Stadiums

ArcelorMittal Europe – Flat Products has an extensive offer of organic coated steels for roofing and cladding applications. Chief amongst them is the Granite® range which includes solutions for all types of buildings and climates – and an unmatched range of colours and finishes. Now Granite® HDX and Granite® HDXtreme are the first organic coated steels to be available with ArcelorMittal’s XCarb® recycled and renewably produced label. The label indicates that the steels are created with recycled content using renewable sources of energy. The environmental savings can reduce the carbon footprint of classic profiles by up to half. And at the end of their life, all Granite® coated steels can be fully recovered and recycled, making them an ideal solution for the circular economy.

Innovative and durable solutions

With sustainability top of the agenda in building and construction, ArcelorMittal’s organic coated offer provides architects, builders, and owners with a full range of innovative and durable solutions. When coupled with ArcelorMittal’s XCarb® recycled and renewably produced label, the carbon footprint of classic organic coated profiles can be reduced by up to 60%. For sandwich panels, the reduction is up to 36%.

“Combining ArcelorMittal’s XCarb® recycled and renewable label with products such as Granite® HDXtreme makes steel building systems both durable and sustainable,” notes André Lavaud, Organic Coating Product Coordinator for ArcelorMittal. “The advantages are very clear when you compare steel to other materials such as concrete and aluminium.”

Maximising energy efficiency

For owners who want to maximise the energy efficiency of their buildings, ArcelorMittal Europe – Flat Products can offer solutions which enhance the reflectivity of roofs and support solar structures. “Enhancing reflectivity is an easy way to reduce the amount of heat a roof absorbs and leads to lower cooling costs for the building,” says Patrick Le Pense, Segment Leader for Building Skins and Civil Engineering at ArcelorMittal Europe – Flat Products. “And it can lead to credits in building sustainability rating systems such as BREEAM and LEED.”

Reflectivity is calculated using the Solar Reflective Index (SRI). This industry standard considers a range of factors including location, the design of the roof, and wind loads to identify the right colour for the roof to maximise reflectivity. As SRI requires a complex set of calculations, ArcelorMittal can perform the calculation to identify the most appropriate roof colour for any building. And with more than 50 colours available for some of its organic coated solutions, ArcelorMittal Europe – Flat Products can provide the most suitable colour.

“Durability of the steel’s aesthetics is almost as important as its corrosion resistance,” notes Patrick Le Pense. “That is why all of ArcelorMittal’s organic coated steels are tested in a variety of real-life conditions around the world. This enables us to confidently guarantee that the paint layers won’t peel or discolour greatly over time.”

High strength solutions available

ArcelorMittal’s Granite® coatings can also be applied to high strength steel (HSS) substrates. “Organic coated HSS products can be thinner and lighter than our regular solutions,” notes André Lavaud. “They can be applied to roofs, facades, and structural elements to offer higher strength and lower weight. The use of HSS also reduces the amount of steel required which can have a positive impact on the building’s overall carbon footprint.”

Long guarantees support solar installations

Many building owners want to install solar installations during construction to reduce the energy use of the building during its use phase. To achieve this, they require roofing materials which can match the typical 25-year life of the solar structure. “Granite® is again one of the best options to meet this requirement,” says Patrick Le Pense. “Some Granite® products come with automatic guarantees of up to 40 years. With minor maintenance, that lifetime can exceed 50 years.”

Environmental Product Declarations

In some European countries, a life cycle analysis (LCA) is mandatory for residential and commercial constructions. The LCA measures the carbon footprint of the building from the production of materials to the building’s end-of-life.

“We are working to complete Environmental Product Declarations for our organic coated steels which take into account the XCarb® recycled and renewably produced label,” says Patrick Le Pense. “The EPDs will give customers all the information they need to calculate the carbon footprint of the building and its LCA. The EPDs for all products that can be purchased with an XCarb® recycled and renewably produced label will be available by the end of 2022. In the interim, ArcelorMittal can provide relevant information to customers for the LCA calculation.”

Text:
ArcelorMittal Europe Communications
Constructalia

Images:
Joris Ide
ArcelorMittal

Related link(s)

Forster Profilsysteme is a world-leading supplier of steel profiles for doors, windows, and facades. The company utilises Magnelis® from ArcelorMittal Europe – Flat Products to create its all-steel solutions which are free of plastics. The self-healing properties of Magnelis® offer exceptional corrosion protection during transport and storage of the profiles. Welding operations are also simplified with Magnelis®, enabling Forster to create high-quality and durable profiles. To enhance the sustainability of its operations, Forster is currently building a state-of-the-art headquarters which will bring together production, administration, and sales. And wherever possible, they’re utilising ArcelorMittal steels.

Timeless, sustainable, robust

“We see steel as a timeless, sustainable, robust, and durable product which gives us the opportunity to offer a globally unique profile which is entirely made from steel,” says Willi Lüchinger, CEO of the Forster Group. “Unlike other profile makers, Forster does not use a plastic web to connect the two half-shells of a profile. Instead, we use a specially designed stainless-steel web. This improves the recyclability of the product, and its stability, without restricting the thermal properties of the system.”

Magnelis® offers easy weldability and protection

Forster has offered Magnelis® solutions since they became aware of the unique steel coating in 2015. “In our business, the zinc-aluminium-magnesium Magnelis® coating is primarily there to provide corrosion protection in transport and storage,” says Willi Lüchinger, CEO of the Forster Group. “But the biggest benefit of Magnelis® to us is the quality of the welding process. It is almost as easy to weld as black steel.”

The company sees the innovative strength of ArcelorMittal and the relationship as central advantages says Willi Lüchinger: “ArcelorMittal products such as Magnelis®, and initiatives such as XCarb®, show that the partnership is based on a common mindset. They are also an important building block in realising our own ambitions for even more mindful and sustainable use of our world’s resources.”

Sustainability is a key driver in Forster’s business as Willi Lüchinger explains: “Dealing with resources in a mindful way is part of our DNA. We are currently undergoing a company-wide process to evaluate where and how we can reduce our carbon footprint further, and ArcelorMittal’s XCarb® initiative is part of that discussion. Obtaining XCarb® green steel certificates for the steel we buy from ArcelorMittal could be a game changer, and a major step towards a greener future.”

Solutions deployed in new builds and renovations

Forster products have been deployed in both new builds and renovation projects, and their profiles are sold around the world though Europe remains the company’s leading market. Most of Forster’s main system profiles are made from flat steels supplied by ArcelorMittal.

The main customers for Forster’s products are metal fabricators who create profiles based on the designs of architects and building owners. The profiles are turned into window, door, or facade solutions by specialist fabricators. “We train the fabricators in the optimal processing techniques for our systems and provide technical support,” notes Willi Lüchinger.

With sustainability and the future firmly in mind, Forster has begun construction of a new headquarters in Romanshorn, Switzerland. “It will be known as the Forster Campus and includes a new showroom, training and customer centre, offices, and production. The facade of the office building, all doors and windows, and all glazed partition walls are made from our products – hence they contain a lot of flat steel from ArcelorMittal.”

About Forster Profilsysteme

Forster is an internationally renowned supplier of high-quality steel doors, windows, and facades. Founded in 1874, Forster has transformed from being a steel profile manufacturer to a world-leading system supplier. In 2024, the company will move its headquarters to a new purpose-built facility in Romanshorn, Switzerland.

More info: www.forster-profile.ch

Text:
ArcelorMittal Europe Communications
Constructalia

Images:
© Forster
© Forster, Damian Poffet
© Forster, Roman Keller
© Forster, We are Contents / Stéphane Aboudaram

Related link(s)

La Samaritaine

Last year, the German city of Mülsen - just a few kilometres from the birthplace of legendary car brands Horch, Audi, and Trabant - became home to the country’s most modern kart racing track, Arena E. Built using ArcelorMittal steel, the track is operated by the Allgemeiner Deutscher Automobil Club (ADAC) with former kart racer Kevin Illgen as managing director.

Multiple uses

The 18-hectare site offers motorsport enthusiasts a place to do laps with karts and pocket- and mini-bikes. ADAC also envisages the racetrack being used by the Zwickau University of Technology for research driving and testing.

High visibility for our steel

ArcelorMittal Construction Deutschland supplied various products for the construction of the complex:

• 1003BM sandwich panels in the colours AM 7016 (anthracite) and AM 9006 (white aluminium)
• flat sheets (in the same colours)
• 135/310 supporting shells

Our sandwich panels were used to build the facade of the indoor karting hall; the start-finish tower, which meets the most modern requirements and houses the race office, speakers, and timekeeping system; and the central building complex, comprised of reception and conference rooms, catering, and the race hall. Our flat sheets were used to build the folded parts, and our supporting shells - supplied by our Brehna plant - were used in the roof construction.

Overall, the functional units, cladded with anthracite panels and separated by silver sandwich panels, match perfectly with the colour of the track creating a coherent visual environment.

Arena E will host up to 18 racing events a year, helping to showcase our steel to international audiences.

Text:
ArcelorMittal Europe Communications
Constructalia

Images:
ArcelorMittal

Related link(s)

Arena E