Sustainable, Green Metal Construction: Facing The Future Today

By Shawn Zuver, editorial/content director

During the past few months, I’ve found myself picking up some books that focus on environmental issues. For example, one was the story of a journalist who wanted to see if it was possible to live his life “off the grid”, trying to set up a self-sufficient homestead in the western U.S. It was a noble and interesting experience, but the author found that the practical application was a bit out of reach for him at this time. Another environmental-themed book that I recently finished was released nearly a year ago and titled A Contract With Earth. Not surprisingly, as I do with most things, I found some of the messages in A Contract With Earth tie in closely with the environmental focus that is present in an increasing number of metal construction products.

I was at first a bit hesitant to write this column about green issues, because we frankly have other contributing writers on DesignandBuildwithMetal.com who are far better versed in the topic than I am—such as Scott Kriner, president and founder of Green Metal Consulting Inc. However, as we so often say in our efforts through The Metal Initiative (TMI) and the Metal Construction Association (MCA), I ultimately decided that another voice in the choir can only strengthen metal’s environmental message. So, while I stake no claim to being an environmental expert, here are some of my thoughts.

A Contract With Earth was written by Newt Gingrich and Terry L. Maple (copyright 2007, University Press). Gingrich, of course, is most famous for his bold, controversial tenure as U.S. Speaker of the House Of Representatives in the mid-1990s, where he spearheaded the Republican Contract With America. His name recognition, coupled with the familiar “Contract” theme, is what led me to pick up A Contract With Earth. Gingrich has been active in many arenas, including authoring several books, contributing to television news shows and working with environmental concerns, including his American Solutions for Winning the Future project. His co-author, Maple, is president and CEO of the Palm Beach Zoo and is also involved in other environmentally-themed projects.

A relatively-quick read at approximately 200 pages, A Contract With Earth lays out the authors’ ideas of ways that businesses, governmental agencies, non-profit groups and individuals can work together to preserve the Earth’s environment for future generations. They provide a brief history of environmental issues, including works by U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt, the creation of Earth Day in 1970, and many other significant ecological achievements initiated by corporations, foundations and governments.

Without giving away too much, one of my big take-aways from the book is that Gingrich and Maple are not preaching the doom and gloom which can be easily found in mainstream media every day. Instead, they note that keeping an optimistic attitude is key to successful environmental stewardship. Specifically, they point to the entrepreneurial spirit as a crucial component in addressing environmental challenges. Throughout the book they speak of this as entrepreneurial environmentalism.

“If we approach the environment with the zeal and spirit of an entrepreneur, we can accomplish more than just the application of a political band-aid,” Gingrich and Maple wrote. To emphasize this point, they support the environmental mantra of “think globally, act locally” to arrive at solutions that fit local situations without brining on unnecessary federal government intervention.

The Gingrich-Maple book reminded me that many examples of entrepreneurial environmentalism can already be found in the metal construction industry. Outstanding work is being done in solar collecting systems used with metal roofing, including racked solar panels and thin-film technology. There are also some excellent metal walls systems that do their part in conserving energy. Meanwhile, cool coatings—used primarily on metal roofs, but also on metal walls—are becoming well known for their abilities to improve interior building temperatures, while also reducing the urban heat island effect. Insulation systems have also shown their importance in energy efficiency, as have many other products that are commonly used in metal construction settings.

Add in the fact that metal products—including steel, aluminum, copper and zinc—are recyclable, and it’s clear to see that the metal construction industry has a lot to offer current and future green building initiatives.

Gingrich and Maple call on America to take a leadership role, but their message can really be extended to anyone—whether individual or corporation—across the globe. There are clearly many product suppliers in the metal construction industry who are already taking proactive roles in developing materials and practices that are Earth-friendly. We’re also seeing a strong movement among architects who are creating their project designs with the environment in mind, as evidenced by the growing number of LEED certified projects. Likewise, contractors are also gaining in environmental consciousness, along with building owners.

At DesignandBuildwithMetal.com, we often discuss how sustainability and green issues are now becoming commonplace in our daily conversations and activities. These things that once seemed foreign to the construction and design communities are now becoming standard practices.

It won’t be long before every day truly is Earth Day in the metal construction industry.

To see dozens of examples of environmentally-conscious metal products, check out our Green Products section. The EnergyPeak section also focuses on a building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) solar system for standing seam roofs.

Shawn Zuver is editorial/content director for DesignandBuildwithMetal.com. He has been covering the metal construction industry, including residential and non-residential construction, since 1985. To contact Shawn, call (419) 581-2051 or email shawnz@designandbuildwithmetal.com.

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