LUX ARCHITECTURAL PRODUCTS
ENVIRONMENTAL
A growing collection of information on the environmental and LEED benefits of LUX Architectural Products and our building materials.
sustainable green building Materials
At LUX Architectural Products, not only are we committed to creating stunning, durable, and innovative cladding products, but there are also many environmental benefits to choosing our proprietary cladding technologies for your next green building. All LUX Architectural Products are made from steel which is a sustainable green building material and is 100% recyclable at the end of a buildings life cycle. In fact, steel is “the most recycled material on the planet, more than all other materials combined”[1]. For this reason, there are a number of significant factors that contribute to the sustainable environmental choice of using steel for your cladding, roofing and green building material needs.
[1]http://www.steel.org/sustainability/steel-recycling.aspx
[2] Jim Woods, Sustainability and Steel Construction. Steel Recycling Institute ©2007-2008. (http://www.sustainable-steel.org/susconst.html).
- Collection: Because of the comparatively high value of scrap metal, the process of collection is very different when compared to the collection of other recyclable materials. As a result, scrap metal is more likely to be sold to a scrap yard rather than sent to a landfill. Prompt scrap is metal that is leftover in the course of new product manufacturing and accounts for 50% of ferrous scrap metal.
- Sorting: The process of sorting scrap steel involves separating the material in the mixed multi-material waste stream. To achieve this, magnets and other sensors are used to aid the automated recycling operations.
- Processing: Next, the scrap steel is shredded to allow for further processing. Shredded metal material can be melted down using much less energy.
- Melting: Once the scrap steel is processed into shredded metal, it is then melted in a large furnace. This takes a considerable amount of energy but is still much less compared to the energy required to produce steel from virgin raw materials. Depending on the size of the furnace, and the volume of metal, melting can take anywhere from a few minutes to hours.
- Purification: To ensure the final material is free of contaminants and of the highest quality, purification is instigated based on the type of metal being recycled.
- Solidifying: The melted, purified steel is then left to cool and solidify. Depending on its application, scrap steel is then formed into specific shapes to be used for green building production.
- Transportation: Once the steel is solidified, it is transported to various factories where they are used as raw green building material for the production of brand new LUX products.
LEED Building Compliance
LUX Architectural Products believes in the importance of sustainability and minimizing the environmental footprint of its products, materials, facilities, and services. Due to this commitment, we are pleased to provide information regarding the recycled content of our green building products.
