Building with steel is nothing new but the material seems to be making a huge resurgence in commercial and residential applications. These new building methods are being chosen by consumers wanting to do the right thing and build sustainable structures for their work, hobbies and homes.
In the wake of a sweeping economic crisis,
society has been forced to streamline itself. To fritter and squander is to sin, while to simplify and to save is to be worthy of blessing. In this plainer, grayer world, steel is king. Blunt, precise, cheap, versatile and efficient, it embodies modern cardinal virtues. Steel is used to construct pre-engineered buildings (PEBs), popular with big businesses for its low cost, adaptability and straightforward erection.
Steel buildings have grown in popularity during recent years, and if the industry has anything to say, their skyrocketing growth is not about to stop.
Why Build with Steel?
Strength
Steel owes its popularity to structural strength and dependability. Compared to conventional construction, steel is stronger, has lower weight, higher corrosion resistance and much more flexibility. Steel PEBs are also suitable for building on steep and sloped construction sites. PEBs are the flat-out best choice for building in extreme weather zones, as they resist earthquakes, tornadoes and hurricanes much better than can conventional structures.
Decoration
Many envision steel buildings as giant, angular gray barracks. However, not all steel buildings have to look like a pencil factory. They can be bedecked with masonry, brick, or stucco, creating a trendy and stylish image.
Applications
Despite their décor capabilities, steel PEBs rarely make the front page of Better Homes© or Good Housewives© magazines. Most steel buildings are used for commercial and industrial structures. Popular choices include aircraft hangers, factories, warehouses, agricultural facilities, cattle and equestrian buildings, churches and schools.
Computerization
Why are the listed buildings so well suited to PEB construction? The computerization of PEB manufacturing abridges and perfects the production process. Useless parts are not created and wasteful manufacturing methods are not used, which save manufacturing costs. Also, due to computerized mass production, parts are easily interchangeable, making repairs and substitutions quite painless.
Quick Construction
A steel building can be easily and quickly set up by team of rough-and-ready laborers, so long as they can follow directions. Specialty crews, hired to construct a certain type of PEB, can build a structure even faster, saving more costs in manpower and labor.
No Waste
Unfortunately, unforeseen material shortages on the construction site can send contractors scurrying for specialty parts. Thankfully, PEBs are designed in their entirety and delivered to the construction site in a whole “kit,” eliminating the need for midnight rush runs, saving time, manpower, and future bottles of Ibuprofen for stress headaches.
Relocation
Steel buildings can actually be dismantled and relocated, a near impossibility for conventional wooden structures. While this versatility is nothing more than a cool and superfluous, parlor trick for most residences, for military buildings or storage warehouses, relocative ability is a key factor.
Limited Maintenance
Maintenance requires – wait, what maintenance? Beyond basic and periodic cleaning to prevent rusting and erosion, steel PEBs are largely maintenance free. They cannot rot, disintegrate or warp like traditional wooden buildings can. For these reasons, manufacturer’s structural guarantee warranties commonly extend as long as 40-50 years.
How Steel Helps You – and Trees
Set side by side with wooden frames, steel buildings are obviously superior. But the gains don’t end with the materials; they extend to bank accounts, endangered Amazonian trees, and friendly insurance companies.
Steel PEBs are quite fattening. They stuff wallets, fatten bank accounts and engorge piggy banks. PEBs contractors commonly claim savings up to 60% as compared to conventional construction methods. Because of their streamlined design and manufacturing processes, steel buildings save contractors money in a vast amount of ways.
Steel may be gray on the outside, but inside, there is a heart of green. As one of the most eco-friendly products in the industry, steel PEBs offer homeowners a chance to go green while saving money. Steel requires less water during manufacturing than does wood, and saves trees from being cut down, decreasing global carbon dioxide emissions. PEBs are frequently designed with state-of-the-art insulation and construction materials. Also, steel is 100% recyclable, and in today’s industry, an average of 35% of building’s steel is post-consumer recycled. Steel is also an effective heat transmitter and a valuable aid for bringing in the sun’s warmth during chilly winter nights, helping a home’s energy costs.
Due to the resiliency and strength of steel, insurance companies commonly offer discounts, sometimes up to 40%, to steel building owners. What have they to worry about? It takes quite a hurricane or tornado to raze steel buildings. Steel building owners may also be eligible for government tax incentives.
Necessity is the mother of invention. In today’s restricted world, stringent necessity dictates that designers create inexpensive, useful and simple buildings. There is little room for posh flamboyancy, superfluous fobs or rampant frittering. The modern era depends on strength, simplicity and resiliency. Steel buildings are built with these attributes in mind.
Interested? Start building now.
