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The Circular Economy of Steel Roofing and Cladding and Its Environmental Impacts—A Case Study for New Zealand

Author

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  • Krishanu Roy

    (School of Engineering, The University of Waikato, Private Bag 3105, Hamilton 3240, New Zealand)

  • Aflah Alamsah Dani

    (School of Engineering, The University of Waikato, Private Bag 3105, Hamilton 3240, New Zealand)

  • Vince Say

    (Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, The University of Auckland, Auckland 1010, New Zealand)

  • Zhiyuan Fang

    (School of Engineering, The University of Waikato, Private Bag 3105, Hamilton 3240, New Zealand
    Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, The University of Auckland, Auckland 1010, New Zealand)

  • James B. P. Lim

    (School of Engineering, The University of Waikato, Private Bag 3105, Hamilton 3240, New Zealand
    Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, The University of Auckland, Auckland 1010, New Zealand)

Abstract

This paper investigates the environmental impacts of two commonly used steel roofing and wall-cladding products in New Zealand over their life cycle, taking into consideration the recycling process. The recycling process of steel is in line with the Circular Economy (CE) approach, where the goal is to prolong the material’s lifetime and possibly reduce its environmental impacts and material waste. Although the benefit of recycling steel is well recognised, the environmental impact values of different specific steel products cannot be generalised and need to be estimated. For this, life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology and Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) were implemented to quantify the environmental impacts of the investigated steel products and to analyse the significance of the recycling process in reducing the impacts on the environment. This study considered modules C1–C4 and D to estimate the impacts of steel products. It was found that the recycled steel materials have an effect on reducing the environmental impacts, particularly the global warming potential (GWP) and photochemical ozone creation potential (POCP), both of which were negative and of −2.36 × 10 6 kg CO 2 eq and −8.10 × 10 2 kg C 2 H 4 eq, respectively. However, it is important to note that not all impacts were reduced by recycling steel, which creates trade-offs within each impact indicator. In addition, when compared with locally sourced material cladding, the imported material cladding had a 6% higher negative impact value for both GWP and POCP.

Suggested Citation

  • Krishanu Roy & Aflah Alamsah Dani & Vince Say & Zhiyuan Fang & James B. P. Lim, 2022. "The Circular Economy of Steel Roofing and Cladding and Its Environmental Impacts—A Case Study for New Zealand," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(24), pages 1-14, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:24:p:16832-:d:1004219
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Concepción Garcés-Ayerbe & Pilar Rivera-Torres & Inés Suárez-Perales & Dante I. Leyva-de la Hiz, 2019. "Is It Possible to Change from a Linear to a Circular Economy? An Overview of Opportunities and Barriers for European Small and Medium-Sized Enterprise Companies," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(5), pages 1-15, March.
    2. Mustafa Saber & Gökhan Eğilmez & Ridvan Gedik & Yong Shin Park, 2021. "A Comparative Time-Series Investigation of China and U.S. Manufacturing Industries’ Global Supply-Chain-Linked Economic, Mid and End-Point Environmental Impacts," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-22, May.
    3. Hongmei Liu & Rong Guo & Junjie Tian & Honghao Sun & Yi Wang & Haiyan Li & Lu Yao, 2022. "Quantifying the Carbon Reduction Potential of Recycling Construction Waste Based on Life Cycle Assessment: A Case of Jiangsu Province," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(19), pages 1-16, October.
    4. Zvonimira Sverko Grdic & Marinela Krstinic Nizic & Elena Rudan, 2020. "Circular Economy Concept in the Context of Economic Development in EU Countries," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(7), pages 1-13, April.
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