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One of the major challenges in the pre-engineered building sector still remains money – the ever-increasing steel prices, its volatility and nature of fixed price contracts.
“We need to get fixed price contracts with steel suppliers,” says Oberoi of Everest. “Another challenge is non-availability of a specific code for India. All manufacturers should take out an India-specific IMBMA (Indian Metal Building Manufacturers Association) code to promote the use of pre-engineered buildings,” says he.
Although, compared to 20 years ago, India has seen a surge in steel detailing service providers who provide expert and experienced engineers for accurate and cost-effective detailing services.
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“There is obviously a need to have better fabrication techniques and design engineering. Today, with the large amounts of steel being used in India, this technology will also catch up,” says a more optimistic Raghavelu.
The ‘ease-of-access-to-steel-in-the-form-needed’ is an important factor that will trigger the steel demand from builders and construction companies. “It is important to spread out steel service centres, fabrication shops and retail outlets close to ‘consumer zones’,” says Mittal.
Green house effect
It is believed that every time you use steel for a building frame, you save a tree. Pre-fabricated steel structures have proved to be easy on the eco-system.
Most steel sold today has been recycled, and nearly all that’s taken from demolition projects is 100% recycled. The recycling rate is also the highest when compared to any building material.
While other products can only be recycled into a lower quality product (down-cycled), steel can be recycled over and over again and remade into new members without any loss of quality (multi-cycled).
This makes it the first and only true cradle-to-cradle building framing material.
As structural steel is fabricated regionally in off-site facilities and erected on site, there is no pollution from the debris and rubble as in construction sites where brick and mortar is used. There is minimal waste generated at the fabrication facilities and construction sites, and any waste generated is fully recyclable and resaleable.
Steel buildings can also be easily deconstructed, enabling the reuse of steel members. There is minimal maintenance required and they are highly durable with a long life span. Steel allows easy integration of mechanical systems, resulting in low floor-to-floor heights, less building volume and lower energy consumption.
“Steel is probably the greenest of materials, though steel-making is not,” says Raghavelu.
“Steel is produced from iron ore. Its ingredients include materials like coal, coke, limestone, etc – which are all sourced from mining. I doubt whether steel making can be called green,” adds D K Das, senior structural engineer, Tata Steel Long Products.
However, structural steel is continuing to improve its environment- friendly position by reducing greenhouse gas emissions. And the global structural steel industry has been proactive in pursuing measures that would lower emissions.
Is steel really the answer to India’s needs?
The demand for steel in India rose more than 8% in 2009, buoyed by the government’s focus on infrastructure and revival in the automobile and consumer goods sectors. With strong growth predicted for the auto and housing sectors in 2010, the demand for steel is set to grow in double digits.
“As houses have much shorter spans, the use of steel in this sector can be made popular by innovative design, combining steel with glass,” says Banerjee. But there is obviously a need to have better fabrication techniques and design engineering. And, today, with a large amount of steel being used in India, this technology will also catch up. But there’s still a long way to go.
“The Indian project and construction industry is witnessing the use of steel increasingly, albeit slowly and in spurts. With the introduction of modern living structures and green building concepts, the trend of steel-intensive construction is positive, though not abundant. For this, there is one more significant factor responsible – the steel supply chain dynamics,” says Mittal.
Malik has an interesting take on the increased urbanisation and the use of ‘steel for everything everywhere’. “It has to be relevant and applicable,” he says.
“There is no such thing as steel is universally applicable for every situation. Steel is a lightweight material, extremely easy to lower and it handles sway better. So, we use steel where all these factors are relevant,” he says.
According to him, the urban solution should be a mixed one – steel, concrete and other materials, depending on the space, place and structure. Structural steel high-rises alone are not a solution to the urban problem, he believes, adding that with 70% of the Indian population still living in rural areas, the solutions need to be more extensive and all-inclusive.
Inputs: Sapna Kulshrestha
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Picture #3 reminds me of elders finding appreciation in this piece.If a tourist can stay in something that "residents li