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Fastener Guide for Sheet Steel Building Products

Introduction Questions occasionally arise about how sheet steel building products meet the requirements of the National and Provincial building codes related to fire protection. The objective of this Fact Sheet is to highlight certain building code requirements and show how sheet steel building products comply

Introduction This Fact Sheet is written to provide assistance in understanding the engineering terms commonly used in the sheet steel building products industry. 

The construction industry is a vital part of the growth and success of a country. It is responsible for building the physical infrastructure that provides transportation and facilities for citizens, businesses, industries and institutions. Construction has a major influence on the economic wealth, societal well¬being and sustainability of the built environment. The Canadian construction industry employs more than 1.2 million people. In 2010 it accounted for 6% of Canada’s gross domestic product (GDP), with a total value of 73.8 billion dollars. From 2000 to 2010, the GDP from construction increased 42.7% whereas GDP for all industries increased 20.2%.(1) Construction also has a profound impact on our natural environment. In North America, the built environment accounts for approximately one third of all the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, as well as energy, water and materials consumption. Given the increased awareness of “green” construction, there is growing interest in using steel because of the major recycled content and recyclability attributes it provides to architects, engineers and specifiers in the construction industry. The steel industry, through the Canadian Sheet Steel Building Institute is committed to providing steel solutions that promote the use of sustainable materials in construction applications. This fact sheet provides an overview of the two main methods used to produce steel, and describes the recycled content of the steels used to manufacture building products such as roofing, cladding, decking, structural and non-structural framing and the many other construction products used in the industry. Once iron ore is extracted and refined into steel, its life never ends. This makes steel an ideal material to deploy in sustainable strategies for the construction industry. Today’s steel is produced using two technologies both of which require “old” (recycled scrap) steel to make “new” steel. The combination of these technologies enables Canadian steel mills the flexibility to produce a variety of steel grades for a wide range of product applications

Introduction Prefinished sheet steel building products, such as wall and roof cladding, liner sheet, flashing, and associated items, have experienced an enviable growth record during the past twenty years or so. Coil coated prefinished sheet steel in a variety of colours and paint systems has greatly enhanced the appearance of thousands of industrial, commercial, institutional, recreational, residential and farm buildings, providing an economical, durable and attractive alternative to traditional materials. As with all materials, a little care and maintenance pays off handsomely in terms of longevity and repair costs. The recommendations which follow have been learned at first hand and represent the collective industry experience with thin-film paint systems applied to metallic coated sheet steel by the coil coating process. In this publication the term “thin-film paint system” refers to a modified silicone polyester or a fluorocarbon type having a coating thickness about 25µm. When the guidelines listed below have been observed, thin-film paint systems have been used successfully for all types of environments other than severe industrial atmospheres which require special consideration. The guidelines are not intended for barrier coatings, laminates, and new formulations which have different characteristics than the thin-film paint systems on which these guidelines are predicated. 

1. SCOPE 1.1 The following specifications shall apply to hot-dipped metallic-coated sheet steel prefinished with colours of proven durability and suitable for exterior exposure as delivered from the coil coater. Proven paint systems for building products have been designed for vertical applications whose surfaces are no more than 30° to the vertical and non-vertical applications whose surfaces ranging from 5° up to 60° to the horizontal. It is not recommended for aggressive atmospheric exposure. 1.2 The prefinish system shall consist of a primer and topcoat continuously applied and cured within the paint manufacturer’s specifications on cleaned, pretreated, metallic-coated substrate. The pretreatment specified shall be zinc phosphate for galvanized steel and metal oxide pretreatment for aluminum-zinc alloy-coated steel, applied in accordance with the pretreatment manufacturer’s specifications.

According to certain “studies,” wood claims a smaller environmental footprint than any other major building material. However, a closer look at the facts reveals some significant inconsistencies with that claim. MYTH: Studies demonstrate that wood is a more sustainable material than steel. REALITY: The most-cited study contained numerous incorrect assumptions about steel, and it omitted wood impacts. • A study cited often by the wood industry was published by the Consortium for Research on Renewable Industrial Materials (CORRIM) and is based on outdated information. For example, it made incorrect assumptions about the quantity of steel needed for its comparisons. • Wood is typically a single-use material. At the end of its life, a building’s wood frame is typically landfilled or incinerated. This returns any stored carbon dioxide back into the atmosphere as either carbon dioxide or methane, shifting greenhouse gas burdens to future generations. • In comparison, steel is the world’s most recycled material. Steel construction products have a recycling rate of more than 90 percent, meaning that at the end of a steel building’s life, more than 90 percent of its steel is recycled into another steel product, using significantly less energy than was necessary to create the original product. A material that can be recycled continually over centuries with no loss in quality and that lowers the burden on future generations is the very definition of sustainability! MYTH: Wood is more sustainable than steel because it is a renewable building resource. REALITY: Being renewable is not the same as being sustainable. • The wood industry claims that for every tree cut down, one or more new trees are planted. However, the claim does not take into account that it will take decades before those saplings mature. In the meantime, the forest is depleted of the oxygen, water storage and filtration, wildlife habitat, global cooling, and other benefits provided by the mature tree. 1 • Trees are often harvested by clear-cutting, leaving large gaps in the forestland that also impact the plants and animal species left behind. MYTH: Wood is more sustainable than steel because wood construction products store carbon. REALITY: Carbon storage for construction products is temporary, only shifting impacts to future generations. • Carbon is sequestered in the fiber of trees, but that does not mean that wood buildings become large reservoirs of carbon that is stored indefinitely. Upon harvesting, the unused root and leaf systems immediately return their CO to the atmosphere by decay. For wood products, the reality is that carbon storage is also temporary and it is released back into the atmosphere at the end of the wood building’s life either by the demolition and subsequent decay of the wood or by incineration. • Ann Ingerson of The Wilderness Society states: “As a result of wood waste and decomposition, the carbon stored long-term in harvested wood products may be a small proportion of that originally stored in the standing trees―across the United States, approximately 1 percent may remain in products in use and 13 percent in landfills at 100 years post-harvest.” 2 2 Photo courtesy of the American Institute of Steel Construction Photo courtesy of SCS Global Services MYTH: All wood construction products are certified as being sustainably harvested. REALITY: The majority of forests in the U.S. do not meet the wood industry’s own sustainable harvesting standards. • Eighty-one percent of forests in the United States are not certified, 11 percent are Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI®)-certified, and seven percent are Forest Stewardship Council (FSC®)-certified.3 The sustainable harvest certification provided by the Sustainable Forestry Initiative has often been challenged as to whether it reaches the required threshold of sustainable forestry. SFI was created in 1994 by the paper and timber industry. A report on SFI by ForestEthics concludes in part: - “SFI is funded, promoted and staffed by the very paper and timber industry interests it claims to evaluate.”4 - “Of SFI’s 543 audits, up to the time of the report’s issuance, there were no major noncompliance issues related to soil erosion, clear-cut procedures, watershed issues, or chemical usage.”5 - “SFI-certified logging practices are having a disastrous impact on North American forests.”6 • In actuality, only seven percent of the forestland in the United States reaches the threshold of being considered sustainably managed. References 1 “Understanding Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) for Wood (Current Problems and Future Possibilities),” The Sierra Club Forest Certification and Green Building Team, September 24, 2013. 2 Ingerson, Ann, “Carbon Storage Potential of Harvested Wood: Summary and Policy Implications,” The Wilderness Society, October 23, 2010, p. 1. 3 “Forest Certification Around the World: Georgia-Pacific, Sustainable Forestry and Certification,” Georgia-Pacific, 2014. 4 “SFI: Certified Greenwash – Inside the Sustainable Forestry Initiative’s Deceptive Eco-Label,” a report by ForestEthics, November 2010, p. 2. 5 “SFI: Certified Greenwash – Inside the Sustainable Forestry Initiative’s Deceptive Eco-Label,” a report by ForestEthics, November 2010, p. 9. 6 “SFI: Certified Greenwash – Inside the Sustainable Forestry Initiative’s Deceptive Eco-Label,” a report by ForestEthics, November 2010, p. 11.

Designers and builders have long recognized steel for its strength, durability and functionality. An important aspect of steel’s story is its high recycled content and end-of-life recovery rate. Both attributes are recognized by the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) green building rating system, Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), but steel construction products can contribute to many other LEED credits as well, either directly or indirectly. USGBC’s latest version, LEEDv4, includes a completely revised and expanded Materials and Resources section, with new credits in the areas of life-cycle assessment (LCA), environmental product declarations (EPDs), and overall product transparency

Faced with a tight schedule and challenging weather conditions, Belluz Group Ltd. turned to MAPEI for the range of high-end products and support that was needed to complete a new-build terminal project in the heart of Canada’s biggest city.

Buildings have a profound impact on our natural environment, economy, health and productivity. In North America, the built environment accounts for approximately one-third of all greenhouse gas emissions, energy, water and material consumption and generates similiar proportions of pollution. Indoor air quality is regarded as one of the top environmental health risks today, affecting the well-being, productivity and performance of many people. As concerns increase about sustainability in building design and operation, there is a need to develop a framework for assessing and quantifying buildings so that questions such as, “What is sustainable design?” and “How green is this project?” can be addressed. In response to this, the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) green building rating system was developed to provide such a framework for North America. This document explores how the use of steel structures and components can contribute to achieving a LEED certificate for a building.

Environmental Product Declaration Roll Formed Steel Panels

Sustainability, durability, fire resistance, structural performance and cost-effectiveness are some of the strongest reasons for using structural steel or cold-formed steel framing in mid-rise building construction. As a dependable, noncombustible material, steel-framed structures provide a wise investment for builders and the occupants who live and work in them. Steel structures provide long-term, consistent performance. • Steel framing will not rot, warp, split, crack or creep. • Steel framing is not vulnerable to termites. • Steel framing does not expand or contract with moisture content. • Steel framing is produced in strict accordance with national standards, with no regional variations. Steel is a noncombustible material and will not contribute to the spread of a fire. • Because steel is noncombustible, it reduces the fire risk to occupants, firefighters and property/business owners. Steel framing improves design efficiency, saves time, and reduces costs. • Steel framing provides a significantly greater strength-to-weight ratio than wood. • Steel framing allows for larger bays and wider frame spacing than wood construction. • Increased flexibility in bay spacing and framing layout maximizes usable floor space for owners and tenants. • Steel is typically fabricated off-site, reducing on-site labor, cycle time and construction waste. • Shorter construction time results in earlier occupancies and lower financing costs. Steel structures perform well during earthquakes and other extreme events. • Steel is a resilient material, with reserve strength and ductility that result in significant advantages in natural disasters such as hurricanes and earth- quakes, and in other extreme events like fire and blast. • Steel construction is engineered to provide a reliable, consistent load path. • Steel construction employs quality control and quality assurance procedures to ensure that the project requirements are met. Steel framing provides environmental benefits and complies with sustainable building standards. • Steel framing results in less scrap and job site waste than lumber. • Structural steel is continually recycled with a current recycling rate of 98 percent, meaning that these steels will still be in use hundreds of years from now, lessening impacts on future generations. • Steel, when recycled, loses none of its inherent properties and can be recycled into different products such as cars, bridges, cans, etc. • Steel can be used to comply with the requirements of sustainable design standards such as the International Green Construction Code (IgCC), ASHRAE Standard 189.1 (Standard for the Design of High-Performance Green Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings), and the National Green Building Standard (ICC-700). Steel can also provide credit points for green building rating systems like the USGBC’s LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) and the Green Building Initiative’s ANSI/GBI-01 (Green Building Assessment Protocol for Commercial Buildings).  

IntroductionSheet Steel Roong and SidingLightweight Steel FramingIsolate the Steel and Wood ComponentsAvoid Use of Pressure Treated WoodFastenersMany buildings will include wood members in applicationssuch as sill plates, splash boards, strapping, purlins, door orwindow bucks, and posts. In some of these end-uses it is arequirement that the wood be chemically treated (pressuretreated) to extend the service life.Designers and builders need to be aware that changes in theavailable wood perservatives may impact the durability ofany connected steel components or fasteners.Eective January 1, 2004 the Environmental ProtectionAgency (EPA) banned the use of Chromated CopperArsenate (CCA) as a preservative in treated lumber forresidential construction. This was done in an eort to reducethe use of chromate and arsenic thereby mitigating thepotential health and environmental problems. The woodpreservative industry has been switching to alternativewaterborne compounds including Sodium Borate (SBX),Alkaline Copper Quat (ACQ), Copper Azole (CBA-A and CA-B),and Ammoniacal Copper Zinc Arsenate (ACZA).Unfortunately, research has indicated that ACQ, CBA-A, CA-Band ACZA, the new generation copper-based products, aremore corrosive to galvanized steel than the former CCA.Since ACQ is becoming the predominant preservative in use,the discussions in this paper will refer to it exclusively.The purpose of this Fact Sheet is to convey the recommendations of the sheet steel industry for the application of steelproducts with ACQ pressure treated wood.

Preface This How To Series publication is an educational tool intended to give guidance to anyone specifying sheetsteel building products. This particular publication deals with the retrofit of the building envelope utilizing sheet steel. This is a generic guide giving the basic details and should only supplement the specific recommendations or design guidance published by the manufacturer appropriate to their own products. The material presented in this publication has been prepared for the general information of the reader. While the material is believed to be technically correct and in accordance with recognized good practice at the time of publication, its should not be used without first securing competent advice with respect to its suitability for any specific application. Neither the Canadian Sheet Steel Building Institute norites Members warrant or assume liability for the suitability of the material for any general or particular use.

PREFACE One of the objectives of the Canadian Sheet Steel Building Institute is the development of product standards to promote safety and sound construction practices. This Standard is intended to assist specifiers, designers, buyers, manufacturers, and erectors of sheet steel cladding by providing information which can be adopted by reference where desired. This Standard replaces the previous edition dated November 2015. The requirements contained herein are in accordance with sound engineering principles, augmented by experience. They include recommended minimum requirements for such factors as grade of steel, thickness, metallic coating designation, loading and deflections, as well as design, fabrication and erection in general. While the material is believed to be technically correct and in accordance with recognized practice at the time of publication it does not obviate the need to determine its suitability for a given situation. Neither the Canadian Sheet Steel Building Institute nor its members warrant or assume liability for the suitability of the material for any general or particular application.

Preface One of the objectives of the CSSBI and its members is the development of standards and technical publications that promote safety, performance and good practice. This "How To Series" of publications is an educational tool intended to give guidance to anyone specifying sheet steel building products. This particular publication is published as an aid to building owners as well as roofing and siding installers. It offers simple and practical recommendations for the selection, application and installation of light gauge steel cladding. This is a generic guide giving the basic details and should only supplement the specific recommendations or guidance published by the manufacturer appropriate to their own products. The views expressed in this guide are a collection of installation techniques and do not necessarily reflect those of all member companies of the CANADIAN SHEET STEEL BUILDING INSTITUTE. The material presented in this publication has been prepared for the general information of the reader. While the material is believed to be technically correct and in accordance with recognized good practice at the time of publication, it should not be used without first securing competent advice with respect to its suitability for any specific application. Neither the CANADIAN SHEET STEEL BUILDING INSTITUTE nor its Members warrant or assume liability for the suitability of this bulletin for any general or particular application.

Introduction Prefinished sheet steel is used on many building products from wall cladding, to architectural roofing to interior panels. Prefinished sheet steel has been used in Canada for over 30 years and there may be sites were the paint surface is in need of repainting. This bulletin is intended to give some guidance on repainting prefinished panels. Due to the diversity of factory applied prefinished systems, and the diversity of potential field applied repaint systems, it is impossible to offer one comprehensive repaint procedure for all possible situations. However, it is possible to offer a set of guidelines to be considered in every potential situation.

PREFACE One of the objectives of the Canadian Sheet Steel Building Institute is the development of product standards to promote sound construction using safe building practices. This Standard is intended to further this objective by providing to buyers, manufacturers and installers of steel farm roofing and siding, information which can be used or adopted by reference where desired. The requirements contained herein are in accordance with accepted engineering principles, augmented by experience. They include recommendations covering steel thicknesses, minimum metallic coating designations, as well as design, manufacture and installation in general.

PREFACE One of the objectives of the Canadian Sheet Steel Building Institute is the development of product standards to promote safety and sound construction practices. This Standard is intended to assist specifiers, designers, buyers, manufacturers, and erectors of sheet steel cladding by providing information which can be adopted by reference where desired. The requirements contained herein are in accordance with sound engineering principles, augmented by experience. They include recommended minimum requirements for such factors as grade of steel, thickness, metallic coating designation, loading and deflections, as well as design, fabrication and erection in general. While the material is believed to be technically correct and in accordance with recognized practice at the time of publication it does not obviate the need to determine its suitability for a given situation. Neither the Canadian Sheet Steel Building Institute nor its members warrant or assume liability for the suitability of the material for any general or particular application. 

PREFACE One of the objectives of the Canadian Sheet Steel Building Institute is the development of product standards to promote safety and sound construction practices. This Standard is intended to assist specifiers, designers, buyers, manufacturers, and erectors of sheet steel cladding by providing information which can be adopted by reference where desired. The requirements contained herein are in accordance with sound engineering principles, augmented by experience. They include recommended minimum requirements for such factors as grade of steel, thickness, metallic coating designation, loading and deflections, as well as design, fabrication and erection in general. While the material is believed to be technically correct and in accordance with recognized practice at the time of publication it does not obviate the need to determine its suitability for a given situation. Neither the Canadian Sheet Steel Building Institute nor its members warrant or assume liability for the suitability of the material for any general or particular application. 

What is Oil-Canning? Oil-canning is associated with all thin sheet metal products and occurs in the wide flat portions of the cladding profile. It is seen as a series of standing waves, or regular bumps and hollows alternating along the flat length of the panel. This waviness, when viewed under certain conditions, can be undesirable aesthetically and may not meet with the owner’s expectations. The CSSBI wants to help avoid this situation. The cladding manufacturers are aware of the potential for oil-canning in the cladding profiles and can help minimize the effect. It is important for the proper steps to be taken during manufacturing and installation to produce a quality finished product; therefore, specifiers should insist on product from a reliable, experienced cladding manufacturer, like a CSSBI member company. Quality control, however, cannot end on the shop floor. The building project needs the cooperation and knowledge of everyone involved to enhance the quality of the finished job. Oil-canning is a phenomenon that can be managed if the following factors are considered at the beginning of a project.

Buildings consume one-third of all energy and two-thirds of all electricity generated. Cool metal roofs can help reduce energy consumption by lowering cooling loads with their wide array of finishes, designs and colors.Cool metal roofs are energy-efficient. • The roof can have the greatest impact on the energy use of a building. On a typical summer afternoon, a light-colored, more reflective roof that reflects 80 percent of sunlight will stay about 310C (550F) cooler than a darker roof that reflects only 20 percent of sunlight, as reported by the Heat Island Group of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. • Cool metal roofs are an excellent option for commercial retrofit applications because they can be efficiently installed with above-sheathing ventilation, allowing heat to dissipate through the ridge vent in hot weather while acting as an insulating layer when it is cold. Metal roofs can result in as much as a 30 percent reduction in heat gain through the vented roof. • Metal roofs provide the optimal foundation for photovoltaic installations since the roof can be expected to last longer than the PV system it supports. • Wall and roof solar heat recovery systems can be integrated with steel cladding and used to provide air, water or process heating needs. • Cool metal roofing is available unpainted, with thermosetting coil-applied paint finishes, or with granular-coated surfaces. This family of roofing can achieve solar reflectance of over 70 percent, meeting the EPA Energy Star Roof Products Program performance criteria. • Emittance as high as 90 percent can be achieved for painted and granular-coated metal roofing. • Painted metal roofs retain 95 percent of their initial reflectance and emittance over time. They resist the growth of organic matter and shed dirt more readily than other materials. • Cool metal roofing can help to mitigate the Urban Heat Island Effect because of its high reflectance, which can reduce ambient air temperatures. Cool metal roofs are cost-effective. • Metal roofing has low life-cycle costs, making it the choice of many school, government, commercial, industrial and institutional building owners. • Due to its light weight per unit area, structural savings can be realized in a building when compared with heavier non-metal roofing alternatives. • For re-roofing projects, metal roofing can often be applied over the original roof, saving removal and disposal costs. • Metal roofing is fully recyclable when ultimately removed as part of building renovation or demolition, allowing it to credibly claim both recycled content and 100 percent recyclability by recognized definitions. The product’s recyclability also provides significant savings on construction removal and disposal costs.

Steel’s versatility and durability have made it an ideal building material for various construction projects for the past 150 years. Over that time, steel has earned a welldeserved reputation for economy and proven performances with long life cycles. Combine these benefits with steel’s ability to be recycled and engineered for retrofits, and steel cladding undoubtedly will become the number one choice of building materials across all industries. Recently, the Canadian Sheet Steel Building Institute commissioned a non-biased third party, Strategic Research Associates, to examine the state of the Canadian farm. Specifically, the study examined farmers’ steel cladding purchasing habits and steel cladding usage over the past 10 years. The study queried 471 farms across Canada with 43 farms in British Columbia; 96 in Alberta; 96 in Saskatchewan/Manitoba (combined); 97 in Ontario; 96 in Quebec; and 43 in the Atlantic Provinces. The results are within ± 4.5 percentage points for complete representation of all Canadian farms and are as follows:

Introduction Within the construction industry there is often confusion over gauges, gauge numbers and the related thickness. The industry has been trying to move away from gauge numbers, without complete success. The following information will show why sheet steel products should be specified to the decimal thickness.

Introduction Most cold formed steel building products, whether painted or unpainted, are manufactured from a sheet steel material that has some form of metallic coating applied. This metallic coating can be zinc (galvanized), zinc-iron alloy (galvanneal) or a 55% aluminum-zinc alloy (GalvalumeTM). The metallic coating is available in a range of thicknesses to provide the degree of corrosion protection and service life required. One of the concerns expressed by installers relates to the presence of wet storage staining on the products, how this staining impacts the long term performance, and what can be done to remove it. The purpose of this fact sheet is to address some of these issues, allay some fears, and give guidance on proper storage techniques.

Architects and Specification Writers are increasingly selecting unpainted metallic coated steels for architectural roofing and cladding applications on building exteriors where they want a “Silver” metallic finish. This is occurring more frequently, and even on “prestige” type projects. The Canadian Sheet Steel Building Institute whose fabricator members manufacture a wide variety of building panel profiles for roofing and cladding applications, are being asked to supply unpainted (natural finish) galvanized or resin coated 55% Aluminum-Zinc coated steel for these architecturally exposed end uses. Oftentimes, these materials are specified because the designer finds the natural finish of these products very appealing and sometimes because of material cost savings opportunities. This Fact Sheet has been developed to provide guidance in material selection and provide information on the Architectural Metallic Finishes that are available for highly visible steep slope roofing and cladding applications. 

It’s a fact that buildings consume two thirds of all the electricity produced in North America and one third of all the energy produced in North America. While it is recognized that adding insulation under the roof surface can reduce cooling and heating costs, there is a diminishing return on the strategy of increasing insulation to conserve energy costs. This is where “cool roofing” can play a role in further reducing the energy consumed, and in minimizing the Heat Island effect created in the big urban cities. Cool roofing relies on sustainable, energy efficient, coated steel products, in a wide variety of finishes, colours, textures and roofing profiles. It conserves energy through its properties of reflectivity and emissivity

Executive Summary The aim of this fact sheet is to advocate an alternative solution for the Steel Industry in regards to restrictive code provisions for explosion venting that are now mandated by the Ontario Fire Code (OFC). Due to a September 2000 amendment of code provisions dealing with explosion venting in the OFC, explosion vent designs were required to be in conformance with NFPA 68, the National Fire Protection Association’s (NFPA) Guide for Venting of Deflagrations. NFPA 68 gives a prescriptive solution that has upper bound limits on size and mass of an explosion vent panel, which the Steel Industry finds are too small to be practical. The Canadian Steel Construction Council (CSCC) investigated this problem and identified an alternate design guideline from the Factory Mutual Insurance Company’s (FM) Property Loss Prevention Data Sheets, numbered 1-44 and entitled “Damage Limiting Construction”. FM’s 1-44 Data Sheets can be used to develop an alternate solution for explosion venting that exceed the size and mass limits of the NFPA 68 prescriptive solution, and can be submitted for approval under the Compliance Equivalency provisions in the OFC. With the introduction of an objective based National Building Code Canada (NBCC) in 2005 followed by Provincial code adoptions in 2006 it would be worthwhile to establish a precedent through the Compliance Equivalency provision in the OFC. Once a precedent setting case occurs, the “acceptable solution” or “compliance alternative” would go on record and aid in resolving subsequent proposals for Compliance Equivalency, and also support a future technical change in the OFC. The CSCC by way of this fact sheet would advocate this alternative solution for the Steel Industry when designing explosion vent panels in steel framed buildings.

Steel: unparalleled fire safety Life safety, and specifically fire protection, has been a primary concern of the building codes. Steel is a non-combustible material and consequently does not burn, provide an ignition source or add fuel load that would enable a fire to spread or grow into a catastrophic event. Steel does not melt at temperatures typically encountered in a building fire. Its non-combustibility and assembly fire ratings do not degrade over the lifecycle of a building. This provides a reduced fire risk, to workers and occupants, minimizes the impact on municipal fire services, decreases the reliance on sprinklers, and results in less property damage and collateral damage to adjacent buildings if a fire should ever occur. • Steel has a melting point of approximately 1,500ºC (2,700ºF). In a typical fire, such as in an office, residential or retail occupancy, the maximum temperature of a fully developed fire will not likely exceed a range of 800ºC to 900ºC (1,500ºF to 1,650ºF), though it could reach a peak of 1,100ºC (2,000ºF) for a short duration. • Building codes recognize the fact that buildings, designed with non-combustible materials like steel, pose less of a fire risk to the public than combustible systems, which are limited to six storeys in height in Canada and 25.9m (85 ft.) in the US. STEEL IS A NON-COMBUSTIBLE MATERIAL AND CONSEQUENTLY DOES NOT BURN, nor does it provide an ignition source or add fuel load that would enable a fire to spread or grow into a catastrophic event. “Changes in the building codes that allow combustible framing in taller and larger buildings have gone too far and it’s created a perfect storm that can quickly overwhelm the ability of the fire service to respond.” CHIEF STEVE LOHR, HAGERSTOWN (MD) FIRE DEPARTMENT

This Fact Sheet has been written to describe some of the factors that affect the cost of prepainted sheet steel cladding products. The most significant factors are: colour, paint system, order quantity, Fabricator's inventory and profile selection. Recognition of the impact of these factors can help you select a prepainted sheet steel cladding system to fit the aesthetic and durability requirements of your project, and still stay within a budget. 

It’s a fact that buildings consume two thirds of all the electricity produced in North America and one third of all the energy produced in North America. While it is recognized that cooling and heating costs can be reduced by adding insulation under the roof surface, there is a diminishing return on the strategy of increasing insulation to conserve energy costs. This is where “cool roofing” can play a role in further reducing the energy consumed, and in minimizing the Heat Island effect created in the big urban cities. Cool roofing relies on the properties of reflectivity and emissivity of the roofing material. Reflectivity Reflectivity is the ability of the roof to reflect solar radiation back into the atmosphere. Its primary measure is solar reflectance - the proportion of the total solar radiation that is reflected back to the atmosphere. Any solar radiation that is not reflected is absorbed into the building envelope, requiring further energy to cool the building; or partially convected into the atmosphere increasing the ambient air temperature in the surrounding environment (Heat Island effect). The measure of reflectivity is the Solar Reflectance Index (SRI) which takes into account the properties of the material as well as the cooling effect of wind passing over the roof. The SRI for a low slope roof will be 0 for standard black (reflectance 0.05, emittance 0.90) and 100 for standard white (reflectance 0.80, emittance 0.90).

When a homeowner is considering the purchase of a steel roof a common question is whether it will increase the risk of a lightning strike. After all, steel is highly conductive, just like the materials used in lightning rods, so doesn’t it stand to reason that the steel roof will attract lightning? The short answer is, NO, steel roofing will NOT increase the risk of a lightning strike in any way. For all intents and purposes, nothing ‘attracts’ lightning. Lightning occurs on too large of a scale to be influenced by small objects on the ground, including steel roofs. The location of the thunderstorm overhead alone determines where lightning will hit the ground. A lightning bolt that is several miles long, generated by a cloud that is more than 6 to 10 miles high, is not going to be influenced by an object the size of your house. 652 Bishop St. N., Unit 2A, Cambridge, Ontario N3H 4V6 • Tel.: (519) 650-1285 • Fax: (519) 650-8081 • www.cssbi.ca The descending stepped leader of a lightning bolt doesn’t ‘decide what to strike’ until it is very close to the ground. When a cloud-to-ground lightning channel is forming, it is going to strike the ground where the opposing charges are greatest, directly underneath the storm’s most electrically active region. If you are standing at that exact location, you will be hit, even if there’s no metal within miles! Conversely, if you are farther than 500 feet from that location, you could wave your golf club or umbrella high in the air, but you won’t draw the lightning away, even slightly, from striking where it’s going to strike. Steel does conduct electricity, but steel roofs don’t attract lightning or increase the probability of a lightning strike. Four factors affect the probability of a lightning strike: • Topography: a structure located on a mountain or hill has a higher probability of a strike than one in a field. • Structure size and height: a tall structure or one that covers a great deal of ground has a higher probability of a strike than a short or small building. • Relative location in relation to taller structures: a small, short building near a taller structure has a lower probability of strike than the taller structure. • Severity and frequency of thunderstorms in the structure’s vicinity. However, on occasion, lightning does strike a house. If your home were hit, the steel roofing would disperse the energy safely through the structure. Since steel roofing isn’t combustible or flammable, it’s a low risk and desirable roofing option where severe weather is concerned -- especially for lightning. For More Information For additional information on steel roofing or other sheet steel building products, visit our website at www.cssbi.ca.

Pressure marking, also known as pressure mottling or imprinting, is an uneven or irregular gloss pattern on the face of a prepainted sheet steel. The photograph in Figure 1 shows what pressure marking looks like. The mottled appearance takes place when the gloss components in the prepainted top coat are compressed or flattened during the manufacturing and coiling process. The condition is more prevalent on dark colours and high gloss products. Pressure marking is also typically noted in the centre of the strip where the coiled product is under the most pressure

CSSBI Position Paper on CGSB Standards for Prefinished Sheet Steel Cladding The National Building Code of Canada 2010 includes references to two documents published by the Canadian General Standards Board (CGSB) dealing with prefinished sheet steel cladding. These documents are: • CAN/CGSB-93.3–M91 Prefinished Galvanized and Aluminum-Zinc Alloy Steel Sheet for Residential Use • CAN/CGSB-93.4–92 Galvanized Steel and Aluminum-Zinc Alloy Coated Steel Siding, Soffits and Fascia, Prefinished, Residential It is important to realize that there are no sheet steel products currently manufactured in Canada that meet the requirements contained in these CGSB standards. 

Steel has been used in North American construction projects for more than 150 years and still remains one of the strongest, most durable and economical building materials available today. Although steel has been traditionally associated with high-rise buildings, bridge structures and commercial and industrial projects, it is rapidly emerging as the logical material of choice for residential construction. Cold formed sheet steel panels are lightweight, economical, easy to handle and represent a high quality alternative to traditional roofing materials. Environmental and economic considerations have prompted many residential homeowners to investigate alternative building materials and methods, and steel roofing panels have proven technical benefits as well as excellent recycling capabilities which make them an increasingly popular choice. This follows the long-time use of steel roofing in commercial construction where steel has built undisputable quality and performance records. 

Start at the foundation where the loads imposed by a steel frame are up to 50% less than those of a concrete alternative. There is evidence in the field and through third-party case studies and comparative cost studies that steel building systems offer significant cost benefits over competitive building materials when the total cost of construction is considered.