There has been phenomenal growth in the use of steel as the primary construction material over the past few years. Although steel buildings have been used for commercial, industrial, and institutional needs for over 60 years in the U.S., they are increasingly becoming the structure of choice internationally.

The use of steel as a primary agent for building construction began in the 18th Century with the use of iron columns within the walls of building. The use of iron beams and columns then became a common feature in large industrial buildings starting at the end of the century. Since that time it has been instrumental in application for use in bridges, pipelines and modern day skyscrapers. In our “green conscious” world today, steel has overtaken wood as the material of choice, in many instances, because of its low cost and ecological benefits.

There are many advantages in choosing steel over other building materials. Steel buildings, generally, have a much quicker assembly time and costs for steel construction are also usually considerably less than conventionally constructed buildings. Steel buildings are lightweight, easier to maintain, and carry a reduced fire risk because steel is non-combustible. It is also largely recyclable. This makes it very cost-effective and environmentally sound when compared to other materials. Steel’s strength, however, is its finest characteristic. Properly designed steel structures can withstand virtually anything that the elements can bring such as high winds, heavy snows, and seismic activity. Steel buildings are resistant to the insect infestation, warping, cracking, and rotting that can be common with other materials.

A steel building, initially, will be slightly more expensive than any traditional styled building utilizing wood. The long term savings, however, in steel as your building material of choice is that it is more energy-efficient and requires very little maintenance over the serviceable life of the building. Steel buildings today can be given more of a conventional look with the use of state-of-the-art exteriors such as brick, stucco, rock, or stone.

There are other benefits of building with steel. A steel building can lower your monthly building insurance costs because of the low fire risk. Check with your insurance agent about this. Another advantage is the lower site labor costs resulting from the rapid assembly processes in pre-engineered steel buildings. The modern technologies involved in the fabrication process have greatly influenced the growth of the steel building systems industry because better design processes are available. Some steel building systems are made totally or partially of recycled steel. This is a highly favorable “green” aspect and just one more reason why you should consider building your next project with steel.