OREANDA-NEWS. December 5, 2012. Gerdau, through an environmental seal that certifies its products for the construction industry, contribute toward large buildings receiving environmental certifications recognized worldwide. The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) seal, which is one of the main ones in the world, was awarded to more than 90 green building projects since 2009 that used Gerdau steel in their structure. Besides reducing impacts on the environment, these building projects are valued on the real estate market.

The companies responsible for checking the LEED seals, a leading environmental certification company, analyze the sustainability of the production chain of all materials used in the building project. By visiting the suppliers of the undertaking, criteria such as reuse of waste, saving on water and energy, as well as air quality monitoring are evaluated.

Gerdau is the leader in the segment of long steel in the Americas and one of the main suppliers of special long steel in the world. With over 45,000 employees, it has industrial operations in 14 countries—in the Americas, Europe, and Asia—which together represent an installed capacity of over 25 million metric tons of steel per year. It is the largest recycler in Latin America; and in the world, it transforms each year millions of tons of scrap steel, reinforcing its commitment to sustainable development in the regions where it operates. Gerdau is listed on the stock exchanges of Sao Paulo, New York, and Madrid and has over 140,000 shareholders.