Author: Brian Harpring, RHEINZINK America, Inc.

Zinc has a long and well-developed history as a building material. For more than 200 years it has been used to clad and roof buildings in Europe. During the last several decades, it has gained popularity on North American buildings for its sustainability, resiliency, recyclability and versatility. The benefits of architectural zinc products support criteria for several state and federal green building initiatives, and programs including BREEAM® certification, the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute, the Green Globes system and the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED® rating system.