Are Steel Buildings Energy Efficient?

The construction industry today faces great challenges and demands due to climate change the world has been exposed to in the last two decades. The biggest challenge of the sustainable construction industry is understanding nature and its potentials and protecting and rationally sustainably using natural resources. Data on energy consumption and natural resources in the construction industry, along with the adopted directives, place a special focus on the sustainable management of natural resources, using natural materials in construction, and developing clean innovative technologies for their production.

Many construction companies, such as Patco Construction have chosen to start using materials like steel, in building residential and commercial venues. Why? There are tons of reasons for it, but the most important is the theory that steel buildings have shown to be very energy efficient. In the further text, you’ll be able to familiarize yourself with all the advantages of steel constructions.

Is this construction style something new?

In the field of construction, steel structures began to be used from the mid-19th century, but they became widespread and have found their biggest use, only recently. The explanation to why is simple – durability, safety, and reliability of the structure allowed assembling and disassembling, without the risk of losing quality.

Construction and assembling of steel buildings have become popular due to their low weight, ease of installation, and low cost of materials. These structures are used in many areas: the creation of exhibitions (fairs) and shopping malls, residential buildings, warehouses, workshops, commercial, business, and sports facilities.

Until today, this technology is considered one of the most profitable for the construction of all turnkey facilities, because it gives the opportunity to complete the work with utmost speed and quality. This applies not only to the simplest, but also very complex facilities: support structures, high-rise buildings, shops, industrial warehouses, and so on.

Steel structures for buildings are widely used because of their performance properties, namely, long life, energy efficiency, and durability. The advantage of this material is the fact that its installation does not require special equipment and a large number of people, which reduces the final cost of labor.

Since they are energy efficient, they must be expensive… What determines the price?

As mentioned above, the construction with such material has certain features that make this technology popular in today’s market. Here are some of the advantages offered by such construction materials:

• Lightweight compared to the same building material, which greatly simplifies the installation and removal process.
• Construction of the building takes the shortest time and is carried out 2-3 times faster than using standard techniques and materials.
• Resistance to temperature, humidity, and heat.
• The cost of construction work has decreased by several times due to the fact that the installation of a steel building does not require pouring massive foundations.
• High thermal insulation properties can reduce the operating costs of buildings.

Are there any more advantages?

Construction using this material offers the convenience of mobility, which is quite tempting. In case the moving is needed, you can quickly and easily move from one place to another. Having such an interesting construction method, they can be repeatedly disassembled and reassembled, without causing any damage to the entire facility. In addition, steel and prefabricated buildings can be changed by increasing their size and number of floors, without resorting to funds and time costs.

Compared to capital construction, the construction of steel buildings is a more efficient alternative. With this technology, it is possible with minimal investment to achieve the highest quality the constructed facility will be distinguished by fairly good performance. The speed of installation and the ability to operate the building without long-term finishing work makes these complex solutions of steel structures for the industrial buildings incredibly convenient and useful, especially in those situations where you need to fully recoup the investment.

Where are they mostly used?

Steel structures are most commonly used in commercial, industrial, and civil construction facilities. As you may notice, eventually they won more and more popularity, thanks to all advantages mentioned earlier. The fact that buildings are constructed from lightweight building materials, made them so popular and widely used. As technology advanced this construction style found its use in the construction of individual residential houses.
All buildings, built using steel structures are divided into two main categories: frameless and with frame.

Installation of steel structures is one of the most profitable alternatives to traditional capital construction. If you can get quality results with minimal investment using this technology, the finished object will prove to have quite good performance. The speed and ease of installation make the technology the best and most comfortable for those times when it is necessary to recoup the money invested in the business.

So, are they energy efficient or not?

First, let’s explain what energy efficiency means.

Buildings constructed with this system (steel) have lower energy consumption, which means lower consumption of fossil fuels and therefore lower CO2 emissions into the atmosphere. Energy efficiency achieves a better quality of life inbuilt facilities, and at the same time increases the value of built facilities. This leaves you without any doubt that steel buildings are a construction solution that will greatly influence the quality of life of individuals, but also the preservation of the planet.

Awareness of the necessary changes in the way of life, production, and consumption is increasing, and the protection of the human environment and natural resources has long been a priority of the world community. Energy efficiency has not only entered the recommendations, directives, and laws on construction but has become one of the main measures of quality and value of buildings and has been established as a standard.

Traditional materials used in construction, such as wood, are a great solution, but the deforestation of the planet has gone too far, therefore other solutions are required to be used both in residential and business venues construction. And steel is a promising material.