So, what happens when there’s a choice between bar joist trusses and traditional wood trusses? It’s not about aesthetics or preference. What you need to look for is longevity, sustainability, and safety. Apart from these features, there’s also the price that you need to consider, both upfront and long-term.

Let’s see what to choose.

Structural Advantages of Bar Joist Trusses vs. Wood Trusses

If you’re constructing a building, your main priority is meeting structural requirements, and the truss type directly affects them. Spoiler – bar joist trusses are a better choice, and here’s why.

1.   Structural Needs

A building has to have a strong framework to support the weight, especially if it’s a large or a commercial building, and the trusses you choose have to be able to do this.

Bar joist trusses are made of steel; they’re durable, resilient, and all in all, much more appropriate and efficient than wood trusses. Steel has less risk of warping, rotting, and deteriorating over time, unlike wooden ones, which are very susceptible to environmental factors.

2.   Span Capabilities

One of the best things about bar joist trusses is that they can span large areas without needing interior support columns. This is because they’re made of steel and have an open-web design. Engineered wood can cover moderate distances and you’ll often need extra internal supports if you’re working with a large area.

This can work, of course, but it’s not ideal for open-space layouts. If you’re building a smaller, residential structure, wood trusses will do fine, but anything other than that will need something more substantial.

3.   Fire Resistance

This is another big advantage, especially for commercial buildings. Steel is far more resistant to fire than wood because it’s non-combustible and it keeps its integrity even in extremely high temperatures.

Wood just can’t match this because it ignites relatively easily and it burns quickly. If there’s a fire, this will lead to structural failure pretty fast.

Comparison of Cost and Efficiency

Knowing which option is generally better might not be enough to make your choice because the cost is a big factor in deciding.

Let’s compare the prices and performance.

1.   The Price of Material and Installation

As you’ve probably guessed, bar joist trusses are more expensive because steel costs more than wood as a raw material. Steel’s inherent strength and durability is what cranks up the cost of material for bar joist trusses, so they’re a big investment in the early stages of the project.

Plus, installing them takes specialized labor and equipment; steel is heavier and needs to be handled precisely or you risk instability. But this investment is usually more than justified in large projects.

Wood trusses, on the other hand, are cheaper, and regular contractors can install them; you don’t need to pay extra for specialists.

2.   Maintenance and Long-Term Costs

Bar joist trusses are a winner in this category because they need less maintenance, so there’s fewer maintenance costs. Because steel is so durable and resilient, it doesn’t need to be repaired frequently, or replaced. Wood trusses are a different story, though, especially if they’re in a humid environment, or somewhere with a lot of pests.

Wood can rot, moisture affects it, and termites just absolutely love it as a snack, so you’re looking at some pretty pricey maintenance.

3.   Efficiency in Construction and Project Timelines

Again – bar joist trusses take the cake. They are much more efficient because they don’t need internal support and they span large distances. As a result, you have more flexibility in layout and design, and you don’t need as much additional material.

All of this speeds up the timeline. Wood trusses do fine on smaller and residential projects, but you’ll have a hard time using them for big projects.

They can complicate the construction process because they need more material for support, and spending time on reinforcing the structure will slow the project down.

Conclusion

The key takeaway? Go for bar joist trusses if you can, and if you’re working on a big project, then you’re setting yourself up for a disaster if you don’t.

Okay, that’s a bit dramatic, but you’ll have a really hard time completing a factory, for instance, if you use wood trusses. Yes, you’ll need to spend more money upfront, but in the long run, you’ll actually spend less because your project will be done faster, plus you won’t need to spend nearly as much on maintenance.

Bar joist trusses really have only one downside, and that’s the upfront cost.

Environmental pollution needs to be resolved. Fortunately, the invention of solar lighting has greatly contributed to maintaining our surroundings. These lights provide a huge number of benefits for the users as well. Solar street lights emit negligible heat and are free of harmful chemicals that serve as hazards both for the public and the environment.

The use of LED lighting also reduces the production of carbon footprint. All these things make the environment healthy for its users. To choose the best solar lighting option, you can consult with a solar street light manufacturer.

Read more information below!

Solar Lighting Promotes Environmental Sustainability

Solar street lights are a green alternative. Without them, natural gas will continually be applied to generate electricity in conventional street lights. How are fossil fuels converted to electricity? The process uses heat to burn fossil fuels. Once they burn, hydrogen molecules react with oxygen and carbon. Heat is then released, thereby causing mechanical energy in a turbine to transform into electrical energy.

In the emergence of solar technology, all of this no longer takes place. Solar street lights reduce the environment’s reliance on fossil fuels due to solar energy’s conversion to light. As a result, fossil fuels are preserved and employed for other important uses. Another good outcome is the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere.

Solar Lighting Creates Social Change

Lighting enhances the outlook of safety. If a place is surrounded with solar street lights, it will become more user-friendly. This is applicable mostly for parks, streets, and even roads. With these lights, you will be able to encourage greater use of these spaces. They improve walkability and provide opportunities for productive activities in the night or early morning such as jogging, walking your dog, cycling, walking, etc.

Why is solar lighting a superior choice than traditional lights? Solar street lights produce a gentle illumination from a LED source that operates more independently and efficiently. The directional lighting they provide makes solar unrestricted to use—giving off more luminance to where it is needed and less to where it is not.

Solar Lighting Is Cost-Efficient

Traditional street lights may be less costly than solar street lights, but they need frequent repair work or occasional replacement if they can’t be fixed by overhaul anymore. The soaring electricity bills are a major concern for the municipalities, that is why they seek ways to lower energy usage.

Transitioning to solar commercial lighting eliminates the monthly fees for utility services and steers clear of future charges due to infrastructure repairs. It improves community infrastructure by offering long-term savings for the city since solar lighting is not connected to the national electricity grid and does not consume electricity from providers.

In addition to that, the installation of solar lamps requires less operation and cost. There is no underground trenching involved in setting the poles up and there is less need for utilizing heavy equipment. The consumption of wattages is also lowered even without losing light.

Solar Lighting is Planet-Friendly

Since solar lighting does not use fossil fuels, it uses renewable energy from the sun. From this, solar street lights conserve and protect resources. An environmental disruption also does not take place during installation maintenance because trenching is no longer necessary for wiring. In remote and sensitive areas, they can still provide light.

The main reason why solar lighting is planet-friendly is that it releases less carbon dioxide in the environment. Too much carbon dioxide in the environment can contribute greatly to climate change. With less energy needed by LED lamps of solar street lights, less CO2 will be produced.

Solar Lighting Produces Brighter Illumination and Less Heat

Bright lights are always associated with more heat. But with LED lights, it’s kind of the opposite. The efficiency of LED bulbs is recorded in an approximate range of 80 to 90 percent. Meaning the light they produce is 80% illumination and 20% heat. On the contrary, traditional lighting uses 20% of electrical energy to turn into light. The remaining 80% becomes turned into heat.

Plus, solar lights provide brighter illumination for human activity as they are a more stable light source. Considered as solid-state lamps, the lifespan of solar street lights is longer than traditional street lights.

Solar Lighting Reduces Carbon Footprint

Incandescent bulbs and compact fluorescents used in traditional street lights are often associated with the emissions of toxic greenhouse gas. The use of solar energy lowers the release of greenhouse gases because solar energy prevents the burning of fossil fuels. Overall, solar street lights reduce carbon footprint by 80%.

Solar Lighting Encourages Plant Growth

Research suggests that plants receive a harmful impact when artificial lights are around them. On the contrary, solar garden lamps produce cool lighting, making their growth faster and stable.

Traditional lights can amass harmful chemicals such as nitrate which can be hazardous to people. In contrast, solar street lights don’t accumulate such chemicals. They discharge very little light in the UV spectrum which makes them less visible and attractive to bugs and insects.

In conclusion, solar lighting is one of the solutions that you can exploit for the good of the environment. In the long run, you will discover how it conserves energy, money, and time as well as how it enriches the experience of people.

If you want to pursue a college degree that will bring you to a high paying career in the future, there’s a lot to choose from—medicine, business, nursing, etc. But if you want to make a difference or do something that has a positive impact on the environment at the same time, engineering is a good option.

Here are some reasons how an engineering degree can help the environment.

1. Alternative energy sources

One function of an engineer is to find and devise a way on how to produce alternative sources of energy. Since the world is relying on fossil fuels as the primary energy source, the process of converting fossil fuels to a power source that’s ready to be utilized by humankind has adverse effects on the environment. Impacts of climate change have been apparent nowadays, and these effects are irreversible.

Developing alternative energy sources such as wind, solar and hydroelectric energy have positive effects in the environment. These are renewable sources of energy that can be produced from air, sun, and water and don’t give off toxic by-products during the conversion to electricity.

2. Energy-efficiency

Engineers can also tap into the usual equipment in your house and improve it to make it more environmentally friendly. They can also develop technology and material that is energy efficient, so the electricity and other resources can be appropriately utilized.

3. Waste management

An engineering degree at UCR will also give you knowledge on strategies and techniques on how to dispose of waste properly to have less harmful effects on the environment. It can be useful in designing machines or strategies in recycling waste and transforming it into a valuable material. This will result in significant waste reduction as well as proper management and use of other resources.

One example is the invention of eco-bricks where plastic bottles packed with plastic was transformed into a building block that can be used in construction. These can replace cement blocks when building the foundation of buildings and houses.

4. Water treatment

Engineers can also help the environment by eliminating water pollution. According to National Geographic, around 70% of industrial waste in developing countries is thrown in bodies of water without being treated. This waste has a negative impact on having a safe water supply in communities.

An engineering degree, specifically a chemical engineering course can provide solutions on how to treat liquid waste and dispose of them properly without leaving toxic by-products. Other branches of engineering can create water filtration systems that can be used by industries as a part of their operation to ensure waste is treated before dumping in rivers or lakes.

5. Combats air pollution

One environmental problem almost all countries are facing, especially those that are highly developed is the alarming increase of air pollution. With the interplay of many factors such as industrialization and increased volume of vehicles on the road, these all contribute to polluting the environment. Deforestation and land conversions also reduce the number of trees that can clean the air.

Engineers can help reduce air pollution by developing hybrid technology vehicles that use alternative sources as fuel such as water and salt water. Another way that can be easily implemented is to reformulate the current fuel composition to have less emission which can help reduce air pollution in the environment.

6. Sustainable living and ecosystem

Engineers are also responsible for building houses and buildings, and they can also help the environment by recommending materials that will make an establishment more sustainable and environment-friendly. Some engineers promote the use of non- toxic building materials and recyclable materials. They also encourage to use the sun more efficiently by installing glass panels and even solar panels instead of relying on electricity as the primary power source. They can also develop human-made structures such as lakes and wetlands to make new homes for living organisms if there’s infrastructure projects that can harm the existing ecosystem.

Final thoughts:

An engineering degree might be one of the most complex courses in the world. The profession is high in demand because the world is continually changing to be better with improvements in infrastructure and technology. Aside from the fact that it’s a high paying job, this profession is a fulfilling job because it can create a positive impact on the environment.

Businesses are always faced with the constant challenge of finding ways to make your business more efficient and sufficient. Energy conservation is a fundamental way to save capital, and provide higher efficiency for a company. There are straightforward ways to make your business more efficient. Here we will take a closer look at ways your business can conserve energy.

Manual Energy Monitoring

The easiest way to conserve energy is to monitor the energy your company consumes manually. This is the lowest hanging fruit since it doesn’t necessarily cost anything to implement. This strategy involves keeping a watchful eye on how much energy your business consumes.

Begin by evaluating how many kilowatts per month your company uses—your electricity bill contains this information. Take stock of all of the more extensive equipment and appliances your company consumes. Determine if some of these items can be used more efficiently to conserve energy. Assign shutdown protocols for lights and heavy equipment, and make sure all employees are aware of the conservation measures.

Smart Meter

For a more sophisticated approach, your business can have a smart meter installed. These modern electricity meters resemble traditional meters with a glass dome; however, they have a digital display rather than the dials that were common in traditional meters.

Smart meters not only make it easier to monitor the energy usage of your business, but it is also connected to the electric company’s system for billing purposes. Smart meters allow you to check the kilowatt use of your business.

Smart Plugs and Outlets

The Internet of Things (IoT) makes it possible to monitor and control the power used by selected appliances and equipment. Smart plugs and smart outlets are used to monitor and control specific appliances and equipment that are plugged into them.

These “smart” units communicate with your smartphone via mobile apps that provide energy use data. Smart plugs and outlets use Wi-Fi technology to connect your mobile device to these units. The ability to turn anything that is plugged into these devices off and on from anywhere helps with energy conservation efforts.

Energy Management Software

Energy management software (EMS) are desktop and mobile applications designed to provide real-time energy data, and even in some cases offer energy consumption control. These applications may also provide bill tracking, lighting and HVAC systems control, IT system management, energy audits, and more.

These software applications often offer energy-conservation tools that help monitor and control energy consumption. Find an energy management platform that allows you to monitor and control your business’s energy consumption.

Conclusion

As you can see, there are a variety of ways to monitor and conserve energy for your company. The affordable solutions outlined here are just a few ways to conserve energy. There are also some more traditional methods of conservation, like outlet timers and motion activated lights that can work to save energy for your business as well. A mixture of the conventional and hi-tech methods of conservation will give your company the maximum energy efficiency.

Businesses are trying to associate themselves with one color — green. More and more companies are trying to prove that businesses can coexist with sustainability. Sustainable practices like paper recycling are now a common practice in most of the businesses. With each passing year, companies are focusing on corporate responsibility and are striving to maintain a sustainable competitive advantage.

There are a number of green business practices that have made a mark in 2018. Businesses are actively implementing such practices and understanding that small changes like paper shredding promote sustainability.

Here are 5 such green practices that every business must implement in 2018. 

Save Electricity

There are numerous ways electricity is wasted in any business. Not many know that even when an appliance or machinery is plugged in, it will sap electricity from the outlet. This will cost you money and harm the environment as well. One way to combat energy usage is by requesting all the employees to turn off all the equipment and devices before leaving. Another way to save electricity is to use energy-saving appliances in the office such as compact florescent light bulbs.

Reduce Paper Usage

Use as little paper as possible. Don’t print every single email and avoid sending paper memos on a regular basis. Make backup copies of important files and store them digitally on an external drive rather than storing paper files. Print copies only when it is absolutely necessary and use sustainable paper. Print on both sides of the paper as often as you can. Lastly, recycle paper on a regular basis.

You can even use shredders to shred the paper waste before sending it to the recycling facility. There are a number of business benefits from industrial paper shredder such as not having to rely on third-parties to shred confidential documents and putting your security at risk, enhancing your waste management and reducing the volume of paper waste. It also helps in increasing environmental friendliness as shredding your paper gives you more options on how to deal with your paper waste like cushioning your products with shredded paper instead of Styrofoam.

Drop Unnecessary Packaging

It is a good idea to have an attractive packaging for your products or putting enough cushioning materials inside the boxes to ensure product safety. However, don’t get carried away and put unnecessary packaging materials. Avoid packaging products where you can or cut some corners without affecting the product. Doing this doesn’t just build a strong sustainable business practice but it will also save you some money.

Build an Eco-friendly Company

One of the most effective sustainable practices is to invest money in powering your business using renewable energy such as solar panels. Solar energy is one of the easiest and reliable sources to harness, which you must take advantage of. You can even come up with innovative ways to turn waste into energy.

Take initiatives to reduce your carbon print by going paperless, encouraging employees to carpool or take public transport to work, activating the power-saving mode of all devices, etc. Telecommuting is also a rising trend — allow employees to work remotely and take measures to support it. Innovations in cloud computing have encouraged telecommuting, thus helping in reducing the company’s carbon footprint significantly.

Go Digital

Switch to digital files if you haven’t already. Instead, use online timesheets and memos. You can easily store the digital documents on a cloud and share them with your employees through mobile devices. What’s more — digital files can be accessed by any employee, from any location. You can even digitize the receipts. Instead of printing out a paper receipt, opt for an email receipt.

You must constantly find better and newer ways to make your business more sustainable. Educate yourself to learn more about the same. Identify areas of improvement and work on them. Remember that sustainability is not a one-time thing but rather an ongoing and constant process.