Steel buildings are a great solution, as they can be used for so many purposes, including aircraft hangars, horse riding arenas, commercial storage, workshops and warehouses. However, due to their metal structure, they can get very hot during the warmer months.
Although the UK typically has an unpredictable summer, there are usually periods where it can get extremely hot. This is when it is useful to know ways to keep the buildings as cool as possible to avoid the content inside the unit spoiling or the people working within it overheating.
Here are some ideas on cooling your prefabricated industrial steel building:
Insulate it properly
You might think of insulation as only something you need to trap heat within a building and keep it warm. However, it also works the other way round, as it can prevent heat from entering it in the first place.
By having good insulation, the hot air outside will not be able to penetrate the steel walls as much. Therefore, unwanted heat will be blocked out and the temperature inside will not rise as much.
Cooling solutions
If your unit is hooked up to electricity, it is wise to install fans or air conditioning units inside, especially if workers use the facility.
Although there is no maximum temperature for workplaces, it is essential not to put employees in danger of heat stroke or heat exhaustion.
The employer is responsible for putting controls in place to reduce overheating, assess the risk and keep an eye out for ill health, such as dizziness, sickness, confusion, headaches or not being able to get their temperature down.
Fans or air conditioning units will be able to keep the steel building cool and reduce the risk to members of staff.
Use solar panels
Another solution is to fit solar panels on to the roof of the steel building. These will absorb the sunlight, so it doesn’t enter the building and heat it up.
At the same time, it turns this solar energy into fuel, saving businesses money on electricity bills.
Cool coating
As darker colours attract sunlight more easily than lighter ones, you could apply a lighter paint colour to the outside of the building.
This reduces the amount of heat being absorbed by the roof, panels, walls or cladding of the building, so it doesn’t heat up as much as if it was painted in a dark shade.
Adequate sealing
To prevent heat from entering the building, you should make sure there are no gaps in the structure.
Having it properly sealed will keep the hot air out, and, in the winter, prevents too much heat loss from within the building, so it remains warm.
This also helps to reduce reliance on air conditioners or fans, which reduces businesses expenses by being more energy efficient.
Comentários