A new survey conducted by Ducker Carlisle has concluded that aluminum use in the building and construction market will likely increase around 9 percent by 2027 over 2022 volumes. The report, "Building the Future: Trend of Aluminum Use in the U.S. Construction Market," released by the Aluminum Association indicates an annual shipment increase of more than 200 million pounds by 2027. The report found that increased use in commercial buildings as well as in clean energy applications like solar installations will drive much of the growth in the coming years. Federal infrastructure spending, including emissions reduction programs supported by the Inflation Reduction Act, should also increase aluminum's use in buildings.
Every $100,000 in residential and nonresidential spending will drive up to 126 pounds and 183 pounds of aluminum usage in construction in these market sectors, respectively. Meanwhile, 62 percent of building and construction professionals surveyed (including 79 percent of architects) expect their use of aluminum to grow in the coming years. This group also anticipates that aluminum is the material most likely to grow in use in the coming years among a dozen building materials. aluminum and aluminum alloys
"Aluminum's use in buildings is growing thanks in part to the essential role that it plays in the clean energy transition," said Paul Walker, chair of the Aluminum Association's Building & Construction Committee and business development manager of commercial building & construction, drawn tubing, and fabricated components at Norsk Hydro. "The exciting news for us is that aluminum building products made in the United States and Canada already have an average recycled material content of more than 60 percent and a lower carbon footprint than alternative materials."
Findings from the report, which reflects data collected over six months through interviews with architects and builders, include:
"Ducker Carlisle surveyed 250 industry professionals – including 200 architects and builders – regarding their preferred construction materials," said Rhett Bender, senior engagement manager of global building and the construction practice specialist at Ducker Carlisle. "We consistently heard that aluminum usage would increase over the next three years because aluminum is lightweight, durable, sustainable, and corrosion resistant."
According to Aluminum Association data, building and construction is the third largest market for North American aluminum producers, behind transportation and packaging. The segment represents around 13 percent of overall shipments in the region. Non-residential (commercial) applications represent nearly two-thirds of all building and construction aluminum used. Major sub-markets include aluminum extruded profiles used in residential and non-residential windows and fencing, entry and patio doors, and aluminum sheets used in building cladding and gutters. Aluminum is also increasingly used as part of solar installation systems on buildings.
Governments are prioritizing energy efficiency through regulation, incentives, updated building codes, and enforcement. The built environment is responsible for 42 percent of global carbon emissions, of which 27 percent are attributable to building operations such as heating and lighting. Building with aluminum materials helps building projects qualify for green building status under the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards by providing insulation; allowing more daylight and airflow; and reflecting up to 95 percent of the solar energy that strikes them, dramatically improving energy efficiency.
Aluminum is playing a key role in sustainable construction as companies look to strong, durable, recyclable, and health and environmentally friendly options. Domestically produced aluminum and aluminum products are about half as carbon-intensive as aluminum products made in the rest of the world. Aluminum products made in China are 2.5X more carbon intensive than North American aluminum, on average. Assuming the global aluminum industry commits to dramatic emission reduction efforts, it would still take 8 to 10 years for the rest of the world to produce semi-fabricated aluminum at the same carbon intensity as North America does today.
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