An average 200 square meter timber-framed home requires around 40-50 trees to build. This is equivalent to an entire acre of forest. Comparatively, a steel-framed home requires the equivalent of only six recycled cars. Native vegetation must be cleared to make way for the non-native tree plantations used in the construction industry. These areas could otherwise be left or restored as native forest to capture carbon and reestablish habitat for wildlife. Australia has lost over 40% of its natural forests, and habitat loss is currently the biggest threat to wildlife. Steel framing provides a quality, environmentally-friendly and cost-effective alternative to timber framing.

ANYFRAME steel frames are carefully designed to create as little waste product as possible. Due to the precision design and manufacturing process, raw products are used as efficiently as possible. This means that there is very little wastage of materials during manufacture. Unlike timber, there are no imperfections in the raw materials in steel framing, so the entire product is usable. Once on site, there is very little modification of the steel frames required, dramatically reducing construction time and ensuring minimal on-site waste products. In addition to all of these benefits, the steel we use for our frames is made from 50% recycled steel and is 100% recyclable.

Due to the precision manufacture and assembly methodology of ANYFRAME steel frames, there is minimal on-site wastage, and little time and energy required to erect your frame. This means a lower impact on the construction site and the surrounding areas than when building with conventional timber frames. Off-cuts from timber frames can amount to 20-30% of materials. Construction timber cannot be reused or incinerated due to toxic treatments and waste is often left at construction sites, which attracts termites and dramatically increases the chances of a home infestation. Offcuts from ANYFRAME frames can be fully recycled or reused.

In general, it is recommended to build with materials that have a low embodied energy. Embodied energy is the amount of energy consumed during the production of a product. While the initial embodied energy of steel is higher than timber, the life cycle energy over the life of your home can be much lower due to lower energy consumption over time and the high durability of steel framing. ANYFRAME steel frames are made of top quality high tensile galvanised steel. Galvanised (Zinc coated) steel framing has an extremely long product life cycle, with an average life expectancy of 377 years! Unlike plantation timbers, steel is made with recycled materials and is 100% recyclable, lowering the embodied energy of manufacture over time. Steel can be recycled indefinitely without loss of quality. The recycling of steel requires 70% less energy than the original mining & manufacturing process. If you are building your home in an area with a variable climate, steel framing is the environmentally responsible choice.