Aluminum’s Role in Sustainable Building Design Detailed at Metalcon

Metalcon—the metal construction industry’s largest trade show—provided the setting for the Association’s Building & Construction (B&C) Committee to educate builders on aluminum’s value as a sustainable construction material.

“Aluminum brings remarkable value to the building and construction market,” said B&C Committee Chairman Eddie Bugg, who delivered a seminar at the conference on aluminum and sustainable design. “It is lightweight, durable, corrosion resistant, energy efficient, aesthetically appealing, and infinitely recyclable.”

Bugg, who is Director, Sustainable Solutions, for Kawneer and Alcoa Building and Construction Systems, gave seminar attendees an overview of Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)—the program administered by the U.S. Green Building Council that is the nationally accepted benchmark for sustainable building design—before segueing into aluminum’s utility under LEED.

Aluminum boasts sustainability advantages in terms of its material properties, finishing options, and design versatility, Bugg noted.

To improve buildings’ energy performance, aluminum sunshades and light shelves can be used to, respectively, cool buildings in the summertime and reduce electrical energy (lighting) costs. On-site renewable energy systems such as aluminum-framed photovoltaics can also be used to offset energy costs and earn LEED credits, Bugg added.

Among aluminum’s most sustainable attributes is its recyclability, he noted. LEED recognizes and encourages the use of building products that incorporate recycled content, thereby reducing the environmental impact relating to the extraction and processing of virgin materials.

“Nearly 75% of all aluminum ever produced since 1888 is still in use today, and 95% of aluminum used in buildings is recycled,” Bugg said. “Aluminum truly is shaping green buildings.”

To view/download a copy of Bugg’s presentation at Metalcon, click here (may take several seconds to load).