Sources: Trimble Inc., Westminster, Colo.; CMCM staff

Construction technology and positioning device giant Trimble is the first Building Information Modeling software provider to join ResponsibleSteel, the Australia-based non-profit organization driving the premier global standard and certification for responsibly sourced and milled structural steel. ResponsibleSteel members cite a growing opportunity for the steel industry to minimize its environmental impact as building and infrastructure asset owners or operators increasingly expect their construction partners to choose sustainably sourced materials.

“Associations provide opportunities to share best practices, collaborate on challenges important in their industries and set standards on GHG emissions and the sourcing of input materials,” observes Trimble Corporate Strategy and Sustainability Vice President Dietmar Grimm. “By aligning with ResponsibleSteel, Trimble can play an important role in helping to drive the production and use of low-carbon steel as well as help position the construction industry as a sustainability innovator.”

Trimble’s Tekla software equips engineering, detailing or construction firms and fabricators to more effectively calculate and plan material usage in steel structures and steel bar, mat or strand in reinforced concrete. The Tekla Embodied Carbon Calculator helps users to assess the potential environmental implications of designs to quickly compare various structural options’ carbon impact. Additionally, a Tekla Structures plugin enables the upload of material quantities in a design to One Click LCA, a lifecycle assessment software offering that helps users calculate and reduce the environmental impacts of their designs.

“ResponsibleSteel has the ability to bring about impactful change to the way steel is created, sold, sourced and applied,” says Trimble Structures Division Business Development and Sustainability Lead Päivi Puntila. “As one of the key players in design software for steel structures, Trimble solutions have contributed to making construction more sustainable by raising efficiencies, helping avoid waste, and enabling data reporting on the climate impact of projects. ResponsibleSteel membership is further proof of our commitment to helping protect and build a better world to drive a sustainable future.”

“As the only global multi-stakeholder initiative for the responsible production of steel, we have created a platform where companies from across the steel value chain can come together to shape the future of the industry,” adds ResponsibleSteel CEO Annie Heaton. “Trimble will be a valuable addition to our community.”