Redefining sustainable infrastructure

On 28 March 2024, the newly constructed Narre Warren Station officially opened on Melbourne’s Pakenham Line, removing a notorious and congested rail-road crossing and delivering a safer, modern public transport hub. Beyond the construction achievement, the project marks a milestone in material efficiency and sustainable design through the innovative use of stainless steel.
 

A materials breakthrough

The original ceiling design called for 30 tonnes of 800mm carbon steel deep beams – considerable welded elements that would have been heavy and disruptive to install. The beams were intended to support the ceiling spanning between the tracks above

Urban arbours transform Melbourne's tram stops

A visionary streetscape initiative is redefining public transport environments in Melbourne, fusing green infrastructure with the long-term performance benefits of stainless steel. Six new 'Urban Arbours' have been installed across central tram stops in a pilot project set to deliver cooler, cleaner, and greener city spaces.

 
Delivered through collaboration and stainless steel expertise

ASSDA Member Outokumpu is leading the way in producing emission-minimised stainless steel, with its Circle Green product line boasting a 92% lower carbon footprint than the global average.

As the only stainless steel producer currently approved by the Science Based Target initiative (SBTi), Outokumpu is committed to reducing its carbon footprint by 42% from 2016 levels by 2030, aiming for carbon neutrality by 2050.

One of the key factors in Outokumpu’s low carbon emissions is the high utilisation of recycled materials, achieving 95% recycled content in its stainless steel in 2022. Outokumpu also benefits from having its own chromium mine

Minimising mining (primary production) and maximising recycling (secondary production) are core principles of sustainable resource management. Consequently, there is an increasing interest in quantifying the material life cycle of stainless steel and its efficiencies from production to fabrication, manufacturing, use, recycling and, in some cases, disposal.

In 2006, Team Stainless and Yale University started the first project to quantify stainless steel stocks and flow cycles. In 2022, The Karlsruhe Institute of Technology made a more detailed analysis of 2019 data covering 50 countries, territories, and regions.

Stainless steels: A sustainable solution for more than a century

Stainless steels are procured