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Our philosophy regarding architectural metals is to select a product that will last the useful life of the building with little or no maintenance.  This usually results in the least long-term cost to the building owner (see Life Cycle Costing ). 

Stainless Steel

• Approximately 60% of the world's stainless steel production comes from recycled scrap.

• Lasts indefinitely without coatings that contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs), as in painted surfaces.  The environmental impact of repainting (VOC emissions, leftover paint disposal, additional material consumption) is also avoided.

• Stainless steel, often used in jewelry, medical implants and cookware, is harmless to living things.

• Since stainless alloys are extremely stable at ambient temperatures, there is no leaching or run-off. 

• Stainless steel production in the US, as well as most nations, makes use of substantial pollution control technology.  While it still consumes some natural resources, as well as energy to produce, many other materials use more resources, creating a higher environmental impact.   The recycled content of stainless steel produced in the United States is higher than that of most other countries.

• Having a favorable strength-to-weight ratio compared to most other metals, stainless can be engineered to lighter gauges, thus consuming less material in the first place.

 
Titanium

• Titanium production, like that of stainless steel, relies heavily on recycled scrap.

• The use of paint and other coatings can be avoided, eliminating their environmental hazards.

• Titanium will perform in severe environments, where even stainless steel will fail (marine locations where sea spray is a problem or chemical processing plants).  Designing for permanence is both environmentally and economically sensible.

• Often used in medical implants, titanium is harmless to living things.

• Titanium is extremely stable, eliminating the risk of leaching or run-off.

• As in stainless steel production, there is substantial application of pollution control equipment in the manufacturing of titanium.

• With a favorable strength-to-weight ratio compared to most other metals, including stainless, titanium can be engineered to the lightest of gauges, thus consuming less material.

Zinc

• With scrap utilization growing, more than one third of North America's zinc is currently recycled. 

• While a degree of zinc oxide runoff occurs in the natural weathering process, the oxide is invisible (does not stain surrounding materials) and also quite harmless to animals.

• The use of paint and other coatings can be avoided.  In particular, natural zinc has a similar appearance to lead-coated copper, without the toxic hazards of lead.

• As in stainless steel and titanium production, there is substantial application of pollution control equipment in the manufacturing of commercially pure zinc.