The Right Choice
Cost
P Steel is the most cost-effective framing material for
buildings and structures of all types
P Steel is cheaper than it was 15 years ago in inflation
adjusted terms, and has fallen in price since 1980
P Cost saving benefits from productivity advances
achieved throughout the steel supply chain are shared
with customers
P A competitive sector with a large number of steelwork
contractors ensures that customers get value for money
P Cost savings in steel buildings start at the foundations,
where the loads imposed by a steel frame are up to 50% less
than those of a concrete alternative
P In October, an independent study showed that on a typical
city centre office building, the frame and upper floors cost
of the cellular steel composite beam and slab option was
8% lower than the concrete alternative
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Sustainability
P Steel is the world’s most recycled material
P 99% of structural steel used in the UK is either re-used or
recycled, waste is minimal to non-existent
P Steel is multicycled, meaning that it can be used again and
again without any loss of quality
P Steel buildings are adaptable and flexible offering futureproofed
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NSC 19
Annual Review
solutions
P Almost all steel-framed buildings can provide optimal
thermal mass
P Signatory companies to the BCSA’s Sustainability Charter
agree to their sustainability credentials being assessed
and monitored
Acoustics and Vibration
P Steel-framed buildings easily satisfy the acoustic
performance requirements for residential buildings
P Infill steel-framed external walls provide both acoustic and
thermal insulation
P Conventional steel construction systems meet the required
vibration performance criteria without any special measures
being adopted
P Extra stiffening can be applied for extremely vibration
sensitive applications like hospital operating theatre floors
P Even with these additions steel remains the most costeffective
and lightweight solution
P Long-span applications, for which steel is the only option,
have been found to offer excellent vibration damping
Fire Protection
P More is understood about the behaviour of steel in fire than
any other construction material
P The UK has a competitive and very effective fire protection
industry
P A continuous programme of research means that costeffective
fire protection measures are always being improved
P Advanced design and analysis techniques avoid overspecification
of fire protection requirements
P The analysis of composite steel deck floors in fire can
eliminate fire protection on many secondary beams
P Offsite application of thin film intumescent coatings shortens
construction programmes
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