Thermal Conductance (C-Value)

A measure of the amount of heat that passes through materials of any thickness.

Steel Frame

Metal buildings are strong. It is the nature of their design. Because they are built to survive the harshest conditions, you can rest assured that you investment will last for years to come. The basic design provides great structural stability, even in an earthquake or windstorm. The rigid steel frame reinforces the secondary structural framing system. Any building is only as good as its foundation. A steel frame is the ultimate starting point for your building.

The last thing you need to worry about is the structural integrity of your office, shop or storage buildings. An advantage with pre-engineered buildings is there are no roof shingles for you to worry about replacing later. A smart investment is one that requires the least amount of cost now and in the future. Steel frame buildings are just such an investment.

If you have questions about steel frame buildings, just turn to an expert. There are many qualified steel building manufacturers to answer any question that you may have.

Heat Transfer

Effectively controlling temperature in a steel building requires insulation to be present along exterior walls and roof. When a temperature differential is present in an enclosed steel building, heat will work from warmer areas to colder areas until the temperature in the building has stabilized. At the point of thermal stabilization, the cooler (and heavier) air will be present at lower elevations and warmer air will be present at the roofline. The function of insulation is to help stabilize air temperature at more desirable levels. When it is hot outside, preventing heat from transferring into the building is the goal, and of course in the winter we want heat to remain inside.

Heat transfer occurs in three ways:

Conduction : Occurs in a solid or liquid when heat from one object is transferred by touch to another object. An example of this occurs when a pot on a stove will heat up by conductive heat transfer from an electric coil.

Convection : Occurs with the physical movement of air. There are two types of convectional heat movement. The first is natural, where hot air rises displacing the cold air and moving it down. The second type is forced or mechanical convection. This occurs when an object, like a fan, physically moves or "forces" the air to move.

Radiation : Occurs when an object is warmer or hotter than the air around it. For example, the sun, which is hotter than everything around it, radiates heat waves that travel through the air and is either absorbed by or reflected by the surface it comes in contact with.

Metal Buildings for Retail

Every retailer knows the importance of the manner in which merchandise is housed and displayed. In the highly competitive arena of retail sales, appearance can make a tremendous impact on attracting customers and influencing purchasing decisions.

Your retail facility can be enhanced with decorative brick, wood, stucco, glass, aggregate panels, landscaping and signage. A Metal Building Depot Acceptance Corporation dealer can help you with efficient designs and a more delightful appearance, yet stay within your budget.

Strip malls throughout the nation are being built with steel, utilizing the ability to add on or incorporate other fascia items - representing savings of up to 30% over other conventional construction methods. Owners and developers have come to realize that the pace at which a steel building system can be designed, manufactured, delivered and completed, is measurably less than that of any type of conventional construction. The short completion time and overall durability of steel building systems assure a more efficient turnkey project, as well as a quick return on the initial investment.

RECREATIONAL

Todays sports, conditioning and recreational centers represent a multi-billion dollar business which continues to grow each year. Attractive, ultra-modern facilities are springing up everywhere, offering a myriad of activities to meet the recreational demands of our society.

Immense clear span, low cost-per-square-foot, and low energy costs are vital to the successful construction and operation of recreational facilities. Whether your need is for a tennis, bowling or health club facility, computerized design and manufacturing help our design engineers create building systems that meet the precise demands of recreational facilities with an eye to architectural designs that fit into any surrounding. Our engineers have designed and manufactured buildings for sports courts, sports fields, game rooms, locker rooms, roller rinks, ice rinks, riding arenas, recreational centers and every other pastime you can imagine. The most important element in the design of all these facilities was combining practicality with efficiency, while providing for the customers' needs. Equestrian buildings provide excellent examples of how the flexibility of these custom designs allow for cost-effective solutions to those specific needs. Your dealer can value-engineer a dollar-saving building system that fits the bill, whether your needs include an arena, a barn or a complete riding facility. Available from one stall to one hundred, with a center row or in a shed-row design, our value-engineered horse barns give you maximum space with a functional layout designed to streamline your horse operations. Riding arenas are available fully-enclosed or as a roof-only structure. Clear span arenas are available up to 240 feet wide and in unlimited lengths. Our engineering department and your dealer can work with you to custom design a structure which maximizes your building site with attached barns, tack rooms, or hay storage areas.