Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/1274063
J U LY 2 0 2 0 | 17 Steel Building Systems P H OTO G R A P H Y CO U RT E SY B EH L EN I N DUS T R I E S P H OTO G R A P H Y CO U RT E SY H O N CO S T EEL B U I L D I N GS Honco has the ability to custom manufacture every component on the building structure, and the company's skills were recently put to the test when it was asked to create a new hangar in Mirabel. For this project, Honco provided a self-support- ing construction system to achieve a large, column-free clear span (the building was required to be 45-metres wide and have a 15.2-metre indoor height for a total area of 2,250 square metres, the space required for the massive Airbus planes). What is especially remarkable about this project is "that it was built in less than three months," according to Filteau. "It took a lot of planning and hard work to meet the client's deadline, and we're very proud of the result." Earlier this year, Honco was nearing completion on the new Amphitheatre of the City of Mont-Joli (a facility with a massive indoor ice rink) as well as prepar- ing the concrete pour for the new Bonaventure Sports Centre. Filteau credits the design build process for the success of these and other projects, noting that the building delivery method's huge advantage is giving the client only one person to deal with, which favours better communication and improves the chance of forging a trusting relationship, with the result often being a project completed on time and on-budget. "Design build was especially crucial to the success of the Mirabel hangar," she says, adding that the complex structure combined with the short deadline made it imperative that the design, technical specifications and drawings, procurement, construction, testing, and commissioning were all the responsibilities of the design-build contractor. Last but hardly least, the buildings manufactured by Brandon, Manitoba- based Behlen Industries (part of Westman Group Inc.) are expandable, energy efficient, and straightforward to construct, yet they retain architectural flex- ibility. The versatile nature of their design makes them ideal for a multitude of applications and industry sectors, and as such Behlen joins its competing firms in enjoying a vigorous start to 2020. "We've been busy with lots of commercial and mining work," says Sean Lepper, VP and general manager. "It's a testament to the way we do things that the projects are varied in scope and usage." As the manufacturer of two distinct building systems, Behlen has the adapt- able solution for any project. The Rigid Frame and Frameless Building systems each have distinct advantages: the former provides clear spans up to 330 feet and heights up to 100 feet as well as superior energy efficiency, condensation control, and noise reduction, and the Rigid Frame construction process is engineered to create virtually no waste. The latter system offers esthetic appeal, versatility in construction, and durability; it capitalizes on a construction technique that achieves savings in time, labour, materials, and foundation costs, and is able to offer clear spans of up to 313 feet. Lepper says, "We recently put our expertise towards creating a 285-foot clear span hangar in Hamilton, Ontario last year, big enough to accommodate three 737 jets." He concludes, "We're also in the midst of a five-year program to improve our manufacturing facility: new equipment and processes are resulting in better flow of information, which in turn means we can process increasingly complex orders more quickly." A Airbus Hangar, Mirabel International Airport, Mirabel, QC. 285-foot clear span hangar, Hamilton, ON.