Through sharing information and sector knowledge, the Light Steel Frame Association (LSFA) is on a mission to highlight the sustainability credentials of steel – so how is the industry decarbonising the production process and creating green steel?

‘Green steel’ refers to steel production using more environmentally sustainable methods. This usually involves energy produced from renewable sources to vastly reduce carbon emissions in the manufacturing process. One of the methods of producing green steel that is showing the most potential, is using renewable hydrogen in the place of the fossil fuel coal. When burned, hydrogen primarily produces water as a by[1]product. Therefore, if steel is produced using only renewable electricity, it can be considered sustainable and play a role in circular production. When using an Electric Arc Furnace, hydrogen can be used to produce the same chemical reaction which occurs in traditional steel making but with reduced emissions.

In 2004 a group of steel companies with the support of the European Union (EU), started the ULCOS (Ultra-Low CO2 Steelmaking) project. The objective was to identify technologies that will reduce CO2 emissions per tonne of steel by 50% by 2050.

Steelmaking has been viewed as a carbon intensive activity, but with the first ‘green steel’ plants coming on line in 2025, things are changing. The EU increased the number of planned green steel projects to 38 in 2023, up from 23 in 2021. Additionally, Germany alone has invested €8.5billion into the decarbonisation of its steel industry, clear steps towards a more environmentally responsible form of production. In the UK, Morgan Sindall Construction is to design and build a £20million R&D facility in Neath Port Talbot to help steel and metal industries decarbonise. The net zero facility is the brainchild of Neath Port Talbot Council in partnership with Swansea University. To be known as SWITCH – South Wales Industrial Transition from Carbon Hub – Harbourside it will be located close to Tata Steel’s Port Talbot plant and is expected to take 18 months to complete.

In recent years ‘green steel’ has for the most part been used to refer to steel production using carbon-neutral methods – but with recycling and the reuse of steel components, this is also a meaningful method of ‘greening’ steel production throughout the material’s lifespan and beyond.

Once produced – forever in use

Steel is the world’s most recycled material with more than 500 million tonnes recycled every year – the equivalent of 180 Eiffel Towers every day. Once produced, steel is a valuable asset that can be reused or recycled infinitely with little or no reprocessing – vastly reducing embodied carbon emissions in steel production. This unique characteristic gives steel a high value at all stages of its lifecycle.

Light steel frame credentials

Light steel is created through a process known as cold forming. This involves passing thin sheets of steel through rollers and presses while at room temperature, to create various shapes such as U, C, Z, or S-sections. Light steel framing contains a minimum of 25% recycled steel, making it a more environmentally friendly option than traditional methods of construction. Now many LSFA manufacturing members have as much as 40%-60% recycled content in the light steel they use, and this is set to increase.

The UK leads the world in steel construction commercially, technically and in terms of quality. The industry has made dramatic improvements in technological advances and improving its productivity and efficiency. According to research carried out by independent consultants Construction Markets – steel continues to be the overwhelming structural framing material of choice, with their survey showing that steel now has a 72.5% share of the multi-storey office market and a 60.9% share in the ‘other multi-storey buildings’ which includes retail, education, leisure and healthcare sectors.

Robust, reusable, recyclable and adaptable – steel has excellent and well-understood construction credentials. As a material it is strong and durable and as a structural framing system it is lightweight and cost efficient. These properties make steel a hugely sustainable construction material both in terms of its longevity, material properties and enhanced safety credentials.

For more information visit: www.lsf-association.co.uk

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