Structural and civil engineering firm Symmetrys and London South Bank University (LSBU) have launched a new open access digital tool that streamlines the process of using reclaimed steel in the construction industry.
FerrousWheel, which was developed under Innovate UK’s Accelerated Knowledge Transfer to Innovate (AKT2I) grant, identifies and graphically highlights structural steel members that can be replaced with reclaimed steel.
By incorporating these suggestions into their designs, engineers and architects can significantly reduce a project’s embodied carbon emissions.
Chris Atkins, managing director at Symmetrys, said: “We are proud to have worked on this pioneering tool and to finally be sharing it with the industry. Integrated in a BIM workflow, FerrousWheel marks a significant step for companies to understand the supply chain and decarbonise the construction process. Our work with LSBU has proven the immense potential of embedding steel within the circular economy. By democratising this tool and making it available to all, we believe FerrousWheel will become an invaluable asset to achieve our industry’s sustainability goals.”
Ottavia Rispoli, senior lecturer at the School of the Built Environment and Architecture, London South Bank University, added: “The FerrousWheel project aims to radically accelerate the re-use of structural steel in construction, particularly steel products reclaimed after demolition. By analysing data and adopting a multidisciplinary approach to the challenges of steel reuse, we can develop practical solutions to incorporate reused steel members into real projects.
“This tool we’ve developed in collaboration with Symmetrys is an example of that. FerrousWheel’s approach will also encourage future research that prioritises steel reuse and contributes to reducing the environmental impact of the built environment at scale.”
