Due to increased customer demand for recycled building materials, architects and designers may find that their clients have a strong interest in steel framed windows and doors. Steel window manufacturers understand that for custom and luxury builds, having thermally broken steel windows and doors is essential for clients who are committed to “green building” techniques that incorporate ecologically-sustainable materials.

What most custom build clients may not realize, however, that steel is a metal that can be recycled indefinitely without losing integrity or strength; metal roofing panels and steel framed windows and doors that incorporate recycled steel are part of a recycling chain that keeps more than 75 million pounds of steel out of landfills every year.

Manufacturers that are committed to recycling and to using sustainable energy to power their plants often seek natural certification. Although a handful of companies are currently nationally certified as zero waste, meaning that less than 2% of their waste is sent to a landfill and that they convert a high percentage of industrial waste into electricity, more manufacturers are seeking that certification in order to attract and retain a progressive client base.

New thermally broken steel windows and doors for commercial and residential facilities are also rated for fire safety and may provide clients a much higher rate of protection against home intrusion. There are more than 1 million house fires reported across the country every year, and the installation of fire safe windows and doors should be a part of every design and build conversation. Investing in a custom build is made even more worthwhile when homeowner concerns about safety and durability — and, increasingly, ecological impact — are addressed and resolved by contractors and designers.

Steel window manufacturers seek to raise public awareness of the high percentage of recycled steel that is used across every industry: homes with steel frames are not vulnerable to twisting and settling, and provide insurance against termite destruction. Almost 15 million cars are recycled each year, and recycled steel metal roofing panels actually weigh about half as much as traditional asphalt roofs. Steel window manufacturers have also worked successfully to reduce their levels of air and water emissions, achieving a 90% reduction over the last decade.

Although the words “recycled” and “steel” may not yet be connected in the American media, steel insiders know that consumers are going to continue to invest in steel as a building material. While custom build and luxury customers may initially request thinner sightlines and a more modern silhouette, architects and builders around the world understand that recycled materials — especially steel — could be the revolutionary new design material that clients did not even realize was available.