This material is part of the free Environmental Performance in Construction (EPiC) Database. The EPiC Database contains embodied environmental flow coefficients for 250+ construction materials using a comprehensive hybrid life cycle inventory approach.
Steel is a ferrous metal and is an alloy of iron and carbon, as well as potential other elements. It has a very high tensile strength. Steel has been used in the construction industry for over a century. Stainless steel is extremely resistant to corrosion.
The core material for making steel is iron, which is found in iron ore. Iron is extracted from iron ore in blast furnaces through the smelting process, while controlling for the content of carbon. To render the steel stainless, chromium is needed and is typically added as stainless steel scraps. The molten steel is usually further processed before being extruded into its final shape.
Steel is commonly used in the construction industry, mainly as a structural material. Extruded stainless steel can be used to produce a range of tubes for structural and finishing purposes as well as pipes.