SCI event highlights steel construction opportunities

Entitled ‘Steel Construction 2030 – Opportunities and Needs’ the Steel Construction Institute’s [SCI] annual event, held at the Royal College of Physicians in London, highlighted the sector’s increasing relevance in the coming years.

Speakers from both the SCI and member companies looked at some of the opportunities and developments that could be of relevance to the UK steel construction sector.

Arup’s Chris Barker, who is also Vice Chairman of the Steel Piling Group, spoke of the benefits the use of steel provides to both building and infrastructure projects.

SCI’s Mark Wilkinson took to the stand and discussed the importance of certification and the many ways it can help designers choose steel, thereby aiding the material to increase market share.

According to the SCI, there are a number of environmental and sustainability challenges that the construction industry must face. The steel sector is well positioned and highlighting this fact the SCI Associate Director Michael Sansom spoke of the re-use of steel.

“Our prototype portal for re-used steel will show that even though there are a number of significant hurdles to overcome, if we want to be able to re-use steel that is currently out there in our building stock, developing a database for future use of steel that is going into current projects would actually be very easy,” he said.

Wrapping up proceedings, SCI CEO Graham Couchman outlined the SCI’s new on-line code of practice for UK steel design.  It will show designers what design rules they can use, and will guide them on how to use these rules correctly. It will also facilitate migration to the next generation of Eurocodes.