The South African construction industry was facing many challenges, such as the availability and price of electricity, the lack of technically skilled workers and high carbon emissions, ArcelorMittal Distribution Solutions South Africa MD Thierry Poitel said at a recent French Energy Forum breakfast hosted by the French-South African Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Johannesburg.

He said the group’s steel products could assist the South African construction industry in dealing with these challenges and reduce its negative environmental impact. “We are working to change the way of building [so that we] focus more on steel, while also improving the manufacturing process to decrease the environmental impact of construction,” he said.

Poitel pointed out that, as the material’s quality was not lost through the recycling process, steel was 100% recyclable and that ArcelorMittal recycled 1.2 t of steel per second.

Further, through the improved manufacturing process, the environmental impact of construction was reduced through decreased waste generation, energy consumption and greenhouse-gas emissions.

“ArcelorMittal would like to set up steel production plants in South Africa that would only need 5 m3 of water to produce two-million square metres of insulated steel panels, ready to be installed,” Poitel added.

Meanwhile, the installation of ArcelorMittal’s prefabricated products on site was fast, reliable and predictable, he said.

“This technique reduces the local environmental impact, water use, waste generation, dust emission, traffic and noise,” he explained, adding that the steel panels could also be installed by relatively unskilled workers.

Through effective insulation, ArcelorMittal is also working to increase the energy efficiency of buildings constructed with steel.

Poitel pointed out that ArcelorMittal’s steel was used to build the 700-seater Soweto Theatre’s curved facades.

Soweto’s first public theatre was designed by architectural firm Afritects and is located in Johannesburg’s Jabulani precinct.

“One of the most astonishing features of the theatre, and arguably the most daunting to achieve, is its curved walls. “The edges of the theatre complex are defined by two curving fortress walls, containing the three theatre boxes and all other ancillary spaces. The intention was to create iconic structures unlike anything previously seen in Soweto,” Afritects architect Sergio Duarte explained.

Cladding System

The design of the walls required the cladding system to curve horizontally and vertically, creating a parabolic shape; the cladding also needed to withstand the harsh South African sun.

ArcelorMittal provided the modular panels, which could be adjusted on site. Some of the steel parts were prefabricated at the plant, cutting construction time and costs and contributing to cleaner, less hazardous working conditions on site.

The steel-shingle cladding, chosen for its flexibility and robustness, was applied in multiple layers to provide heat and sound insulation and make the structure watertight. The strength of the steel-shingle finish will ensure that the Soweto Theatre remains an icon for many generations to come.

“ArcelorMittal, in South Africa, is proud to have been associated with the development of the Soweto Theatre. This amazing facade of steel should encourage building owners, architects, designers, financers, users and all other stakeholders to consider not only the construction cost per square metre but also the environmental impact of the structure, as well as the social benefit of having an iconic building in a community such as Soweto,” said Poitel, who was the project manager.

Meanwhile, Poitel also pointed out ArcelorMittal’s involvement in the construction of the Meetse-A-Bhopelo Primary School, in Mamelodi, Pretoria. The school was officially handed over to the Department of Basic Education in November 2010.

Built from steel, the school took only 12 months to build, instead of the two years required for a more conventional structure. During the project, 19 990 t of steel was used. Unemployed workers from the township were employed, with between 60 and 80 people on site each day, ArcelorMittal stated in a media release.

The school can house 1 200 learners.

The steel structure was produced in kit form, which allowed for quick and easy assembly. Built using a budget of R34.8-million (excluding Vat), the Meetse-A-Bophelo prototype is also cost effective.

Meetse-A-Bophelo was the first community to benefit from the company’s programme to build ten steel-structure schools across South Africa. One school will be built in each of other provinces in South Africa.