Novo Nordisk had stringent sustainability targets for its fill-finish pharmaceutical manufacturing expansion in North Carolina that tripled in size to 1.4M SF due to product demand.

Selecting partners early on who shared a circular, sustainability mindset was the key to success. The project team — owner, architect, structural engineer, construction manager, fabricators and material suppliers — collaborated early in the design process to select the most sustainable building materials upfront, reducing the risk of costly design changes later in the project.

Switching from ASTM A992 Grade 50 wide flange steel to Aeos™ Grade 65 reduced tonnage which saved over 840,000 kg of CO2 (32%) compared to the industry average for 50 ksi material.

To maximize the location and views of Manhattan, the construction and design team created a unique spiral structure requiring a different floor plan and frame for each of the building’s 66 floors.

Nucor’s Aeos™ ASTM A913 high-strength structural steel was used to support the unique structure with fewer tons compared to ASTM A992 due to Aeos’ higher strength-to- weight ratio. Less steel was needed to support the same load and the engineers were able to maximize leasable space with smaller columns and reduce the project’s overall carbon emissions.

As the 17th tallest building in Chicago, the Salesforce® Tower in Chicago was a towering addition to Chicago’s commercial real estate market. A project of this scale is a large undertaking and with a unique design comes the potential for design adjustments after construction has started.

Aeos™ was the winning solution that met the engineering requirements for a tower of this size but also flexible enough to execute the project’s innovative architectural vision on schedule. Nucor is the only domestic supplier of A913 and offered the engineering team material assurance and nimble delivery when design changes occurred mid-construction. Sourcing the same material from an overseas supplier would have had a significant delay to project completion.

While urban distribution centers offer unparalleled access to a large concentration of consumers, available urban space is usually limited compared to more rural areas.

The team was able to go vertical with the building design to maximize the available space with Nucor’s high-strength structural steel solution, Aeos™. Aeos’ high strength-to-weight ratio solved the floor height and structure weight limits while reducing overall structural steel costs and carbon emissions.