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Steel Designers' Manual - 6th Edition (2003)
276 Sustainability and steel construction
with design activities through the adoption of data transfer protocols such as the
CIMSteel Integration Standards.
Since long before the needs of sustainability were fully recognized, there has been
a history of continuous improvement in structural design methods which have
resulted in economies to clients over a period of years. This has been encouraged
and has been complemented by the development of systems and components, many
involving the use of light gauge steel in addition to the more traditional hot rolled
sections.
8.3 Social impacts
For any enterprise to be successful over a reasonable period it needs skilled and
conscientious people.The steel construction sector continues to invest heavily in the
education and training of both its employees and its customers in the efficient and
safe use of its products. Considerable importance in the sustainability agenda is
attached to the effects of enterprises on the local community. A factory production
environment which encourages a stable workforce is more conducive to both
employers and employees in the promotion of skills development. It is obviously
easier for a relationship with the local community to develop in such an environment,
than where there is a predominantly casual or itinerant workforce.
On site, fast dry construction from off-site manufactured assemblies is less disruptive
to neighbours and provides earlier weatherproofing and hence more reliable
and acceptable working conditions for other trades. This contributes to safer
working and a higher quality product. The risk of water pollution from wet trades
is also minimized.
8.4 Environmental impacts
8.4.1 Effective protection of the environment
One of the key drivers for change is the need to reduce global warming gas emissions.
This is largely achieved through conservation of both embodied and operational
non-renewable energy. Operational energy is the most significant, and SCI is
active in several areas. Research has shown that adaptable solutions can be designed
using composite construction, which, even with its efficient use of material, still provides
sufficient thermal capacity for fabric energy storage systems to be effective. 1
This work is being extended to take advantage of air and water cooling of floor
systems. Of course precast concrete floors can also be most efficiently incorporated
into steel framed buildings, as demonstrated by the Wessex Water headquarters
building. This boasts one of the lowest energy consumptions in the UK for buildings
of this type and utilizes a lightweight structural steel frame. 2