Most homeowners, and some people who rent homes, townhouses or apartments, have garages or car ports. Carports are covered structures for storing cars, which offer limited protection from the elements. A car port can either be attached to a wall or free standing. Garages are completely enclosed, and are usually attached to the house, but can also be separate.

Car ports are usually made from metal, and are often made from steel. Oftentimes, steel buildings are constructed using a high proportion of recycled steel, and more than 95 percent of the water that is used in the making of steel is recycled. Americans recycle more steel than paper, plastic, glass and aluminum combined each year.

Garages can be constructed with homes, or added years later, using the same materials used in the construction of the house. There are also metal garages. The architect, Frank Lloyd Wright is credited with coining the term car port. He once said, “A car is not a horse; it does not need a barn.”