Phenix Constr
uction Technologies is a nextgen steel infrastructure solutions company that provides both pre-engineered buildings (PEBs) and structural steel. BIC Magazine recently sat down with Daniel Dupuy, director of business development, to understand the core differences between PEBs and structural steel, and why a customer might choose one over the other.
BIC: What is the basic difference between PEBs and structural steel?
DUPUY: The main difference between a PEB and a structural steel building is typically how it's designed and detailed.
Usually, PEB metal is engineered using a three-plate design all the way through the production of the steel, all at one factory. Structural steel buildings, on the other hand, are made with a variety of hot-rolled sections, angled I-beams and square tubing that are available on the market, and then designed using concrete, wood and glass in addition to steel. There's a complex design there, as opposed to a PEB, which is designed 100 percent out of steel made in the factory.
BIC: Why are PEBs so popular nowadays in steel building applications?
DUPUY: Historically, PEBs were looked at as small shops -- something you would just use to cover stuff up. Over the years, the complexity and usability of PEBs has grown. We've found PEBs can do almost everything a structural steel building can do, but they can typically do it in a more balanced, symmetrical fashion.
So, the reason why it's getting more popular is really because of the education of the market. Architects and engineers now understand that it can be done, and there's a cost advantage. It also saves time, because the design is faster. Manufacturers offer pre-painted steel structures as well, which saves time in erection. Once a structural steel building is put up, it somehow has to be coated after erection.
BIC: Are PEBs more cost-effective than structural steel?
DUPUY: In most cases, PEBs tend to be optimal in overall project cost. If you have a structural steel engineer who can design a building that's very lightweight and can withstand wind conditions, structural steel can still be competitive.
PEBs tend to be more cost-effective because of the optimal level of steel design done in the shop. They're not using any more or any less steel than is needed, so the consumption of steel is much lower, and the overall production time in the shop and field is much faster.
BIC: Why would a customer choose one over the other?
DUPUY: If you know what you want to use the building for -- whether it's an automotive dealership, a manufacturing plant, a hotel or a retail center -- typically you're thinking about how to make it usable. You look at the complexity and then at how soon you need it done.
The reason you would choose one over the other is mainly the shape of the building. We make both PEBs and structural steel, but we can design PEBs to suit our clients' needs regardless of what those needs are. That's why you might choose PEBs over structural steel.
A reason you would choose structural steel would be if you don't want penetrable walls or if you have a high-rise parking structure. They use a minimal amount of steel, but other components are used in them.
BIC: Why should a customer choose Phenix for PEBs and structural steel applications?
DUPUY: Phenix offers three things that are more unique than other manufacturers in our wheelhouse. First, we design and detail 100 percent of everything we do using 3-D models. Second, we supply on a global market. We're buying and designing steel at a much larger volume, so our price point tends to be 20-25 percent below the market price in the North and South American markets.
Last, we can be unbiased and give you the supply of both PEBs and structural steel, as well as miscellaneous things like hand rails and guard rails, all under one roof, designed and detailed without having to risk shopping the market.
For more information, visit phenix.com or call (800) 210-0560.
