Saving Energy and Resources by Choosing Steel

Trying to stay eco-conscious while constructing a new building can be tricky if you're using traditional methods. However, if you are erecting a pre-fabricated metal building like RHINO’s, the use of steel saves both energy and resources by default on top of any other efforts you may take.

Save Resources with Steel’s Recyclability

Steel is a miracle material when it comes to recycling. It can be recycled repeatedly without degrading or losing any quality. So steel that’s been recycled 20 times is still as strong as steel that was produced yesterday. Because of this durability, steel is the most recycled material in the world, and recycling has been part of the North American steel industry for over 150 years.

What Steel Can Be Recycled?

Anything steel can be recycled into something new — like a steel building — including old steel buildings. Junked cars, appliances, railroad tracks, steel beams from construction, and any other steel scrap can be melted down and reformed into something new, including your new prefab metal building kit.

How Does Recycled Steel Save Resources?

Using recycled steel in your metal building means there isn’t a need to generate new steel. But it also means there won’t be a waste of all the other resources used to craft the steel. These include 1,400 pounds of coal, 2,500 pounds of iron ore, and 120 pounds of limestone per ton of recycled steel, according to DJJ.

Save Energy by Recycling Steel

Physical resources aren’t the only things saved by opting for recycled steel. Greenhouse gas emissions are reduced significantly — recycling one car’s worth of steel drops emissions by an amount equal to consuming 150 gallons of gas, according to the American Iron and Steel Institute. Additionally, by recycling, the steel industry saves power equal to running 18 million homes for a full year compared to producing new steel, according to the same source.

RHINO Steel Buildings Use Recycled Steel

Every one of RHINO’s prefabricated metal building kits is crafted from 90.7% recycled steel framing. We know that recycled steel is sturdy and ready to stand the test of time, even decades longer than many traditional materials like wood. RHINO is proud to provide you with a durable, low-maintenance structure that minimizes resource waste and pollution as an easy way to stay green.