Architecture, Building and Construction

Water is essential to life but global supplies are under pressure from population growth and may be unable to sustain total demand by 2025. Desalination plants provide reliable, sustainable supplies of fresh water but need to be constructed from materials that can withstand such hostile environments. This case study explores the sustainability benefits of using molybdenum-containing stainless steel in the construction of seawater desalination plants, greatly increasing resistance to corrosion and enabling cost-effective, reliable operation.

Sunscreens greatly reduce the need for air conditioning in buildings. The Federal Building in San Francisco was built with computer-controlled stainless steel sunscreens which, together with natural ventilation, reduce the energy needed to cool the building by two-thirds. The molybdenum-containing stainless steel is highly corrosion resistant and is specified for a design life of 100 years.

Molybdenum is an important alloying element in high-strength steel (HSS), which enables lighter and stronger structures than conventional steel. This study looks at the use of HSS in the Friends Arena, Stockholm, which reduced the quantity of steel used for construction by 17% and also cut greenhouse gas emissions by 17% over the lifetime of the stadium.

Molybdenum brings safety into swimming pool buildings. This case study has been kindly contributed by Dr Peter Dierschke, Materials Consultant to the Hempel Special Metals Group, Oberhausen, Germany

Molybdenum keeps street handrails safe and attractive. This article has been written by an IMOA consultant, Catherine Houska of TMR Stainless, who will play a leading part in IMOA’s effort to promote molybdenum containing stainless steels in the area of outdoor applications in architecture, building and construction.