My article featured in latest edition of B2B Purchase Magazine

1. R.N.I No. MAHENG/2007/24192
www.b2bpurchase.com
for Project Procurement
January 1, 2018 • Pages 148 • Rs 100 • Vol. 11 Issue 04 • Mumbai • ISSN 0975-3990
/B2BPurchase /b2bpurchase /b2b-purchase B2BPurchase B2BPurchase
Why a metal
building cost less
in the long run
Redefining
Roofing
Material
Trends to
Watch in 2018
EXCON 2017:
key takeaways happy
new year
EXCON 2017:
key takeaways

2. metal buildings
86 B2B Purchase January 2018
PROCUREMENT GUIDELINES
Why metal building cost less
in the long run
Globally any country’s growth is gauged by per
capita consumption of steel. The per capita
consumption of steel in India is 61 Kg against
global average of 208 Kg. World’s largest producer
of steel China produces around 808 Million MT of
steel and consumes around 733 MMT against India’s
96 MMT production. This figure clearly highlights
how India is lagging behind in using the steel in
national building.
2017 draft national steel policy projects crude
steel capacity of 300 MMT and a per capita
consumption of 158 KG by 2030. Which is a very
ambitious target keeping in view the past growth
of steel industry and consumption pattern in India.
There are 1.77 million homeless in India, and
honourable PM has set a target for the nation-
every Indian must have a house by 2022. A tough
task, only good planning and judicious spending
of funds and using new technologies or building
materials will help the state to meet the dead line.
Flexibility in designing the buildings
K Rajarama Rao, Chief General Manager - Materials,
NCC Ltd, says, “In recent past we have witnessed an
upswing in steel usage in construction space, viz.,
metro railways, shopping malls, office buildings etc.,
this is necessitated as steel is the versatile material
compared to concrete. Engineers or architects will
have more flexibility in designing the buildings and
can achieve squeezed completion schedules.”
He adds, “During the last decade, lot of
experimenting has happened with newer materials and
construction alternatives. Not all have led to replicable
ideas, but this impulse to explore is important to us
today. Sometimes, we have simply tried out a foreign
practice, like concrete technology which came from
Europe in a big way after our independence. Within
half a century, it has swept across India, shifting the
way we built for centuries.”
Among such imported ideas, building with steel is
trying to find a foothold in India today. Rao explains,
“While it is very common to see a public building
with structural steel in the U.S., Europe and even in
China. We hardly see them here with the exceptions of
industries and temporary shelters, despite India being
the third largest producer of steel in the world.”
Primary reason appears to be cost
Rao feels that the steel gives greater fire safety, while
making it easy for future maintenance and alterations.
Highlighting
the viewpoints
as why a metal
building cost less
in the long run.
K Rajarama Rao, Chief
General Manager -
Materials, NCC Ltd
The primary reason is
cost, where all the above
advantages come at a price
not always worth, unless we
are building in a congested
city centre a commercial
property with high site value.
Trivium-
Phoenix,
Hyderabad
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3. metal buildings
88 B2B Purchase January 2018
PROCUREMENT GUIDELINES
Yet, why are steel buildings not common in India?” He
informs, “The primary reason is cost, where all the above
advantages come at a price not always worth, unless we
are building in a congested city centre a commercial
property with high site value. Steel structures demand
greater precision than those built with masonry or
concrete frame, hence the focus should be imparting
skill to large numbers in a systematic manner to see
more steel buildings emerging in India.”
Life of steel building is much higher than concrete
structure
Initial cost on steel buildings will be much higher
compared to traditional concrete buildings, but due
to faster completion of mega projects, return on
investment will be much quicker also the life of steel
building is much higher than concrete structure.
He informs, “From government side also, remove
red- tapeism and smoothen the process of approvals, so
that international companies like Posco, Arcelor put up
their manufacturing units in India, enabling increased
availability of steel at cheaper prices.”
He adds, “There could be more arguments against
steel buildings, but in the urbanising India, there would
be more of them in future, especially where factors
weighing against them like cost and energy may appear
less important than site value or project period. All that
we can hope for is as steel buildings get more common.”
Reduces maintenance cost
P V Rao, Managing Director, Pennar Engineered Building
Systems Ltd, says, “Metal building costs less in the long
run because the maintenance cost is very less. Except
periodic cleaning of gutters and down spouts, there is
no much maintenance. Expansions in width direction
and length direction can be carried out in future at
lesser cost. Green builders use steel in eco-friendly
construction projects because of its durability and
renewability.
Steel doesn’t lose quality, it is recycled
Steel is long-lasting, and combined with other eco-
friendly building materials are often used for green
building projects. And unlike other recyclable materials
such as plastic, steel doesn’t lose quality each time it is
recycled.”
Steelisalsoimpervioustomold,rot,warping,cracking
and pests, which increases building’s durability and
longevity, and further reduces the lifetime maintenance
costs. He informs, “Steel buildings have only one real
vulnerability and that is moisture. Fortunately, features
like standing seam roofing, thoughtfully planned site
locations, gutters and downspouts and exceptional
finish coatings have eliminated this concern.”
PEB - Flexibility to fulfil an unlimited range of
building configurations
Jignesh P. Shah, CEO, Steelfab Building Systems, says,
“The Pre-engineered buildings (PEB) facility allows
the flexibility to fulfil unlimited range of building
configurations, custom designs, requirements and
applications.”
He adds, “A growing number of prominent
international designers and contractors who had
previously specified conventional structural steel
buildings exclusively, have now discovered the PEB
strength and approach. Thanks to this, they enjoy
significant cost savings and benefits due to the faster
construction cycle.”
Speed and value
PEBs are more elegant in appearance, have free head
roof area and enjoy more storage space. From excavation
to occupancy, the pre-engineered building system is
unmatchable when it comes to speed and value.
Shah informs, “The cost of initial engineering of the
structure, as well as later design revisions, is substantially
reduced due to the inclusion of the engineering costs
within the supply price of the PEB. Overall structure
weight is 30 per cent lighter compared to the
conventional structure hence price per square metre
may be as much as 30 per cent lower than conventional
steel.”
P V Rao, Managing Director,
Pennar Engineered Building
Systems Ltd
Metal building
costs less in the
long run because
the maintenance
cost is very less.
Jignesh P. Shah,
CEO, Steelfab
Building Systems
The Pre-engineered
buildings (PEB) facility
allows the flexibility to fulfil
unlimited range of building
configurations, custom
designs, requirements and
applications.
Why a metal building cost less in the long run
86 f

4. metal buildings
89B2B PurchaseJanuary 2018
PROCUREMENT GUIDELINES
The use of tapered built-up primary structural
members (columns and rafters) usually results in up to a
30 per cent weight advantage for the main rigid frames
when compared to the use of conventional hot rolled
sections as primary members. Also the average delivery
time of Pre-engineered buildings is just 6 to 8 weeks
compared to 20 to 26 weeks of conventional building.
Being completely plant fabricated, the building is
entirely re-locatable. Because of modular construction,
the buildings are easily expandable on all sides (allowing
for future expansion) Building shell is designed to
accept custom manufactured standard accessories (roll
up shutters, personnel doors, roof ventilators, louvers,
windows, skylights, etc.) PEB design can incorporate
additional standard structural subsystems such as
mezzanines, cranes, canopies etc. Aesthetic features
such as fascias and curved eaves greatly enhance the
architectural appearance of the building and empower
designers to create unique buildings. A wide range of
wall panel colours provides diverse architectural accents.
The erection process is easy, fast, and methodical and
requires hardly any equipment.
A versatile metal - Preferred for durability,
economic value and recyclability
CR Kulkarni, Chief of Sales (Coated Steel) & CQH, Tata
BlueScope Steel, says, “Steel as a building material
has always been associated with strength and rigidity.
Being a versatile metal, it is universally preferred
for its durability along with economic value and
recyclability.”
Highlighting few advantages:
Strength and durability
The use of coated steel for structures, roofing and
wall cladding is growing rapidly as it offers variety of
benefits including aesthetic appeal and longer life span.
As a result of the metallic coating (zinc or aluminium or
zinc–aluminium alloy) on the base steel, today’s bare or
pre-painted metal roof and wall panels resist corrosion,
provide longer service life and trouble-free performance.
Weather resistant
Well-constructed steel buildings offer built-in weather
Piramal
Glass Ltd -
Jambusar
Image:
Steelfab Building
Systems

5. metal buildings
90 B2B Purchase January 2018
PROCUREMENT GUIDELINES
resistance. First-class steel building companies include
value-added features that eliminate leaking, corrosion,
condensation, and other weather-related problems.
Maintenance free
Traditional buildings incur costs due to maintenance that
need to be performed regularly. Kulkarni opines, “Steel
buildings on the other hand, due to its durability have
lower or trouble free performance. Therefore, for large
projects such as industrial, infrastructure, warehousing,
power stations etc., Tata BlueScope’s ZINCALUME steel
(Al-Zn alloy coated steel) and COLORBOND steel (pre-
painted Al-Zn alloy coated steel) are most preferred
materials, especially for cladding applications, as
compared to conventional bare and painted galvanised
steel. Al-Zn coated steel also finds application in Light
Gauge Framing system (LGFS) for both ground floor and
high-rise buildings, owing to its properties like strength,
light weight and corrosion resistance.”
Design flexibility
Many architects today seek curb appeal for their
structures along with performance. Steel offers variety of
external finishes of brickwork, insulated renders, timber,
tiles, and curtain walling to name a few. It can be easily
cut to custom lengths and widths, as per requirements.
Architects and designers can employ longer spans with
design optimisation. TBSL’s roofing brand LYSAGHT
combine strength with design flexibility, especially
catering to the B2B segment. LYSAGHT SMARTDEK 51 is
used for casting composite slabs especially in high rise
buildings offers savings in concrete (by volume) of up to
20 per cent. Meeting extreme engineering, challenging
construction and design requirements the LYSAGHT
FLEX-LOK 400 system is recommended for any shape
and size. The profile is available in tapered, concave
and convex curved shaped profiles, crafting roofs with
performance and aesthetics.
Quick turnaround time
Steel buildings are quick and easy to erect, saving time
and stress as compared to conventional ones. More
so, Steel building are less weather-dependent (lower
“down-time or construction time”) and can be installed
in wet conditions unlike traditional materials. Due to
its flexibility, steel buildings could be easily expanded,
relocatedandreused.Company’slightPEBsolutionsunder
the aegis of EZYBUILD offer such smart steel solutions.
For heavy commercial engineering requirements BUTLER
solutions is the most preferred choice.
Cost effective
Kulkarni believes Steel building can be built in much
less time without increasing site resources, thus freeing
capital and finite resources for other projects – “The
efficiency of use of working capital”. He adds, “Offsite
prefabrication increases the speed, efficiency, quality
and safety of construction. It is also easy to integrate
into existing structural systems. Time related savings
when specifying a structural steelwork frame compared
with reinforced concrete can be 2 – 3 per cent of overall
building costs. Components of steel roofing and walling
are supplied to precise specifications so there is little
or no wastage on site and the cost of debris removal.
Most onsite waste can be sold afterwards as scrap that is
recycled into other steel-based products. Damages due
to natural calamity are minimal.”
Saves money on future expansions and renovations
A unique feature of steel building is their ease of
expansion. They are designed in a modular fashion, so
they can be added on to simply and with a minimum of
designing and planning on your end. Metal buildings can
be expanded from the side walls, using a side-by-side
expansion or adding additional upper-levels. Because
of the aforementioned cost benefits of building with
steel, i.e. prefabricated parts and quick construction
times, the expansion can happen with a matter of weeks
or a couple of months, depending on the size of your
building. There’s a reason why steel and PEB buildings
are taking the lead in the industrial construction market,
as well as for commercial and civic building projects -
their durability and low-maintenance requirements are
paired with lifetime cost-effectiveness.
Environment friendly
Steel is 100 per cent recyclable and sustainable and
Pankaj Udeshi, Asst. General
Manager Procurement, Supreme
Infrastructure India Ltd
Steel is a unique material
that can be recycled for
a number of purposes
without ever sacrificing its
integrity, which contributes
to the long lifespan of a
steel building.
CR Kulkarni, Chief of Sales
(Coated Steel) & CQH, Tata
BlueScope Steel
Steel as a building material
has always been associated
with strength and rigidity.
Being a versatile metal, it is
universally preferred for its
durability along with economic
value and recyclability.
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6. metal buildings
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PROCUREMENT GUIDELINES
infinitely recyclable. The investment Steel building
construction optimises overall usage of resources due
to its longevity and the benefit is reaped by future
generations. Also 50 per cent of the average industry
owner’s energy consumption is spent on maintaining
a comfortable interior temperature. Metal buildings
are designed with energy efficiency in mind. Modern
day metal roofs especially coated steel roof (zinc and
Thermatech coating) help prevent solar heat gain and
reduce the heat island effect created by asphalt and
traditional roofing products. Adequate ventilation
protects indoor air quality and improves the efficiency
of the HVAC system improving energy efficiency and
utility savings.
Discounted insurance
Most metal building owners enjoy discounts on
insurance. The fire-resistant qualities of commercial
grade steel earn significantly lower rates with most
insurance companies, saving 25 to 35 per cent on
average.
Durability and low-maintenance requirements
Pankaj Udeshi, Asst. General Manager Procurement,
Supreme Infrastructure India Ltd, says, “Concrete
and steel are one of the most common construction
materials even in today and combination of both having
good percentage of usage.”
He adds, “In construction, Steel buildings are
naturally resistant against many troubles that cost
owners of typical structures time, money and major
headaches. They’re designed to withstand earthquakes,
high wind and the loads placed on the building by crane
usage.”
Now a day’s difficult and big structure are preferred
to construct in steel or structural steel and coated sheets
like airport building, big manufacturing plant, work
shop, shed, warehouse or storage place of transport
company etc. Udeshi informs, “With new construction
methods, steel and metal buildings are taking the lead
in the residential construction market, as well as for
commercial and civic building projects - their durability
and low-maintenance requirements are paired with
lifetime cost-effectiveness. It is also use where space
is big constrains and any extension work of existing
building required.”
Innovation in technologies of construction
machinery and development in designs and skilled staff
that facilitates to use of girder slab, staggered truss and
castellated beam construction enables lower floor-to-
floor heights than typically expected in structural steel
buildings. Steel can accomplish extremely long spans
in structures and very open-bay footprints without
intermediate columns. Udeshi feels it’s a very flexible
material in terms of different ways to address design
requirements. He adds, “Steel is also impervious to mold,
rot, warping, cracking and pests, which increases your
building’s durability and longevity, and further reduces
your lifetime maintenance costs.”
Strength and ductility
Steel’s strength and ductility, combined with solid
engineering and design, make it a safe choice in seismic
zones. He adds, “Steel framing does very well under high
[wind] loads because it is ductile, which means it has the
ability to bend without breaking and can absorb that
kind of energy.”
No building material is truly fireproof, meaning
any building is vulnerable to a destructive blaze. But
steel is fire resistant, which means a fire would spread
at a slower rate through a steel building than a wood
building such as a pole barn. The relationship between
steel and fire has been rigorously tested for decades,
and those tests ensure steel structures are designed and
constructed to the strictest standards.
Most recycled material
Udeshi informs, “Steel is the world’s most recycled
material with more than 80 million tonnes of steel
recycled annually, and the steel industry is a leader in
executing eco-friendly initiatives across the world.
That’s great for the environment, but it also contributes
to the safety of the material. Steel is a unique material
that can be recycled for a number of purposes without
ever sacrificing its integrity, which contributes to the
long lifespan of a steel building.”
Lastly, Udeshi explains, “Introduction of RERA in
India will create pressure on contractor or developers to
construct building within time frame. Many new scheme
of government like affordable or low cost housing
and Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY), smart cities
etc will create opportunities to use steel structures to
speed up the work and latest or innovative construction
techniques allow completing it very fast and easily.” n
Steelfab
Building
Systems
PEB
Structure
Why a metal building cost less in the long run
90 f