The face of urbanization in Canada has been evolving for quite some time now. Just think about it — Did you make the trek out to the industrial park to check out a hot new restaurant on your last vacation? Does the best brewery in town have a makeshift tap room in a steel building in your industrial area?

Neighbourhoods are changing, and pre-engineered steel buildings have a huge role to play in easing the transition. 

The complex needs of modern communities

Urban sprawl, population density, adequate transportation—the needs of modern communities are complex. 

People, particularly Gen Z, are less enthused by car culture and want more walkable neighbourhoods. 

At the same time, the demand for housing has only continued to increase at home and worldwide, with 1.6 billion people lacking adequate housing, according to a U.N. report. 

To keep pace with these (and more) complex needs, urban planners have homed in on creative ways to manage land use — that’s where pre-engineered steel buildings come in. 

The role of pre-engineered steel buildings in urbanization

As the needs of modern communities have evolved, pre-engineered steel buildings have stepped up to help facilitate the change. 

While these structures can’t solve all of the issues facing modern urban planners today, they can certainly help thanks to their versatility, affordability, and the speed with which they can be erected. 

Multi-purpose developments
Maximizing land use means looking to mixed-use developments as a solution to challenges with space and cost. These sorts of buildings have been on the rise in Canada, and have a significant role to play in economic growth, according to Real Estate Magazine. 

Multi-purpose buildings are one type of steel building that MSC specializes in and can include:

• Community facilities 

• Public buildings

• Arenas 

• Educational facilities

Investing in one building that can serve many different purposes is a cost-effective way to make the most out of a space for many different municipalities or community groups. 

Take this community building in Fraser Lake, BC, for example. This state-of-the-art steel shop building spans 25,000 square feet, keeps warm with R-50 roof insulation, and can serve many different uses for the community while maintaining appealing aesthetics. 

See more community projects from MSC.

Steel storage buildings
As communities have evolved, so has lifestyle. People move more, either for school, work, or new adventures. Housing demands have resulted in smaller spaces like condos or apartment buildings. This increases the demand for storage.

At MSC, we’re one of few companies with the specific skill set to design and build mini-storage developments. We understand the huge range of possibilities for your storage project and can work with you to make it come to life. 

That was the case in Princeton, BC, when we constructed this custom, moveable mini-storage facility for EMBC Enterprises Ltd. A first of its kind, this building allows for any configuration you desire and requires no concrete work. 

Having honed our expertise in storage buildings makes for a smooth and efficient construction process. See all of our storage building projects. 

Retail steel buildings
In the same way that community layouts have evolved, so have the needs of retail buildings. Flexibility is number one — with more demand for storing large amounts of stock or changing inventory. 

Pre-engineered steel buildings are ideal for retail companies needing high and wide room spans or endless floor space customization options. Plus, architectural features like exterior cladding and custom colours allow for a welcoming façade customers and staff will appreciate.

Most importantly, however, these buildings are fast to go up and economical, which means you can welcome customers quicker. 

When Fabricland was opening a new store in Terrace, BC, MSC was able to supply the pre-engineered steel building as well as provide the project management, concrete work, erection and interior framing for the store in only three months. 

See more retail projects from MSC.

Commercial steel buildings
From warehouses to wineries, steel buildings have the versatility and affordability to support the modern business owner’s dream. 

Working directly with you to understand your vision, MSC can design and erect commercial buildings at lighting speed that are also low maintenance and built to last, so you can focus on doing what you do best. 

When one of the oldest distilleries in Western Canada was looking to expand, Okanagan Spirits reached out to MSC. Owner Steve Ivanitz worked closely with the company’s CEO, Tyler Dyck, to realise their vision. 

MSC not only built the 16,000-square-foot building addition promptly and with care but also added aesthetic touches to the existing building to ensure they matched. 

See more commercial projects with MSC.

The benefits of pre-engineered steel buildings for communities

Steel buildings are able to fill so many gaps in modern urban planning challenges thanks to the many benefits the structures have to offer. 

Versatile: Steel buildings are not just metal boxes. How else would they be able to serve as many functions — from distilleries to a fabric shop — as we described above? When you work with an experienced firm like MSC that has its own design team and preferred work crews, pre-engineered steel buildings are fully customizable from interior to gorgeous exterior. 

MSC also adds the personal touch of dedicated owners who will meet with you to fully understand and then realize your vision. 

Resilient: In a world where extreme weather causes more and more uncertainty, steel buildings are a confidence-inspiring choice for modern communities thanks to their high resistance to fires, earthquakes, and heavy rain and snow. Learn more about the benefits of steel buildings when extreme weather strikes. 

Durable: Steel buildings are built to last. The high strength-to-weight ratio and ductility of steel make it extremely durable under all manner of conditions.

Low maintenance: Once a steel building goes up, it is surprisingly low maintenance. This is great as it means there’s very little effort required to upkeep the building after the construction phase. 

Affordable: Steel buildings are cost-effective, making it easier to build the retail space of your dreams or a new local grocery store in a food desert. 

Quick to erect: Since steel buildings are built incredibly quickly, they are also ready to open quickly. That means that the timeline to start serving your community is considerably shorter compared to other materials. 

Sustainable: Steel is an infinitely recyclable material, meaning it can be used and reused forever. This makes it an excellent choice for sustainability, particularly when you consider the high durability of the material. 

Future-proof your community with pre-engineered steel buildings from MSC. 

Metal Structure Concepts has been designing and constructing steel buildings across Western Canada for over 20 years. From retail spaces to warehouses to wineries and more, we are the experts for your next project. Contact us today for a free quote.