Jul 3 2007
Demand has slowly been increasing for climate-controlled self storage, according to Dean Brown, president of American Steel Buildings. More and more self storage locations are catering to affluent consumers and businesses with items that require controlled temperatures.
"We've had more and more of our clients asking about climate-controlled self storage," said Brown, who supplies steel buildings for self storage businesses. "It used to be about 10 percent of our clients asking about climate-controlled units. Now we're seeing about 30 percent of our clients asking about it."
Climate-controlled self storage generally means that the steel and metal buildings are kept below 90 degrees when it's hot and above 40 degrees when it's cold. The humidity in the climate-controlled units is also kept below 65 percent to prevent mold and mildew.
A variety of clients are seeking climate-controlled self storage. There are companies who need temporary climate-controlled storage but don't want to spend the money on expansion and maintenance, which includes businesses like restaurants and pharmacies. Many of them have bulk items that they need to store at a certain temperature.
"The units are usually a little more expensive to build by about 15 percent, but you can get more rent for them and a more affluent customer," Brown said. "Climate-controlled self storage is something that the market is well aware of, so offering those units at reasonable, competitive prices will keep you abreast with the other facilities in your area."
According to Brown, the only major difference between constructing a regular steel or metal self-storage building and constructing one with climate-controlled units is that you need a good HVAC contractor. This person will ensure that your units are properly insulated and otherwise energy-efficient.
"The need for climate-controlled storage can only grow as the population grows," said Brown. "This trend isn't changing any time soon, and it's up to the industry to keep up with client demand."