INSTALLATION FEATURE
Metal Buildings
A look at sustainable trends and projects By Marcy Marro, Editor
As metal buildings grow in popular- ity, more attention will be paid to the industry’s ability to create sustainable projects. From being made of recycled content, to being recycled at the end of its life, there are many benefi ts to using metal buildings. As stricter energy codes become the norm, architects and builders will continue to look for ways to cut an owner’s long-term cost of ownership, while using products that are better for the environment. The life cycle of metal buildings fi t the bill
when it comes to sustainable construction. “Metal buildings are very quick to erect and cause very little air-borne particulates on a construction site,” says Joseph M. Salvatore, AIA, LEED AP, princi- pal at ARCHITEKTON, Tempe, Ariz. “We can get some really large clear spaces, so not only are we using less building materials, we have ultimate fl ex- ibility for adaptive reuse in the future.” Trends include maximizing the R-value of the
building envelope. Insulated metal wall panels offer the advantage of continuous insulation and code- acceptable use of foamed plastics, says Gabriel S. Wilcox, Assoc. AIA, LEED AP BD+C, at Legat Architects, Chicago. “The other trend that I incorporate in my
own work is integrating the façade system,” adds Wilcox. “Integral metal canopies, sunshades and even photovoltaic sunshades blend with the build- ing façade instead of appearing as attachments or roof-mounted solutions that do not speak to the vernacular of the building.” Salvatore notes they are seeing a wider accep-
tance of metal building use in a wider variety of proj- ect types. “Architects are successfully working with the metal building manufacturers' palate of materials
34 METAL CONSTRUCTION NEWS November 2013
to create striking architecture,” he notes. “More general contractors are learning how to incorporate metal buildings into their projects, and more clients are understanding and accepting the benefi ts.” Salvatore expects to see the metal building
envelope evolve both functionally and aesthetically. “Energy codes have become much stricter over the last year,” he says. “The building envelope must now meet more demanding thermal resis- tance. Thermal breaks and weather barriers will become more sophisticated.” For example, in Illinois, new energy codes
and the city of Chicago are creating more strin- gent energy use and cool roof requirements versus the 2009 requirements. “The new LEED Version 4 also has an option to gain points by commissioning the envelope with air and water testing,” Wilcox explains. “Newer trends will continue to push the R-Value requirements up and challenge the manufacturers to meet and, in the case of LEED or energy performance buildings, exceed the code requirements.” “I believe as metal buildings become more
popular, more surface treatment options will become available,” Salvatore adds. “Metal is such a formable material, I can see tremendous explora- tions on building skins.” In the future, Wilcox sees the use of more in-
tegrated systems. “There is already an emergence of integrated window and skylight systems from some wall and roof system manufacturers,” he says. “With thin fi lm photovoltaic panels and the increasing demand for reaching net zero building design, architects will have to realize the value of their façades for energy generation or automated active façade shading systems.”
www.metalconstructionnews.com
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