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Archive for November, 2010

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Certifications Related to Prefabricated Steel Buildings

Tuesday, November 30th, 2010

Since this blog started, you may have read various acronyms and wondered what they meant and why they are important to prefabricated steel buildings. The following discussion is limited to information that you need to know, and not those, which are very technical and relevant only to fabricators and engineers.

For starters, manufacturers of steel buildings boast of being AISC certified. What does this mean? And why is AISC certification important? What is AISC?

The American Institute of Steel Construction is the chief organization for everyone involved in the design, manufacture, and construction of fabricated steel buildings and bridges. It is responsible for the development of the Specification for Steel Buildings and the Manual of Steel Construction, publications that were developed to ensure the quality and safety of steel buildings.

Headquartered in Chicago, AISC’s mission is to spread the advantages of structural steel to owners, architects, and university students, and the general public, and make it the material of choice for building construction. AISC is the leader in structural steel-related technical and market-building endeavors such as the development of specifications and code, research, education, technical assistance, quality certifications, standardization, and market development.

AISC’s certifications are given to fabricators and erectors of steel buildings and bridges. The Certification Standard for Steel Building Structures is given to fabricators, whose quality of finished products conforms to AISC’s standards. These standards also place equal emphasis on the quality of business processes observed by the fabricators.

For erectors, there are two types of certifications, the Certified Steel Erector and the Advanced Certified Steel Erector. The first one is given to erection contractors who have the capabilities to erect structures such as schools, shopping centers, light manufacturing plants, warehouses, low-rise beam and column structures, simple non-continuous bridges, and steel-framed buildings.

An erector is given the Advanced Certified Steel Erector if it has the capabilities necessary for erection of structures including large public and institutional buildings, heavy manufacturing plants, bunkers, bins, powerhouses, major industrial facilities, locks and dams, high-rise structures, arenas, and major bridges.

Source: AISC website

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Posted in Pre-Engineered Steel Buildings, Prefabricated Steel Buildings, Steel Building Company, Steel Buildings | 1 Comment »

Prefabricated Steel Buildings as Music Studios

Monday, November 29th, 2010

Are you serious about your music career as a band and want to have a great place to practice without disturbing your family or the entire neighborhood? Your parents’ garage may have been okay at the start but they most probably limit your practice hours to a minimum.

Or, you may be an entrepreneur who wants to start a music studio business where you can rent the place for band practice? Well, for whatever purpose, prefabricated steel buildings are perfect as music studios because they offer more advantages than traditional modes of construction.

Today’s steel buildings can be made for just about any purpose and budget. Prefabricated steel buildings are cost-effective and easy to construct. Plus, they offer many options for soundproofing, which is the major concern for music studios.

The cost-effectiveness of steel buildings starts in their design and construction. Savings come in the form of reduced material costs – waste materials are kept to a minimum because the components are pre-engineered to their exact specifications and measurements. In addition, steel buildings allow for reduced labor costs since all the components just need to be bolted together, no need for cutting, drilling, and welding.

Steel buildings are ideal for music studios because they are can be built with clear-span interiors, providing you a lot of freedom of movement as well as enough space for storage of equipment and instruments.

Insulation for steel buildings allows them to be energy efficient by reducing the need for heating and cooling equipments – providing savings in energy costs. However, there is an additional benefit of insulation, which is soundproofing. Insulation prevents the transmission of noise into and out of your steel music studio. At the same time, it inhibits the echoing of indoor sound within the steel building.

The simplest steel building design that is appropriate for a music studio is the arch. The good news is, this simple design is the favorite of do-it-yourself builders. Steel building kits come with easy-to-read and easy-to-follow erection manuals that will give step-by-step directions for building your steel music studio.

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Posted in Prefabricated Steel Buildings, Steel Buildings | 3 Comments »

A Second Look at Insulated Metal Panels for Steel Buildings

Friday, November 26th, 2010

Typically, insulated metal panels are used on walls and roof of steel buildings. Insulated metal panels are known to lower energy and maintenance costs over the life of steel buildings, aside from the fact that they are aesthetically appealing.

The pre-insulated panels are manufactured by injecting a liquid insulating foam – usually polyurethane or polystyrene – between two thin metal sheets, typically made of steel or aluminum. Since the metal faces used are impenetrable, thus completely encapsulating the insulating material and protect it from degradation, high insulating values are sustained for the life of the steel building.

Insulated metal panels are popular to building owners and architects because among other benefits, they are lightweight and very easy to install. They are available in a wide variety of widths, lengths, gauges, and finishes and can be installed either vertically or horizontally. They provide good sound insulation and they do not absorb water.

However, since these panels contain plastic insulation, they can be extremely combustible. Polyurethane is a material that easily ignites and burns rapidly. Polystyrene is a material that melts and flows like flammable liquid when it is burned, fuelling a fire even more.

To help lessen the hazard of insulated metal panels, use only Class 1 fire-rated, noncombustible IMPs. Actually, there are even fire resistive insulated panels in the market today that has 1,2, and 3 hour UL fire resistance rating.

These fire-resistive IMPs are actually laminated sandwich panels consisting of metal facings bonded to a structural mineral wool core instead of plastic. The combination of new designs and new technology create a composite panel that achieves one to three hour fire resistive ratings.

These are not only ideal for industrial steel buildings but for high occupancy structures like sports arenas and gymnasiums or for any building for that matter.

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Personnel Doors for Steel Buildings

Thursday, November 25th, 2010

Steel doors found in most steel buildings serve as entry/exit points for men, animals, vehicles, or equipments. Personnel doors are walk doors meant for access to and from the building.

Typical personnel doors for steel buildings are made from 20-gauge galvanized steel. Ordinarily, they come in white or brown embossed finish. They are available in the following leaf options: a solid door, a half-glass door, and a door with a narrow lite glass panel.

Today’s personnel doors for steel buildings are sturdier because of the use of vertical mechanical interlocking seams that join the door hinges and lock the edges as well.  In addition, the strength of these doors is further ensured through the use of 16-gauge galvanized steel channels that secure the top and bottom parts.

Most personnel doors are sound deadened to block unwanted noise by reinforcing the hollow parts with a kraft honey comb core, which is laminated to the inner faces of the door panels. As a result, a knock on the door would produce a blunt thud instead of a hammering sound.

Nowadays, there is a wide array of personnel door options available. Actually, one of the reasons for the wide acceptance of prefabricated steel buildings is the easy access to accessories including windows, doors, vents, and louvers.

Another type of personnel door which is indispensable to a large steel buildings are fire resistant doors to be used as reliable emergency escape routes out of a burning building. Personnel doors for steel buildings can be customized to resist fires for up to 4 hours. In addition, smoke seals can be added to this type of doors to guarantee that smoke gets locked in.

One more classification of personnel doors for steel buildings is acoustic doors. These doors, commonly found in cinemas and industrial plants, are designed to hold out noise levels of up to 49 decibels.

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Facings for Steel Buildings

Wednesday, November 24th, 2010

Insulation is typically installed in steel buildings to make them more energy efficient. Facings are applied to the insulation, for example fiberglass blankets, to serve not only as vapor retarder or vapor barrier, but also as protective cover over the fiberglass. In addition, the facing material offers a clean finished look to the interiors of any steel building.

To ensure that facing materials perform well, they are designed and manufactured to meet strict requirements for strength, durability, and permeability. Permeability is a measure of the amount of water vapor that passes through a material in a certain amount of time. High quality facings for steel buildings are extremely resistant to rips, tears, and punctures.

For facings to be effective as vapor barriers, these factors should be considered of primary importance:

1. Where to install. Facings should be located on the inner surface of the insulation material where heat and vapor pressure are at the highest. This thwarts condensation that is sure to happen when vapor reaches the cooler air.

2. Degree of permeability. Facings with low perm rating or permeance allows for minimum transfer of condensation into a steel building. Materials with high perm ratings will allow more water vapor or moisture to pass through than those with lower perm levels. Therefore, the lower the perm rating, the more effective the facing. For most steel buildings, a perm rating of 0.1 is desired.

3. Proper installation. Careful installation of facings for steel buildings ensures their effectiveness. A torn or punctured facing should immediately be patched. However, be aware that this may eventually do more harm than good.

Choose facings that have reflective properties because they help brighten up the interiors of steel buildings, helping owners save money on electricity bills.

It has been observed that vinyl faced fiberglass products for steel buildings located in places where temperatures are below 40 degrees, may become brittle and crack. That’s why they are not recommended for steel buildings located in cold climates.

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Steel Factory Buildings

Tuesday, November 23rd, 2010

The online encyclopedia defines a factory as an industrial building where laborers manufacture goods or supervise machines that process one product into another. In other words, factories house laborers, raw materials, equipment, and goods or finished products.

Prefabricated steel buildings are highly customizable. Steel building kits can be tailor made for just about any application, including factories. Today, steel buildings are products made of quality materials combined with high-tech engineering, to create structures that meet and exceed all industry standards, as well as, local and national building codes.

When you choose to build your factory with steel, you deal only with one supplier. Your complete pre-engineered steel building package comes to you ready for construction. Since all the components are pre-drilled, pre-cut, and pre-welded, construction is fast, easy, and efficient – with no surprises. You save a lot on construction materials and labor costs.

Factories need a lot of space for large machines and equipment. With pre-engineered steel buildings, space is never a problem. They allow for maximum vertical storage with column-free interiors for 100% usable floor space. And when you need more space, pre-engineered steel buildings can be easily expanded at minimal costs and less disruption to your operations.

Pre-engineered steel buildings can be combined with today’s popular architectural finishes in the market, making them look like conventional structures. The only difference is their unmatched durability and weather resistance. Steel buildings remain straight and true even during hurricanes, high winds, tornados, and earthquakes. They are easy to clean and resistant to molding, cracking, and rotting. Most importantly, they are fire resistant and non-combustible, perfect for factories.

Best of all, if environmental responsibility is something that you value, choose to build with steel. Pre-engineered steel buildings are environment friendly because they are made of recycled materials. Not a single tree will be cut to create your steel factory building.

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Posted in industrial steel buildings, Pre-Engineered Steel Buildings, Prefabricated Steel Buildings, Steel Buildings | 1 Comment »

Boat Storage Steel Buildings

Monday, November 22nd, 2010

Boating, as a form of recreation, is a great way for you to get in touch with nature and a relaxing way of spending summer with your family. When not in use, your boat needs a shelter to protect it from the elements as well as thieves.

Steel buildings make perfect storage structures for boats, offering a lot of benefits that are unmatched by traditional types of construction such as durability, cost-effectiveness, and fast and easy construction.

Steel building components are computer engineered to their exact measurements. All that is needed to be done, is bolt the components together. This eliminates additional labor costs needed for cutting, drilling, and welding. In fact, steel buildings come in kits that contain easy-to-read and easy-to-understand manuals that detail the step-by-step erection process.

The strength and durability of steel buildings are unmatched by any other conventional construction. They are made of high quality steel and built up to code, making them resistant to extreme weather conditions including hurricanes, high winds, heavy snow, tornadoes, and earthquakes.

In addition, steel buildings require only minimal maintenance. They are easy to clean and the components are resistant to cracking, dulling, rotting, and molding. Aside from providing maximum protection for your boat, steel buildings are typically designed with clear-span, wide, open interiors for maximum usable space. Your boat storage can be designed to accommodate not only your boat, but also all the other gears and equipments that go with it.

If you want your steel boat storage to stand out, you can design it to be more aesthetically appealing by combining it with a variety of architectural finishes such as bricks, stone, siding, and stucco and a wide array of paint options.

Your steel boat storage will not only be a thing of beauty the envy of many, but will provide you with long years of shelter and protection for your boat.

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Posted in Pre-Engineered Steel Buildings, Prefabricated Steel Buildings, Steel Buildings, Steel Storage Buildings | 1 Comment »

Steel Buildings, Safe and Reliable Horse Barns

Friday, November 19th, 2010

Horse lovers strive for safe and reliable shelters for their priced animals. These people want nothing more than ensuring the safety, protection, health, and security of their equines. Taking into consideration the size of your land and your budget, pre-engineered steel buildings are the ideal solutions for horse barns.

Steel buildings are highly customizable that’s why more and more people are building with steel. They can be designed to meet any set of specifications without exceeding your budget. What’s more, since they are prefabricated, construction is easy, fast, and safe.

The strength of steel allows steel buildings to provide for clear-span interiors, giving you 100% usable space to accommodate stalls, hay storage, tack room, washroom, and storage for equipments.

To keep your horses healthy, sufficient ventilation is necessary. Steel buildings can be equipped with ridge vents, windows, doors, and louvers to allow for fresh air moving in the barn. This will not only make your horses breathe easily, but will also ensure that harmful odors and stale air is removed.

Steel buildings are also resistant to pests, molds, rotting, and cracks. Since steel is the most durable construction material, your steel horse barn will provide long years of protection from extreme weather conditions like hurricanes and earthquakes. More importantly, steel is fire resistant and non-combustible.

Unlike wood or masonry, which can harm your horses when they kick, steel does not crack to cause splinters and is flexible enough not to break your animal’s leg. Horses also cannot chew through steel. In addition, steel is also very easy to clean and it will not rot, mold, and creep.

Steel buildings will provide for long years of safe and reliable shelters for your horses.

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Posted in Agricultural Steel Buildings, Pre-Engineered Steel Buildings, Prefabricated Steel Buildings, Steel Buildings | 4 Comments »

The Unbelievable Speed of Steel Building Construction

Thursday, November 18th, 2010

This site has been bragging about how prefabricated steel buildings can be constructed much faster and easier than buildings made of other conventional materials. If you’re still not sold with this idea, then the following example will obliterate all your doubts.

Last June 2010, something unimaginable in the construction industry happened in Changsa, China. A 15-story structure, the Ark Hotel, was built in a record time of 6 days! This was made possible through the use of prefabricated columns and modules, using modern construction techniques. If the owners took the conventional approach, the construction would have lasted at least 3 months.

Prior to construction, the hotel already had its foundation so the total construction time involved only the erection of the structure plus the finishing. The construction crew took just 46 hours and 38 minutes to build the main structural components and another 90 hours to complete the enclosure.

The use of prefabricated materials means that an off-site crew of workers built the sections and their on-site counterparts just assembled them to form the structure. Prefabricated modules are basically, steel buildings that are easily relocatable and may be re-sited several times without losing their structural integrity. In the case of the Ark Hotel, the modules were transported to the site by flat bed trailers.

These are some other highlights of the project:

1. The Ark Hotel is level 9 earthquake-resistant.
2. The Ark Hotel is soundproof and thermally insulated.
3. The project used 6 times less construction materials when compared with other conventional methods of construction.
4. The building is 5 times more energy efficient than structures made of other materials.
5. Only 1% of the total weight of the building was considered waste material (mainly package materials).

Combining these environmentally friendly elements makes the Ark Hotel a sustainable building. Despite the hectic and frantic pace of construction, no workers were injured.

Daily construction schedules lasted only until 10 p.m. Despite the frantic pace of construction,

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Posted in commercial steel buildings, Prefabricated Steel Buildings, Steel Buildings | 1 Comment »

Insulated Metal Panels for Cold Storage Steel Buildings

Wednesday, November 17th, 2010

Modern pre-engineered steel buildings can accommodate just about any kind of purpose. More and more business owners are turning to steel for their construction needs. The growing number of steel building applications include aircraft hangars, barns, offices, auto shops, insurance agencies, strip malls, warehouses, storage facilities, etc.

The use of pre-engineered steel buildings is the preferred mode of construction of cold storage facilities. These structures are used primarily for refrigeration and freezing of products such as fresh produce, seafood, manufactured food, flowers, biochemical materials, and others.

Maintaining a controlled interior environment is the primary concern in the cold storage business. Steel buildings used as cold storage are installed with insulated metal panels in the roof and walls. Insulated metal panels (IMPs) not only have exceptional thermal performance, they also come in various widths, lengths, gauges, and finishes.

Insulated metal panels are known to have the highest insulating value per inch over all other wall insulating products in the market today. This is due to their ability to provide uniform insulation because of the shape and thickness of the insulating material (usually polyurethane), which are consistently maintained between the metal panels.

The use of insulated metal panels offers a lot of savings. Since they are lightweight, they require lower foundations, lighter framing, and fast and easy installation, resulting in a significant reduction in construction costs.

IMPs are durable, have a longer lifespan and lower maintenance requirements than other insulating products. They can even be installed in any kind of weather. Modern IMPs are coated to protect them from the elements, providing you with decades of use without the need of repainting.

Insulated metal panels for steel buildings are available in a wide range of colors, textures, and finishes. These products are also popular in other steel building applications including manufacturing plants, hospitals, office buildings, hotels, airports, arenas, and many more.

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Posted in commercial steel buildings, industrial steel buildings, Pre-Engineered Steel Buildings, Prefabricated Steel Buildings, Steel Buildings, Steel Storage Buildings | 11 Comments »

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