In today’s world, there is an imperative focus to mitigate climate change. One category where incorporating eco-friendly products and solutions has undoubtedly emerged is in the home improvement marketplace. According to its 9th Annual Home Improvement Trends Survey, our finance partner LightStream found that more than 93% of homeowners see the benefits of undertaking renovations that have positive impacts on the environment.
With this popular interest, Morton Buildings has seen that more and more people are deciding to make their residential properties more sustainable by using post-frame construction with steel exterior for their building projects and renovations. Property owners are learning that structures utilizing steel for the exterior offer design ingenuity and environmental benefits, not to mention low-maintenance benefits for the owner.
Caring about the environment has never been “trendy” to Morton. We’ve been dedicated to developing eco-friendly manufacturing and construction processes for decades. Our innovative post-frame structures with steel exteriors can be incorporated into residential property improvement projects such as detached garages, offices, workshops, hobby or storage buildings, and even ADUs.
Here are just a few ways our manufacturing and construction processes deliver environmentally friendly building products.
Site Selection, Protection and Preservation
Dramatic climate change impacts are all around us. An important advantage of our post-frame construction is the ability to transfer the load of the building to the columns in the ground, delivering enhanced protection from seismic activity, wind damage, fire threats, and rain/snowstorm conditions. While no building provides complete safety from environmental forces, the strength of post-frame construction may give building owners more protection against the elements.
Wherever a site is chosen, Morton building materials – both lumber and steel - are custom-cut in our own manufacturing plants, resulting in less waste overall and fewer environmental impacts at the job site itself.
Energy efficiency is also a top priority. Our building insulation packages have exceeded energy code standards for the past 30 years. In addition, Morton offers custom windows and doors that are thermally broken, meaning cold winter temperatures will not find their way to the interior side of your windows and doors. Likewise, energy efficiency is also built in as we fabricate the steel roofing. A broad selection of colors, shapes and materials not only provide seemingly unlimited design choices, but also certain colors can further reduce energy impacts: roofs help building interiors stay comfortable while safely deflecting the sun’s rays outdoors and doing so without damaging nearby greenspaces or buildings.
Steel exterior for both the roof and siding provide building owners low-maintenance benefits to their building structure. Shingle roofs or vinyl siding may need replacement more frequently which often results in additional waste that cannot be recycled. Steel has advantages both for longevity and recyclability.
Waste-not Material Recycling
Most Morton fabrication processes feature integrated waste recycling systems. For example, in manufacturing our acoustical steel sheets (which are perforated for noise-reduction), the steel puncture waste is recycled and reused. Within our powder-coating paint system, we recapture and recycle unused or misdirected paint.
The lumber we use for our columns, trusses, and framing, adheres to strict quality controls. If the lumber received at our manufacturing plant is not up to grade, we repurpose it and make sure nothing goes to waste. Once the lumber is cut, we have a sophisticated vacuum system that collects sawdust, which is then utilized by local farmers as bedding for animals.
Our standard building offering for residential structures such as garages, storage buildings and hobby shops, includes building with concrete columns in the ground (rather than pre-treated lumber supports). Our concrete plant includes a sophisticated net zero water generation system where water used in manufacturing is captured, treated, and reused.
As consumers seek sustainability in their residential structures, more and more are considering their choices around eco-friendly materials. Post-frame construction with steel exterior has emerged as a versatile, modern, and eco-friendly solution. Visit LightStream.com/Morton-Buildings to see how affordable it can be, as well.
