Building & Construction/Infrastructure

Largely due to products in the residential, industrial, commercial, farm, and highway sectors, the 2005 building and construction market accounted for 3.7 billion pounds of net aluminum shipments, good for 14.4 percent of total shipments and the third largest North American market for aluminum.

A potential new application for aluminum is in the nation's infrastructure, such as bridges, oil rigs, and fast ferries. In many cases, the low weight, high strength, and durability of aluminum alloys make aluminum attractive to construction contractors.

With the likelihood of thousands of concrete and steel-reinforced bridge decks facing rebuilding due to their age and condition, aluminum could be a critical alternative building material. Aluminum is cost-effective because it requires less maintenance and painting than traditional materials. It can be installed relatively rapidly and with less inconvenience and disruption to pedestrian and street traffic.

Aluminum Design Manual Frequently Asked Questions (Adobe PDF File)
Corrosion Fact Sheet (Adobe PDF File)
LEED Fact Sheet (Adobe PDF File)