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Update #26 | Sustainability News from Rwanda, Steel Dynamics and Atlas General Construction

In this report, learn how Rwanda builds sustainable housing with steel framing, Steel Dynamics expands low-carbon steel products and recycled steel drives 2025 construction innovation.

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BuildSteel™ is tracking the sustainability initiatives of Steel Framing Industry Association (SFIA) members and their partners. Here is some recent sustainability news related to the cold-formed steel (CFS) framing industry.

Steel Framing Drives Sustainable Housing in Rwanda 

The City of Kigali, Rwanda’s capital, earned global recognition for sustainable, affordable housing built with steel framing. The World Economic Forum and UN-Habitat’s Global Partnership for Local Investment honored the Bwiza Riverside Homes project, which ADHI Africa Holding Ltd. developed. The 30-hectare community has over 60% of its units meeting Rwanda’s affordable housing policy. The project supports low-carbon growth and serves as a model for developing cities.


Cold-formed steel (CFS) framing drives the project’s sustainability success. The framing technology speeds construction, reduces waste and lowers embodied carbon. These features demonstrate how steel framing supports environmental performance and long-term durability.

Each home also uses energy-efficient materials certified by IFC’s EDGE Advanced Green Building Standard. Sponge-city infrastructure, permeable pavements and reinforced soil retaining walls improve water management and flood resilience. 

The homes achieve up to 70% energy savings and reduce embodied energy, according to ADHI CEO Hassan Adan Hassan.

Read the full article. 

Steel Dynamics Expands Low-Carbon Steel Offerings

Steel Dynamics Inc., one of the largest U.S. steel producers and recyclers, announced two new lower-embodied-carbon products, BIOEDGE™ and EDGE™. The SFIA member developed these products to help customers meet emissions reduction and sustainability goals. The company produces BIOEDGE and EDGE exclusively with electric arc furnace technology. It matches each product with Green-e Energy certified renewable or emission-free nuclear energy certificates, reducing Scope 2 emissions.

 “With our EAF steelmaking, circular manufacturing model, and innovative teams, Steel Dynamics leads low-carbon steel production,” says Chairman and CEO Mark D. Millett, “we will continue expanding our low-carbon offerings and remain committed to delivering high-quality, innovative supply-chain solutions that support customer decarbonization goals.”

Steel Dynamics plans to offer the EDGE product family across all steel operations. The company expects immediate interest from automotive and construction customers.

Read the Steel Dynamics press release. 

Steel Recognized for Durability and Sustainability

Atlas General Construction, a Bay Area contractor, introduced its “10 Modern Building Materials Atlas Is Deploying in 2025” initiative to advance durability and sustainability. The program showcases materials that improve strength, efficiency and long-term performance. Each system demonstrates a commitment to engineering smarter, more resilient structures that endure changing environments.

The list highlights recycled structural steel. Atlas integrates recycled steel components into framing and reinforcement systems to maximize strength and sustainability. Fabrication partners source materials from mills that use electric arc furnaces running on renewable energy, cutting emissions and supporting circular production.

Low Embodied Carbon Steel Framing Construction Projects ClarkDietrich

The demand for low‑embodied‑carbon materials is at an all‑time high, enabling specifiers to strategically source LEC cold‑formed steel (CFS) framing and minimize project environmental impact. Photo Credit: ClarkDietrich

“Structural steel, once criticized for its carbon intensity, now benefits from closed-loop production, up to 95% recyclable without degradation,” reports BBN Times. 

Recycled steel improves seismic resilience with exceptional ductility and fatigue resistance — qualities essential for California’s earthquake-prone terrain. This focus on steel drives the next generation of sustainable construction, BBN Times says.

Read the full article. 

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