When planning a warehouse, factory, or cold storage facility, one of the first decisions is: Pre-Engineered Building (PEB) or traditional brick-and-mortar? Here's the complete comparison based on real projects in Pakistan.
Construction Time
- PEB with sandwich panels: 4-8 weeks for a 10,000 sq ft facility
- Traditional RCC: 4-6 months minimum
Cost Comparison (per sq ft)
- PEB structure + sandwich panels: PKR 1,800-2,500
- Traditional RCC + brickwork: PKR 2,200-3,000
Additional PEB Advantages
- 70% faster construction
- Better thermal insulation (6-8°C cooler)
- Easy to expand or relocate
- Lower foundation costs (lighter structure)
- 30%+ energy savings over building lifetime
Conclusion
For industrial and commercial buildings, PEB with insulated sandwich panels is the clear winner — cheaper upfront, faster to build, and significantly cheaper to operate.