Corporate responsibility report 2004 - Tata Steel

Sustainable solutions
Construction
The environmental and social advantages of our
products are demonstrated in all forms of construction,
from multi-storey offices to light steel framed buildings
for affordable housing.
Why steel is good for construction
Steel’s strength allows large open
floor areas, giving flexibility of use
throughout the life of a building. Steel
buildings are adaptable too, since they
can be easily extended, unbolted and
reconnected, modified, repaired,
re-used, or recycled as necessary.
The environmental advantages of
using steel in construction are:
• Recyclability (over 90% of steel used
in construction is re-used or recycled
at the end of the building’s useful life).
• Minimum use of materials.
• Clean and dust-free fabrication
and erection.
• Minimum waste.
• Off-site fabrication in a controlled
environment which reduces site
construction time.
• Minimised disturbance from
construction for communities
surrounding sites.
• Adaptability and flexibility over the
lifetime of a building.
• Effective end of life options such
as refurbishment, dismantling and
re-use or recycling.
Steel construction is inherently
sustainable and steel’s environmental
advantages are demonstrated in all
forms of construction, from traditional
steel framed buildings used for multistorey
offices or flats, to more recent
developments with modular systems.
A modular approach to high
quality buildings
Corus Living Solutions is a new
business focused on modular high
quality buildings. The benefits of
this approach include:
• Reduced site complexity and risk –
resulting in less noise and disruption,
tidier sites and potential for improved
health and safety performance.
• Quicker construction – build
programme times are reduced
by typically 20-50%.
• Reduced environmental impact –
energy efficiency in use is high and
waste volumes are reduced with
recycling opportunities within the
factory. Furthermore, at end of life,
the modules can be relocated rather
than demolished.
The modules are manufactured
at Shotton in North Wales on a
semi-automated production line.
Engineering excellence is applied to
the construction, with a structured
and repeatable process that builds in
quality. The light steel frame system
Right: Our steel was used in the Eden
Project in Cornwall, UK.
28 Corporate responsibility report