Metal Construction News, February 2021
PRODUCT BRIEF Metal Building Systems AC472 and AC478 Metal building systems are often referred to as pre engineered metal buildings which used to be the common term But increased sophistication in building design and engineering have caused the industry to change the nomenclature to reflect the advancements 34 Metal building systems account for 34 of low rise buildings constructed in the United States 30 An efficiently designed metal building system can be lighter than a conventional steel building by up to 30 Using less steel provides price advantages and contributes to improved sustainability by reducing resource consumption Metal building manufacturers and metal building assemblers can be accredited by the International Accreditation Service The AC472 manufacturers and AC478 assemblers accreditations establish quality standards for the industry Architects and contractors should make sure those accreditations are specified in plans Typically metal buildings are clad with metal wall and metal roof panels but any cladding option is available Metal building systems are often part of larger structures that use conventional steel framing An example would be a building housing an ice hockey rink that is part of a larger community sports center Such a building is referred to as a hybrid structure Designers used to select structural element sizes to meet load requirements based on tables provided by manufacturers With increased sophistication due primarily to building information modeling table selection has faded away in favor of computer aided custom designs There are off the shelf solutions for metal building systems such as a simple agricultural building used to house equipment but most are now custom designed for every job Lighter steel high material recyclability and less waste all contribute to a highly sustainable building system that with reflective roofs and proper selection of paint and colors can contribute significantly to LEED points All the steel walls and roofs are ordered from one source making for more efficient estimating and ordering processes Metal roofs last significantly longer than other systems Their structural metal roofing systems are ideal for photovoltaic PV installations because the roof systems outlast the PV systems Metal building systems lend themselves to long open spans The lack of columns makes them ideal for hangars and manufacturing facilities with overhead cranes 42 METAL CONSTRUCTION NEWS February 2021
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