Life cycle costing and Colorcoat

To demonstrate the economics of product choice, Corus has carried out extensive research in collaboration with Oxford Brookes University and Sworn King Partners (quantity surveyors) to compare the effect of pre-finished steel and other materials on life-cycle costs.

The Corus study looked at typical uses of pre-finished steel, such as a retail outlet, school or hospital. In each case, the economic effect of material choice was assessed over 40 to 60 years (depending on typical design-life) including capital, maintenance and end-of-life costs. Due to the re-use and recycling of steel, it was found that the end-oflife cost for pre-finished steel cladding – including dismantling and disposal – was effectively neutral, whilst other materials such as bricks cost both to dismantle and dispose of.

The full report, "Insite on Life Cycle Costing" is available to download from this page.