What makes steel the ideal construction material?
- Building benefits
- Cost savings
- Environmental considerations
- Product availability
Almost all types of construction in the Philippines uses steel—steel bars, steel beams, steel sheets. Ever since it was first used in the late 1800s, it has been a standard in all construction sites and a major component in all commercial and residential buildings. Prior to its discovery, iron was used by many, but now, we barely see iron being used in construction. The way it took the top spot with such ease only shows us just how good of a construction material steel really is.
Its usefulness and versatility cannot be compared to any other material and the plethora of benefits that it offers cannot be found elsewhere. Up to this very day, it has had a long history in the industry of construction. It has been regarded as one of the most ideal materials in existence and it has definitely lived up to that.
However, it is not the only construction material that people in the industry hold in such high regard. There are others such as concrete and wood that are considered great materials for construction. Although there are sound arguments to defend those, we’d like to stay on the side of steel because of the following reasons:
Building Benefits
Out of all things, a construction material needs to be durable and you can guarantee that steel is the toughest and strongest material there is. Compared to any other construction material, it has the highest strength-to-weight ratio, which makes it ideal for all types of buildings whether large or small.
Additionally, it has great properties such as resistance to fire and corrosion, low-maintenance, and high formability. All these are crucial in construction and helps ensure the strength, stability, value, and longevity of the establishment.
Cost Savings
After durability and strength, the second thing that developers or builders look for is cost. There is no use for a great material that will cause the cost to balloon, which is why it’s a good thing that steel can be bought for cheap. The reason steel is sold at such affordable prices is because steel products are often made from partially recycled materials.
Aside from being cost-effective, steel products and establishments can be expected to last a long time with little to no maintenance—as briefly mentioned above. What this means is that developers won’t have to spend for touch-ups and repairs as often, further increasing their savings while acquiring more profit and success.
Environmental Considerations
Environmental impact of materials wasn’t really a big and controversial thing a few decades ago, but in this day and age where our ecosystem is getting out of hand, many can’t help but take it into consideration when they choose construction materials. There are even some cities or districts who mandate smart growth or green building, so developers really have no choice but to go for eco-friendly materials.
Luckily, steel is quite eco-friendly, so it can hold on to its position as one of the top construction materials. We’ve already mentioned this in the previous point but most of the steel products and materials being used today are made from scraps and discarded steel. Using recycled materials allows manufacturers to save energy because it only uses a third of the energy needed to make steel from virgin materials. Not only is this beneficial for manufacturers and developers who can then buy steel at low prices but also for our environment.
Product Availability
Steel availability has been a hot topic for more than a few years and most blame it on the expanding construction activity in several countries. Many argue that our current steel supply cannot meet the global demand for the material but this is completely false. There is enough steel for everyone to use and there will never be a shortage of the material.
The US alone can produce 6 million tons of steel per year and annual usage barely ever comes close to that number, which means we can easily meet demand even if construction activity continues to increase over the next few years. Steel is and always will be readily available and that’s not going to change any time soon.
Key Takeaway
In the Philippines, steel is one of the most commonly used construction material. It is ever present in construction sites and is used in a number of applications. It is used to construct several infrastructures such as buildings, roads, railways, bridges, airports, skyscrapers, and residential homes.
Aside from being used for actual construction, the equipment—bulldozers, excavators, loaders, forklifts, and such—used to build these establishments are also made from high-quality steel. Even the smallest of materials like the nails, screws, and bolts are typically made from steel.
It’s not an understatement to say that steel is the most ideal construction material available to us, so the next time you’re whipping up a construction project, whether small or big, make sure to go with steel products in order to achieve great success!
