Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/663706
+ Vicwest services projects for the industrial, commercial and agricultural sectors. 48 | A PR IL 2016 Steel Building Systems Vicwest Inc., which last year was purchased by Kingspan Group plc and is cur- rently opening a new manufacturing facility in Edmonton, services projects for the industrial, commercial and institutional sectors by manufacturing steel roofing – reputed to be the most durable on the market – as well as steel decking, and archi- tectural and wall panels. Vicwest is a distributor of insulated wall panel systems. The products Vicwest provides are too numerous to mention, but one unique ser- vice that unites all of the sectors it caters to is a godsend for building owners con- cerned about appearance. It's called DAWG – the acronym for Do Away With Graffiti. Specifically, this is a factory-applied clear coat that prevents the adhesion of defac- ing materials, whose removal is said to cost $1.4 billion in Canada alone. Perfect for either newbuilds or renovations, the anti-graffiti coating won't yellow over time, can be applied to a number of pre-treated substrates and requires only a quick power wash to remove offending scribbles and graphics. With the growing recognition of steel's many benefits as a construction mate- rial, organizations such as the Canadian Sheet Steel Building Institute (CSSBI) are advancing the cause of steel building construction by being a source for technical information as well as developing and disseminating industry standards. CSSBI general manager Steven Fox says, "As always, there are issues we try to address as productively as possible. One of them we're currently involved in is meet- ing the energy code requirements. For example, the CSSBI is advocating the trade- off methods for steel building systems in favour of the prescriptive method. That's because the trade-off methods can include lighting and other elements of the build- ing in the overall energy assessment instead of just the R-value of walls and roof, which the prescriptive method confines itself to. This can provide a more cost-effec- tive building system." Aside from this and other issues, Fox is bullish about the future. "Despite the massive downturn in the Alberta economy, which has a significant impact on the Canadian steel building sector, our industry is going strong," he says. "We're doing everything we can to position ourselves to take full advantage of the economic recovery that is sure to come." A PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY VICWEST CORPORATION STEEL BUILDINGS Design | Fabrication | Installation | Project Management www.honco.ca Toll free: 1 (800) 463-5799 The Honco solutions offer: + Better energy efficiency + Optimal use of space + Lower construction costs + Attractive light-reflecting structural ceiling Join us on Robert Stefanowicz.indd 1 16-03-18 9:16