Advantages of Metal

Global construction is being driven by client aspiration and government legislation to provide buildings that have a minimum impact upon our environment. This includes every aspect of the building from design, to construction, waste management, end of life and beyond. SAS Architectural Metalwork aspires to meet these demands through the delivery of sustainable solutions that are considered at every point in the design and manufacturing process to meet our client’s expectations.

Through better design, responsible sourcing of materials and innovative manufacturing techniques, we are able to provide our clients with solutions that help their buildings to achieve suitable ratings under schemes such as BREEAM, LEED, SKA, Greenstar and Estidata.

A key design and construction consideration for any building is its whole life costing. There are many factors that have to be taken into account including maintenance, repair, refurbishment, waste, energy usage, demolition and disposal.

SAS International, in conjunction with a recognised quantity surveying practice, has carried out research into the overall costs of a metal product throughout its expected life cycle. The report highlighted the significant capital cost benefits in the context of the whole life costs of building. This exercise was based on a 20-year lifespan and projected that real cost savings of some 47% are achievable using SAS Architectural Metalwork products compared with non-metal alternatives. In addition, the industry consensus was that non-metal products would be considered unserviceable after a period of 10–15 years.

SAS International is totally committed to the provision of enhanced value to our clients throughout product specification, design, manufacture and installation.

Whether this be through the gauge of metal, the thickness of coating used or final surface performance, we strive to ensure that our products exceed the market standard in performance, aesthetics and durability.

To this end, SAS paint coatings have a 25–40 year product guarantee and our quality control procedures ensure consistency of performance across all our products.

As a business we have taken the strategic decision to focus upon metal products as a way of achieving the highest performance and sustainability standards demanded by today’s modern methods of construction.

The use of steel provides many benefits over comparable materials during the lifecycle of a product. For example, the manufacture and use of steel in construction sets a very high standard in the reduction of waste. Metal waste generated during manufacture and during on-site installation is recycled, resulting in no waste to landfill.

In addition, iron and steel making by-products, such as blast-furnace slag, can be used by the wider construction industry for a range of products including road stone and lightweight aggregate. In fact, steel manufacturing CO² emissions have been halved globally since the 1960s.

Steel is also a unique product in recycling terms; its properties remain unchanged no matter how many times it is recycled and thus it can be recycled repeatedly without deterioration of product quality.

Steel Facts
Steel is the most recycled material in the world, with an estimated 459 million tonnes being recycled in 2006, an equivalent of 180 Eiffel Towers every day.

All new steel could be made from recycled steel (scrap). However, the increasing demand for steel, which is 50% greater today than it was 10 years ago, and the long life of products made from steel, delays its availability as scrap.

Worldwide recycling of steel is over 80%, in the UK 94% of steel used in construction is recovered.

Click to download the brochure

featured project

Blackfriars Bridge Station:
New Case Study

world-class interiors

Watch our new corporate video or download a copy of the brochure.

find us on

career opportunites

Current career opportunities within SAS