A great article by Mark Robbins of Metal Construction News
recently brings to mind a great sale pitch for metal buildings: "...with
proper design and storm-resistant construction, the damage to buildings by
Mother Nature's tantrums can be greatly reduced."
While building to code is just not enough, ensuring your
metal building is designed and constructed to resist wind effects is very
important. Living in the Western Pacific
that is so true. Life in "Typhoon
Alley" means you must build to withstand hurricane or typhoon force winds
of 170 miles per hour. The best
constructed steel buildings on Guam have answered that call. There are still some post-War buildings that
stand today on our island that have seen dozens of storms come and go in our
latitude. Must mean that the construction
of the vertical and lateral load paths of these monuments to Mother Nature were
spot on. Fasteners, bracing and straps
were also instrumental in keeping these buildings intact.
In discussions with CECO Building Systems, they have assured that will take
extra efforts to ensure that steel building built on Guam will be properly
engineered to this extreme weather condition that I believe is such a value
added benefit for the local steel building customer. Extra time to ensure that their product can
withstand the harsh elements related to tropical storms or typhoons in the
Western Pacific is a testament to their commitment to great customer service
and above all-keeping the building owner and the neighboring public to these
facilities safe.
While perlins and girts need to be strengthened, it is the roof that must be able to be
storm-resistant. One of our partners in
Fabral are just as committed to protecting against the sometimes volatile Western
Pacific trade winds. Their attention to
detail in the engineering of roofing systems can be seen on a number of buildings
here in Micronesia and take the extra step with weather tightness warranties
that are so very important out here.
Other parts of the steel building from the gutter, louvers
and curbs cannot be overlooked in relation to being storm ready. Windows and doors should also be impenetrable
to the harsh environments that island life can bring.
Design to code and install correctly. Take these steps and your metal building will
serve your needs for decades and saves costs and reduces liabilities during a
storm. For more on metal building
solutions for your organization, please contact GET, LLC. Our strategic partnership with MCR Guam Inc.
and Metal Construction Resources LLP will ensure you have the best metal
building for your needs. Drop us a line
or call us to discuss further.