There are over 11 million hybrid cars on roads around the world. More than 4 million of them are here in the United States. The ability to use electricity or gas has accelerated their sales (sorry, couldn’t resist the pun). That’s the value of bestowing something with hybrid characteristics. You make it twice as useful.
It’s also why Miracle Truss® hybrid wood and steel buildings are becoming the preferred designs for anyone with a do-it-yourself mindset who wants to put up a new:
- garage or workshop
- aircraft hangar
- RV or marine storage
- agricultural building
- industrial or commercial building
- even a home or cabin for residential use
These buildings offer the best of both worlds. Steel for strength. Wood for flexibility. Those 2 statements roll so easily off the tongue that they might be casually dismissed as marketing slogans. So, let’s take a closer look at why this is so important.
Beefed Up Building Codes Favor Stronger Material
Bet in favor of the likelihood that the building codes in your area have recently or are about to change. Save the grumbling: it’s for the benefit of everyone. These more stringent codes protect occupants, as well as help to safeguard the environment. They also call for a better approach to building, and nothing fits the ticket better than a wood and steel hybrid building.
What’s Up With This Weather?
Weather, the arch enemy of all buildings, has intensified its attack in recent times. Winds are stronger – and not just in hurricane zones. Snow loads are heavier. We’re not going to weigh in on the raging debate about climate change. What’s irrefutable is that new building construction favors the strength of steel to withstand wind. And because it weighs less, flexible wood lessens the impact of all that snow on your roof.
Get ready to rumble
You say you don’t have to worry about earthquakes? That might have been the case at one point. We’re all getting the shakes lately. Florida and North Dakota have gotten off easy, with less than a handful of rumbles in the past hundred years or so. But the times, they are a’changing. If you took a guess that California is the home of earthquakes, you’d be incorrect. Head northward to Alaska to find the record-holder. Then head east. Over the past few years, Oklahoma has had several hundred more earthquakes than California.
Building codes are upgrading their seismic rating requirements. Steel frames offer better protection. You might not have to worry about an epic earthquake in your area. Build to code with hybrid wood and steel construction, and you’ll worry even less.
Always Greener
This one’s a no-brainer. Both wood and steel are recyclable. These two building materials are eco-friendly to the max. Here are some sobering statistics that’ll get you to champion a hybrid wood and steel building even more.
The US Environmental Protection Agency tells us that as much as 40% of the material ending up in our landfills comes from either constructing or demolishing buildings. Only about 20% of it is recyclable. We can break down these figures to the square foot.
- About 4 pounds of waste for new construction
- About 155 pounds of waste if demolition is involved
Wood and steel hybrid buildings boast a almost 100% recyclability. Our hybrid wood and steel packages are modular, which means they’re meant to be deconstructed and reused or recycled – not demolished. Reuse the wood in other places even if needed!
Sacrifice Nothing
There’s usually a price to pay for hybridization. The first hybrid cars on the road were…well, kind of ugly. And let’s face it, they weren’t going to win any awards for get-up-and-go. The good news is that the dynamic duo of a Miracle Truss® wood and steel building leave you with no compromises or sacrifice – including good looks.
- Materials cost less
- Construction time is faster
- There’s less maintenance
- Our hybrid buildings have sheeting Energy Star certifications
- Clear span truss designs do away with load bearing supports needed in traditional construction
Options to customize a Miracle Truss® wood and steel hybrid building are practically endless. From the roof pitch to wainscot and panel skylights, you’ve got a sense of design to go with the strength of steel and the flexibility of Wood. Maybe one of these days those hybrid cars will figure out how to make themselves a little more attractive, too.
