The tensile strength of concrete elements in RC constructions is lower than that of steel structural elements. When compared to RC constructions, steel structural parts have a higher tensile strength. The building of reinforced concrete structures is time-consuming and labor-intensive. Steel constructions need less work to build. They are also much lighter than concrete structures. RC buildings require more energy to produce than equivalent steel buildings because more material is used. This means that more heat is released when the building is using energy (for example, for heating or cooling). And more energy is needed to melt more iron ore or scrap metal than is needed to mix water and cement. Cement production requires a large amount of electricity too. Energy consumption of this kind is called embodied energy or carbon footprint and it's one way to measure the impact of construction on climate change. However, steel uses more raw materials than concrete, which can be considered an environmental advantage. Concrete produces more CO2 during its production process than steel does during its lifetime, but the total environmental impact of concrete structures is usually not very high due to their low initial mass and slow rate of growth compared to steel structures. Over time, concrete structures will break down due to chemical erosion caused by the release of calcium hydroxide into soil and groundwater, but this process can be slowed by using limestone powder instead of coarse aggregate in concrete mixes. In terms of cost, concrete structures are generally cheaper to build.