BCSA issues Model specification for the purchase of reclaimed steel sections

To help the growing demand and increase the awareness of the benefits of reusing structural steel, the British Constructional Steelwork Association (BCSA) has developed a new Model specification for the purchase of reclaimed steel sections.

This specification should be used in conjunction with Annex J – Sustainability Specification of the National Structural Steelwork Specification for Buildings (NSSS), BCSA Pub. No. 65/22.

The model specification applies to suppliers of steel products placed on the market as reclaimed structural steel sections for the fabrication of structural steelwork.

It applies to the contract between the stockholder (the supplier) and the steelwork contractor (the purchaser). The supplier should comply with the requirements of this specification, unless otherwise agreed with the purchaser.

Further information on technical issues is available from the SCI reuse protocol (SCI P427), which answers many questions for steel produced since 1970. Work is underway to extend this guidance to older steelwork.

“Although business models for the reclamation and reuse of structural steelwork are still evolving, the environmental and potential cost benefits of steel reuse are compelling, and the market will define the most efficient models going forward. The supply chain will need to adapt to these new procurement models,” said BCSA Sustainability Manager Michael Sansom.

Steel reuse is an important demand-side reduction measure under the circular economy strategy within the BCSA 2050 decarbonisation roadmap published last year.

A copy of the Model specification can be downloaded from www.steelconstruction.info