Steel carries many advantages as a residential construction material. But one of its major advantages is its recyclability. It is predicted that iron ore resources will last seven million years with current mining activities. With such a supply, steel can be indefinitely sustained. However, mining activity carries with it its own harsh impact on the environment. So in spite of the ready supply of raw ore, most steel today is made with recycled scrap, preserving the natural resource. Steel is the only material with a closed material loop, which is an important advantage when compared to many down-cycled materials. Steel can be 100% recycled to the same product function with no quality degradation. It also is possible to convert the recycled steel easily to different production functions, depending upon industrial needs and market demands. When one ton of steel is recycled, 1100 kg of iron ore, 635 kg of coal and 55 kg of limestone are conserved.

It also is important to note that the energy required to produce one ton of scrap-based steel is about one-fifth that of ore-based steel production. Almost all steel construction products contain large percentages of recycled steel, and in some countries, recycling rates for construction material reaches beyond 60%. The ability to magnetically separate steel from other solid wastes during the recycling process as well as steel scrap's high market value contribute to natural conservation and savings to landfill spaces.

The steel structure in this week's featured home, Residence for a Sculptor uses steel that is 100% manufactured from recycled vehicles. Today it's on wheels, tomorrow it's the place you call home, and 200 years from now, it might be in someone else's home halfway around the world. Steel is the most recycled material in the world.

To learn more about steel's benefits to residential construction and the environment, read the feature story Planning for the Future with Modern Steel, from which this article is excerpted.