the amount of structural steel used in homes is the best way to reduce these environmental impacts. For example, cold formed steel is commonly used in house construction and is difficult to recycle. But in most applications it can be readily substituted with a more environmentally friendly material such as timber.

Refer to the Mullum Creek Steel Products Guide below for more information, including its list of recommended products and suppliers.

Objective

• Minimise the requirement for steel in the structure of your home.

Guides

• Avoid demanding structural designs that require large amounts of framing steel and concrete reinforcement.
• Where possible, consider using sustainably sourced timber products as effective and economical substitutes for the steel elements.