Contact MBMA


User Groups » Architects » Working with Metal Buildings

Working with Metal Buildings

MBMA highly recommends that end customers retain an architect and or engineer of record to be responsible for specifying the design criteria for the metal building system and overall project. Collaboration is essential, especially for these design criteria:

  • Geometric requirements and identifying critical clearance dimensions as well as whether special tests are required. These may include items like Underwriters Laboratory or ASTM uplift tests on panels, or whether the building is subject to Factory Mutual requirements.
  • Governing code body, wind load, ground snow, the occupancy category of the building, whether tributary load reduction is allowed, and seismic zones must be determined on the specific project. Site and construction conditions that affect design criteria.
  • Serviceability requirements, including lateral drift, deflection, vibration and materials, such as masonry, EIFS or tilt-wall materials are important factors to consider. Some architects choose to support full height masonry walls between the columns with masonry bond beams while others ask the metal building company to provide a horizontal structural support member. Consideration for supporting non-metal walls between the frame points is important to evaluate.

Additional resources that will help:

Important Building Factors: