From idea to
reality
He is no stranger to building with steel: Thorsten Rebbereh, an architect and entrepreneur from Hildesheim, is in the middle of constructing a logistics hall when his daughter calls him and complains about the high costs of building a home. A short time later, an idea becomes a vision and ultimately a reality: a cost-efficient and sustainable home made of physically CO2-reduced steel – the Green Steel Home – is being built on a construction site in a new housing development near Wolfsburg.
Influences on the development of the concept
The use of steel in home construction is not a new idea, but it is far from being established. Thorsten Rebbereh takes this as an opportunity to transfer the advantages he is familiar with from the commercial context – flexibility and cost efficiency – and combines them with the needs of younger generations for a home of their own, as well as the most modern approaches to sustainable and natural biophilic design.
SALCOS® Structural Steel: 366 kg CO2/ton
© Green Steel Home GmbH
© Green Steel Home GmbH
© Green Steel Home GmbH
© Green Steel Home GmbH
© Green Steel Home GmbH
Utmost precision
and flexibility in design
The concepts already show that steel construction is in no way inferior to conventional building materials in terms of living comfort – and significantly reduces construction costs by up to 35 percent*. The basis of the concept is a self-supporting steel structure in lightweight construction, which can also reliably overcome difficult ground conditions. Compared to conventional construction methods, each component of the steel frame is planned in detail, precisely prefabricated and assembled with millimetre precision.
The use of bolted beams and the absence of load-bearing interior walls ensures maximum flexibility with regard to living and space requirements, for example if your circumstances change and an extension or conversion becomes necessary. Thanks to the bolted construction method, it is even possible to relocate or convert the building. For example, the building can easily be converted into a factory hall by removing a floor inside, thus contributing to sustainable use. It is also possible to reuse individual components in other structures.
Production of beams
In Peiner Träger GmbH, an ideal partner was quickly found for the targeted project. Specialising in the decarbonization of the construction industry and offering the physically CO2-reduced SALCOS® Structural Steel, the Salzgitter Group company not only provided comprehensive consulting expertise but also the right product for realising the vision. Regional proximity was an additional advantage.
Around 13.9 tonnes of beams made of SALCOS® Structural Steel were produced in Peine for the model house using the electric arc furnace route. On the basis of the detailed planning, the beams are prepared with great precision for use on the construction site. The high degree of prefabrication in the workshop enables quick assembly on the construction site, significantly reducing costs and environmental impact.
How SALCOS® Structural Steel is produced
For the Green Steel Home, Thorsten Rebbereh relies on SALCOS® Structural Steel from the electric arc furnace route of Salzgitter subsidiary Peiner Träger GmbH.
Home grows
The construction site is coming together. The foundation work has been completed. The beams are being delivered. The construction workers need just three days to erect the steel frame and 14 days for the complete building shell. It is striking that almost no construction waste is generated over the entire construction period. Thanks to the precise planning, the sandwich panels for the outer cladding also fit perfectly to the beams with no waste material. ‘If this were a conventional shell construction, we would have already driven away the fifth container of construction waste. At Green Steel Home, we don't even fill one,’ reports Thorsten Rebbereh.
SALCOS® for the Green Steel Home:
The advantages at a glance
The building material and concept go hand in hand to promote sustainable new construction. The manufacturing process and recyclability of SALCOS® Structural Steel, the options for repurposing and relocating, a short construction time and the reduced impact on the construction site all effectively contribute to the requirements for certification according to QNG or DGNB.
„The Green Steel Home impressively demonstrates the advantages of SALCOS® structural steel construction. Architects, builders and owners benefit from cost savings, flexibility and improved sustainability ratings. As a partner, we support our customers with the right product and comprehensive advice.“
Jonas Pons, Technical Customer Services, Peiner Träger GmbH
