When you hear the term “ivy-covered walls,” your mind almost automatically shifts to a university campus, with masonry buildings in collegiate gothic style with ivy expanding up the walls surrounding a grassed quadrangle. Can’t you smell a grill cooking meat for the tailgating party before the football game?
In comparison to the construction of university campuses of just a couple of decades back; this expanded use of metal is a significant change. I remember in the early stages of my career, most designers of university and college buildings would use a straight arm technique worthy of a great running back with the use of the phrase, “the university has an established design format that only allows masonry or stone; metal can not be considered.”
So, what has changed?
What has changed is that designers and facility managers have become aware of the benefits of metal. The wide variety of metal wall systems has given designers great flexibility for their designs. From extremely flat to curved, from sloping to ribbed; metal systems offer designers an ever expanding list of choices to make their designs distinctive. 
Facility managers have learned that metal wall systems require almost no maintenance. This meshes nicely with the current state of finances for these institutions where capital may be available from an endowment to build a new facility, but the funds to actually operate a facility are as scarce as hens’ teeth.
The point is this: metal has gained acceptance as a “go-to” product for institutional buildings because of its inherent benefits and performance. So, all of us in the metal industry should approach designers and building owners with confidence when we recommend metal.
Editor’s Note: This month’s column has been
adapted from a blog post written by Ted Miller prior
to his passing. For more information on The Miller-
Clapperton Partnership Inc. in Austell, Ga., visit
www.millerclapperton.com.