Whether it’s for environmental reasons or in order to lower operational costs, there are many reasons to fine-tune energy efficiency for your business. Pre-engineered steel buildings can be the secret weapon when it comes to lowering your carbon footprint.   

The role of buildings in carbon emissions

Many people don’t realise that the buildings sector is the third largest carbon emitter, after oil and gas and transportation, according to the Canadian Green Buildings Strategy. 

There’s no avoiding buildings, however. Not only do most of us work in one, we all almost certainly live in buildings. Adding to the complexity, decarbonization of the buildings sector is a huge undertaking that involves stakeholders on every level — from property owners to the federal government. 

Buildings sit at the intersection of so many important elements right now, including housing, affordability, and energy efficiency and climate concerns. 

Managing your carbon footprint when it comes to buildings doesn’t have to be overwhelming, however. 

There are small, manageable changes you can make that have big longterm payoff — and the first step starts with pre-engineered steel buildings. 

Energy-efficient benefits of steel buildings

The eco benefits of using pre-engineered steel buildings for your business go well beyond basic operations and start before the building has even been erected. 

1. Durable
The durability of steel buildings means more than just being tough — it means less maintenance and the associated costs. 

In Canada the resiliency of steel becomes particularly important due to the extreme weather and temperatures. 

Commercial-grade steel has many characteristics which specifically help it to withstand harsh Canadian weather, resulting in lower expenses as well as less waste from building repairs or replacements. 

Commercial steel is built to withstand Canadian climates and events including high winds, heavy snow, hail, rain, and fire thank to its:

• High strength-to-weight ratio

• Strength increase in colder weather

• High ductility and ability to bend under pressure

• Rust resistance

2. Stable ambient temperatures
With better insulating properties, steel creates a very stable ambient temperature. will help immediately reduce heating costs for your business. 

The insulative properties go both ways — protecting from heat and cold. So if you’re a farmer looking for affordable cold storage or working in the extreme cold up north, steel is an efficient and affordable choice for your building. 

While steel is an excellent insulator on its own, insulating material such as insulated metal panels are necessary and highly effective to hold up to a range of temperature fluctuations. 

On top of keeping your interior the temperature you need it to be, better insulation also means less condensation and less moisture buildup — all of this with reduced energy use.

3. Efficient building design 
The versatile nature of pre-engineered steel buildings allows them to be designed highly efficiently and completely tailored to your needs. That makes the end result a streamlined product that also uses fewer materials and reduces waste. 

This efficiency not only reduces material waste but simplifies the transportation construction processes. Less transportation — whether it’s a morning commute or large-scale cargo deliveries — will always mean fewer resources used. 

4. Less construction waste
Prefabricated steel buildings aren’t cut on-site, meaning the waste associated with construction is significantly reduced. That doesn’t mean steel buildings are cookie-cutter copies of each other — the structures are fully customizable, but remain extremely efficient to erect. 

This is also part of the reason that pre-engineered steel buildings are so quick to put up. That means you and your team are back to work faster and environmental disruption is minimized. A win-win. 

5. Recyclable  
Being a 100% recyclable material, steel is far more environmentally friendly than one might realise at first. 

What does 100% recyclable mean? That steel can be repurposed over and over without degrading the integrity of the material — it’s a true “waste not want not” scenario. This aspect of steel makes it among the most recycled materials in the world.

Since steel is infinitely recyclable while retaining its original strength and durability, it can also (just like new steel) be transformed into higher-grade steel products. 

In theory, steel never has to reach the end of its life. This helps reduce the demand for new materials, minimize waste, and potentially reduce energy use from new steel production. 

Fun fact: MSC looks to partners Nucor Steel for their help pin roviding recycled steel products for your project. Nucor products can range from 77 to almost 100 percent recycled steel. 

Benefits of steel buildings compared to traditional construction methods

When compared to traditional construction processes, the advantages of pre-engineered steel buildings are game-changing and easily reduce speed, waste, and cost.

Wood, concrete, or conventional steel construction methods tend to involve more labour, higher material cost, and a larger amount of waste at the construction site. On top of those downsides, because these traditional methods take longer to complete, the environmental disruption can drag on.

Cost-benefit analysis

Where there’s less waste, there are higher cost savings. The cost-benefit analysis clearly favours pre-engineered steel buildings. One paper published in the International Journal of Research in Engineering and Science estimates pre-engineered steel buildings to cost 10-20% less than other construction materials.  

One of the major reasons for the reduction in cost, according to the paper, is the reduction in labour required and the speed with which prefab metal buildings are erected.

Timelines can be as much as half that of conventional construction projects, in part because of the pre-cut and measured methods used in prefab buildings.  

Industries 

The versatility of pre-engineered metal buildings means that you’d be hard-pressed to find an industry that they couldn’t help optimize. Whether agriculture or retail, oil and gas or mining, every business operator wants to help their bottom line where they can. 

MSC specializes in steel buildings in western Canada and has completed successful projects in a wide range of industries, including:

• Oil and gas steel buildings

• Mining steel buildings

• Farms (steel barns, cold storage metal buildings, and more)

• Storage

• Lumber 

You don’t have to be a professional, either. Custom steel home shops or community buildings are another way to get the edge that pre-engineered steel provides. 

Why local matters

When you decide to invest in your business with pre-engineered metal buildings — or any improvement — opting for a local company is more important than ever. 

A local pre-engineered steel building company not only understands the unique market where you live, like Alberta and B.C., but remains more accountable to the services they provide. 

The sense of pride that a local company has in their community is one of the pillars of excellent service. 

On top of the high standards a local company will offer, your business is automatically supporting the local economy, which means that you benefit as well — everyone in the community thrives. 

How to get started

When you’re ready to talk about pre-engineered steel buildings in western and northern Canada, get in touch. MSC has been helping businesses succeed for over 20 years. We’re ready to drive the extra mile to shake your hand, listen to your needs, and help make dreams come true.

Metal Structure Concepts has been designing and constructing steel buildings across 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.