Pre-Engineered Buildings have come a long way from a cost-cutting measure to a mainstream construction technique and are now more popular than traditional methods in developed countries.
For a very long time Pre Engineered Buildings (PEBs) were thought to be cheap and unattractive for mainstream construction. However, people have recently realized how construction can be streamlined using PEBs without any loss in quality, durability, and aesthetic appeal.
Although developed countries have already mastered the use of PEBs in construction, it is still a relatively new concept in countries like India. But many construction companies in India have started adopting pre-fab construction techniques and are very vocal about its benefits to their customers.
Why are Pre Engineered Buildings Gaining Popularity?
Pre-engineered buildings were only introduced to India in the 90s and back then, it wasn’t considered as a viable method. More than thirty years have passed and urbanization is at an all time high. More people are moving to cities, more factories are being constructed, there is a huge demand for apartments, restaurants and warehouses. The demand for reliable and affordable construction is booming.
As businesses start looking for faster and affordable methods, construction companies are moving to PEBs which are a tried and tested form of construction in developed nations.
Pre-Engineered Buildings is the type of technology where the construction is done offsite in a factory usually far away from the construction site and is then transported to the site for assembly. Over the years, the use of PEBs has become more and more beneficial to construction companies and customers. Here are the major benefits of using Pre-Engineered Buildings in construction:
Advantages of Pre-Engineered Buildings
Reduction in Construction Time
It is a common sight to see the construction of office spaces and other buildings getting delayed due to several factors. This can even include weather conditions, which slows down projects by days and weeks. But for PEBs, the entire structure is built in the factory itself and all that is left to do is to bolt them at site, thus reducing the total construction time by half.
Reduction in Construction Cost
It is a well known fact that construction using pre-engineered buildings is cost-effective. The cost savings are in fact both immediate and long term. Construction at the factory allows for a systems approach which means design and manufacturing are more streamlined. PEB’s are also lightweight and easy to disassemble, which means it can be reused. This efficient and fast approach to construction leads to huge financial gains during the start of the project and in the long run.
Easy Expansion
Unlike traditional construction which requires the demolition of walls and rooftops for expansion, PEBs can be expanded by simply joining more panels or structures to the existing joints. PEBs can be designed with future expansion in mind, thus making the process more easy.
Less Wastage of Material
A traditional construction site is often littered with additional building materials and is usually a cause of pollution. This is where the efficient construction of PEBs make it more eco-friendly. Accurate measurement, planning and designing by skilled engineers along with construction by experienced workers in the factory amounts to very low or zero wastage.
Better Quality Control
With traditional construction, the quality of work is determined by the local workers present at the site, the site location and even the weather conditions. All these can vary drastically and a consistent quality is difficult to achieve. PEBs, on the other hand, are manufactured in a controlled environment inside a factory, where all aspects can be closely inspected. This helps in maintaining a higher and consistent quality.
Future Scope of Pre-Engineered Buildings in Kerala
One thing that distinguishes Kerala from its neighboring states like Karnataka and Tamil Nadu is the availability of land or lack thereof. The land that is available to use in Kerala is either hilly or is covered in forests and most plain area is occupied by residents. This is not the case in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka and that is one of the reasons why those states got to see a large number of manufacturing factories.
For a business, it is always in the interest to have the factory ready for production as soon as possible. So for faster and affordable construction PEBs were the choice of engineers in other states. As more construction companies started using PEBs, it became more popular in those states. Therefore more projects like warehouses, commercial buildings, corporate office buildings, fuel stations, metro stations, railway stations, and more began to be constructed using PEBs.
It was not until the infamous Kerala Floods, a few years back, caused due to mindless quarrying, that the Kerala Government decided to promote construction using
Pre-Engineered Buildings. Pre-fab apartments were constructed under the government’s LIFE Mission for homeless people. This gave way to more PEB projects.
Construction companies in Kerala quickly jumped onboard after finding out that Pre-fab technology focuses on affordability, speed and sustainability without any compromise in safety. Now, most construction projects in Kerala, apart from residential buildings, are quickly moving to PEBs.
The rising cost of building materials have tempted many property development companies to make the switch to Pre-fab apartments. Individuals in urban areas are also requesting specifically for pre-fab construction for their housing projects, owing to speedy construction.
Thus more people in Kerala are getting to know about PEBs and its benefits. Restaurants, office spaces, warehouses and apartments have already
This is a huge change from how people in Kerala viewed PEBs as a cheap alternative used primarily for construction of large industrial buildings. This perception was mostly due to the small share of disadvantages that came with using pre-fab construction which many Indians were aware of.
Disadvantages of Pre-Engineered Buildings
- The biggest con of PEBs is the transportation costs and also the difficulty in transporting PEB structures from the factory to the site.
- Once the structures are transported to site, heavy-duty cranes and precise handling are required to place them in position.
- If Quality Control is not done properly, there is a chance of leaks forming in the joints of prefabricated components.
- Buildings with the same type of PEBs may look monotonous, and that can lessen the uniqueness of a building.
- Since the PEB structures are made in a factory, which is usually far away from the site, local construction workers may lose their jobs.
However, the latest reports claim that the advantages of using PEBs drastically outweighs its cons to such an extent that construction using PEBs is more cost effective and material efficient in every way than using traditional construction practices.
This is mostly due to improved roads and other transportation facilities in Kerala along with the availability of advanced cranes and skilled operators.
So should you jump right in and ask for your pre-engineered building right away? Well, there are more things at play here and you will need the help of a well-established construction company.
Feel free to talk to us about your construction requirements and we will help you in making your dream project.