Green buildings can offer reduced carbon emissions and water and energy wastage. According to the Department of Energy, 22 LEED-certified buildings produce 34% less CO2 emissions, and consume 25% less energy and 11% less water. Moreover, metal garages (metal car garages) produce about 40% less waste than traditional structures like wood.
With diminishing resources and the use of more and more vehicles, it has become extremely necessary to make sustainable choices. So, if you are planning to invest in a metal garage, let’s find out why they are an environmentally friendly solution.
What Makes Metal Garages More Sustainable?
Steel is an environmentally friendly, less energy-consuming, and sustainable metal. Prefab metal garages are actually known as one of the greenest choices to make for constructing a garage. What is the reason? Let’s find out here.
● Reusable and recyclable
As per statistics, 100% of steel is recyclable and this high recyclability allows manufacturers to bring a decrease production. While steel garages have several applications, even after complete wear and tear, they are not reduced to waste but can be used for something else. You can also use recycled metal to build your garage.
● Energy-efficient
Metal garages can save significant energy by installing proper insulation techniques, like spray foam or double-bubble insulation, as well as reflective coatings to reduce cooling or warming of the structure in extremely cold or hot temperatures. This can reduce the costs of additional heating or cooling systems by up to 20%. Hence, prefabricated steel building garages reduce greenhouse gas.
● Durable and long-lasting
High-quality galvanized steel garage buildings possess enhanced strength and resistance to pests and corrosion, making them highly durable. If appropriately maintained, these structures last up to 40 years on average. This conserves resources and leads to reduced wastage, as these garages are always used for long-term purposes. For instance, a metal roof will last a few times more than an asphalt roof. Using 12-gauge steel, vertical roofs, and constant maintenance can also enhance the life of your structure.
● Reduced waste
Prefab metal garages produce minimal wastage as they are built off-site and assembled on the spot. Even the components are pre-cut and welded to fit together, avoiding any additional waste. In fact, once the structure is compromised and ruined, the metal can be reused in another form instead of being thrown off.
● Low carbon footprint
With their efficient designs and flexible layouts, metal car garages significantly reduce carbon footprints. As per the Steel Construction Institute, steel buildings that are designed using energy-efficient methods can lower operational carbon emissions by up to 30% compared to wood structures. Even the time taken to excavate or construct steel buildings is lower as they are highly easy to install.
● LEED certification
By meeting certain sustainability, energy efficiency, environmental impact, and green building practices, metal garages can gain globally recognized Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification, ascertaining that they meet specific standards set by the U.S. Green Building Council.
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What Additional Eco-Friendly Practices Can You Induct In Your Metal Garages?
As detailed above, metal garages are significantly eco-friendly in nature. However, you can undertake a few practices to further their energy efficiency. A few ways are:
Solar panels:
Based on the garage size you choose for your structure, you can easily install solar panels on the roof — be it boxed-eave, vertical, or regular. They can simply be attached to the roof’s metal seams. This will not only help you in converting sunlight into electricity, but also will reduce your energy wastage. To avoid heavy investment in solar panels, you can also opt for bendable or stick able ones.
Rainwater harvesting:
You can easily implement a rainwater harvesting system in metal garages by installing a gutter and downspout extension, which will help you in collecting rainwater that often accumulates on the metal garage’s roof and transferring it to a tank. You can later use this water to either clean your garage, water your plants, or wash your vehicles and reduce wastage.
Energy-efficient insulation:
You should add insulation coatings that have a higher R-value, like double-bubble or spray foam, to reduce the usage of heating and cooling equipment. Moreover, metal buildings can also use insulated doors to stop the transfer of heat. Also, by adding windows in the garage, you can ensure better ventilation and minimize the heat within the metal structure during scorching summers.
Use LED lights:
Low voltage LED bulbs not only provide the same brightness but also consume less energy and last longer. So why would we choose anything else? Nowadays, LED bulbs are also available in technologically advanced segments, where you can control them through your phones, easily manage the level of brightness, and change their colors if required. Moreover, you should also consider adding daylight harvesting systems into your metal parking garages to reduce the use of artificial lighting depending on the natural lighting.
Use low-VOC paint:
As low-volatile organic compounds (VOC) paint are increasingly becoming the green choice, these can be used to paint your metal garage, bringing a reduction in air pollution and respiratory issues. They are not just highly environmentally friendly but also have significantly lower odor than high-VOC paints.
Check energy ratings of appliances:
Today, every appliance comes with an Energy Star rating to indicate how eco-friendly they are. Before buying appliances like ACs, freezers, heating-cooling equipment, and even charging stations for vehicles, you should check their Energy Star rating to ensure lower electricity and water usage.
You May read Also: How to Choose the Right Metal Building for Your Needs
What Affects The Energy Efficiency Of Metal Car Garages?
The energy efficiency of steel garage units is influenced predominantly by their size. Larger garages require more energy in terms of higher usage of lights and heating and cooling systems, as well as proper insulation to ensure comfort and proper functioning. On the other hand, smaller garages use heating and cooling systems less.
The size of metal car garages depends on two things—the number of vehicles to park and storage needs. The height of the metal garage is usually 12 to 16 feet but can be extended based on your highest vehicle. Let’s take a look at standard garage sizes:
1-car garage: 12 to 16 feet in width
2-car garage: 18 to 20 feet in width
3-car garage: 24 to 36 feet in width
4-car garage: 30 to 40 feet in width
In this day and age, sustainability is an important aspect not just for business owners but also for individuals, farmers, and ranchers. With a focus on reducing carbon footprint and becoming more energy efficient, everyone prefers metal garages. No matter their application, they can easily be turned into highly environmentally friendly structures due to steel’s recyclable, reusable, and reducible properties. Moreover, additional eco-friendly techniques can be employed to make your garages even more efficient.
So, find a metal garage builder today to build customized, prefab metal garages and reduce energy wastage!
