The Metal Architecture 28th Annual Architects Survey indicates our architect audience is holding steady on its perceptions about metal roofing. The nearly 300 respondents indicate that they will specify metal roofing, metal wall panels, metal building systems and metal framing in about the same proportions they had in previous years, with only slight upticks among all the materials. What has changed, of course, is architects are getting more work so the pure number of projects utilizing metal will increase. But at this point, we’re not seeing substantial market share gains in any of these areas.

There are some changes in the types of metal roofs specified that are interesting. The percentage of low-slope standing seam metal roofs remains exactly with what was reported last year
(49.8%), but far fewer designers report both batten-seam roofs
(47.3% in 2012 and 39.5% in 2013) and steep-slope standing seam metal roofs (34.7% in 2012 and 22.5% in 2013).

There are two other interesting points that rise up from the survey. In contrast to metal roofing, there was very little change in the variety of metal wall panels specified, although there was a general uptick across all types.

Secondly, the use of metal in LEED and green certifications seems to be trending downward among our respondents. It’s too early to speculate why, and we don’t ask if other products are replacing them, but some possible explanations include less demand for green construction and changes to certification programs that adversely affect metal building products. In future surveys, we will keep a close eye on this metric.

(Click on image to enlarge.)

Type of Firm

Position in the Firm

Did you or your company specify metal building products during 2013, and do you expect to specify them for 2014?

Metal Roofing

Comparing 2013 to 2014, do you expect to specify more, about the same or less metal roofing?

Did you or your firm specificy a re-roft or retrofit roofing project in 2013?

What types of metal roofing did your firm specify in 2013?

Metal Wall Panels

Comparing 2013 to 2014, do you expect to specify more, about the same or less metal wall panels?

What tyes of metal wall panels did your firm specify in 2013?

Metal Building and Metal Framing Systems

Comparing 2013 to 2014, do you expect to specify more, about the same or less metal building systems?

Comparing 2013 to 2014, do you expect to specify more, about the same or less metal framing systems?

New Technologies

Did your company look to metal building products to help your firm gain LEED certification or green building objectives in 2013?

Did you or your firm specify “cool metal” coatings in any of your roofing solutions in 2013?

Did you or your firm specify solar panels, photovoltaics or solar films in your roofing projects in 2013?

Do you expect to increase the number of solar panels or photovoltaic systems in 2014?