Five Benefits of Steel for Buildings

  1. Steel buildings can take a BIG hit from all angles!

There are many benefits of using steel for constructing your valuable company buildings but perhaps the greatest is its durability. Steel buildings are perfect for ensuring incredible, dare I say unbeatable, protection against whatever the weather gods are likely to throw at them, from snow, hail and ice to wind, rain and even earthquakes! Steel lasts longer than most building materials and benefits from a stellar strength to weight ratio. Steel will not suffer from many of the wear and tear staples of wooden framed construction like cracking, twisting, warping, rotting or being eaten by woodworm and termites. Termites in particular can decimate wooden constructions in next to no time and as such steel will not come with as many costs or risks related to infestation and pest control as wooden framed constructions. As steel is also impervious to water, it will not suffer from contraction and expansion when exposed to damp conditions. As winter 2015 has shown us, Britain can succumb to month after month of damp weather. There is also less of a fire hazard with steel construction.

  1. More environmentally friendly in the construction phase.

As steel construction yields little in the way of waste (materials can be ordered and manufactured with precision) there is an environmental benefit compared to sourcing wood from new trees. There is also a potential benefit down the line as steel frames are often 100% recyclable.

  1. Sealed well = quiet and cheap to heat

As steel framing results in vastly improved seals around your windows and doors you will benefit from more efficient thermal regulation. This will, in turn offer more affordable heating and cooling and reduce long term consumption of energy. The sealing also has the added benefit of quieter workspaces which can be absolutely vital for many businesses – an obvious example being recording spaces, movie sets but also schools and some offices.

  1. Customising and potential remodelling or expansion

Steel buildings can benefit from a clear span of 300’ wide. This has the effect of offering the designer and builder a huge customisable space, free from columns and offers the ability to satisfy complex layouts and spatial designs, all while ensuring that you are left with an unencumbered floor space. Also, as a structure that has been constructed in steel beams is anchored with screws instead of nails, this makes remodelling a much easier, quicker and cheaper possibility. A section can be disconnected and repositioned without harming the essential structure of the building. It can be possible to reposition or add a new section or even raise a roof to add an additional mezzanine floor at a far more attractive cost than would be the case with a wooden framed structure.

  1. Speed of assembly and low disturbance

When it comes to business everyone knows that time is money. When buildings are manufactured from wood the team of builders will need to purchase a lot of long beams and then cut them to fit the purpose while on the site. In contrast the beams that are used in a steel structure are factory manufactured. This has the benefit of reducing the noise on a construction site enormously, which could lead to much less disturbance of your day to day business assuming the building is happening while you work in an adjacent plot. The amount of rubbish on site is also vastly reduced, which cuts costs and reduces inconvenience. Of course this also makes the assembly processes much, much quicker. The steel beams are ordered, delivered and then arranged and bolted together on site.