Case Studies
The following five case studies illustrate the many different uses of galvanizing and its important characteristics from durability to its practicality. Two of the case studies detail recently completed life cycle analysis.
Life Cycle Analysis of a Balcony System in Finland
Situation
This study, completed in April 2004, was carried out by VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland for the International Zinc Association.
Objectives
Provide a basis for future improvements in life cycle performance of zinc products and identify the relative importance of coating selection to overall life cycle environmental impact of steel structures.
Results
The choice of coating has a significant influence on the life cycle environmental profile of the balcony structure.
Galvanizing has significantly lower results across all three main life cycle impact categories.
Conclusion
For the impact categories considered, the efficiency and durability of the galvanized coating provided for significantly lower life cycle environmental indicators of the balcony, when compared to the equivalent painted system.