ClarkDietrich, the largest manufacturer of cold-formed steel framing products in North America, is introducing a new line of low embodied carbon (LEC) steel framing products, giving architects and engineers greater freedom in designing sustainable buildings. The LEC portfolio includes ProSTUD® metal drywall framing system, structural steel, clips and connectors, floor framing, and more.
The new offerings make ClarkDietrich the first steel framing manufacturer to offer LEC products nationwide, which “have less climate impact associated with mining, manufacturing and transportation,” according to the Environmental Protection Agency. ClarkDietrich’s LEC cold-formed steel is manufactured using steel coils from electric arc furnace (EAF) mills—as opposed to basic oxygen furnaces (BOFs), which are commonly used in steel production—resulting in products with 30 percent less embodied carbon than their standard counterparts.
“As a leading manufacturer of products for the built environment, we have a responsibility to continually increase the sustainable attributes of the products we supply,” said Adam Shoemaker, Corporate Sustainability Manager at ClarkDietrich. “We’re proud to be an industry leader into this new frontier.”
Certified by an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) providing transparency into the manufacturing and supply chain, ClarkDietrich’s LEC products serve as an innovative solution for the growing number of projects where embodied carbon reduction is a goal. This EPD covers Low Embodied Carbon (LEC) Cold-Formed Steel Products as defined by the United States General Services Administration’s (GSA) Interim IRA Low Embodied Carbon Material Requirements and qualifies for the top 20 percent limit for cold-formed and galvanized steel products (U.S. GSA, 2023), as well as private sector LEED projects looking to achieve low embodied carbon optimization.
Investing in LEC products is the latest example of ClarkDietrich’s commitment to sustainability and green building. Last year, the company published its first corporate sustainability report, underscoring its dedication to taking practical actions for the concurrent benefit of Earth, its inhabitants, and long-term financial viability for all stakeholders. ClarkDietrich also launched last year SustainabilityPRO, an easy-to-use digital tool that allows users to quickly access the product specific information and certifications needed to calculate contributions to LEED®, LBC, WELL and many other green building rating systems.
ClarkDietrich will debut its LEC products and new EPD during BUILD24 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, March 24-27.
To learn more and to download the EPD, visit clarkdietrich.com. The EPD and additional product information is also available on ecomedes, where ClarkDietrich’s LEC cold-formed steel products are categorized by studs, track and accessories or by finishing products.
