Aluminum can contribute to the growing green building market as it is a sustainable material and is easily and frequently recycled, reports the Aluminium Federation of South Africa (Afsa).

Afsa aluminium specialist Dr Tony Paterson says that, although the aluminium industry is perceived as using large amounts of energy in the reduction of aluminium oxide, secondary smelting and recycling of aluminium is energy efficient. The energy required to melt the metal 
itself is less than 5% of the energy 
required for primary aluminium oxide reduction.

He adds that, as a result of waste minimisation policies in the aluminium industry and the longevity of the metal, 75% of all aluminium smelted globally can still be traced.

Paterson says that, taking the metal’s density and strength into account, the energy use of aluminium competes favourably with other metals and plastic.

Green building principles of building construction, with a view to effective recycling of a building’s components once its life cycle is over, are a motivation for the selection of aluminium as a building material. Paterson says that the recyclability and adaptability of aluminium make it a good choice for green building.

The understanding and 
extension of a building’s life cycle, central to the concept of energy and material use minimisation in green building, are one of the challenging aspects of designing green buildings, says Paterson. “The challenge for 
architects is to look at a building as a long-term platform with a life beyond present usage and to impress that upon clients,” he says.

He adds that functionality and adaptability, which go beyond the present needs of the commissioning client, should be included in building designs.

Aluminium is also a durable material, which lasts for long 
periods without decaying. Paterson cites the example of the statue of Eros, in Piccadilly Circus, in London. The statue is made of aluminium and stands on top of a fountain made of bronze. The statue has stood in its outdoor location at Piccadilly Circus since 1893.

Afsa executive director Mark Krieg says that the applications for aluminium are extensive as it is an adaptable material.