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EcoSteel – Iconic Steel Building Systems – Commercial Construction California

EcoSteel - Iconic Steel Building Systems - Commercial Construction California

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dscott@ecosteel.com

Why Architects Love EcoSteel

dscott@ecosteel.com · November 4, 2022 ·

EcoSteel’s philosophy is to deliver a project that is more than just a steel structure, but an innovative concept for the future. We don’t believe in providing something off the shelf and expecting that it meets your needs. We work with you to engineer unique custom solutions tailored to fit goals, budgets, and timelines.

It’s nearly inevitable that a project requiring a metal building system will end up on the desk of an architect at some point in their life. Often, they are intimidated by the project because of their unfamiliarity.  Architects do not have curriculum related to metal buildings in their degree programs. Methods and materials are the closest subject, to learn more about the best materials to use just click here.  EcoSteel building systems provide unique solutions for architects and they come with extensive advantages. 

Leverage EcoSteel

Flexibility and customization; long-span, column-free spaces; speed of erection; and efficiency of the structure. Those advantages seem to be a common misunderstanding of metal building systems: that they are off-the-shelf solutions. In other words, the architect needs to design a one-story brew pub and puts in an order to a manufacturer who digs into its inventory and delivers the brew pub—with options of course. Pre-engineered buildings are not a product that is just sitting on a shelf.  EcoSteel buildings are completely custom and made for each project. Our buildings are custom solutions, and are ideal for anything from the simplest of structures to the most complex of designs. Metal buildings aren’t relegated to simple boxes anymore—they are versatile systems capable of the additions of stone, glass and architectural elements that make them suitable for high-end retail and office spaces. They are completely customizable to meet the requirements of any market. 

Because of these reasons, in recent years, architects have embraced metal buildings and they are more widely accepted. There is no ideal situation for a metal building because they are so versatile, but they serve extremely well for buildings with large open space requirements. 

Evolution

We understand that Architects need support every step of the way of their design project, from idea to implementation. We can help you with all stages of the process, from your initial conversation through to detailing & construction documents. Our teams have strong expertise in engineering and design, so we can solve those problems along the way sharing our 3D Revit and AutoCad models.

Our understanding of the versatility of metal building systems has evolved over the last 10 years as metal building systems have become more customized solutions. As the construction industry has grown more sophisticated, so have pre-engineered metal buildings. EcoSteel has evolved to meet industry demands by adopting advanced tools, practices and products. Because of their capability to supply building solutions for all markets, from retail to warehouse, to distribution and manufacturing, the market for metal buildings has never been better. 

Overall size of metal buildings has increased because of advancements in engineering. The ability to have large clear spans has allowed metal buildings to expand into markets such as recreation and aviation, where structures must not be inhibited by interior columns. Engineering tools, aesthetic enhancements, products and design advancements have all contributed to a more complex and modern metal building industry.

Design Sense

It is that design sense that has also evolved with metal buildings. More often than not, metal buildings that win awards are chosen because they express themselves as metal buildings. They don’t hide what they are. 

As EcoSteel buildings have become more sophisticated in their design, they have ironically become more like metal buildings. Our architect partners try to express its lightness and to be honest and authentic with it. There are many ways to customize it without creating too much complexity. EcoSteel has refined metal building systems to a point where they’re economical, efficient and often truly beautiful. They really just capture all the different aspects of what a building should be.

Safe Haven for People without Homes

dscott@ecosteel.com · July 1, 2022 ·

2022 DESIGN AWARDS WINNER – ECOSTEEL (1 of 2 Projects Awarded to EcoSteel).

A metal building system provides security and dignity for an at-risk population

By Paul Deffenbaugh, Editorial Director, Metal Architecture

In October 2018, San Francisco Mayor London Breed announced a plan to build 1,000 shelter beds by 2020 to help combat the city’s endemic homelessness. A survey conducted by the city in 2019 estimated that there were more than 8,000 individuals experiencing homelessness and approximately 5,180 living unsheltered on any given night. Sheltering that at-risk population was an important, if not dire, initiative.

Problem/Solution

As one of its solutions to the long-term, ongoing homeless issue, the city developed Navigation Centers with the first one opening in March 2015 and the model has evolved to what are now called SAFE Navigation Centers, which provide far more resources than just a shelter, including unique services needed to help them exit homelessness including health care, benefits counseling, mental health care, substance use treatment, employment services and housing assistance.

In January 2021, the Bayview SAFE Navigation Center opened in the shadow of Interstate 280 amidst an industrial district on the bay side with warehouses, concrete yards and lumber yards. For this building, the designers in the city of San Francisco Bureau of Architecture specified a metal building system, which was provided by Ecosteel, Laguna Niguel, Calif.

Joss Hudson, president of Ecosteel suggests that metal buildings are ideal solutions for housing the homeless because you don’t need to finish the interior with drywall, so the backing of insulated metal panels provide the interior wall finish. They can be erected incredibly fast and very inexpensively. In fact, the Bayview center was erected within a month, according to Michael Bullman, AIA, LEED AP, an associate architect in the Office of Charles F. Bloszies, FAIA, San Francisco, which served as the architect of record. “A metal building provides big open spaces, says Bullman. “It’s kind of a big tent that can be subdivided into big dormitory spaces and other spaces pretty easily.”

Scale and Dignity

The 23,000-square-foot shelter provides approximately 200 beds as well as community spaces for residents to gather. “It’s important for there to be a central gathering space,” says Bullman. “Living on the street can be pretty dangerous and residents have a tendency to hide in their rooms. But it’s important to get people reengaged in the community so they needed a space for that.”

Among many details, it is that space that caught the judges’ eyes. “It surprised me,” says judge Rand Elliott, FAIA, president of Rand Elliott Architects, Oklahoma City. “Using metal building parts like they should be used. Taking the parts, rearranging them, using them for what they do best, which is simple volume, structural integrity and that sort of thing and making a space that is friendly. That’s human. This could be a brewery someplace. This could be a great restaurant someplace or any number of things, using a standard kit of parts and raising it to a whole other level. Even the paint color is soothing. It looks like a place you’d hang out with your friends.”

“I’ve never seen anything done like this with a courtyard,” says judge Mark Roddy, FAIA, principal of Mark Roddy Architects, Sacramento, Calif. “It’s a nice use of materials, durable. This building is unapologetic. It’s not pretending that it’s not a metal building.”

Judge Lee Calisti, AIA, principal, Lee CALISTI architecture+design, Greensburg, Pa., expands on that idea. “They didn’t modify it a lot. They didn’t run from what it is and how it normally manifests itself. They just arranged it in a way that the building itself almost becomes recessive to the spaces it creates. It’s a reflection of the users. It says, “We’re real people struggling with real issues and so is the building.’”

Human Scale

The courtyard caught much of the judges’ attention and the way the rooflines folded in to create a more human scale space was especially noteworthy. High walls with shed roofs would have felt restrictive, but the outdoor space, with its string of lights and small walk area for dogs, provides an environment that is respectful and invigorating, yet still secure. “This particular design was very perceptive,” says Bullman. “The enclosed space is protective. Calling it a brewpub space is a good way to think about it.”

The metal building design was not only perceptive but practical. “These centers get their fair share of abuse,” says Bullman, “and the metal panels can hold up to it.”

His firm picked up the design after schematics were completed by the city. It had worked on a couple of previous navigation centers so it was familiar with the city’s needs. “Programmatically, we tweaked the city’s design,” says Bullman. “We adjusted it based on furniture, etc., as well as did all the detailing such as coordinating the MEP work. We did things like adjust the window location to work with the furniture.”

Ecosteel provided the entire building including the insulated metal panels, manufactured by All Weather Insulated Panels Inc., Vacaville, Calif. Quality Erectors & Construction Inc., Benicia, Calif., erected it.

Third Time is Charmed for Metal Building System

dscott@ecosteel.com · July 1, 2022 ·

2022 DESIGN AWARDS WINNER – ECOSTEEL (2 of 2 Projects Awarded to EcoSteel).

In its third iteration, a small manufacturing building lets the light in

By Paul Deffenbaugh, Editorial Director, Metal Architecture

In the late 1940s and early 1950s, a light suburban industrial area near Chicago’s O’Hare airport was developed and was dominated by masonry buildings. They tended to have low ceiling heights and had become old and obsolete. When the ceiling failed in one of those buildings, the previous owner constructed a metal building system over it like a tent, leaving the lower walls in place. By 2019, though, that renovated building had fallen into disrepair.

Enter EJ Basler Co., a manufacturer of precision machined parts for the medical, automotive, plumbing, defense and other industries, which owned the facility next door. Instead of tearing down the old building, it called on Amstadter Architects. “The steel building had rigid bends with bar joists and splayed beams to create the trusses, covered with light-gauge metal siding,” says Marc Amstadter, principal at the Chicago-based firm. “The old roof had been torn off and you looked up through the old building into this building. If you can imagine someone plopping a steel building on top of and enveloping an old masonry building, that’s what it was.”

A Renovated Renovation

Since the steel structure was in good shape, Amstadter’s solution was to redo the metal building system, adding new cladding with insulated metal panels and aluminum siding. Both the metal building system and the IMPs were supplied by Ecosteel, Laguna Niguel, Calif., but the IMPs were manufactured by All Weather Insulated Panels, Vacaville, Calif.

That renovation caught the eyes of the Metal Architecture Design Award judges, and they honored the project with the award in the Renovation and Retrofit category. When looking for new design ideas remember that Retractable awnings give you the flexibility of storing them away or putting them out for shelter from the weather.

Throughout the review, whenever a metal building system was discussed as well as a much needed addition of a heating system from newcastleairconditioning.co.uk. The judges expressed the most enthusiasm for those projects that showed the metal building system as its own style, rather than a disguise of that style. The renovation of the EJ Basler facility definitely leaned into the idea of a metal building system. Award judge Mark Roddy, FAIA, principal of Mark Roddy Architects, Sacramento, Calif., says, “Looking at it from a systems perspective, the metal building system remained. It has new roofing, new skin. But the integrity of that system maintains.” If you consider a similar remodel would be suitable for your business or home, Check out this site to find out how soon you should clean your roof again after installing a new one.

“Very frequently this is a project that architects have to deal with,” says Lee Calisti, AIA, principal, Lee CALISTI architecture+design, Greensburg, Pa. “This is going to show up on my desk more than others might, and this project gives hope to the other ones out there that get skipped over or ignored. They took what was there and transformed the material.”

More than a Reskin

The project did more than just reinforce and reskin an existing metal building. While the frame was in good condition, workers needed to replace girts and purlins. “All the cold-formed stuff needed replacing,” says Amstadter. “And it had to be reinforced against the wind. We couldn’t get enough diaphragm action out of the sandwich panels, so we had to add to the structure.”

The team poured a new slab over the existing slab of the 32,000-square-foot building and built an addition to the back to connect the building to EJ Basler’s existing production facility next door. It is also a metal building but on a different height, so the addition needed to be ramped to make the connection.

A Vibrant, Efficient Interior

The large clear spans (120 feet across) allowed for considerable flexibility in designing the shop floor and presented a freer movement of materials. Clerestory windows on the east and west walls finished by a local commercial plasterer provide plenty of natural light and the entire interior is painted white, giving it a fresh, clean, vibrant look. Amstadter points out that the lighting is set to 80% down.

The large curtainwall lets in the north-facing light, but EJ Basler also wanted it for marketing purposes. The company wanted its modern equipment to be visible from the street, showcasing its capabilities.

EJ Basler is part of the re-shoring of American manufacturing and has seen considerable growth over the last few years. Currently, it runs two to three shifts in its new, modern production facility and ships precision parts all over the world. It is such a hectic period that a major consideration for the renovation was making sure there was enough parking for employees for which they need a Repainting Car Park company.

Over the years, renovations account for about 30% of the construction market, but recently, the American Institute of Architects’ Architectural Billing Index had renovation activity at more than half of the market. As renovations become more constant, this type of project will become a regular occurrence.

“You get more bang for your buck,” says Calisti. “It’s less to work with and there’s quite a dramatic change.”

In renovation projects, the drama of the transformation is often exciting, and this transformation from a one-story masonry building to a dilapidated metal building system to a modern product facility has drama to spare.

Perhaps the highest praise though comes from Amstadter. “It’s a good, clean, honest building,” he says.

LEED GOLD PROJECT – The Catskill Brewery

dscott@ecosteel.com · June 24, 2020 ·

Project Info

Size7,050 sq ft

The Catskill Brewery makes fresh ales and lagers using the best natural ingredients available. We make beer here, but we live here too, so we keep an eye on the steps we take and make sure we don’t leave a trace. In our building, our beliefs, and our process, we look for every opportunity to make the best beer, share the best stories, and introduce new people to this place we love.

The Catskill Brewery is a 7,050 sf facility that house two beverage businesses- the state of the art brewery, and an importer of organic fruit nectars from around the world. The 5,000 sf brewery is a single story steel structure with a central clerestory that brings in daylight throughout, and a dedicated grain milling room with dust capture filtration to ensure good air quality in the work environment. The brewery hosts both oak cask aging racks and a reclaimed wood-paneled tasting area that add warmth and character for visitors can enjoy.

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE FULL WRITE UP AND SCORE ON USGBC

Other sustainable features include: -Redevelopment of a previously occupied site, with demolition debris and asphalt recycled and reused -100% permeable paving and native plantings with no irrigation -EV charging and bicycle amenities -Storm-water reduction reduced by 39% from pre-construction site conditions -Low-flow fixtures -Day-lighting and views throughout with lighting controls -LED high-bay fixtures and task lighting -40% of energy costs met through on-site renewables -Off-site energy provided through Green Power -25% recycled content of building materials -28% energy performance over ASHRAE 90.1 2004 Appendix G baseline – The ECOSTEEL BUILDING envelope efficiencies include continuous, thermal bridge-free exterior insulation double the R-value per code, resulting in reducing the ground source heat pump system by approximately 50% -Ground source heat pump for heating and cooling, solar thermal collection for brew house process water, heat-recovery from process water, and photovoltaic electricity generation.

PHOTO / WORDS BY CREDIT TO USGBC.ORG

What is more valuable than money?

dscott@ecosteel.com · March 1, 2020 ·

What is more valuable than money? Time. EcoSteel’s rapid approach to steel construction reduce projects timeline. And anyone who has ever been involved in any kind of building construction project knows that time can be costly. EcoSteel prefabricated building systems can significantly speed up the timeline of the construction process. Contact us today to get started!

Who We Are

EcoSteel specializes in new custom residential, commercial and retail construction from the ground up to completion. No project is too complex. We work with architects, builders and property owners to create a value-driven approach to steel construction. Our prefabricated technology allows for rapid assembly of our buildings.

Increased savings in labor and time costs

EcoSteel’s rapid approach to steel construction reduce projects timeline. California Modern Steel Buildings. Quicker erection in the field translates into lower labor costs. Workers are needed for less time and tight tolerances ensure little to no onsite modifications. In addition, rework is decreased because the trial assembly at the vendor will have pinpointed issues before the building was sent to the jobsite.

While labor skilled in erecting steel buildings may demand higher wages than non-skilled labor, the cost effectiveness of prefabricated buildings remains. There will still be fewer days of labor required with an easily constructed building.

Overall – Steel Is The Best Choice

EcoSteel designs metal buildings exclusively with pre-engineered steel building components. This allows us to deliver a superior platform of building information management (BIM) combined with the latest engineering and construction technology. From flexibility of design and modification to tighter tolerances speeding erection time, a prefabricated steel building is the number one choice for efficient construction and cost savings. Savings in labor costs, safety, and waste disposal combine to leave all other materials in the dust.

EcoSteel’s construction process begins with 3D Engineering / Modeling and Shop Details. Next, we produce a prefabricated metal building kit of parts that your team can assemble on the job site. By using Building Information Modeling (BIM) and Parametric Engineering technology, we eliminate the need for subcontractors, which means fewer people to manage and fewer mistakes. 

EcoSteel prefabricated building systems can significantly speed up the timeline of the construction process. Contact us today to get started!

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More News

3rd Time Is Charmed

January 27, 2023

Why Architects Love EcoSteel

November 4, 2022

Safe Haven for People without Homes

July 1, 2022

Third Time is Charmed for Metal Building System

July 1, 2022

EcoSteel Helping Keep Real Estate Firm on the Grow

February 28, 2022

Ready to build with EcoSteel? Contact Us Here

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