Steel has been used in modern construction for more than 200 years. We at CHRISTMANN + PFEIFER have also been relying on this material since our founding in 1925 – and for good reason. Despite its age, steel remains a timeless classic for us: resilient, versatile, and superior to other building materials in many aspects.
Sustainability as key driver
Good material is not enough nowadays. Buildings, materials and companies are facing increasingly higher demands in the areas of sustainability, resource conservation and climate protection.
Steel in particular is considered critical under these circumstances – steel has a reputation for being energy-intensive. And yes: conventional production processes are indeed linked to high energy demand. But a closer look shows that steel often is underestimated.
Steel-built advantages: circular, durable, future-ready
The biggest plus point: recyclability. Steel can be recycled again and again without any loss of quality. About 99 % can be returned to the material cycle after demolition. This makes it a very efficient building material and fulfills key requirements for circular construction.
But that is far from the whole story. The steel industry is undergoing change. New production processes – increasingly with the help of electricity or hydrogen – are reducing the CO2 footprint significantly and making steel production more environmentally friendly in the long term.
Thanks to its flexibility and durability, buildings can be adjusted to changing needs. Often, they can be extended or modified without great effort. Building with steel within or alongside existing structures is particularly sustainable and efficient, as it makes use of existing resources.
The high load-bearing capacity of steel also results in high material efficiency. Very slender structures can often be achieved.
Construction noise and dust, emissions on site are reduced due to industrial prefabrication of components at the factory. This also increases precision. Modular building systems further reinforce this effect.
How do we get the best out of steel?
- We source our steel from recognized manufacturers that use a very high share of recycled material.
- Our own engineering focuses on efficient, lean supporting structures with optimized material use.
- With the Preflex® Parking Garage and our turnkey modular buildings we rely on modular, flexible construction systems.
- We find tailor-made solutions for adaptions and work on existing systems.
