The Circularity of Aluminum in Building and Construction

According to the Circle Economy Foundation, when looking at the world economy, it is only 7.2% circular. What does this tell us? We have a current economic model, we extract resources, we use them and then discard them—a linear economic model—which is not sustainable. More than 90% of materials are either wasted, lost or remain unavailable for reuse.  

We cannot address the global challenge of climate change without addressing the lack of circularity. In this article, we discuss the circularity and sustainability of aluminum in the building and construction industry, the challenges of using materials with higher recycled content as well as Kawneer’s commitment to holistic sustainability. 

Aluminum’s Infinite Recyclability 

Aluminum is an exception to the lineal economy model, with its infinite recyclability without loss of quality. In a world economy that is 7% circular, 75% of aluminum produced is still in use, which is an advantage of using aluminum. Also, creating recycled aluminum takes only 5% of the energy needed to make new aluminum, hence significantly reducing the carbon emissions of recycled aluminum.  

Further, aluminum-based framing systems are easy to maintain and have longer lifespans, further enhancing the circular credential of aluminum. 

Closed-Loop Recycling for No Waste 

Kawneer has closed-loop recycling for all its process scrap, sending the processed scrap back to the billet cast-house to use in the creation of new billets. At the end of its life, extracted aluminum has known economic value and gets recycled. The current recycling infrastructure and economic value of aluminum enables it to be brought back into the economy at the end of its life from decommissioned buildings.  

Low-Embodied Carbon Aluminum Billet 

Architects and building designers can specify low-carbon aluminum in their designs by asking for both recycled content as well as the source of primary aluminum to create low-embodied carbon facades.  

Kawneer’s standard aluminum billet specification has minimum of 50% recycled content, with its remaining primary aluminum coming from a clean energy source or hydroelectric smelter to create a low carbon offering (<3 tCO2e/t-AL), which is more offers a carbon footprint that is more than 60% lower  than the North American average primary aluminum carbon footprint (~8.5 tCO2e/t-AL).   

The lifecycle approach of using lower embodied carbon allows manufacturers to create durable, easy-to-maintain and highly energy-efficient facade systems that get recycled at the end of their life. 

Kawneer’s Commitment to Product Transparency 

The building and construction industry demands increased transparency into the environmental and health impacts of materials used in buildings. At Kawneer, we conduct all aspects of our business ethically and transparently so we can continue to deliver and increase sustainable value. 

Kawneer offers all our sustainability documentation for our products directly on our website. In addition, we have published documentation around incorporating a low carbon aluminum billet into your specifications. Learn more about Kawneer’s commitment to product transparency.  

Our Commitment to Holistic Sustainability 

Kawneer leads the industry in sustainable design and innovation. We provide a tremendous amount of transparency, not just about what goes into our products but also on how they are manufactured. With advanced technology processes and highly recyclable aluminum products, we are focused on continuing to reduce our environmental footprint. 

Kawneer is committed to accelerating this approach through our ‘BALANCE’ philosophy. This does not represent a new path but an ongoing journey. We are dedicated to constantly improving for future generations. 

To learn more about Kawneer’s commitment to holistic sustainability, visit our BALANCE webpage.