As the world becomes increasingly focused on circularity, companies are discovering just how circular metal materials can be. By understanding how to utilize these materials, all members of the construction and design industry can design and construct for reuse, deconstruction, and recycling. By embracing these practices, professionals across construction and design can meet regulatory and market demands by aligning with stricter environmental standards and low-waste building practices. They can also maximize material efficiency to reduce long-term costs while demonstrating a strong commitment to sustainability—an attribute increasingly valued by investors and end-users. Additionally, they can reduce landfill waste and carbon emissions associated with traditional building methods by extending the life cycle of building components and stay competitive by positioning themselves as leaders in sustainable construction. Attendees will gain actionable insights and real-world examples to help implement circular economy strategies in their projects—ensuring their businesses remain resilient and aligned with the future of sustainable building.

Learning Objectives:

• Explain the concept of circularity and its relevance to the metal building industry.
• Identify strategies for designing metal buildings with modular components and bolted connections to facilitate easy disassembly, reuse, and recycling.
• Describe how steel’s durability, recyclability, and use of recycled content contribute to reducing embodied carbon and landfill waste.
• Use lifecycle assessments to measure and minimize environmental impacts of metal building projects.
• Analyze case studies of successful circular economy applications in metal buildings and develop actionable strategies for integrating these practices into future projects.

Continuing Education Credits:

1.0 AIA LU HSW

Presenter:

Amanda Turner

Sustainability Specialist, Cornerstone Building Brands

Amanda Turner is a Sustainability Specialist who’s passionate about making buildings smarter and greener. With 15 years of experience in energy management and sustainability, she helps bring new ideas into metal building design that save energy, lower carbon impact, and support a more circular way of building. Amanda works with building owners, architects, builders, and manufacturers to connect projects with programs like LEED and other green building frameworks. She also creates training and resources to show how metal buildings can play a big role in reaching sustainability goals.

Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her family, traveling when she can, and finding small everyday ways to live a little greener.