Sustainability Proving its long-term mettle Longevity, whole-building LCAs, and stainless steel

Whether the project is a new building or major renovation, sustainability is an increasingly important factor in decision-making. Whole-building lifecycle assess- ment (LCA) makes it possible to look at all phases of a building, from material extraction through construction to decommissioning and, when possible, recycling into a ‘new’ useful material. When it comes to comparing materials, increasingly available data, an ASTM standard procedure, and LCA analysis software are helping design professionals make better choices to reduce the building’s carbon footprint.

By Catherine Houska

Service life prediction is necessary for The availability of the product-specifi c LCA; it makes corrosion-resistant, long- lifecycle inventory (LCI) data necessary life, high-recycled-content materials like for LCA has grown rapidly. Europe, stainless steel an obvious choice, particu- Australia, and the United States have The electrochemically colored shingles on Tokyo’s Reiyukai Shakeden Temple have not faded since they larly for corrosive exterior applications. created databases, and additional inter- were installed in 1975. Photo courtesy of JSSA (building) and Catherine Houska (detail) This article explains the fundamentals of national resources exist.2 If a product whole-building LCA, along with the impor- comes from a part of the world that understanding of the environment, it is Many of these early installations are still tance of site assessment and using avail- does not have an LCI database, the also important to determine whether in service today, including the entrance able corrosion data. It provides examples producer may have Environmental material suppliers, industry associations, canopy of London’s Savoy hotel (1929).6 of the stainless steel’s long-term perfor- Product Declarations (EPDs) containing or consultants specializing in that This illustrates the durability and lon- mance in demanding environments.1 the necessary information. Stainless product have long-term atmospheric gevity of stainless steel. When properly steel is in these databases and many corrosion testing data for a similar specifi ed and maintained, it can last Whole-building LCA producers have EPDs. LCI data for a environment, since known corrosion the life of the project. When demolition Sustainable design focuses on envi- specifi c product varies with different rates are the best way to predict failure. fi nally occurs, an average of 92 percent ronmentally responsible and resource- regions of the world because of differ- This author has written articles pro- of the stainless steel used in construc- effi cient construction throughout the ences in energy sources and emission viding specifi c guidance on comparative tion is recycled back into new metal – an project’s life. Historically, however, the levels (among other factors, like recycled metal selection in coastal and deicing indefi nitely recyclable resource – without primary focus has been on the post- scrap availability), so producer- or salt, soil, and swimming pool environ- deterioration of properties. construction aspects, including energy country-specifi c data must be used. ments.3 Further, industry association and water reduction, maintenance, LCA requires not only initial LCI data website resources provide signifi cant Early skyscrapers healthy work environments, renovation, for a material, but also a determination additional stainless steel selection People have always built large structures and demolition. While specifi ers have of whether there will be replacements resources.4 as a means of expressing power and long understood materials’ environmen- during the expected service life. The LCI The stainless steels most commonly wealth, frequently pushing the limits tal impacts can be signifi cantly differ- of a product must be multiplied by the used in architecture are: of technology. Fittingly, the fi rst large ent, and that premature replacement number of expected replacements dur- • Types 304/304L (UNS S30400/S30403, architectural applications for stainless affects the building’s carbon footprint, ing the desired service to determine the EN 1.4301/1.4307, SUS 304); and steel were in the tallest buildings in the resources have only recently been avail- total environmental impact of a material • 316/316L (UNS S31600/S31603, world: ’s Chrysler (1930) able to do a thorough LCA. choice. A material with lower initial LCI EN 1.4401/1.4404, SUS 316). and Empire State (1931) buildings. The environmental impacts associ- values may actually have a far greater Although the former was only the tallest ated with material choices are signifi - negative impact on a building’s total Duplex stainless steels are growing in building in the world for a few months, cant – from extraction (e.g., harvesting, carbon footprint if it is unsuitable for the popularity for structural applications. its elegant, glittering stainless steel art mining) through production, use, and specifi c service environment and needs They include lean duplexes and UNS deco styling has made it an enduring, fi nally, its end-of-life. Those impacts multiple replacements. S32205 (which provides substantially internationally recognized example of include not only energy and emissions, There are two International Organiza- more corrosion resistance than Type elegant skyscraper design. Both build- but also water consumption, pollution, tion for Standardization (ISO) standards 316). There are a growing number of aes- ings have been awarded LEED Existing and waste. The International Green defi ning LCA principles: thetic fi nishes available for 2205 sheet.5 Buildings (EB) Gold status by the U.S. Construction Code (IgCC) and the • ISO 14040:2006, Environmental With 60 percent of the world’s popu- Green Building Council (USGBC). The most recent versions of the most widely Management: Life Cycle Assessment – lation living in coastal zones, increased two structures’ minimal stainless steel used voluntary rating systems – Lead- Principles and Framework; and use of deicing salts, and high pollution replacement has been the result of ership in Energy and Environmental • ISO 14044:2006, Environmental levels in developing countries, the cor- modifi cations, hurricane damage, and Design (LEED), Green Star, and Building Management: Life Cycle Assessment – rosion resistance of Type 316/316L or other issues unrelated to the material’s Research Establishment Environmental Requirements and Guidelines. comparable stainless steels is typically performance. Assessment Method (BREEAM) – include necessary unless there will be regular The introduction of metal and glass whole-building LCA as an option, while ASTM E2921, Standard Practice for maintenance cleaning. In more-corrosive curtain wall design in the early 1950s organizations like American Institute of Minimum Criteria for Comparing Whole environments like the Middle East, high revolutionized tall building design. Architects (AIA) and large owners like Building Life Cycle Assessments for Use deicing salt exposures, coastal splash Stainless steel was used for many of the U.S. General Services Administration with Building Codes, Standards, and zones, and near volcanic areas, UNS the early prominent building designs (GSA) encourage it. Rating Systems, is compliant with these S32205 and other higher-alloyed stain- including the Socony Mobil Building standards. It was developed specifi - less steels should be considered. (1954) and Chicago’s Inland Steel Build- cally to provide the minimum criteria ing (1958). By the 1960s, stainless steel for LCAs of buildings and to support Long-term performance was regularly being used for high-profi le codes and rating systems like LEED and Stainless steel provides documented architectural applications around the IgCC. Unless otherwise specifi ed by the long-term performance with minimal or world, so there are many project exam- applicable code or rating system, ASTM no maintenance in a wide range of ser- ples with longer than 50 years of service. E2921 requires a building service life of vice environments. The fi rst known archi- no less than 75 years, which is the aver- tectural applications for stainless steel Japanese temple age lifespan of a U.S. building. date from the mid-1920s – they were The fi rst coloring methods for stainless relatively small or low-profi le projects steel were introduced in the 1970s, Avoiding material replacement such as entrances and industrial roofs. and were developed for durability. Corrosion or deterioration can lead to aesthetic or structural failure neces- sitating premature replacement. The fi rst step in determining an appropriate material involves assessing the site envi- ronment to determine whether it would be corrosive. The specifi c environmental conditions that cause deterioration vary with the material, but include tempera- ture, humidity, coastal or deicing salt exposure, and pollution. This author developed the International Molybde- num Association (IMOA) stainless steel site evaluation, which is used globally. One should also look at nearby build- ings and structures to see how materials are performing, and ask questions about maintenance and replacement history. Once the tallest building in the world, New A material may look good because it York City’s Chrysler Building retains its elegant, is cleaned quarterly, but, if this level of Located in the Parisian museum known as the City of Science and Industry, La Géode is an Omnimax glittering, stainless steel styling more maintenance is unlikely on your proj- theatre, covered by a geodesic dome with almost 6500 mirror-fi nished Type 316 panels. Photo courtesy than 85 years after it was built. ect, the product may fail. Applying the of ParisSharing

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There are also many interesting new Type 316L-clad offi ce towers in New York, including the LEED Gold-rated 7 Bryant Park and International Gem Tower, but the largest concentration of stainless steel façades is around the World Trade Center, where Type 316L visually connects the buildings’ diverse design styles while making them more sustainable and resilient. Although it is the smallest building in the complex, the National September 11 Memorial Museum Entry Pavilion needed a very special fi nish for the Type 316L rainscreen. “We created a subtle rhythm by alternating #4, #3, #4 with glass bead, #3 with glass bead and a custom Main Steel satin fi nish,” said Bill Zahner (of the eponymous architectural metal and glass engineering fi rm, Zahner). “Gloss readings were taken of each and we worked with Snøhetta (architect) to arrive at the combinations that are now Type 316 stainless steel was chosen for Via – a triangular 709-unit New York City tower facing the Hudson, on the building.” which has been shortlisted for the World Architecture Festival Awards – Completed Buildings – Housing The LEED Gold-rated One World award. Photo © Nic Lehoux Trade Center opened in 2014. Its 541 m (1776 ft) height coincides with the year Type 316/316L – used here on One Canada For example, the electrochemically colored England (Cambric fi nish), being an the Declaration of Independence was Square in London, England – is the preferred shingles on Reiyukai Shakeden Temple excellent example of durability. signed, making it the tallest building in exterior stainless steel because of the cor- rosiveness of the typical service environment. (Tokyo) have had no change in appearance Some have had regular maintenance the western hemisphere. Type 316L sup- Photo courtesy of Outokumpu since they were installed in 1975. and others had none, but they l ook ports the podium’s glass fi ns, accents unchanged in appearance. All illustrate the glass tower’s façade corners (a French museum the exceptional performance and proprietary ‘laser’ fi nish), and forms the With many examples of stainless steel La Géode, which opened in 1985, is a cost-effectiveness of stainless steel as 6-ton spire (6.35 mm [1/4”] plate). projects exemplifying long service geodesic dome with an exterior covered an architectural design material Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners’ life, Type 316/316L is the primary alloy in 6433 mirror-fi nished Type 316 panels and its appeal for sustainable designs Three World Trade Center will be com- being selected for long service life that holds an Omnimax theatre in Parc de where long-term performance is pleted in 2018. The 80 story, 329 m (1079 applications in the corrosive exterior la Villette at the Cité des Sciences et de expected. ft) building will be clad with Type 316L in environments that exist in much of l’Industrie in Paris, France. The largest sci- Home to more LEED-rated buildings a proprietary ‘linen’ fi nish, and has been the world, though more corrosion- ence museum in Europe, it was designed than any other city, New York is in the pre-certifi ed to LEED Gold. resistant stainless steels like 2205 by architect Adrien Fainsilber and engi- midst of a construction boom. Sustain- are also available. neer Gérard Chamayou. It is 36 m (118 ft) able residential buildings of all sizes are Restoration and reuse in diameter and refl ects the sky. using Type 316L stainless steel on their New York City’s Chrysler and Empire Notes exteriors, including 245 10th Ave, HL23, State Buildings are both excellent * This article originally appeared in Singapore racetrack Beekman Tower, 50 West Street, 56 examples of the ability to restore stain- the August 2016 issue of The Con- Leonard, American Copper Buildings, less steel to its former glory. Both struc- struction Specifi er (vol. 69, no. 8), the and Central Park Tower. tures have been cleaned approximately offi cial magazine of the Construction One example, Via (625 West 57th St) every 30 years, with considerable surface Specifi cations Institute (CSI). To read is the fi rst building designed by the accumulation of dirt and grime between the full article, visit www.construction- Danish Architecture fi rm BIG (Bjarke restorations. A similar case is New York specifi er.com. Ingels Group) in North America. Nearing City’s Socony Mobil Building (150 East 1 The author would like to acknowl- completion, the 709-unit building faces ), constructed in 1954 and edge the support of the Nickel Insti- the Hudson River. The Durst Organiza- adjoining the Chrysler Building. It was tute and International Molybdenum tion carefully vetted the materials and cleaned for the fi rst time in 1995 after Association (IMOA) in the preparation all aspects of construction with consid- over 40 years of service. of this article. eration of their impact on the environ- All three buildings were cleaned with a 2 To use the databases for these three ment. Type 316L was selected for both mild detergent/water solution contain- regions, see “European Platform on The grandstand for the Singapore Racecourse the façade and the custom structural ing a degreaser to remove hydrocarbon Life Cycle Assessment” (http://eplca. in Kranji boasts a standing seam roof compri- sections supporting the cleaning system deposits and a fi ne abrasive where nec- jrc.ec.europa.eu), “Australian Life sing undulating curves achieved with Type 316 because of the building’s deicing salt essary to remove more adherent surface Cycle Inventory Database (www.alcas. stainless steel. Photo courtesy of Ewing Cole. exposure adjoining the Joe DiMaggio deposits. No aggressive or environmen- asn.au) and “National Renewable Photographer: Erhard Pfeiffer Highway. tally hazardous materials were required, Energy Laboratory Life Cycle Inven- nor any products emitting hazardous tory Database” (www.nrel.gov/lci). The Singapore Racecourse in Kranji was fumes. Similar solutions are used on 3 Previous articles by this author for completed in August 1999. The design buildings with more frequent cleaning The Construction Specifi er include architect, Philadelphia-based Ewing regimes. These buildings exteriors “Designing on the Waterfront” Cole, wanted the curved, 400 m (1312 ft) have corrosion resistance equivalent (November 2007), “Stainless Steel long grandstand roof to remind visitors to Type 304. With increased deicing for Severe Coastal Environments” of the graceful movement of a power- salt use, New York has become more (September 2011), “Architectural ful racehorse in motion. Its undulating corrosive and the lower levels of these Metal Corrosion: The De-icing Salt curves were achieved with a standing buildings must be cleaned regularly or Threat” (December 2006), “Prevent- seam roof made of Type 316 (UNS coated. Today, Type 316 or an equiva- ing Corrosion in Soil” (April 2006), S31600, EN 1.4401, SUS 316) stainless lent stainless is being used in new projects and (co-authored with James Fritz), steel. Heavy year-round rainfalls are in New York for added corrosion “Swimmingly Stainless Pool Design” common in Singapore. The owners resistance. (December 2005). wanted a durable, long-lasting roof that 4 Visit www.imoa.info or would remain attractive with minimal Conclusion www.nickelinstitute.org. maintenance. Whole-building lifecycle analysis tools 5 See this author’s May 2015 The “We did not think twice about using and databases fi nally make it possible Construction Specifi er article, “Duplex stainless steel, because it is a corrosive, to fully assess building performance Stainless Steel Revolutionizes tropical island environment,” explained and achieve more sustainable designs. Structural Design.” the design fi rm’s John Chase. “Stainless To minimize the building footprint, the 6 See this author’s co-written (with P.G. steel roofi ng is widely used in Singapore materials should be capable of lasting Stone, and D. J. Cochrane) Nickel for that reason.” the life of the project with minimal main- Development Institute reference The architect of record was Indeco, a tenance. This can make stainless steel a book, Timeless Stainless Architecture, Singapore fi rm. suitable candidate. from October 2001. Recent towers The world’s leading architects have About the author continued to use stainless steel for rela- Catherine Houska, CSI, is a senior development manager at TMR Consulting. She tively traditional curtain wall, sunscreens, is a metallurgical engineering consultant specializing in architectural metal specifi - elegant store interiors and transit build- cation, restoration, and failure analysis. Houska is a long-term member of the U.S. ings around the world. Type 316/316L At 541 meters, One World Trade Center is the Green Building Council (USGBC), and chairs the ASTM E60.80 General Sustainability is the preferred exterior stainless steel tallest building in the western hemisphere. subcommittee. She has authored more than 190 publications. Houska received the because of the corrosiveness of the Type 316L supports the podium’s glass fi ns, Technical Document Award at this year’s CONSTRUCT & the CSI Annual Conven- accents the glass tower’s façade corners and typical service environment, with tion. She can be reached via e-mail at [email protected]. 1990’s One Canada Square in London, forms the 6-ton spire.

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