PResentation by Mike Sansom of SCI at Circular Economy Thinking in Construction seminar, London 20 January 2017. More information: http://www.greenconstructionboard.org/index.php/2012-09-05-09-17-39/item/2372-circular-economy-thinking-cethinking-challenges-and-opportunities-for-the-construction-sector

1. Structural steel reuse
Michael Sansom
20 January 2017

2. Steel already has excellent recycling
credentials

3. Reuse and recycling rates
Product % Reused % Recycled % Lost
Heavy structural sections/tubes 7 93 0
Rebar (in concrete superstructures) 0 98 2
Rebar (in concrete sub-structure or foundations) 2 95 2
Steel piles (sheet and bearing) 15 71 14
Light structural steel 5 93 2
Profile steel cladding (roof/facade) 10 89 1
Internal light steel (e.g. plaster profiles, door frames) 0 94 6
Other (e.g. stainless steel) 4 95 1
Average (across all products) 5 91 4
Survey of NFDC members, 2013

4. Reuse and recycling rates
Product % Reused % Recycled % Lost
Heavy structural sections/tubes 7 93 0
Rebar (in concrete superstructures) 0 98 2
Rebar (in concrete sub-structure or foundations) 2 95 2
Steel piles (sheet and bearing) 15 71 14
Light structural steel 5 93 2
Profile steel cladding (roof/facade) 10 89 1
Internal light steel (e.g. plaster profiles, door frames) 0 94 6
Other (e.g. stainless steel) 4 95 1
Average (across all products) 5 91 4
Survey of NFDC members, 2013

5. What is the problem/opportunity?
 Structural steel reuse is technically viable
 But there are many barriers
• Cost & programme
 Lack of drivers/incentives
 Significant environmental benefits
 Reuse retains economic activity within the UK
• Most UK scrap steel is currently exported
• A large proportion of structural steel is
imported

6. Many reusable steel systems
If viable CE business models cannot be
developed for structural steel then it is
hard to see how CE models will be
achievable for other construction products

7. Supply chain integration
 Innovate UK funded feasibility study
 Supply-demand co-ordination tool for steel reuse

8. Interviews and on-line survey

9. Barriers to steel reuse
 Extra cost
 Availability of suitable sections
 Lack of demand/incentive
 Traceability, certification and quality
 Programme constraints
 Lack of supply chain integration
 Uncommon practice – lack of skills and
experience in how to do it

10. Steel reuse case studies

11. 9 Cambridge Avenue relocation

12. Bus terminal Schiphol Airport Amsterdam
1942 London

13. Bus terminal Schiphol Airport Amsterdam
1942 London
1958 Rotterdam

14. Bus terminal Schiphol Airport Amsterdam
1942 London
2015 Schiphol
1958 Rotterdam

15. Bus terminal Schiphol Airport Amsterdam
1942 London
2015 Schiphol
1958 Rotterdam

16. Profit opportunity £313 per tonne
But additional
cost for:
 Deconstruction
 Testing
 Storage
 Transport
 Refabrication

17. Economic assessment

18. Study conclusions
 Viability of ‘reuse today’ unlikely to yield a viable
business model without legislative drivers
 Economic case is marginal other than for niche
markets and scenarios
 A database of new steel structures appears
more attractive; facilitating future refurbishment,
reuse and recycling scenarios

19. Future reuse
 As-built IFC files provided
on request
• Simple to generate from
Tekla
 Uploaded to a database to
facilitate future:
• Refurbishment and extension
• Reuse
• Traceability and properties for
optimising recycling

20. REDUCE
• Reuse and Demountability using Steel
Structures and the Circular Economy
• 42 month, EU funded project
• To provide practical tools and steel-based
technologies to be able to design steel and
composite structures for deconstruction and
reuse

21. REDUCE partners

22. Scope of REDUCE
 Barriers and drivers
 Opportunities for
standardisation
 Sectors & technologies
 LCA and CE metrics
 BIM and the CE
 Structural testing
 Demonstration building

23. ‘There’s nothing new under the sun’
1908 -1980
Meccano bridge, Bolton, 2012
100ft world record bridge, Belfast, 2015

24. SCI is the leading, independent provider of technical
expertise and disseminator of best practice to the steel
construction sector. We work in partnership with clients,
members and industry peers to help build businesses
and provide competitive advantage through the
commercial application of our knowledge. We are
committed to offering and promoting sustainable and
environmentally responsible solutions.