From the early days, steel has been an extremely important construction material. Its applications have provided various uses with strength, durability, and versatility in all areas, which have remained constant despite changes and developments in building technologies.
Today, high-tech innovation, sustainability, and the future of smart construction will lead steel construction toward more efficient, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly building solutions. In this blog, we will discuss innovations and major developments in products such as sandwich panels for roofing and walls, advanced coatings, and composite floors—each aiming to take the industry forward.
Steel profiles are the backbone of structural steel in modern construction. A steel profile can be designed for walls, roofs, and floors to be strong, flexible, and easily assembled. Its main designs will vary from one type of application to another. Some of the leading examples include Trapeza®, a family of roof profiles for strength and reliability. There are other roof profiles, which include Trapeza® 39/333, Trapeza® 32/265, and Trapeza® 29/200, offering other forms of roofing options while being easily adaptable to different types of structures due to their trapezoidal forms and, thus, strength, ease of installation, and durability.
With Eurobase 106 CD®, a roof deck profile known for its long-span ability, these advanced steel profiles transform the construction process itself—enabling fast, efficient building assemblies that reduce time and cost while still maintaining a high level of structural integrity.
The use of sandwich panels in the roof makes a lot of difference. This is a composite panel whereby two or more materials are layered on top of another to bring out the best properties of one and something else. Roofs sandwiched together in panels are enormously useful, providing excellent insulation, increased energy efficiency, superior weather protection, and thus, suitable for multiple purposes.
Ondatherm® T and Delfos® are the most popular product lines. These insulations sandwich metal sheets around PUR/PIR foam to provide greater thermal insulation. It was primarily developed as a roof sandwich panel to provide higher heat efficiency with increased durability, thereby reducing building exposure to the environment.
Another roof sandwich panel is Delfos®. This combines the high performance of the insulation offered by the foam of the PUR/PIR panel with the strength of steel to support efficient building performance for both industrial, commercial, and residential buildings.
Energy-efficient buildings are made possible through the building of roof sandwich panels as ever-demanding construction solutions in sustainable building construction. Since energy efficiency is becoming a crucial factor in construction, what these panels save is total consumption of energy. It is very important to the building owners and operators who try their best to cut operational costs.
Wall sandwich panels are becoming the first preference in the construction business over roof sandwich panels. A core material, PUR/PIR foam, is coated between two layers of metal. Their excellent insulation properties, and thus the decrease in the need for extra insulating materials, make them an environment-friendly and cost-effective choice.
For example, one of our outstanding products is Promisol S®: a sandwich panel product specifically developed for wall and façade applications. Its properties are thermal insulation, as well as durability and resistance to environmental effects. Other notable products include Promisol V®, Nilho®, and Galatea®. They too possess advanced thermal properties and a high level of strength and performance.
Two well-finished wall sandwich panel designs are Stardust®-60 and Pearl® - 60. Stardust®-60, for example, features an aesthetically pleasing smooth surface, hence suitable for aesthetically sensitive projects. Organic coatings of Pearl®- 60 ensure that the panels not only are strong but also powerful and smooth. These panels ensure maximum thermal efficiency contribution and aesthetic appeal building hence preferred for modern constructions.
Advanced coatings for smart steel construction are the main factors that make it possible to improve the performance and service life of steel products. Colour-coated steel is central to the building industry, balancing aesthetics with improved durability and performance. Others offer longer durability in weatherability, including organic coatings such as Colorissime and Prestige.
These are available in various products, namely Hairexcel® 60, R'Unik® 45, and Tectova® 60.
They are sold with color coated steel finishes to add aesthetic attractiveness and durability to steel components. Similarly, Prestige coatings for products like Hairexcel® 60 and Sinea® 85 are designed to provide protection over a long period against weather and the elements of nature.
These coatings will protect steel products from corrosion and other environmental degradation effects, such as scratches, cuts, and any form of abrasions and attritions. Organic coating examples-such as Colorissime® and Prestige® are proof of innovations in coatings that ensure the durability and sustainability of structures in steel.
Two composite systems—Cofraplus® 220 and Cofraplus® 60—have brought new feasibility to construction building. The systems combine steel and concrete into strong, flexible floor structures that can bear load while facilitating easier installation. This is an alternative that is friendlier to the environment than the conventional costs for flooring applications.
With composite materials, therefore, the builders are able to minimize their carbon footprint while maximising the strength and functions of building structures. These composite floor systems fully end the reliance on heavy materials; thus, besides bringing forward fine performance in building designs, they bring along a wide range of environmental benefits.
Leading building construction companies are partnering with steel manufacturers to ensure their projects incorporate innovative steel technologies that enhance both functionality and sustainability.
Sustainability is right at the core of smart steel construction. This industry believes that in the face of rising environmental concerns, building carbon footprints, resources, and maximizing recycling of renewable material in construction is the ideal course of action.
Steel, when alloyed with a few innovative products such as sandwich panels, composite floors, and color coated steel, not only helps solve some of these challenges in an environmentally friendly way but also assists in providing sustainable solutions. Steel is fully recyclable and does not lose quality in the recycling process. Sustainable building practices allow builders to reduce waste on-site and energy use during construction by recycling materials.
With the rise in demand for sustainable construction, steel manufacturers are innovating by producing high-performance materials that meet both aesthetic and environmental standards.
Smart steel construction is exciting for the future because the drivers of this new industry include technology, innovation, and sustainability. The products in this new direction of smart steel are revolutionizing how buildings are constructed. They include roof and wall sandwich panels, composite floors, and advanced coatings, all of which demonstrate improved performance, greater energy efficiency, and enhanced aesthetics, making steel an increasingly popular choice for modern construction.
As demand for environmentally friendly, energy-efficient buildings increases, the steel-producing industry is in a great position to build the future.