TABLE OF CONTENTS Metal building systems dominate the low-rise nonresidential building market, as demonstrated in Chap. 1. For dozens, if not hundreds, of manufacturers offering proprietary framing systems, profiles, and materials, a level-field competition is impossible without a common thread of standardization and uniformity. This unifying role has been traditionally handled by the industry organizations and trade associations.
A designer who is seriously involved in specifying metal building systems and who wants to become familiar with common industry practices will at some point need to review the design manuals and specifications promulgated by these groups. The specifier might even wish to follow the latest industry developments by becoming a member of the trade association or by subscribing to some of its publications. Sooner or later the designer will be faced with a question about the availability of a certain metal-building component, or about the feasibility of some nontraditional design approach the questions that can be answered only by an industry representative. Also, were any disagreements to arise during construction, manufacturers and contractors would probably reference the trade literature to the specifiers to support their position.
For all these reasons, it is important to become familiar with the industry groups and their publications. While our list is not intended to be all-inclusive in this dynamic industry, new organizations are being formed every year it should prove helpful to anyone seeking further information about metal building systems.
In the 1950s, the metal building industry was still disorganized and...
