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Fabric Structures for Commercial Construction Projects

Large-scale construction projects can take months — if not years — to complete, which is why they require durable facilities to help get the job done. 

Alaska Structures®️ provides construction companies and engineering firms with tensioned fabric structures designed for rapid setup and to withstand unpredictable weather conditions.

Traditional brick and mortar buildings aren’t feasible for many commercial construction projects. They’re expensive to build and, by nature, are not relocatable. And in many scenarios, these traditional buildings cause problems with local authorities and community members. This is because they’re often left behind when an industrial or commercial company moves locations or an operation reaches completion.   

According to Civil + Engineer magazine, many trades are becoming increasingly aware of the benefits of using tensioned fabric structures for long-term construction building solutions.

“No other structure can provide the same benefits of a fabric building at an economical price. The ability to be easily relocated from one job site to the next is the key benefit. Improved safety and several cost-saving features also distinguish fabric structures from traditional buildings,” the article explains. “A fabric building should be the go-to choice for any construction operation in need of a building for future projects.”

Large fabric structure used as a dining facility for workers. 

Fabric ​​Structures for Different Construction Facilities

Modular Offices

Modular buildings create high-performance field offices. 

Alaska Structures’ modular office buildings are a convenient solution for temporary field offices, semi-permanent job-site offices, as well as prolonged use for mobile offices used at large-scale construction projects. They can easily be moved from one job site to the next and are designed for rugged, long-lasting durability to endure some of the most extreme weather conditions. 

They provide a better alternative for office space, especially in remote locations, because they’re designed to sustain any term length and rarely need maintenance work. Traditional office trailers aren’t suitable for semi-permanent or prolonged use since they require frequent and costly maintenance.

Alaska Structures’ mobile offices feature a lightweight and low-cube design, providing drastic savings in logistics and transportation costs. 

Choose from a large selection of building models, including the SQ Series, GB Series, TSX Series, HGB Series, and the XPL Series, which can be fully assembled in less than 10 minutes, greatly reducing construction schedules for on-site infrastructure.

Insulated fabric structure withstanding an extreme cold and snowy climate.

[Related: Guide to Workforce Accommodations in Remote Locations

Heated Structures for Cold-Weather Concreting

Cold weather can slow or entirely halt the construction of transportation infrastructure. Keeping concrete warm is essential for the development of roads, streets, sidewalks, culverts, pilings, piers, approach slabs, and anchorage systems. 

When a project requires pouring and curing concrete in extreme cold temperatures — “cold-weather concreting” —  on-site temporary facilities that span the width of the roadway are essential in keeping the fresh concrete heated before moving to a different area of the road.

If an operation site doesn’t meet temperature standards, concreting in cold weather will often require covering the freshly poured concrete with blankets, which can be a time-consuming hassle. 

Alaska Structures has vast experience working with Public Works and Transportation Departments as well as highway and road construction firms to custom-build and design heated structures for cold-weather concreting construction projects.

On-Site Facilities for Transportation Construction Projects

On-site facilities become increasingly important the more remote your construction project is because they reduce transportation costs, equipment repair times, and complicated logistics. 

Instead of exposing vehicles and equipment to harsh weather, including cold temperatures that put your assets at risk, you can keep them protected with Alaska Structures’ vehicle storage and maintenance facilities.

Our custom-built storage facilities are great for protecting fleets of trucks, cranes, and cement mixers; storing bulk materials; and preventing wind-blown contamination. 

Our fabric buildings feature open span interiors up to 120’ wide and are available with any side-wall height and in any length. Fabric buildings from Alaska Structures can be custom-designed with insulation and HVAC systems similar to a conventional building to create a temperature-controlled warehouse, vehicle maintenance facility, or storage space for bulk materials. Our fabric structures have the added benefit of being quickly relocated to the next remote construction site.

Modular Buildings Designed for Marine and Port Facility Construction

Marine and port construction projects involve building, maintaining, and repairing heavy machinery for dredging, drilling, moving, and lifting. 

Buildings designed for use at port facilities or marine construction sites must be rugged, durable, and able to withstand not only corrosive salt air and high humidity, but also harsh weather conditions that are often unexpected due to the unpredictable nature of climate patterns near water. 

Custom-built port facilities from Alaska Structures are engineered to meet building code for safety. Our high-strength frame systems, when used near saltwater, are powder-coated to offer a superior level of protection against corrosion, rust, salt air, sea spray, and exposure to chemicals. 

The tension fabric membranes from Alaska Structures are a proprietary material that has been perfected over nearly 50 years to withstand the harshest environments. Our fabric membranes are UV-stabilized (not coated) for high solar loads, will not rot, are mold- and mildew-resistant, offer a higher abrasion resistance compared to typical PE- or PVC-based covers, and can meet the fire safety requirements outlined in the California Code of Regulations for membrane structures.

[Related: How Engineered Fabric Structures Can Improve Marina Operations]  

Modular Buildings for Mass Transit Construction

The construction of mass transit infrastructure is a booming industry as the nation races to build, improve, and repair road systems for rising populations. These types of transportation projects are often on tight deadlines and delays are costly; and since they’re defined as critical infrastructure, they can cause expensive work-arounds if not managed or performed efficiently.

Prefabricated modular buildings from Alaska Structures are easy to transport to a construction site due to lightweight materials and low-cube packaging. The open span design of our fabric structures will maximize all usable interior space for the storage of large construction equipment.

The portability and cost-saving benefits of our building systems allow transit construction projects to adhere to short construction schedules. And when a phase of a project reaches completion, our modular building systems can be disassembled and relocated so roads can quickly open for traffic to flow and the next portion of the project can begin. 

[Related: How Cement Storage can Benefit from Tension Fabric Buildings]

Engineered Fabric Buildings for Hydroelectric and Power Plant Construction

The construction of hydroelectric dams and power plants takes years to complete and involve large crews of people. These sorts of heavy construction projects are typically in remote places, far away from urban centers.

Alaska Structures offers a wide selection of building solutions for housing and hygiene facilities  to create comfortable and sanitary living conditions for workers at remote sites. 

Our modular camp system and workforce buildings are portable, easy to install, and can be safely anchored to nearly any level surface. Their durability and long life can guarantee employees stay safe and have the amenities they need.

[Related: Modular Buildings To Support Heavy Engineering]

Advantages of Fabric Structures for Industrial and Commercial Construction Projects

Engineered fabric structures offer many time- and cost-saving benefits. 

Rapidly Deployable Building Solutions

With the ability to move, fabric buildings present a clear benefit for businesses that often relocate, or even those that potentially grow and expand their operations. 

Investing in high-quality fabric structures from Alaska Structures offers companies the ability to drastically reduce construction and assemble on-site infrastructure using local and unskilled labor. Unlike other “instant” structures,” our custom-built structures do not require hiring special contractors, crews, or supervisors during installation. 

Companies can efficiently move to a new project site in little time thanks to the rapid setup and take-down capability of our engineered fabric structures, aligning with your organization’s requirement to work within short time frames. 

Our fabric structures feature minimal foundation requirements, so you can safely anchor your building system on practically any level surface, including dirt, gravel, sand, concrete slab, footers, or wood pilings. Our foundation options leave minimal impact on the environment and are available as open-ended or fully enclosed systems.

[Related: Ruggedly Mobile Fabric Structures]

Fabric Structures Designed for Rugged Durability

Alaska Structures’ building systems are custom-designed and built for long-lasting and rugged durability. Our open span frame systems are made of high-strength galvanized steel or aircraft-grade aluminum, providing a robust foundation for our tensioned fabric membranes.

Our fabric structures are engineered to meet area-specific wind and snow loads required by local or international building code (IBC) for safety and durability. 

Custom-Designed Fabric Buildings

Engineered fabric buildings from Alaska Structures are custom-designed to meet your unique building requirements. 

We offer a large selection of features, including equipment and personnel doors, windows and skylights to utilize natural light for a bright and safe work environment, insulation packages to increase energy efficiency and maintain a comfortable internal temperature, HVAC systems, vehicle exhaust systems, and plug-and-play lighting and electrical systems available in 50 Hz and 60 Hz that reduce the need for expensive electricians*.

Our high-strength frame systems are available up to 120’ wide and can be designed to any height and length.  

Choose from a large selection of fabric colors and patterns, or add a logo to promote your company’s brand. 

Contact Us to Discuss Your Heavy Construction Project and Modular Building Needs

Since opening our doors in 1975, Alaska Structures has engineered, manufactured, and successfully delivered more than 65,000 modular buildings to over 85 countries within budget and on time. Tens of thousands of customers have benefitted from the unmatched capabilities of our high-performance fabric buildings used in the most extreme environments.

As the world’s leading manufacturer of fabric structures and modular building systems, we work closely with project managers, site directors, and EPCM firms on a global scale to deliver buildings that are designed to meet your organization’s specific needs. 

For more information on Alaska Structures, or to place an order for your upcoming construction project, send us an email or fill out the online form on our contact page to request a quote.

* A certified electrician may be required to connect the electrical distribution panel to shore power or local power utility. Please check with your local or state requirements.

Alaska Structures
Alaska Structures® is the world's leading provider of engineered fabric building and turnkey camp systems. Our modular buildings are proudly made in the U.S. and designed to meet area-specific wind and snow loads required by local codes or the International Building Code (IBC) for safety. No other fabric-building provider comes close to matching our level of expertise or experience.

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