steelbuildingtechnology information

The term “pre-engineered” or “prefabricated” is often applied to metal building systems. This indicates that these buildings have been specially engineered. All parts, including windows, doors, roofs, and trims, fit together perfectly and exactly, to meet the unique requirements of their precise uses.

Each steel building, and all its components, can be custom designed to the customer’s needs, preferences and specifications. Local and national building codes are factored in as well, creating a building that is engineered to meet the specific “load” conditions required in that area.

Some of the main advantages of a pre-engineered steel building system are:

• lower cost to produce as well as purchase

• ease and speed of construction

• lower insurance costs

• efficiency in heating and cooling

• extremely low maintenance requirements

• high durability and reliability in any weather condition

• environmentally friendly, “green” buildings

• Steel is 100% recyclable

• All new North American steel currently being forged contains recycled steel.

• Every ton of steel that is recycled saves approx. 2,500 pounds of iron ore, 1,400 pounds of coal and 120 pounds of limestone.

• New steel made with recycled steel is vastly energy efficient, needing only ¼- 1/3 (approx) of the energy required to make steel from raw materials!

• Greenhouse gas emissions per ton of steel shipped have been reduced by nearly 45% since 1975.

• Both air and water emissions from steel production are a whopping 90% lower today than just 10 years ago.

• Steel building materials do not release pollutants, although you must check with your manufacturer about the paints and coatings used on the steel if this is a concern for you.

• Research on “cool metal roofing” proves that the reflective properties of steel roofs provide significant savings in energy consumption. (“Cool metal roofing” uses heat-deflecting coatings that significantly decrease heat build up inside a building.)

• Heat and cooling loss, especially around doors, windows, foundation, and roofing, are significantly lower than other types of construction.

• The insulation used in steel structures also makes a huge difference to the energy efficiency of the building. Insulation such as “Prodex Total Insulation” is both ICC-ES recognized and Energy Star Qualified. (ICC-ES is a nonprofit corporation that does technical evaluations of building components, methods, and materials.)

Click here for the "why''s" and "how''s" of insulating a steel building.

Steel is a sustainable choice for “green” construction. The World Commission on Environment and Development, 1987 (U.N. Brundtland Report), explains the concept of sustainability in this way: “Meeting the needs of present generations without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs.”

When you choose a steel building system, you can feel confident that you have made an environmentally responsible choice, and are building for a sustainable tomorrow.

Did you know…

Metal building systems are used in an ever increasing variety of applications today. It’s quite likely that you have been in many steel buildings without realizing that they were not traditional buildings. No longer an ugly metal box, today’s metal buildings can be accessorized with different architectural finishes, such as brick or stucco, and a wide variety of paint options, to look like conventional structures and blend in with the neighborhood.

Retail stores, entire shopping malls, motels, office complexes, rec centers, skating arenas, and airplane hangars- these are just some of the buildings constructed from steel. You will also find steel buildings designed for warehouses, garages, barns and even churches.

There are three main things to look for when purchasing a steel building system: high quality, excellent service, and of course, a competitive price.

HIGH QUALITY- Not all steel buildings are the same. Ask if the supplier has any buildings in your area that you can take a look at, to see their finished product.

A high quality manufacturer engineers a building to exacting standards, using automated CNC controlled machinery and robotics thought the entire manufacturing process.

Some features that indicate a high quality steel structure are:

• The manufacturer is certified through the AISC-MB. This assures that the company has faced thorough engineering and production audits by independent inspectors.

• Structural warranty- 50 years indicates a manufacturer who stands behind their product.

• Paint warranty- Quality steel buildings come with a finish that should last 20 years, maintenance free.

• Solid I- beam construction for the columns for the sidewalls and roof rafters? (Material used should be minimum 50,000 and 36,000 p.s.i.)

• 26 gauge 80,000 psi. strength sheeting- highly resistant to dings and dents. (29 gauge is actually a thinner, lesser quality steel.)

• The building comes with anchor bolt setting plans, approval drawings, and building plans stamped by an engineer certified for your state. These should be provided shortly after receipt of deposit for the building.

SERVICE- Although many manufacturers create an excellent steel building, quality service is equally important. Carefully review the services of each metal building dealer before you work with them.

Some things that indicate quality service are:

• No pressure to sign a contract; rather, the emphasis is on meeting customer’s needs instead of making a sale

• Your phone calls are returned promptly

• Delivering the building on time, as promised

• Utilizing automated CNC controlled machinery and robotics throughout the manufacturing process

• Computerized design and erection drawings to facilitate easy assembly

• Willingness to educate the inexperienced customer with all the information they need to proceed with both purchase and installation of the building

• A bill of materials to expedite delivery

• Helping the client by providing a foundation design service

• Helping the customer research and find the appropriate building codes for their area.

• And, last but not least, check with the Better Business Bureau to make sure there are no complaints against the manufacturer you select

PRICE- Lower price has always been one of the main attractions to using prefabricated metal buildings. Both the purchase price and construction costs are significantly less than for ordinary types of construction such as wood, brick, stone, or masonry. Because each steel building is specially engineered to have all components fit together exactly, and because the components were cut, drilled and prepped (painted, sealed, etc.) in factory, the cost of assembly is greatly reduced.

The skill level and amount of labor needed to erect the steel building is also considerably less- some purchasers even do it themselves. Construction costs might be reduced by as much as 50% as compared to a conventional building.

Once you have all the specifications (dimensions, numbers of framed openings, doors, windows, other accessories) and know the building code requirements for your area, you can start comparison shopping to get the best price. (Each locale has its own building codes that must be followed, and most areas also require a building permit.) But, how do you know you are actually getting a great price? Here are some things to be aware of…

1. When price shopping, make sure you’re comparing buildings with the exact same specifications. Some suppliers give cheaper estimates, but they might not be offering all the same features and quality materials. (For instance, 26 gauge steel is the recommended quality, 29 gauge is much thinner and will not hold up as well.)

2. Know that steel building quotes only include the building itself. All accessories including doors, windows, gutters, vents, insulation, and exterior finishes will be priced separately.

3. Find out if the cost of delivery is included in the quoted price, and if the building will be shipped separately or on a truck loaded with other buildings to other sites.

4. Take detailed notes while doing your price comparisons.

5. Many factors impact the price of a steel building, including time spent by engineers and estimators, sales staff, as well as the differing costs of the building materials themselves.

6. The prices will change whenever the price of steel changes- only by putting down a deposit can you lock in the quoted price.

7. A “steel building kit” will be much cheaper than a custom design.

8. Building code/load requirements will also have an effect on the price.

Do your homework! Know exactly what you need and exactly what you are getting when you compare prices from one supplier to another. As with any industry, while most firms are honest, there are some who will be happy to leave out important information or use inferior components to trick the uneducated shopper.

Steel building suppliers abound. By taking your time and doing a bit of checking, you are sure to find one who meets all your needs including: price, service, speed, building features and design, or whatever other individual requirements you have for your steel building. Happy hunting!

While steel buildings are of varied sizes, shapes, and types, the basic elements of the metal building system are always the same- rigid frames, wall girts and roof purlins, cladding and bracing. These are some of the main types of steel building structures that are available:

Beam & Column (BC)
The beam-and-Column system is ideal in situations when a vast area of floor space is necessary. The flexibility of the Beam and Column design allows it to be utilized for any industrial or warehouse purpose.
Straight Column (SC)
Straight Column systems are utilized when a clear interior space up to seventy feet wide is needed. The column-free interior allows the total amount of floor space to be put to use. This design is often in small offices or other commercial applications.
Rigid Frame (RF)
The clear, unobstructed working space that the Rigid Frame system provides makes it ideal for many commercial and recreational applications. The wide, column-free environment permits the complete utilization of the interior floor space. Recreational rooms, aircraft hangers, and warehouse are often designed as rigid frame systems due to the interference or inconvenience of interior columns.
Lean-To (LT)
Selecting a Lean-To system is a quick and economical way to expand to a building. More space can be added to the building without interrupting the internal operations. This easy method of expansion makes the Lean-To system ideal for additional storage and office buildings.

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Whether you decide to hire a professional erector/contractor or construct your steel building system yourself, here are some things that you must know to have the assembly go as smoothly as possible...

Experienced steel building erectors may be booked months in advance during the busiest seasons, so it is wise to secure one as soon as you know the delivery date for your building.

Finding an experienced erector, if you are not going to do the construction yourself, is one of the most important parts of the whole project. If you have purchased your building from a large, experienced manufacturer, they will probably know of many erectors around the country who have experience in their particular type of building systems. However, even with a referral from your supplier, we recommend checking out the erector for yourself.

An experienced steel building erector is worth his weight in gold. An inexperienced erector can cause the entire job to take longer than it should, as well as cause potentially severe problems to the finished structure. Steel buildings are designed to be problem free, if there are structural or mechanical problems with the building they are usually because of incorrect assembly.

An experienced erector/contractor has done hundreds of buildings similar to yours. With that level of experience, the erector has the expertise to handle any of the challenges that may arise during construction. It’s not worth using an inexperienced erector just to save money. He/she might run into a problem he cannot handle that could cause your project to run days or even weeks longer than necessary.

Just as there are different types of steel buildings, there are different erection processes for each one. Using an expert erector ensures that:

• Your building is constructed properly from the start
• Your building is structurally sound
• Your building is erected as recommended by the manufacturer to be weather tight

It’s wise to check on the qualifications of an erector, even if recommended by your building supplier. Remember, the supplier is not liable for buildings that were constructed incorrectly. Here are some things you can do…

• Ask your erector for references, no matter how many buildings they claim to have erected. If they are unwilling to provide references, that should raise a red flag!
• Find out if the particular building you purchased requires that an erector be certified. (This is possible with more complex building systems.) If the erector is not certified you might void the manufacturers warranty on your structure.
• The same local building department that advised you on building codes can tell you if your state requires contractors to be licensed. Obviously, if a license is required, ask you erector to see his!

These steps should ensure that you are hiring an erector who will be a real asset to your project, will finish it on schedule, and will construct the long lasting, high quality building that you expected at the time of purchase.

• Before your building arrives, the foundation should be ready, to avoid delay in assembly of the steel building itself. DO NOT start construction on “green” or uncured concrete!!
• Most metal building manufacturers recommend that the foundation be designed by an experienced professional foundation engineer. This will insure proper design, make the actual erection of the building go a lot smoother and reduce costs. Proven construction techniques and adherence to OSHA and other local codes is highly recommended.
• The importance of accurate foundation construction and anchor bold settings cannot be overemphasized! Foundation errors and improper location of anchor bolts are the most frequent and troublesome errors made in metal building construction. The foundation must be square, level, and the anchor bolts must be in the locations as specified in the Anchor Bolt drawing provided by your steel building manufacturer.
• The vehicle transporting your building must be able to access the site from the adjacent highway or road. This access must be prepared in advance of the truck arriving. Any overhead obstructions need to be removed.
• Safe working conditions and accident prevention practices must be the main priority on the job site. Local, state and federal health and safety standards should be followed at all times, to insure worker safety.

• Unloading the building components off the truck is the purchaser/builder’s responsibility. All items received should be listed on a packing list, and as they are unloaded they should be checked off that list. If you are using a professional erector, it’s wise to allow them to handle this.
• If, during this process, damages or shortages of items are found, a report should be filed immediately with the driver of the carrier. If damages are evident from the exterior of containers, they should be opened and inspected thoroughly at the time of receipt.
• DO NOT install any material if the quality is in question.
• A lot of time and trouble can be saved if your building site is organized with a pre-arranged plan. In other words, unload and store individual components in the area closest to where they will be installed.
• Complete erection manuals come with every building. Each plan is prepared specially for that individual building and should be FOLLOWED EXACTLY.

References:

Rigid Building Systems http://www.rigidbuilding.com/buildingtypes.asp

MBMA (Metal building manufacturer’s association) http://mbma.com/display.cfm?p=84&pp=2

The Steel Recycling Institute, http://www.recycle-steel.org/, http://www.recycleroom.org/fun.html

Metal Building Manufacturers Association, www.mbma.com

BuildingsGuide.Com, http://www.buildingsguide.com/buyers-guide/steel-buildings-buyers-guide-2.html

Steel Building Guide, http://www.steelbuildingguide.com/steel_building_erectors.htm

About Steel Buildings, http://www.aboutsteelbuildings.com/all-steel-buildings-are-not-equal/