White Paper: How metal buildings deliver long-term value to schools

The history of metal buildings dates back to the late 1700s with the construction of fireproof mill structures for the agricultural and textile industries in Britain. During the next 100 years, hundreds of portable iron houses were sold to gold rush pioneers, and the first steel-framed skyscrapers were built.

In the early 20th century, the oil industry recognized the benefits of metal structures for use as oil derrick covers and tool sheds (commonly called “doghouses”). Before long, metal framing caught on as a popular choice in the construction of warehouses and factories.

During World War II, the Quonset hut provided inexpensive, mobile housing for soldiers in battle. Shipped as a kit that could be assembled quickly and easily, the building provided excellent shelter from the elements and was lightweight and easy to transport.

The advent of computer-aided design (CAD) in the 1960s paved the way for steel buildings to begin offering more customized designs, features, shapes and sizes.

As materials, products and design capabilities have continued to improve, metal buildings have progressively become larger and more sophisticated.

Today, metal building systems are being designed for nearly every imaginable building application – from shopping centers and churches to government facilities and commercial office buildings.

The affordability, design flexibility and energy efficiency of metal building systems also make them an increasingly appealing solution for a broad range of educational, training and school buildings.

This white paper outlines the benefits of metal buildings for public and private school building projects. It includes the perspectives of builders who have constructed numerous school facilities as well as owners involved in the construction process.

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We offer the following recommendations in the hope that they will help step up the pace of high-performance building reconstruction in the U.S. and Canada. We consulted many experts for advice, but these recommendations are solely the responsibility of the editors of Building Design+Construction. We welcome your comments. Please send them to Robert Cassidy, Editorial Director: rcassidy@sgcmail.com.