Climate realities are changing, both here in the U.S. and around the world. General contractors need to provide reliable long-term structural performance and cost-effectiveness for the buildings they deliver. This is why preferred construction materials and methods are also changing.
Hybrid steel and tension fabric buildings offer the adaptability and resilience to achieve both structural integrity and cost goals. They elevate the design-build process, integrate with building information modeling, and significantly reduce time to completion.
And while weather extremes can seriously damage traditional buildings, these buildings are impressively weather-resistant, no matter what Mother Nature delivers. Heat, cold, derecho winds, hurricanes, hail, heavy snow loads—these buildings have the resilience to protect your construction investment, the assets inside, and those who use the facility.
Today’s customers expect more from their buildings, especially the ability to stand up to a shifting environmental future.
Global warming is bringing more severe, more frequent extreme weather events. This means more areas are at risk, harder-hitting weather events, and increased frequency.
For contractors, this means increased risk for your projects and your clients' investments.
Hail is a particularly concerning threat. “Most of the insured damages associated with severe weather come from hail," according to Scott St. George, who heads up weather and climate research at Willis Towers Watson, an insurance brokerage. Our warming climate is producing more frequent hailstorms with much larger hail that can punish traditional roofs and siding.
Atmospheric scientist Bryan Tang notes that “the atmospheric ingredients to produce very large hail—larger than golf balls—have become more common in parts of the central and eastern U.S. since 1979.”
But you don’t have to be in America’s “hail alley” to be concerned. Damaging hailstorms occur in many parts of the world. And no matter where you are, you’re likely at risk for some type of severe weather.
Tang advises contractors and building owners to “think preventively by choosing building materials that can better withstand hail damage in the first place.”
It’s crucial to understand how various roofing materials handle hail impact. Traditional metal roofing systems, while durable in many ways, can suffer significant damage from hail strikes. Metal panels can dent, creating both structural and aesthetic problems that often require costly repairs or replacement. These impacts can also lead to insurance claims and higher premiums for building owners.
Advanced fabric roofing systems like ExxoTec™ work differently. The durable fabric membrane can absorb the energy of hail stones and allow them to simply bounce off without sustaining damage. This resilience comes from the material's flexibility and engineered properties, which distribute impact forces rather than concentrating them at a single point like rigid materials do.
This fundamental difference in how materials respond to impact can save building owners significant money in repairs and insurance costs over the building's lifetime.
Designing for strength and durability is now a top priority to ensure commercial structures can withstand everyday weather challenges—like high heat, extreme cold, and humidity—and also extreme events. You need a time-efficient design-build process and climate resilience, but ultimately, your clients need a building that looks and performs exactly as needed. And those specs are different in every case.
At Legacy, we’ve developed a custom design and build process, offering an approach that streamlines every step, keeps everyone in the loop, and ensures no detail is overlooked. Faster result, delivered just as envisioned.
Our hybrid steel and tension fabric buildings are right at home in any industry, anywhere – making them an ideal choice for all types of commercial construction/contractors. From their solid steel I-beam framing to their tough-and-durable ExxoTecTM cladding, they have everything it takes to hold up against nature’s worst tantrums.
Building operations account for approximately 40% of global energy consumption and contribute significantly to greenhouse gas emissions. As contractors, the materials and methods you choose can have a profound impact on a building's long-term environmental footprint and operational costs.
Air infiltration is a major factor in building energy efficiency. Traditional metal buildings often struggle with air leakage, leading to higher heating and cooling costs and increased energy consumption. Third-party verification shows that insulated and lined Legacy solutions are 147% more airtight than traditional metal buildings.
This superior air tightness translates directly into lower operational costs through reduced utility usage. For building owners, this means substantial savings over the building's lifetime. For contractors, it means delivering superior value that keeps clients satisfied and coming back.
By choosing building systems that dramatically reduce energy consumption, contractors can help reduce the environmental impact of commercial construction one building at a time.
You know that a well-managed construction budget keeps costs in line as the project unfolds. But if that building is expensive to maintain down the road, initial cost savings can quickly be erased, eroding your client's ROI and their satisfaction.
Climate-savvy design and materials can give structures a long and productive life. Legacy structures require only minimal maintenance, dramatically reducing headaches and boosting ROI over time. This means fewer callbacks for you and happier clients who appreciate the long-term value you’ve delivered.
We have proven, worldwide experience in designing, manufacturing, and installing structures across the spectrum of climatic conditions. Every project is individually engineered not only for physical strength but to function well and look good doing it, exactly as envisioned. We’re here to help contractors and owners create the right building for the environment.
If you’re worried about the effects of increasingly harsh weather events as you design your new commercial building, let’s talk. Our hybrid steel and fabric structures are versatile, cost-effective, 100% custom-designed, and built to give Mother Nature a run for her money.
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