As you may know, the first Earth Day in 1970 led to the creation of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the passage of landmark environmental laws. It has evolved into a global movement with a different theme from year to year. This year’s theme, “Our Power, Our Planet”, focuses on renewable energy.
Interestingly, steel is the material of choice for an evolving renewable energy landscape—from turbines to solar farms. Considering steel is the world’s most recycled material, this makes perfect sense. As a division of Steel Dynamics Inc. (SDI), New Millennium is building on steel’s inherent environmental upsides. First, it’s a leading supplier of steel joists and deck, which are the most efficient structural steel components. New Millennium also benefits from SDI steel produced by high-efficiency electric arc furnace (EAF) technology. U.S. EAF mills generate a fraction of the carbon emissions produced and energy intensity required by blast furnace steelmaking. This foundation of sustainability is what sparks ongoing inspiration.
“With steel, we have a sustainability advantage from the start,” says Seamus Robins, National Accounts Sales Manager at New Millennium. “From the scrap collection of our partner company to the EAF steel making process of SDI to our own steel fabricating process, we literally convert steel from old cars, appliances, even demolished buildings into new steel joists and deck.”
Given the recycled nature of steel, New Millennium’s steel joists contain over 70% recycled content and its steel deck contains over 45% recycled content. Finding ways to reduce weight is another way New Millennium works to reduce a steel structure’s environmental impact. For example, its distinct approach to flush-frame connections offers a simplified specification that can mean up to 35% less steel weight than wide-flange beams, while achieving equivalent vibration performance.
New Millennium can meet LEEDv4 requirements and provide environmental product declaration (EPD) information. EPDs report a variety of lifecycle impacts including Global Warming Potential (GWP), the measure of how much energy the emissions of gas will absorb over a given period, relative to the emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2). In fact, New Millennium outperforms the industry average with lower GWP.
Recycled ferrous scrap metal
High efficiency EAF technology
It’s not realistic to think New Millennium could have become a leading steel joist and deck supplier without a workforce—and a community of customers and partners—committed to innovation and collaboration. It is people, working together, that have strengthened the company’s favorable flow of Sustainability Practices over the last 25 years. And it is people who continue to drive advances in sustainability.
“We‘re intentional about new opportunities in sustainability, and we’re always considering how our practices support our partners and customers,” says Robins. “With SDI being out front, we want to identify long-term solutions. We’re investing in renewable energy projects, so we’re also looking at low carbon sources like nuclear, solar, and wind as options to offset our power generation, because the largest source of our GWP is the energy needed to melt steel and make steel joists and deck.”
Clearly, being able to quickly identify and adopt new practices designed to better protect our planet requires organizational agility. From production process to product specification to impact of shipping and delivery, New Millennium has fostered a culture of sustainability. On this Earth Day, it’s important to celebrate eco-friendly progress while also recommitting to the promise ahead.
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Building a better steel experience
