The Expanding Applications of Steel Buildings
The traditional categories of steel building types involving agriculture, commercial, and manufacturing applications are familiar to most consumers. There have been design innovations in recent years, however, that have broadened the categories in which steel buildings are being used for.
Automobile and truck dealerships nationwide are looking more and more to steel when considering expansion or brand new buildings. One of the advantages that a steel building offers a vehicle dealership is the ability to add a mezzanine to afford the capability of vertical parts inventory storage in lieu of the more expensive horizontal schematic. This precludes the need for a bigger and costlier building as previously unused overhead space is being utilized.
Another portion of our society that is favoring building with steel is churches. Most churches have limited funding available for any new construction. They quickly find out that traditional materials such as wood, brick, or stone can be as much as twice that of steel. As most rigid frame steel buildings simply bolt together on assembly, some congregations can find within their membership the personnel needed to erect their building and save considerable construction costs. The purchase and erection of a steel building can allow a church to have a new sanctuary at a fraction of the cost of a more conventional building.
Steel has become the popular construction material of choice for entertainment facilities and night clubs. Owners of entertainment facilities like the clear-span framing system available for their venues that can allow for up to 300 feet of uninterrupted floor space width. This interior column-free environment allows for the maximum use of square footage under roof without supporting obstructions limiting floor plan layouts. This can be seen in the unrestricted line-of-sight features for nightclubs and uninterrupted floor space to be used for dancing, dining, or hosting large parties.
Schools and universities have also realized the many advantages of building with steel. Many school boards and administrators of higher education facilities have discovered that steel buildings can be erected rapidly and put into full use in about half the time it would take for a similar sized conventional structure to be built. Any school or university can realize substantial cost savings in the on-site labor costs alone, and the quick assembly of the building will minimally impact the calendars of even the most busiest of year-round learning campuses.
Steel buildings are now being used, successfully, for many other applications in the 21st century including sports complexes, marinas, correctional facilities, and hotels and resorts, to name a few. No matter how elaborate or distinctive the design of your new building, a steel structure can be your best choice for strength and durability.