Sustainability - Orrcon Steel Manufacturing

Build With Confidence

Orrcon Steel Manufacturing’s SSA Level 1 Certification and EPD Credential help you and your customers meet Green Star targets and sustainability benchmarks with documentation ready for submission.

Why the Certification And Credential
Matter for Projects?

Contribute to Green Star Ratings

Qualify for Government and Infrastructure Projects

Enhance Customer Appeal

Access Reliable, Verified Environmental Data

Support Streamlining of Compliance and Documentation

Support Your Sustainability Story

Earning Green Star points

How it works?

Green Star Responsible Products Framework
The construction sector is increasingly adopting sustainable building practices, driven by both environmental concerns and regulatory requirements. The Green Star Responsible Products Framework recognises initiatives that a product or manufacturer can comply with to contribute towards a Green Star certification.
Products may contribute to a project’s Green Star rating through the Responsible Products credits, provided proof of certification is included in the Green Star submission.

A Responsible Product Value (RPV):

The ‘score’ given to an initiative after assessment against the Responsible Products Guidelines.

A ‘Responsible Product’:

A product that has been awarded a RPV by the Green Building Council of Australia through a recognised certification initiative.

Orrcon Steel Manufacturing Products Now Meet Multiple Green Star Recognised Standards

Steel ResponsibleSteel™ site certification

Sourcing steel from BlueScope Steel, a Verified SSA Supplier and ResponsibleSteel™ certified Site, can provide a further 10 RPV.

EPD

EPDs include a verified embodied carbon footprint and assist in the following Green Star – Buildings credits with an RPV of 5.

SSA LEVEL 1

Certification to SSA level 1 meets the requirements to gain a responsible product value (RPV) of 4 under the ‘Responsible’ category in the Green Star Buildings rating tool.

A combination of these initiatives can help in meeting the responsible product value (RPV) of 15 for a “Best Practice” product.

A combination of ResponsibleSteel and Product-Specific EPD yields the maximum RPV of 15. Adding SSA Level 1 to this combination does not increase the RPV further. This indicates diminishing or overlapping recognition of SSA Level 1 when used alongside RS and EPD under GBCA’s RPV methodology.

Orrcon Steel Manufacturing & The Green Star Scheme

The Green Star scheme by the Green Building Council of Australia rates buildings, fit-outs, and communities on environmental sustainability across areas like energy, water, materials, and emissions, using a 1 to 6-star scale from minimum practice to world leadership. Certification verifies high standards in design, construction, and operation with credits for best practices. Orrcon Steel Manufacturing, manufactures structural pipe and tube to AS/NZS 1163 standards using steel sourced from BlueScope’s Port Kembla operation, with full traceability via heat numbers on test certificates.

What Our Steel Distributors Are Saying:

❝ We have evidenced significant increases for requests for Sustainable Steel Product for new projects compliant to Green Building Council Australia. With Orrcon Steel Manufacturing’s certification and credential, we’ve been able to continue to support our customer demands. We welcome Orrcon Steel Manufacturing’s support in our sustainability journey.❞

GM, Steel Distributor Partner, Australia

Partnering with us

helps you demonstrate due diligence and a clear commitment to ethical sourcing and environmental performance

Frequently Asked Questions

Download our quick guide for a fast, straightforward overview of these certification and credential and how they support Green Star project requirements or book a one-on-one session with our expert to discuss your project in more detail.

What is SSA Level 1 Certification?

SSA Level 1 Certification is the entry-level tier of the Steel Sustainability Australia certification program. It verifies that a steel supplier meets recommended practice standards in governance, environmental management, and occupational health and safety (OHS), and that the majority of their steel feedstock is sourced from a responsible steel manufacturer or producer.

What are the key requirements for Level 1 Certification?
To achieve Level 1, a business must:

Demonstrate recommended practice governance and OHS management against the Green Building Council of Australia’s (GBCA) Responsible Products Framework
Show compliance with environmental management criteria
Ensure that the majority of steel feedstock is sourced from a responsible producer

What are the benefits of being SSA Level 1 certified?

Recognition under the Green Building Council of Australia’s (GBCA) Responsible Products Framework
Contribution to Green Star rating points for construction projects
Enhanced customer credibility and sustainability credentials
Alignment with ESG expectations in the construction and infrastructure sectors

Where can I get help or more information about SSA?

Steel Sustainability Australia (SSA) is a national certification program that promotes and verifies sustainable practices across the entire steel supply chain in Australia. It was developed by the Australian Steel Institute (ASI) and supersedes the earlier Environmental Sustainability Charter (ESC).

You can contact SSA directly at ssa@steel.org.au or visit their official website for resources, guides, and support.

What is an EPD?

An EPD is a standardized document (based on ISO 14025 and EN 15804) that communicates the environmental performance of a product, using Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) data.

Further details can be found at EPD Australasia EPD Australasia

It includes metrics like:

Greenhouse gas emissions (carbon footprint)
Energy and water use
Resource depletion
Waste generation

Why EPDs matter for steel products

Supports Green Building Certifications
EPDs are often required or rewarded in Green Star, LEED, and Infrastructure Sustainability (IS) ratings. Using steel with an EPD can contribute to points under:
- Materials transparency
- Embodied carbon comparison
- Life cycle assessment
Enables Carbon Footprint Comparisons
EPDs allow comparisons between different steel products or suppliers, helping project teams choose lower-impact options. Care is required in understanding system boundaries and assumptions to determine if same measures are being used.
Builds Trust and Transparency
Because EPDs are third-party verified, they provide credible evidence of a product’s environmental performance—essential for ESG reporting and procurement.
Aligns with Regulatory and Market Trends
Governments and clients increasingly require low-carbon materials. EPDs help steel producers and fabricators demonstrate compliance and competitiveness.
Drives Continuous Improvement
By quantifying impacts, EPDs help manufacturers identify hotspots in their production processes and target areas for sustainability improvements.

What are key differences between SSA Level 1 and EPD?

Aspect	SSA Level 1 Certification	EPD (Environmental Product Declaration)
Focus	Business-level sustainability and sourcing practices	Product-level environmental impact
Scope	Covers governance, OHS, environmental management, and responsible sourcing	Covers life cycle assessment (LCA) data like carbon footprint, energy use, and emissions
Applies To	Steel fabricators, processors, and suppliers	Specific steel products (e.g., beams, rebar)
Standard	Based on GBCA’s Responsible Products Framework	Based on ISO 14025 and EN 15804
Verification	Third-party audit of company practices	Third-party verified LCA data
Green Star Contribution	Recognized credits for Governance, Responsible and others for Buildings	Supports credits for Materials Transparency and Embodied Carbon
Purpose	Demonstrates responsible sourcing and ESG alignment	Enables comparison of environmental performance between products
Validity	Typically valid for 3 years with annual audits	Valid for 5 years or until significant product/process change