Why Companies are Looking for Creative Building Material Solutions
The construction industry faces a constant stream of challenges. These may stem from local market conditions, such as land availability, licensing or services, or larger macroeconomic issues, such as fluctuating market demand, new or changing regulations, new technologies, or changes in labor and materials cost and availability. Construction firms and their subcontractors, as well as their investors and end-user customers must keep an eye on all these factors in order to make good decisions to keep building costs down and meet their operating and budget goals.
Challenges and Trends in the Construction Sector
The building sector, like energy and other large segments of the economy, faces a number of market trends that are both opportunities and challenges. Emily Peiffer, blogger for Construction Dive, shared her predictions and observations earlier this year on the topic of 2017 construction industry trends. Some of the trends she points out call for attention to rising costs of construction and give reason to consider alternative temporary or long term building options:
A Serious Labor Shortage Continues
Due to a continuing strong economy, the construction industry is experiencing a shortage of workers. Skilled workers in particular are in short supply. This means firms are spending more on recruiting and taking longer to fill positions. The shortage also means that there is upward pressure on wages. The situation has created pressure on contractors’ bottom lines and may impact their ability to start new projects, may push schedules longer into the future or can jeopardize meeting project completion deadlines.
Material costs are on the rise
The strong economy has put pressure on material costs and supply. A worldwide building boom means that even imported materials are subject to sudden price increases and even shortages. In addition, the unknown impact of political events, or actions such as the implementation of tariffs means that imported materials, such as Chinese steel or Canadian lumber, could become scarce.
Offsite construction, also called modular or prefab will make gains in the market
A modular building trend underscores the value of affordable, fast, and flexible solutions. Customers are in need of faster and more cost-effective construction. Contractors who supply modular solutions are finding new ways to innovate high quality and versatile solutions to growing market demand.
The sustainable construction impetus will continue
The green building movement continues to make strides, notably in the brisk demand for energy-efficient buildings. Sustainability is a must in many countries and in a growing number of states and cities in the US. The demand for buildings that provide their own energy, produce less waste, and incorporate a large proportion of recyclable, sustainable materials is growing exponentially. It is a major sector for innovation and a more creative integration of space, the environment, the building structure and how the occupants interact with all of them.
Fabric Covered Building Systems Offer Quality, Affordable Building Alternative
As a provider of highly engineered and durable fabric covered buildings, Allsite works closely with our partners and clients in the construction sector. An alternative or adjunct to traditional brick, mortar, steel and concrete buildings, our aluminum-framed tension fabric structures serve many of the same functions as traditional buildings, with the advantage that they can be ordered and installed in a relatively short timeframe on virtually any site. Tension fabric structures are growing in popularity and are used in a broad range of applications. Construction firms use our structures for on-site project workspace, for equipment storage, to prevent vandalism or to shelter buildings under renovation or reconstruction from adverse weather.
Fabric Structures Offer Solutions to Construction Sector Challenges
Fabric structures provide an ideal building material solution where extra space is needed. Their use, whether as a long-term or short-term solution, can help reduce the impact of materials or labor shortages, cost increases, or time delays that may occur with traditional construction. They can be leased or rented, so they don’t require a long term commitment or large capital investment. There may be tax advantages too, as fabric buildings are classified as temporary structures and are therefore not subject to real property taxes. These buildings may receive energy-efficiency tax deductions as well.
Temporary fabric buildings offer a number of inherent environmental benefits. They can be installed almost anywhere and have a low impact on the terrain, needing minimal to no landscape modification. They high-grade extruded aluminum frame will last decades, and is fully recyclable at end of life. Covered in white fabric that reflects solar radiation outward, this structure is naturally energy-efficient, but can also be climatized.
Fast, Customizable, and Cost-Effective Fabric Covered Building Solution
Fabric covered buildings are emerging as a viable alternative in many applications. Fabric suits the economy of today, in which agile, innovative operational styles are poised to flourish. The Allsite tension fabric covered building is highly engineered and presents an ideal structure solution where space, durability and performance equivalent to a permanent building structure are needed in a lower cost and more rapid building solution. Let us help you make the smart choice for your temporary or long term building needs. Call Allsite today at 888-599-5112.
