This report reviews how metals have been assessed within The Green Guide to Specification, including the application of the Environmental Profiles methodology, which underlies data. The way in which metals are addressed within building-level environmental assessment schemes such as BREEAM and the Code for Sustainable Homes is also explained.

The report will give manufacturers and specifiers a general understanding of the significant benefits and impacts of metal products over their whole life cycle and help to identify opportunities for improvements to their environmental performance.

It is part of a series that provides comparable information on cladding, floor finishes, insulation, masonry and concrete, metals, timber and windows to assess the environmental impact of specific construction materials.



Contents
Glossary
1 Introduction
-Metals and The Green Guide
2 Sector overview
-Steel products
-Aluminium products
-Copper products
-Zinc products
-Historical and geographical changes
3 Life cycle assessment, Environmental Profiles and The Green Guide
4 Applying the updated Environmental Profiles methodology to metals
-Data sources
-Treatment of recycled inputs
-Treatment of co-products and by-products
-Treatment of recycling from manufacture
-Treatment of recycling from end of life
-Treatment of minerals extraction
-Responsible sourcing
-Treatment of toxicity
-Treatment of coatings and finishes
-Treatment of site wastage rates
-Durability and service life
-Functional units: structural aspects
5 Key impacts for the sector
6 Key opportunities for the sector
7 Where more data are required
8 Conclusions
9 References

A4, 20pp, 2 drawings, 7 photos