Metal buildings come in all shapes and sizes with color options that are almost limitless. The profiles, of pre-engineered metal buildings, are also extensive. With insulated metal panels that now resemble pre-cast concrete or stucco, you may mistake a metal building for being built with some other material. Don’t judge a book by its cover as appearances can be deceiving.

The Evolution of a Steel Building

Metal buildings first came on the market in the late 1700’s and began surfacing across the textile industry. During WWII, metal buildings began being used in large numbers for airplane hangars and Quonset huts. Steel buildings have traditionally been thought of as a plain, gray, boring box structure like the manufacturing plants or warehouses you see that line the highway. While manufacturing plants and warehouses are still often made of steel and metal, they are anything but boring and certainly not limited to one color choice. Gone are the days when a metal building was restricted to look like just a square metal box. Today, metal buildings are used in a vast number of industries for nearly any purpose you can think of.

Metal Building Colors

Colors are ever-changing and depending on the industry, go in and out of popularity relatively quickly. However, across the metal building industry, owners are requesting what were once unfathomable color choices for their buildings. Whether the main focus or accented, colors are now a huge driving force behind the design of a building. Manufacturers have adjusted and now offer expansive color options. With choices that span the color spectrum, the reality is that color is being tastefully incorporated into the metal building design quite frequently nowadays.

The Advancement of All Things Technology Driven, Green and Sustainable

Metal buildings have evolved with time, technology, building codes and the industry. Undoubtedly, technology has revolutionized how we do business today and going green isn’t slowing anytime soon. Customers expect better tools everyday and the metal building industry is shifting to keep up with the technology advancements. Sustainability is on the lips of everyone in the metal building industry. The green movement has set an unprecedented change in what customers are asking for and expect manufacturers to supply…enter stage right: insulated panels and higher R-values. The benefits are evident and designing with IMPs has become increasingly important across the industry.

It’s important to be open to the idea of what a modern metal building can look like for you. Learn more about the metal buildings we’ve worked on by viewing our project gallery or contact your local Ceco representative to see how we can turn your vision into reality.

Energy conservation in buildings has become increasingly important in recent times making building owners, designers and constructors all quite interested in finding reliable, durable and proven solutions for well insulated wall and roof systems. Insulated metal panels (IMPs) offer just that in a complete, finished, coordinated product with excellent thermal performance, inherent cost-efficiencies and a variety of options.

What are IMPs?

Insulated metal panels consist of two single-skin metal panels and a foamed in-place core. The inner and outer faces of the panels can be lightly profiled with vertical striations of varying degrees, delivering a subtle pattern that can appear virtually flat. In addition, there are other options for the exterior face appearance. Some architectural panels are completely flat and smooth creating a sleek, modern, look. Others come in textures that resemble stucco or precast concrete. If you are looking to add versatility to the building, certain IMPs can be installed both horizontally and vertically depending on the panel.

Where are they used?

IMPs are a superior choice for both new and retrofit construction. These panels function very well and provide great design versatility for all types of architectural, commercial, agricultural, institutional, industrial and cold storage buildings.

What is the reason for the foam core?

The foam core provides two important characteristics to the panel. Structurally, the metal and foam composite construction creates a strong rigid panel, increases the span capacity compared to metal panels alone and thus reduces secondary structural steel components. Thermally, the foam provides high levels of insulation for the roof and walls of a building. The degree of insulation can be selected based on the thickness of the foam, which generally ranges from 2 to 6 inches. The thicker the foam, the higher the insulating R-value.

What is their thermal performance like?

IMPs have excellent insulating capabilities. The rigid foam achieves approximately R-7 or more per inch of thickness. That is almost twice the R-value per inch of batt and blown insulation. Hence, IMPs can provide enhanced energy performance in a thinner profile than other types of insulation. Further, in light of recent prescriptive energy code changes, IMPs are an elegant means to provide “continuous insulation” outside of the primary and secondary structural steel. Since the inner and outer steel faces typically don’t come in contact with each other, the insulation provides a continuous thermal barrier around the building exterior that is not compromised by the structural elements. Instead, the panels have formed edges designed to interlock so that the insulating properties remain continuous across panel joints.

How are the panel joints sealed?

IMPs are sealed at the side laps and all perimeter boundaries. Generally speaking, because of the nature of the joinery, it is easier to get a good seal in place with IMPs given their relative simplicity (i.e., putting the two pieces together with the sealant) compared to other wall or roof assemblies. IMPs require great attention, though, in terms of air and vapor sealing—aspects largely controlled by the installers on a given project. As an example, vapor sealing in cold climates or similar applications is critical to the overall soundness of a building. Consider the damage a wall or roof could incur if moisture seeps into a panel and becomes trapped; if it freezes, it could push panels out of alignment. This would result in not just an unattractive aesthetic, but a performance failure as well. In order to be effective, all sealant and caulking must be fully continuous.

What do IMPs look like when installed?

They look just like other quality metal roofing and siding products, both on the interior and exterior. That is because the full range of standard metal products can be used with the foam core to create the IMPs. Hence, the diversity of striated profiles, architectural panels or textured panels are all choices for the final appearance. Similarly, all standard and custom colors available on metal roofing and siding are also available on IMPs.

How economical are IMPs to use?

There are several space, time and cost saving features of IMPs that make them very economical compared to other types of construction systems. Because of the insulating capabilities of IMPs, less insulation space is needed to comply with building energy efficiency codes compared to fiberglass insulation. IMPs are strong enough to allow for fewer structural supports than single skin panels due to greater spanning and load bearing capabilities, providing an economical and efficient building envelope. IMPs allow for fast erection times and easy installation, resulting in reduced labor costs and earlier business starts. Once installed, metal roof and wall systems require minimal maintenance and can lead to potential cost savings over their lifetime, including lower energy costs, maintenance costs and replacement costs.

What are other benefits of using IMPs?

In addition to all of the advantages already stated, using IMPs for building projects yield many benefits. This is true not only for the building owner, but also for the building designer and erector. For more complete information on benefits from these different perspectives, see our prior blog post on this subject.

To learn more about insulated metal panels for wall and roofing applications in general or to investigate if they are right for a project you are working on, contact your local Ceco representative.

A common need in manufacturing, warehouse, distribution and large retail buildings such as supermarkets is large, open spaces with minimum interruptions by columns. Often, in these cases, a steel structural frame is used with the roof supported by open web steel bar joists. Increasingly, a superior alternative to bar joists is being employed in the form of fabricated long bay trusses known as the Long Bay® roof system. It provides building designers, installers and owners with many noticeable advantages.

Engineering Advances

The Long Bay® truss systems are cold formed from 12 and 14 gauge steel to create the chord and web members – the same process as other metal structural members such as girts and purlins. The shop fabricated Long Bay® trusses are engineered to be stronger, wider and lighter than conventional bar joists. The resulting system is very linear and straight with improved performance particularly in the horizontal or weak axis. Commonly ranging in depth between 12 to 44 inches, they can span up to 70 feet, with a sweet spot at 60 feet. Longer spans mean fewer columns and fewer foundations thus simplifying design and reducing costs. Long Bay® trusses can also be designed to be used as a spandrel box beam to eliminate intermediate columns and beams in side walls or tilt-up construction.

Installation Efficiencies

There are several advantages for installers when using long bay systems. First, it is a truly bolted system with no field welding involved. Two ½” bolts are all that is needed on the end of each truss to secure them directly to the primary structure. Notably, there are no torque requirements on the bolts as would be common in other systems. Second, there is little or no bridging required. Conventional bar joists often require 7 – 8 rows of bridging on both the top and bottom, for a total of about 15 rows. Long Bay® trusses eliminate the need for top chord bridging and require only minimal bottom chord bridging, even when standing seam roofing is used. This produces a huge savings in time to erect and install the roof, on the order of at least 25 percent or more in labor savings. Third, the 4-inch top chord provides a continuous, solid area for attaching roofing. That reduces the potential for fasteners to miss the top chord or end up between the angles of bar joist. More solid attachment means the roof system performs as intended. Finally, it is possible to bolt and connect a series of long bay trusses on the ground and lift them up using two cranes to settle them into place. This can make the installation process easier, faster, and more economical.

Scheduling Advantages

Long Bay® systems are made and provided by a metal building manufacturer. Conventional bar joists are often provided by a separate company than the supplier of other metal building products. The notable distinction is that the schedule for the production and delivery of bar joists is controlled by a third party company while the schedule for producing Long Bay® systems is controlled directly by the metal building manufacturer. While this aspect alone often produces shorter lead times, it also means they can be shipped as part of a single-source metal building package to simplify the total construction schedule.

Improved Finished Appearance

Many buildings with large open areas are designed with the intention of keeping the structure open and exposed to view. In that regard, Long Bay® provides a very clean and neat visual appearance, particularly compared to bar joists with lots of bridging. Further, the thicker chord members provide a place to conceal wiring, piping and other needed items. The Long Bay® system also has optional accessories available for a similarly neat installation of sprinklers, mechanical, lighting, and other items all without the need for field welding. This system works particularly well with Early Suppression Fast Response (ESFR) sprinklers used in many warehouses.

To find out more about ways to incorporate a Long Bay® system into your metal buildings, contact your local Ceco representative. You can also find more information on the Long Bay® system here.

The U.S. Green Building Council has developed the well-known LEED® rating system to recognize and certify buildings that are “green” or sustainable. The current iteration of this popular system is LEED version 4 (LEED v4), which applies to a range of building types. In addition to the general New Construction standard, there are also specific standards for Core and Shell building development, Schools, Retail, Data Centers, Warehouses and Distribution Centers, Hospitality, and Healthcare. All of these categories are widespread building types, but they are also all excellent candidates for construction using metal buildings.

How can metal buildings be used to help contribute to earning LEED credits and ultimately certification at the certified, silver, gold, or platinum levels? There are actually multiple ways based on the LEED v4 categories and criteria.

Sustainable Sites (SS)

Because they’re shop-fabricated, metal building systems allow field assembly using a minimal work area, which can also mean less disruption of natural areas and less potential for erosion. Once the building is in place, metal roofing, having a high solar reflectance and SRI, can be installed. Having a roof with a high solar reflectance index applied on the appropriate roof slope assists with achieving points for heat island reduction according to the criteria and calculations in LEED v4.

Energy and Atmosphere (EA)

Metal buildings can be designed and constructed to create an energy-efficient building enclosure to satisfy both the prerequisite and credit portions of the LEED Energy and Atmosphere category. The Metal Building Manufacturers Association (MBMA) publishes an Energy Design Guide for Metal Building Systems, available at www.mbmamanual.com, which can help in this process. Using resources like this, designers and installers can produce a building that has effective insulation, reduced air leakage, high-performance windows and doors, and coordinates with the foundation construction to achieve very favorable energy performance. Further, a metal building with a properly sloped roof can also be the ideal base to support solar panels that can provide an onsite source of renewable energy for the building to capitalize on. All of these factors can be used to earn LEED points across several several sections of this EA category.

Materials and Resources (MR)

A prerequisite for any LEED building is to reduce the amount of construction and demolition waste by recycling, recovering, or reusing building materials. Since metal buildings are shop-fabricated to suit a particular project, there is very little waste to begin with. Any excess or scrap metals, particularly steel and aluminum, are readily and easily recyclable.

Looking to the bigger picture, LEED v4 recognizes efforts to address the impacts of materials over their full life cycle, including materials used in metal buildings. The MBMA has taken the lead on preparing an industry-wide Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) protocol that can be used to support achieving points for this MR credit. The LCA includes primary structural steel frames and secondary structural steel (purlins and girts), along with roof and wall products used in metal buildings. MBMA has also prepared Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) based on the LCA and industry-wide product category rules. By using this information, the environmental impacts of metal buildings can be determined from the extraction of raw materials through manufacturing and shipping (“cradle to gate”). The fact that steel products of all types contain a significant percentage of recycled material, and can be again recycled at the end of the service life of the building, contributes in producing favorable LCA results.

Indoor Environmental Quality (EQ)

LEED has always recognized that the interior spaces of buildings can have a significant impact on protecting the health and well-being of the people inside the building. Metal buildings can help in this EQ category in several ways. Most notably, metal building components are shop painted, which means that volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the paint are controlled at the factory, not released at the jobsite. Further, daylighting and exterior views can be easily incorporated into a metal building design to achieve LEED credits, since steel construction offers a great deal of structural design flexibility.

Ultimately, it is the combination and interaction of all the LEED categories that shape the sustainable performance of a building. Metal buildings clearly have multiple ways in which they contribute toward obtaining certification under LEED v4.0. To find out more about green and sustainable characteristics of metal building systems and products, contact your local Ceco representative.

It is well known that pre-engineered metal buildings are suitable for a wide range of uses and can be customized to suit many different situations.  Part of that customization comes from the size and type of doors that can be designed and built into them. All metal building manufacturers can accommodate rough openings for just about any common-sized door, but a few can even provide the doors and hardware too as part of a total, single-source package. This is particularly true for roll-up doors that are suitable for vehicle entries, loading docks, or self-storage facilities. Let’s take a closer look.

Commercial Metal Buildings

Roll-up doors provide large unencumbered openings in commercial buildings to allow vehicles of all types to pass through. Cars, trucks, boats, recreational vehicles, and plenty more can all be accommodated by selecting a properly sized door that rolls up quickly and out of the way without any concern about interference or blockage, as is sometimes encountered with overhead doors that open to a horizontal position. In loading-dock situations, the doors can separate the dock area from trucks but allow forklifts, handcarts, or other freight-moving equipment to pass through easily and efficiently. In the closed position, they can provide a weathertight seal against the outdoors, including ratings for wind resistance. In order to allow for easy and fast opening and closing, electric operators and sensors are common that can automatically open or close the doors as forklifts or other vehicles approach or move away from the door. In other cases, they can simply be operated on demand with wall-mounted switches or, for smaller-sized doors, can be manually operated with a chain pull.

Self-Storage Metal Buildings

The rise in the demand for self-storage buildings and facilities has resulted in the use of many roll-up doors being incorporated to access each of the individual storage spaces. Since these doors provide a fully accessible opening, they maximize the types and sizes of items that can be stored without sacrificing needed storage space. They can also provide a secure and safe door opening in an economical and durable manner. Further, the door finish can be specified to provide a durable and long-lasting door surface with a full range of available color and finish types.

Coordination of Products

Regardless of the building use, when looking to provide a design with multiple, large-opening roll-up doors, recognize that the total building enclosure can be provided by the same manufacturer. This means that an insulated metal building with all of the structure and other elements detailed and specified can come from a single source. It also means that compatibility and coordination of doors and other building components is likely already worked out and optimized for efficiency, performance, and economy.  Further, all of the accessories and any options can come with the full package as well.

Overall, metal roll-up doors are well suited to be paired with pre-engineered metal buildings. For designers, they streamline the design process and allow for proven systems to work together. For builders, they reduce installation and construction issues in the field while maximizing competitiveness and profit potential. For the owners, they can provide a single-source responsibility to create a building that will be durable, usable, and attractive for many years to come.

In our prior post we looked at the advantages that pre-engineered metal buildings have compared to wood-framed buildings. Since building owners, architects, developers, engineers, and others routinely seek the best value for the investment made in design and construction, it benefits us to look at a similar comparison between metal buildings and common building construction that uses concrete and masonry.

Metal Building Advantages over Concrete and Masonry Buildings:

Speed of Construction: Concrete work requires a number of time-consuming steps, including creating and placing formwork, mixing and pouring concrete, waiting for the curing process to take place, and form removal. Masonry similarly requires mixing of mortar and grout, the placement of the masonry units, and then the curing of the mortar. Metal buildings do not require the time for any of those steps, except for concrete foundations, where used. Instead, the metal components can be installed quickly, efficiently, and with no waiting.

Less Building Weight: Concrete and masonry are inherently heavy materials and that extra weight, or dead load, needs to be taken into account in the structural engineering of the building. That usually translates into larger structural members such as beams, columns, and footings. When the building is constructed instead out of steel, those elements can all be less heavy, comparatively smaller, and usually less expensive.

Site Crews: Pre-engineered metal buildings use the controlled factory conditions to perform critical fabrication functions. That means the onsite crew doesn’t need to have special skills, such as having a certified welder, to construct and assemble the building. That saves time and money compared to construction crews for conventional structural steel, concrete, and masonry work.

Recycling: It is common for a significant portion of the steel used in pre-engineered metal buildings to come from recycled materials, helping to conserve natural resources. At the end of the service life of the building, those materials can again be recycled and used for a new building or new purposes. Concrete and masonry do not typically contain recycled content and at more difficult to recycle at the end of their service life.

Resilience: Concrete and masonry structures need to be designed with extra measures in order to survive extreme conditions such as an earthquake. Steel buildings can readily be design to address the dynamic loading conditions imposed by seismic activity and have proven themselves repeatedly in this regard.

Weather Tolerance: Concrete and masonry construction is usually very dependent on favorable weather conditions. That doesn’t just mean a lack of wind or rain; it means appropriate temperatures of between about 40 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Poor weather conditions not only impact the quality of the workmanship, they can compromise the strength and the quality of concrete, mortar, grout, and similar products. Steel construction overcomes those limitations since the structure is sized and prepared in the factory without needing to rely on field conditions to be constructed accurately. Further, metal building components can tolerate temperatures that are both hotter and colder than those tolerated by masonry and concrete construction. That means the metal building construction can continue without being limited by most weather conditions, helping to keep projects on their time schedules.

With the number of ways that pre-engineered metal buildings provide advantages over concrete and masonry construction, it is easy to see why they remain such a popular choice for low-rise buildings of many different types. Learn more at http://www.mbma.com or https://www.cecobuildings.com.

The Metal Building Manufacturers Association (MBMA) tells us that over the past 80 years more than 14 million metal building systems have been constructed in a wide range of building types and sizes. They have grown in popularity to the point that MBMA estimates that 48% of the low-rise buildings built in the United States utilize metal building systems. Why do pre-engineered metal buildings enjoy such popularity? It becomes readily apparent when compared to the alternative forms of construction available.

In this post, we will identify some of the advantages that metal buildings have over conventional wood-framed construction, which is sometimes seen as a common, inexpensive way to construct not only residential buildings, but light commercial buildings as well. In a future post, we will make a similar comparison between metal buildings and construction using concrete and masonry.

Metal Building Advantages over Wood Buildings:

Design Flexibility: Wood structural members have some notable limitations on their capabilities, such as clear spans of floors and roofs. That means that structural wood walls or columns and beams need to be located close together, which may or may not be conducive to a particular building design scheme. The steel in metal buildings allows for longer spans and greater design flexibility. The stronger material also means that the depth of the steel members does not need to be as deep as wood members, saving on the space required and helping to economize the overall construction.

Energy Efficiency: The insulating properties of insulated metal panels (IMPs) offer significant R-values, which can readily meet or exceed current energy codes and contribute toward credits in the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System. Because of the higher R-value insulation used in IMPs, less space is needed for the insulation compared to typical wood wall assemblies.

Fire-Resistant Construction: Metal building construction provides a non-flammable and non-combustible material for construction. As such it can qualify for different construction types under the building code than wood does. That can help in other ways, such as allowable floor areas and sprinkler requirements.

Low Maintenance: Steel building materials are inherently stronger and more durable than wood, meaning they typically require less maintenance, helping owners save money over the life of the building.

Pre-finished Materials: Most of the visible components of a metal building can be provided pre-finished in the factory. That includes exposed structural members, panels, and even fasteners such as screws and nails. Pre-finishing assures consistent and uniform appearance but also saves construction time compared to field-finishing wood products and systems.

Weather Tolerance: Wood construction can be very dependent on favorable weather conditions. Sudden rainstorms or melting snow can penetrate wood products and cause swelling or other damage that can compromise the structural performance or appearance of wood. Steel construction is not prone to the same type of damage from the weather as wood is. That means the integrity of the metal building systems can remain intact without the need to worry about removing and redoing wood construction work.

With the number of ways that pre-engineered metal buildings provide advantages over wood construction, it is easy to see why they remain such a popular choice for low-rise buildings of many different types. Learn more at http://www.mbma.com or https://www.cecobuildings.com.

Have you ever wondered why there is an increasing push for insulated metal panels, or sandwich panels, in the industry, and how you can benefit from using it in the design and fabrication of your building? The Metal Construction Association (MCA) defines insulated metal panels (IMPs) as “lightweight composite exterior wall and roof panels with metal skins and an insulating foam core.” Their superior insulating properties, increased spanning capabilities and single-step installation make them efficient and cost-effective, particularly when compared to other wall assemblies. And IMPs are available in an assortment of colors, widths, profiles and finishes, allowing for a wide variety of aesthetic appearances for walls and roofs. Let’s look at some of the specifics behind these benefits.

Benefits to Design Professionals:

Design Flexibility: Insulated metal panels are available in a variety of flat and corrugated surfaces suitable for exterior walls, interior walls and roofs. IMPs are strong enough to allow for fewer structural supports than single-skin panels due to greater spanning and load-bearing capabilities, making them easier to integrate into building designs. They come in multiple profiles that can be used in either horizontal or vertical designs, including the availability of custom modular widths and factory-formed corners. Rounding things out is the full range of colors, reveals, and detail accessories that can support or enhance any design. They are also available with applied finishes to create a stucco, wood and other aesthetics.

Environmentally Friendly: It is common for a significant portion of the steel used in IMPs to come from recycled materials. Further, the insulating properties of IMPs with significant R-values can meet or exceed current energy codes and contribute toward credits in the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System. Because of the higher R-value insulation used in IMPs, less insulation space is needed in wall assemblies compared to other wall systems.

Fire-Resistant Solutions: In cases where one-, two- or three-hour fire-resistance ratings need to be part of the design, composite IMPs are available, using non-structural mineral wool insulation fabricated and tested to achieve the needed fire ratings.

Benefits to Construction Trades:

Ease of Installation: Since the interior and exterior faces of insulated metal panels can act as the finished surface, and the panel provides the required thermal, air, vapor and weather barrier for an exterior wall, they take the place of many separate products. This means there are fewer vendors and trades to manage during construction, streamlining the process and saving on costs. And IMPs are unaffected by most weather conditions, which allows flexibility in meeting construction time schedules.

Quick Construction Time: Most insulated metal panels are attached with a concealed fastener system in the side joint that streamlines their installation. This allows them to be quickly installed in a single step, significantly reducing construction time and getting “closed in” sooner.

Benefits to Building Owners:

Cost Effectiveness: The design flexibility and construction benefits noted above allow owners to capitalize on reduced first costs of the building. In addition, the energy efficiency, long term durability, and ease of maintenance typical of IMPs can save on operation costs as described below.

Energy Efficiency: The higher R-values possible with insulated metal panels means better control of heat flowing into or out of the building. Better heat flow control means better control of the energy, and associated costs, used to heat and cool the building.

Strength and Durability: The strength of the metal, including the presence or absence of corrugations, combined with the proven structural capabilities of the foam core, determine the overall strength of IMPs. This composite structural system provides their initial strength plus the ability to be durable enough to resist impacts and other forces during operation.

Longevity: Metal buildings using IMPs have been shown to last quite well as evidenced by decades of use. In most cases, the quality and strength of the steel can be selected to resist the conditions at the building. Similarly, the type of finish can be selected to withstand weather and operating conditions. Depending on local environmental conditions, their projected life could span 50 to 60 years and beyond.

Low Maintenance: Because of the inherent strength, durability, and longevity of IMPs, they typically require minimal maintenance. That means they can help owners save on annual operating budgets as well as long-term capital replacement projects.

With their simplicity of concept, design flexibility, efficient construction, and long-term performance, it is easy to see why insulated metal panels carry benefits for everyone involved. Visit our products or contact a rep to learn more.

In our prior discussion, we looked at exterior walls as a means to provide natural daylight in buildings, but roofs are also a superior source to bring in daylight.

Building Shape: Low-rise and one-story structures are less restricted by building shape than multi-story buildings since single-story interior spaces can all be designed to have access to the roof for daylighting. It is also popular to use a central atrium in multi-story buildings that provides interior spaces access to a common space that is daylit from the roof. Either way, the key is to coordinate the location of roof daylighting openings with the uses of the interior spaces to provide even light distribution where it can serve as an optimum source.

Roof Daylighting: Daylight can be brought into a building through the roof by using well-known techniques such as skylights, roof monitors, and clerestories. It is also possible to incorporate domed, cylindrical “light tubes” that are specifically designed to maximize the daylight received at any angle and direct it down into the building in strategic locations. The advantages of any of these rooftop daylighting techniques include direct access to the entire sky, a more consistent distribution of daylight, easier glare control, and the ability to daylight interior spaces and large floor areas regardless of building shape. When designing for roof daylighting, the Architecture 2030 Palette (www.2030palette.org) recommends the glazing area should be a minimum of 10 – 20 percent of the floor area to be daylit, although that can vary based on the specific technique.

In the case of metal buildings with metal roofing systems, the incorporation of any type of roof opening needs to be carefully addressed for proper flashing, weatherproofing, and longevity. The metal building industry has an array of envelope solutions and procedures in place to accommodate the use of daylighting systems on a metal roof. These systems incorporate some emerging technologies like prismatic embossed skylights for enhanced illumination. Speak with your manufacturer for specific product offerings in this regard.

Daylight Control: Anytime bright daylight is brought into a comparatively darker building, there is a need to control the amount and quality of that light to prevent uncomfortable glare or unwanted lighting contrasts. For exterior walls, some form of louver, blind, or baffle is typically employed, either on the interior or exterior of the building, in order to allow people to redirect or filter sunlight coming into a space. In roof systems, direct sunlight can be filtered and distributed over a space by using translucent glazing material, baffles, and reflectors, or by bouncing sunlight high off a light-colored interior surface or wall. Light tubes have addressed this by incorporating filters that diffuse and alter the quality of the light, filtering it down to the level of the average electrical light fixture.

Energy Savings: In order to take full advantage of the energy savings natural daylight can provide, the usage of electrical lights would need to be reduced during daylight hours. While it may make sense in some situations to use typical hand-operated light switches, in most cases it is more efficient to use automatic sensors that connect to controls that can dim or turn off the electric lights. Dimming is often preferred and requires a lighting system that is equipped for such, for example, LED lights or dimmable fluorescent fixtures. Many energy codes recognize the potential energy savings from using daylight and identify “daylight zones” in a building that requires such automatic lighting controls.

More Information: The metal building industry has embraced the benefits of natural daylight with the development of adaptable materials and integrated metal envelope and roof solutions. You can find out more in a free white paper titled “Shining Light on Daylighting with Metal Roofs” at http://www.mbci.com/daylighting/.

Before the common availability of electrical lighting, natural daylight was the only real option in buildings. Many solutions, both simple and sophisticated, have evolved from the quest of bringing natural sunlight into the building envelope. Current building trends have seen a renewed interest in reviving the techniques of using natural daylight as a replacement for electrical lighting to create more appealing spaces that are also less costly to operate. Daylight can enter through the building walls, the roof, or both. In this discussion, we will focus on some basic techniques of using walls to provide daylighting.

Design Tools: Many resources and computer modeling tools address daylighting in considerable depth. One of the most concise and useful resources is from the not-for-profit organization Architecture 2030, whose mission is to reduce energy usage in buildings. The 2030 Palette provides not only “rule-of-thumb” guidelines but also examples of design principles put into practice, plus detailed informational resources (www.2030palette.org). Using such information for metal buildings relies on the same fundamental daylighting principles that apply to any other building; however, there are a few specific things to keep in mind with metal building construction.

Building Shape: A multi-story building that is shaped to maximize access to daylight typically has a narrow footprint. Since it is difficult to direct sunlight deeply into a building from an exterior wall, a narrow shape allows more of the spaces to have access to the light source on an exterior wall. Building footprints can be elongated, curved, or be made up of multiple smaller shapes to achieve the best access to daylight. Using high ceilings and high windows allows daylight to penetrate deeper into buildings compared to those with low ceilings and lower windows. If buildings are elongated in the east-west direction, the longer north and south sides will be exposed to different types of direct and indirect daylighting. If they are elongated in the north-south direction, then the longer sides will receive direct sunlight at different times of the day and indirect sunlight at others.

Exterior Wall Daylighting: The 2030 Palette suggests that acceptable interior daylight levels for task lighting can be achieved at a depth of 1.5 to 2 times the height of a glazed opening (i.e., window, panels, etc.). In most cases, that equates to between 10 to 20 feet inside the building from the wall, although a tall metal building with upper-level windows or light transmitting panels will have an advantage. An interior light shelf added to a glazed opening will reflect daylight deeper into a space, and can increase the useful daylighting depth to 2.5 times the height of the glazed opening.

The total amount of glazing area along an exterior wall is also important in terms of effectiveness. The general rule of thumb in this case is to provide glazing in 10 -15 percent of a wall area at a minimum, for basic daylighting levels, with 15 – 25 percent preferred for more-adequate daylighting levels. (Note that most energy codes are based on a maximum of 30 – 40 percent total glazed openings in walls.) Where possible, daylighting spaces from multiple sides can provide lighting that is more evenly distributed while producing less glare in the space. When it is not possible to provide daylighting from multiple sides, utilizing lighter colors for side walls and ceilings and incorporating high ceilings and windows with light shelves will help.

Conclusion: Incorporating these principles of exterior wall daylighting into the design of metal buildings has been embraced by many metal building manufacturers. By working directly with a manufacturer during the building design process, the benefits of daylighting can be achieved using conventional metal building construction techniques that are cost-effective and consistent with project time schedules.