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M A R C H 2 0 2 5 | 51 Steel Building Systems P H OTO G R A P H Y CO U RT E S Y B EH L EN I N DUS T R I E S While steel buildings thrived in 2024, this year's looming tariffs create uncertainty by ROBIN BRUNET T he steel buildings industry closed 2024 on a high note, with many key players reporting remarkable growth despite chal- lenges in trade and construction. Sean Lepper, VP and general manager at Behlen Industries, reflected on the year's success, stating, "We had one of our best years to date, and we think 2025 will also be a banner year. "But there's no denying we feel a fair degree of uncer- tainty moving forward due to the unpredictability of future U.S. trade policies. Whether or not we have to deal with tariffs again is unclear; on the one hand we may be facing them, and on the other hand if the U.S. business climate improves overall it could be beneficial. But until there's clarification about where we're headed, the uncertainty puts a freeze on everything from new projects to expanding one's business." One of Behlen's successes in 2024 was coming to grips with the new building energy code, first introduced in 2020 and now coming into effect. Given that one of its key requirements is to increase the amount of insulation required for new builds, Lepper and his team undertook considerable research and testing to create wall and roof cavity expansions in their building systems in order to accommodate the added thickness of insulation. Behlen is Canada's biggest manufacturer of steel building systems. Frameless steel buildings are constructed with their engineered panel system, eliminating the need for structural steel, offering low-cost, energy-efficient solutions. The company's rigid-frame buildings excel in energy efficiency, con- densation control, and noise reduction. Additionally, the construction process is designed to save time and money while generating virtually no waste. Behlen's solutions have led to a number of unique projects, including the construction of boat storage facilities in Kelowna, B.C. "They may not sound like much, but these buildings are huge – typically five storeys high – and one we recently quoted is large enough to store 900 boats and will take a year to build," Lepper says. It's unclear whether the sheer demand for new institutional, commercial, and industrial structures is the driving factor, but the steel building sector has demonstrated a remarkable resilience to high inflation – a trend exemplified by companies such as Honco, whose self-supporting steel buildings are globally renowned for their quality, durability, and competitive pricing. Masters Of HEAVY METAL Aqua Boat Club, Kelowna, B.C. Aqua dry-rack indoor boat storage.