BY CHARLES PRAEGER
With all the constitu-ents involved in the decision-making process and the concerns that have to be addressed, getting a new firehouse can take longer than potentially expected. In recent years, green or sustainable issues have also become factors when considering new construction. Fortunately, for many fire districts and communities, metal building systems offer cost- and time-effective solutions. Over the past few years, hundreds of firehouses and emergency response facilities around the country have been built using metal building systems.
 Photo by author. |
When developing a new firehouse or an addition to an existing building, planners must consider many issues, from defining the space and efficiently housing all the equipment to designing an easily maintained exterior. Budgets are always paramount, particularly when the construction costs are predetermined by bonds. Metal buildings, which encompass more than 40 percent of the low-rise building construction market in the country, have achieved such high market share because they are cost-effective, can be constructed on tight schedules, and can be built in all kinds of weather. Many municipalities, organizations, companies, and fire districts have turned to metal building systems to get the most building for their money.
Metal building systems are also well accepted for their green attributes. Steel is the most recycled and recyclable building material available, making it inherently green, and it easily fits in with other green building products and processes to help meet community sustainability standards or achieve LEED® certification credits.
In addition to the highly recyclable content in the steel, these systems can hold virtually any amount of insulation to make the buildings airtight and energy efficient. Cool metal roofs help keep energy costs low in warmer climates, and metal panels provide a range of exterior looks to make the building fit in with the architectural style of a community. Municipal budgets and funds for new construction are always very tight, and that is truer today than ever. Getting the most building for the money is vital.
The West Peculiar (MO) Fire District recently voted for $975,000 in bond funds to pay for a new fire/EMS station (pictured). That’s a very tight budget under any circumstance, and the building the district wanted was reasonably large at 13,700 square feet. The project’s first designer was unable to fit the building within its budget.
The fire district then turned to a company that specialized in public building construction management and looked to a metal building system. The new plans called for a building to fit the budget with a 27-kw generator for backup power. They also added a retention pond to hold water runoffa vital component of green facilities. This pond, which is about 15 feet deep and 60 feet wide, allows the fire station to use its water for practice and training exercises without extracting city water resources.
The new station was needed quickly, as the old building was overcrowded and was promised to a new tenant. Metal buildings, in addition to being cost effective, can be constructed more quickly than conventional construction, and completion is generally not affected by inclement weather conditions. From the time the construction managers were hired to the day the building was completed, the whole process, including the building redesign, took just six months. The construction itself took only four months, allowing the new building to open two months ahead of schedule. The final cost was $71 per square footan amazing price under any conditions.
The metal building used for the new West Peculiar Fire Station has a number of green and sustainable properties in addition to the retention pond. The metal building system has welded steel frames. It also has a standing seam metal roof and metal walls, both of which have long life cycles and, over time, require very little maintenance. The easy-care attributes of the metal walls and roof help keep the building maintenance costs low. And, as mentioned above, the metal itself is 100-percent recyclable and can be reused at the end of its life cycle.
In addition to the West Peculiar Fire Station, other prominent metal building systems projects are the 10,000 square-foot Plainfield (MA) Public Safety Complex and the new Galesburg Freemont (IL) Fire Station. These new and recently completed fire/EMS stations are just a few of the many that have been constructed in recent years. They offer cost-effective design and construction, have visual appeal, and use varying degrees of green building materials. One thing that is constant in the use of metal building systems is that every application can provide a durable, attractive, energy-efficient green structureattributes that city and county officials value and respect.
CHARLES PRAEGER is the assistant general manager of the Metal Building Manufacturers Association and the past chairman of the Cool Metal Roofing Coalition.
