In the ever-growing multitude of green building products available in today’s market, one material that doesn’t always come straight to mind is stainless steel. But this often overlooked material holds a wealth of sustainability benefits that grow tenfold when applied and bolstered by technology such as woven metal mesh. GKD-USA has harnessed the inherent sustainability characteristics of stainless steel, using the material as a medium for creating striking, LEED-worthy building exteriors.

Stainless steel by its very nature, offers sustainable characteristics. Depending on the manufacturer, stainless steel used in metal fabrics can contain as much as 35% post-industrial and 25% post-consumer recycled content. This recyclability directly correlates with minimizing waste. The process of recycling stainless steel involves no health hazardous materials. Additionally, stainless steel:

• does not require a surface coating that can deteriorate and possibly pollute the environment
• does not require hazardous cleaning products to maintain
• is 100% recyclable retaining its inherent qualities throughout the recycling process
• is low maintenance

↑ Turkish Contractors Association Headquarters, AVCI Architects, Ankara, Turkey, LEED PLATINUM

More specific to GKD, in creating its metal mesh fabrics the company uses stainless steel that is non-corrosive, durable, heat-, fire- and impact-resistant and sustainable for all climates and environments. GKD metal fabrics utilized as a building façade or skin:

• mitigates intense sunlight
• provides shade and ventilation for energy savings through traduced HVAC utilization
• permits usable natural light for energy savings

Using GKD products can contribute to LEED points on a project in many ways. In all cases, the stainless steel fabric raw materials are composed of significant amounts of post-consumer and post-industrial content. Additionally, active metal markets are readily available and in place to facilitate re-use of the product. The following summarizes opportunities to earn LEED points when using stainless steel metal mesh fabric based on LEED - New Construction (Version 2.1):

Energy and Atmosphere:
Energy and Atmosphere credit 1.0: Optimize Energy Performance – 1-19 Points
Intent: Increase levels of energy performance above the baseline to reduce environmental and economic impacts associated with excessive energy use.

• GKD metal fabric utilized as a veil or exterior façade reduces solar heat gain by shading the building, thus reducing the energy required to power HVAC systems. Metal fabric allows the transmission of natural light providing effective internal illumination while reducing the related energy costs.

↑ California ISO Headquarters, Dreyfuss Blackford, Folsom, California, LEED PLATINUM

Material and Resources:
Material and Resources credit 1.2: Building Reuse – 1 Point
Intent: Extend the lifecycle of existing building stock, conserve resources, retain cultural resources, reduce waste and reduce environmental impacts of new buildings as they relate to materials manufacturing and transport.

• Metal fabrics can be re-used in the same application or re-applied in other applications within or outside the building. Contributing to LEED in this category, an existing building can be fitted with a façade of GKD material for a long-lasting, new appearance with the same benefits of sun shading, light intensity mitigation, and energy savings of a new building.


Material and Resources credit 4.0: Recycled Content - 1-2 Points
Intent: Increase demand for building products that incorporate recycled content materials, thereby reducing impacts resulting from extraction and processing of virgin materials.

• The raw material used to produce the cable and wire components of metal fabric are typically 60% recycled materials and 40% new/raw materials. During the manufacturing and finishing processes, 100% of the scrap or unused material is recycled. The material is 100% recyclable whenever it reaches its’ useful life.

Material and Resources credit 5.0: Regional Materials – 1-2 Points
Intent: Increase demand for building materials and products that are extracted and manufactured within the region, thereby supporting the use of indigenous resources and reducing the environmental impacts resulting from transportation.

• GKD-USA is an international company located on the east coast. Depending on the product selection and project location, we can make a contribution. All finishing and assembly occurs in facilities in Cambridge, MD.

↑ California ISO Headquarters, Dreyfuss Blackford, Folsom, California, LEED PLATINUM

Indoor Environmental Quality:
Indoor Environmental Quality credit 8.1: Daylight and Views – Daylight – 1 Point
Indoor Environmental Quality credit 8.2: Daylight and Views – Views – 1 Point
Intent: Provide building occupants with a connection between indoor spaces and the outdoors through the introduction of daylight and views into the regularly occupied areas of the building.

• The use of a metal fabric façade has the benefit of connecting occupants between indoor and outdoor spaces through daylight and views. This leads to greater productivity, healthier environments, increased airflow and shading.

Innovation and Design
Innovation and Design credit 2.0: Accredited Professional – 1 Point
Intent: Support and encourage the design integration required by LEED to streamline the application and certification process.

• GKD maintains professionals of all types on staff, including LEED AP certified.

Site Selection
Site Selection credit 8.0: Light Pollution Reduction
Intent: Minimize light trespass from the building and site, reduce sky-glow to increase night sky access, improve nighttime visibility through glare reduction and reduce development impact from artificial lighting on nocturnal environments.

• A GKD fabric façade on the outside of a building helps to control light intensities from natural and unnatural sources. At the same time, reasonable light is allowed to pass and visibility to the outside is allowed.

↑ University of Florida, Research & Academics-Center, HOK Architects, Lake Nona, FL, LEED PLATINUM

Responsible Manufacturing
As responsible members of our many communities, GKD-USA’s key objectives include sustainability in the broadest sense and the protection of the environment. Therefore, the company strives to:

• Foster employee awareness of environmental responsibilities
• Consider environmental impacts when evaluating new products, technologies and manufacturing processes
• Implement conservation of natural resources, pollution prevention and waste minimization
• Encourage research of manufacturing and environmental technologies utilizing long-lasting, recyclable, stainless steel mesh
• Respond appropriately to community and customer requests
• Ensure that products and facilities contribute to a sustainable environment
• Implement manufacturing and production processes that protect the environment
• Utilize packaging that can be recycled and reused