Tag Archives: Metal Building Materials

Be Inspired By the 2012 Chairman’s Award Recipients

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The Metal Construction Association (MCA) and The Metal Initiative had a productive week last week at METALCON International in Rosemont, IL. METALCON is the premier event for the metal design and construction industry, and MCA is proud to sponsor this event each year.

Each year at METALCON MCA unveils the Chairman’s Awards, which are given to some of the most innovative and creative projects involving MCA member companies. Want to be inspired by some amazing designs featuring metal walls and roofs? Take a few minutes to read more about the winners and view the video featuring the nine winners from 2012.

And keep coming back to the blog or to the metal building case studies over the coming weeks and months for more inspiring information about each of the 2012 Chairman’s Award recipients.

Kingspan’s Role in Energy-Efficiency Program Elevates Entire Metal Construction Industry

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Paul Bertram Jr., Kingspan Insulated Panels, Inc.

As you may know, Kingspan Insulated Panels is one of five private-sector companies, and the only metal building company, involved in a new federal initiative to improve industrial energy efficiency. The Better Buildings, Better Plants program aims to improve energy intensity (an economic indicator of energy efficiency) by 25% over 10 years.

I believe that Kingspan’s participation in this program elevates the visibility of the entire metal construction industry. It highlights our commitment to energy-efficient building technology that performs on par with or better than traditional envelope systems that serve green building and net-zero energy development. The program will:

  • Provide assistance to plants to help their operations meet prescribed energy-efficiency goals, such as net-zero energy
  • Support plant operations that establish and analyze key energy-use data and metrics used to develop baselines and energy-management plans
  • Recognize the insulated metal panel (IMP) as an accepted energy-conservation solution that provides thermally optimized building envelopes
  • Demonstrate to building owners the potential energy cost savings and return on investment achieved with optimized building envelopes. This marks a path toward net-zero.

It is clear that the federal government is interested in anything that saves energy. We all need to think about energy efficiency—whether through solar reflectance and cool roofing or insulation and air barriers. Our industry is leading the way in addressing national and global energy challenges, as seen by Kingspan’s commitment to finding ways of using our own products to save even more energy in the future.

Paul Bertram Jr., FCSI CDT LEED AP, is director of environment and sustainability at Kingspan Insulated Panels, Inc., based in Deland, FL.

Which Property Owners Choose Metal?

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By: Todd Miller, Isaiah Industries, Inc.

In my metal roofing and construction work, I am frequently asked about what types of property owners choose metal to protect and enhance their buildings. This is a great question but, to be honest, I believe matchmaking is best left to the personal dealings of online dating services. However, there are certain hallmark characteristics of property owners who gravitate toward metal, including having:

  • An appreciation of aesthetics. Those who choose metal usually care deeply about the design and beauty of their buildings. They understand that individual products are integral to the overall design and function of a building. This usually extends beyond the building envelope to include landscaping and the building interior.
  • Concern for operational costs. Property owners who want to reduce their costs for energy and maintenance, both now and well into the future, gravitate toward metal because of its durability and energy efficiency.
  • A long-term view. Metal is perfect for those buildings that owners plan to own for a long time. The real dollar value of metal products tends to kick in during a building’s second decade, when energy savings start to mount. It’s also at this time that less durable building materials need to be repaired or replaced.
  • Concern for the environment. Metal products offer many green benefits. They are sustainable, contain large amounts of recycled content, and are completely recyclable at the end of their long lives.

To find out whether building owners are compatible with the use of metal, I suggest asking them what they wish to accomplish and then having them prioritize their goals. For example, do they seek durability? Energy efficiency? Fire safety? Beauty? As they work through this process, metal will likely appear the logical choice for their building material.

Todd Miller is president of Isaiah Industries, Inc., Piqua, OH.

Building Design and Performance: The Stakes Are High

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By: Todd Miller, Isaiah Industries, Inc.

Today, it doesn’t make any difference whether you’re planning to build or remodel a tall skyscraper in Manhattan or a rustic vacation getaway outside of Albuquerque, the stakes are high when it comes to product selection.

The first step to specifying products that will lead to a successful project is to determine your criteria. What are the key things you’d like to achieve? Once you determine your criteria, you have benchmarks to weigh competing products against and determine what it will take to create the building of your dreams.

In determining your criteria, there are several keys areas to consider. Let’s take a look at them.

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