Whether it's rebuilding after a natural disaster or finding innovations for housing a burgeoning populace, steel has solutions that are already in place and meeting needs in the world today. The 2004 tsunami left millions homeless and devastated. Steel framing was transported into remote and needy areas on canoes, bicycles and the backs of aide workers to rebuild communities to better than previous conditions. (see Emergency Housing). As well, steel's attractive construction advantages facilitate rapid development of large communities thereby filling housing shortage gaps more effectively. Many of these projects around the world envelope community space as well as living quarters, providing libraries, common gathering areas, shopping and other services that a new community needs. (See Social Housing in Evreux)

As well, steel's attractive construction advantages facilitate rapid development of large communities thereby filling housing shortage gaps more effectively.

Energy Use

Houses made with steel have less negative environmental impacts in terms of energy use, raw material consumption and created material waste during construction. Framing with steel consumes only 6.3 %of the total life-cycle energy used by a home, the rest being consumed by heating, cooling, refrigeration and lightning. As well, 200m² of steel-framed house can generate as little as one cubic meter of recyclable scrap during construction. The determining factor in the energy life cycle of a steel-framed home is the quality of the installation of the selected insulation system, which enables it to be thermally efficient. Steel roofing with reflective finishes saves energy by reflecting heat away from the house and thereby enabling a cooler natural environment. (See Expressive e-BODE) As well, houses built with steel construction have low thermal mass and advantage can be taken of air flows and natural ventilation to reduce the home's energy consumption. Alternative energy sources, water and heat recycling and other systems that are the latest in sustainable design can be more easily incorporated in steel construction because of its design flexibilities and inherent qualities. Home owners can experience real independence from external energy sources.

Building the World of Steel Architecture

There are many steel-intensive and innovative designs in existence globally, birthed through the creative minds and successful work of the world's architects, that showcase the great achievements and the successes of steel. We've picked out just a few of our online Case Studies here that represent the body of creative minds that are using steel to develop housing that is far more than just a place to live.

Living Steel aims to stimulate innovation in the design and construction of housing to address the global challenge of increasing urbanization. We want to inspire architects, developers and communities about the possibilities and opportunities for efficient and effective housing. One avenue we chose to accomplish this is our International Architecture Competitions for Sustainable Housing. These competitions, approved by the International Union of Architects (UIA), invite architects globally to design housing that is responsible to the environment, efficient in design, yet provides quality and expressive living space where people can dwell comfortably for a life time. Our first competition was launched in 2005 and the winning designs are now being prepared for construction in Kolkata, India, and Warsaw, Poland. The demonstration buildings will expose developers, city governments and home owners to the steel construction experience as well as build local supply chains for future developments. A second competition launched in October 2006, and the Call for Expressions of Interest closed in January 2007 with over 1100 entrants. Eighteen will be short-listed to design buildings for Brazil, China and the United Kingdom.

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