POSCO starts Steel ContiNew sustainable habitat project

Remodeled architecture firm NOMAL in Seoul / Courtesy of NOMAL

By Kim Jae-heun

POSCO has launched the Steel ContiNew project, which repurposes abandoned houses as sustainable spaces like coffee shops and restaurants using iron that can be recycled indefinitely, the company said Tuesday.

The word “steel” in Steel ContiNew is intended to have a dual meaning, as the word is a homonym of “still” in Korea. As well as referring to the metal, it also indicates that it will “still” continue being used in the future. This is also in line with the concept of projects that aim to transform structures that have fallen into disuse into sustainable buildings.

“Korea is currently facing a big problem with the decreasing population due to low birth rates, especially in rural areas. The increase of abandoned houses is a social issue,” a POSCO official said. “Based on the company's management ideology of 'Corporate Citizenship: Building a Better Future Together,' we have launched the Steel ContiNew project to cope with this issue using iron.”

Steel ContiNew is not simply a remodeling project for empty buildings. POSCO aims to regenerate entire villages by changing them into coffee shops and restaurants to attract tourism.

The steelmaker applied Pos-H, a customized welded steel H-beam, to structures as the basis for remodeling abandoned houses. Pos-H is more economical and tremor-proof than other H-shaped steel beams. It can be manufactured in sizes optimized for various needs.

For the roof and exterior of buildings, the company plans to use corrosion-resistant PosMAC steel that has a 20-year warranty.

In particular, the solar roof made of PosMAC can be installed by overlaying it on an older roof. Solar modules can also be used without additional structures such as support fixtures ― increasing stability and minimizing harm to the environment.