Steel Buildings in Europe

Part 8: Building Envelope 8 - 15 Figure 3.1 Typical wall cladding with a mix of flat panels and profiled sheeting The overall appearance of the building can also be affected by the choice of fasteners, especially on wall cladding or on steeply pitched roofs. Cladding specifiers should, therefore, give careful consideration to the size, shape, colour and locations of the fasteners and washers. Fasteners with factory coloured plastic heads are available to match the colour of the weather sheet. Where exposed fasteners are considered detrimental to the appearance of the building, the architect may consider the use of secret fix insulated panels or standing seam systems in which all fasteners are hidden from view. Further information on fasteners is available from MCRMA Technical Paper No 12 Fasteners for Metal Roof and Wall Cladding: Design, Detailing and Installation Guide [2] . 3.3 Thermal performance 3.3.1 Energy consumption The increase in public awareness of global climate change and the association with human activity has placed energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions high on the political agenda. Under the terms of the Kyoto Protocol, European countries are now legally bound to reduce their carbon dioxide