OREANDA-NEWS. November 14, 2012. ArcelorMittal, the world’s leading steel and mining company, has provided a range of coated steel solutions for the new Metal Structures Centre (MSC) in Gent, Belgium.  A partnership between Gent University, OCAS (itself a partnership between ArcelorMittal and the Flemish Region) and the Belgian Welding Institute, the MSC is designed to foster collaborative research into the design, use and behaviour of steel structures, while also demonstrating the benefits this versatile and highly-recyclable material continues to deliver for the construction industry, reported the press-centre of ArcelorMittal. 

Located on a 52-hectare technology park just outside Gent, the new MSC campus first opened its doors in September 2011.  Built from more than 300 tonnes of steel, the MSC’s design brief called for high functionality; a distinct architectural design; low construction and maintenance costs; minimal energy consumption and the inclusion of a wide range of advanced steel products.  The 8,300 m2 facility includes laboratories, mechanical testing and welding halls, warehouse space, offices and meeting rooms.

“We’re delighted to be involved in such an exciting and visionary project as the MSC,” said Jan Cornelis, spokesperson for ArcelorMittal Gent. “The role of this facility is manifold.  Firstly, it provides a collaborative centre of excellence to encourage development of the next generation of structural steel solutions.  Secondly, it showcases a range of the most innovative emerging solutions currently being developed by companies including ourselves.  Thirdly, and most importantly, the MSC demonstrates that steel is anything but ‘yesterday’s material’ when it comes to the building industry – indeed, it offers a combination of versatility, recyclability and value that no other construction material can match,” Jan Cornelis adds.

Gent firm Archipl was lead architect for the MSC project, while further technical support was provided by OCAS and ArcelorMittal Gent’s engineering department.  The building is designed to harvest rainwater for sanitation, allowing excess water to permeate into the ground to reduce runoff and overloading local waste water infrastructure.  Other innovations include a natural ventilation system, based on an open grid ceiling that was specially-designed using ArcelorMittal Aluzinc® panels to remove reliance on energy-intensive heating and air-conditioning units.

Alongside Aluzinc®, other ArcelorMittal steel solutions used include xcelcolour® – part of the xcelcoat® range of coated steels – and Indaten® weathering steel, used to create the building’s iconic central feature wall, visible from all laboratories and meeting rooms.

The MSC’s technical areas are also designed to showcase the technical benefits of steel, both internally and externally.  Solutions used include steel cladding for exterior walls and steel decking for the roof.  Testament to the versatility and aesthetics of steel construction solutions, it is hoped that this collaborative facility will inspire the development of many new innovations over the coming years.

Sven Vandeputte, managing director, OCAS said:
 “The Metal Structures Centre marks a new era of collaboration between university and private companies, sharing research infrastructure and putting highly skilled technical people from different research and development organisations together on one single campus. We are convinced that cross-fertilisation between industry and the academic environment will be mutually beneficial for all partners and our customers.”