Facade mounting systems for external cladding applications require secure connections. One of the Danish suppliers of these systems is Triplan, located on Sjælland near Copenhagen. Since 2019, Triplan has produced facade connection systems that are made from Magnelis® supplied by ArcelorMittal Europe – Flat Products.

ArcelorMittal ships Magnelis® coils to Jørgensen & Utoft, a Danish steel distributor which delivers the cut-to-length steel sheets and strips to Triplan. As well as offering a high-strength solution, the Magnelis® coating ensures resistance to corrosion and the long-term security of the facade.

Triplan first started using Magnelis® in 2019 when the company was commissioned to create a facade for an existing residential building in Søndermarken, Denmark. “Initially it was the corrosion resistance of Magnelis® that attracted us to the product,” says Klaus Groth Larsen, CEO of Triplan. “Since our first project in Søndermarken, our Magnelis® facade mounting system has been utilised on many new and existing buildings around Denmark.”

The long-term corrosion protection that Magnelis® offers is essential for external facade support systems.

C5 protection vital in Denmark

Magnelis® is now supplied to Triplan by the Danish steel distributor Jørgensen & Utoft. “We had been working with Magnelis® for several years, so we understood the level of corrosion resistance the coating offers. The demand for Magnelis® is growing every year in our business,” notes Niels Vilsbøll, Key Account Manager for Jørgensen & Utoft. “Many areas of Denmark are very close to the sea, so the C5 corrosion resistance of Magnelis® is very useful. It can withstand the corrosive effects of the salt air making it the ideal material for construction projects.”

“The superior corrosion resistance of Magnelis® has been demonstrated in accelerated laboratory testing and extensive outdoor tests at sites around the world,” says Flemming Nielsen, Country Head for ArcelorMittal Europe – Flat Products in Denmark. “The results show that Magnelis® outperforms galvanised steel in all types of environments, offering up to three times better performance. Magnelis® is also the only metallic coating certified for use in C5 environments. This certification has been backed by the Research Institute of Sweden (RISE).”

Double-sided protection

Today, Triplan typically utilises Magnelis® ZM310 which offers a coating thickness of 25 µm per side. The coating is applied to both sides of high strength steel substrates for added protection. “The Magnelis® coated steel we use ranges in thickness from 0.5 to 3.0 mm, usually for securing exterior walls and our steel load-bearing floor slabs,” says Klaus Groth Larsen. “The exact thickness of the steel we use for each project is calculated by our Construction department using information supplied by the customer and our own experience.”

While corrosion resistance was the main reason Triplan initially selected Magnelis®, its self-healing properties are also appreciated. Klaus Groth Larsen explains: “The self-healing process is very important for Triplan. We bend and cut the material in our operations, so there are always edges, welds, perforations, and scratches which can lead to corrosion in galvanised material.”

When Magnelis® coated steel is exposed to the environment, these ‘wounds’ are gradually covered by the Magnelis® film, ensuring the integrity of the part.

Enhancing sustainability

Triplan is already supplying lots of Magnelis® facade connection systems to its customers. That market is set to grow as the company fine tunes its offer. “We have just published updated Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) for our offer,” says Klaus Groth Larsen. “We have also started to optimise our production processes to ensure the right grade of steel is used in each project and application. These initiatives are all steps on our journey to create a more sustainable business.”

About Triplan

Founded in 1946, Triplan is a provider of flexible glazed wall systems as well as components for steel and plaster building systems. The company’s 50 employees work in a 7000 m2 production and administration facility in Ishøj near Copenhagen, Denmark. Triplan’s products are exported to more than 40 countries around the world. To meet the future market demands, Triplan is building a state-of-the-art plant which will open in mid 2026.

More info: www.triplan.dk

About Jørgensen & Utoft

From its base in Denmark, Jørgensen & Utoft supplies flat steel strips and sheets to its customers across Scandinavia and to the rest of Europe. The company maintains a high level of stock, enabling its customers to obtain material with very short lead times.

More info: j-u.dk

Text:
ArcelorMittal Europe Communications
Constructalia

Images:
Triplan

Related link(s)

Alusín Solar, a Spanish manufacturer of solar structures, and ArcelorMittal have been working together for some time to provide the renewable energy sector with innovative and durable solutions for photovoltaic panel supporting structures. Alusín Solar uses Magnelis® coated steel from ArcelorMittal Europe - Flat Products to manufacture its mounting systems and has tested it several times in the past.

A unique open-air laboratory

In March 2023, Alusín Solar created a 500m2 demonstration area with 30 solar panels and a variety of structural systems made of different steels at Cabo Busto in Avilés, Spain. In addition to serving as a showcase for its products, it is also an open-air laboratory where resistance to corrosion and wind forces are evaluated. The site was selected as it is in a particularly aggressive environment.

This project was developed in cooperation with ArcelorMittal, which – in addition to its technical expertise – supplied display stands with steel sheets in various coatings, including the innovative Magnelis®. The different products are not only exposed to the elements but have also been buried to analyse corrosion in soil. These elements will be dug up periodically for analysis of their corrosion behaviour over time.

Partnerships drive innovation

ArcelorMittal and Alusín Solar share a commitment to innovation and sustainability in the energy sector. For ArcelorMittal, this collaboration with Alusín Solar is an opportunity to offer steel solutions that meet the needs of its customers – as demonstrated by Magnelis® coated steel. In addition to offering exceptional durability, Magnelis® is now available with XCarb® recycled and renewably produced steel that significantly reduces its carbon footprint to create more sustainable renewable energy installations.

Thanks to its partnerships, Alusín Solar has put itself at the forefront of solar energy technology in Spain. Apart from private companies, the Spanish company also collaborates with public institutions in its mission towards progress. An example of which is the land for its laboratory in Cabo Busto. It belongs to the Port Authority of Avilés, which has given Alusín Solar permission to use it for this purpose.

Text:
Constructalia

Images:
Alusín Solar

Related link(s)

As the construction sector hustles to decarbonise, more and more research into the Life Cycle Assessments (LCA) of building and building components is being conducted. This paper contributes to this growing body of research with a comprehensive comparison of cold formed steel (CFS) purlin roof systems using the latest LCA techniques and the latest environmental data.

Abstract

Due to the decarbonisation of the energy sector, embodied carbon has been recognised as the dominant climate impact driver. In response, countries are currently accelerating their efforts to comply with climate change commitments and regulations with pressure growing for the construction sector to reduce its impact rapidly. In this paper, the life cycle assessments (LCA) of purlin roof systems, used as secondary structural elements on single-storey industrial buildings, are compared. Three structural materials are considered: metallic coated structural steel, reinforced concrete, and structural timber. In addition, different steel grades are compared to highlight the environmental benefits of using high strength steels (HSS) allowing weight-optimised design. The LCA focusses on the product stage (modules A1-A3), transport (module A4), end-of-life (module C), and the benefits and loads beyond the system boundary (module D). The life cycle inventory (LCI) is composed of construction environmental product declarations (EPD) published according to EN 15804. All the LCA evaluations are performed using the commercial software One Click LCA following the recommendations of EN 15978.

Contents

This 2023 paper is comprised of the following sections:

1.    Introduction
2.    Methodology
       2.1.    Life Cycle Assessment framework
       2.2.    Purpose and object of assessment
             2.2.1.    Prestressed prefabricated concrete purlin
             2.2.2.    Glued laminate (Glulam) purlin
             2.2.3.    Cold formed steel purlin
             2.2.4.    Structural material consumption
       2.3.    Boundaries of the LCA
             2.3.1.    Product stage (A1-A3)
             2.3.2.    Transport to the site (A4)
             2.3.3.    Replacement (B4)
             2.3.4.    End of life stage (C3-C4)
             2.3.5.    Benefits and loads beyond the system boundaries (D)
       2.4.    Life Cycle Inventory LCI
       2.5.    Calculation of the environmental indicators
3.    Interpretation of results
       3.1.    Overall GWP
       3.2.    Life cycle stages
4.    Conclusions

Position paper:
© José Humberto de Paula Filho, Leonardo Guimarães, Jérôme Guth, Luca Marioni

Text:
© Constructalia
© José Humberto de Paula Filho, Leonardo Guimarães, Jérôme Guth, Luca Marioni (Abstract)

Images:
© ArcelorMittal Europe
© José Humberto de Paula Filho, Leonardo Guimarães, Jérôme Guth, Luca Marioni

Related link(s)

Life Cycle Assessment of purlin systems: the influence of the low carbon high strength steels in CO2eq. emissions

A unique collaboration between ArcelorMittal Europe – Flat Products, KS Service Center, and Van der Valk Solar Systems is creating sustainable solar panel mounting systems that are available in Europe. The systems are produced using Magnelis® coated steel sourced with accompanying XCarb® green steel certificates from ArcelorMittal Europe – Flat Products. The steel is transported to KS Service Center using electric vehicles wherever possible. It is processed by KS Service Center and their chain partner KS Systems using machines that are powered by 100% renewable electricity.

The ambition to reduce carbon emissions for PV mounting structures

The sustainable cooperation in the value chain and the choice of sustainably produced steel is a first in the Dutch PV market. The tripartite agreement was signed in Moerdijk, the Netherlands.

Through the use of Magnelis®, the XCarb® green steel certificates, and a sustainable production chain, KS Service Center and Van der Valk Solar Systems are aiming to achieve an 82.2% reduction in carbon emissions for PV mounting structures.

Magnelis® and PV installations: the perfect duo

Since it was first introduced more than a decade ago, Magnelis® has become a standard material for solar mounting structures and other components used in PV installations. Magnelis® can offer solar farm operators a productive lifetime of 25 years or more depending on the thickness of the coating. As well as being easy to process, Magnelis® offers low maintenance and self-healing on cut edges.

In the decade since Magnelis® was first introduced, there have been significant improvements to the range. These include heavier coatings which are extending the geographic range of solar projects to more harsh environments while offering longer lifetimes. The heavier coatings also allow Magnelis® to be used for foundation poles, which have to be strong in order to withstand the installation process in the ground, replacing post-galvanised material.

Partnership in the steel supply chain: the way to go

Corné Rottier, Managing Director of KS Service Center, sees the cooperation with ArcelorMittal Europe and Van der Valk as the beginning of a trend: “In order to maximise the impact of a more sustainable approach, an integrated supply chain cooperation is the way to go. Together we can drastically reduce CO₂ emissions, and I am pleased that we can start to show this with this collaboration through Van der Valk’s solar panel mounting systems.”

Van der Valk Solar Systems chose Magnelis® coated steel sourced with accompanying XCarb® green steel certificates to create their solar panel mounting systems with a minimal CO₂ footprint. “We want to be leaders in sustainability, which is why we have chosen sustainably produced Magnelis® from ArcelorMittal Europe,” says Paul van der Meer, KAM coordinator at Van der Valk Solar Systems. “Working with a partner such as KS Service Center emphasises our commitment to take the next steps in our sustainability journey.”

“Our XCarb® green steel certificates represent significant CO₂ reductions in steel production processes and are an important part of our journey to reducing our CO₂ emissions by 35% by 2030 in Europe, and reaching carbon neutrality by 2050”, says Frederik Leus, XCarb® Business Development ArcelorMittal Europe – Flat Products, CMO Industry. “The CO₂ reduction in these certificates amounts to 2.11 t CO₂ /t steel and originates from innovative CO2 emissions reduction projects in our production processes. The CO₂ savings are mass balanced on a central account and independently verified.”

KS Service Center and its sustainability mission

With their shared commitment to sustainability, KS Service Center and KS Systems are striving to drive sustainability in the steel processing industry. One way they do this is by supplying steel accompanied with XCarb® green steel certificates. In 2024, KS Service Center and KS Systems will provide sustainably produced steel, giving customers a wider range of sustainable steel solutions to choose from.

About KS Service Center

KS Service Center is a leading supplier of strip steel and sheet metal with extensive expertise in the steel industry and a special focus on durable steel. For its customers, it processes and supplies high-quality materials in a variety of thicknesses and grades. The company distinguishes itself as a reliable partner with a sustainable approach and flexible delivery. It is ISO 14001 certified, the international standard for an environmental management system. Its ambition is to become the greenest service center for steel in the Benelux. 

About KS Systems

In addition to KS Service Center, KS Systems also plays a crucial role in chain cooperation, designing and realising innovative, sustainable support structures for international market segments such as warehousing, solar, and construction. By working closely with KS Systems, KS Service Center can offer a completely sustainable solution to its customers, where high quality materials and innovative systems go hand in hand. 

About Van der Valk Solar Systems

Since 2009, Van der Valk Solar Systems has been one of the fastest growing companies in the solar industry. It focusses entirely on the development and production of solar mounting systems for pitched roofs, flat roofs, and open fields. Van der Valk Solar Systems has an office and warehouse in the UK, offices in Sweden and Spain, and is currently active in 13 countries.

Text:
ArcelorMittal Europe Communications
Constructalia

Images:
ArcelorMittal

Related link(s)

KS Service Center

KS Systems

Van der Valk Solar Systems