Summary

• Steel frames are commonly used for single storey non-residential construction, offering advantages of speed of construction, long spans, flexibility and structural efficiency.
• Single storey buildings do not require a system to support intermediate floors and this gives considerable freedom of form.
• The principal considerations are walls and roof.
• The structural system will depend on functional, technical and aesthetic requirements.
• The influences can be considered with respect to the buildings plan, section and three dimensional form.
• Simple forms are generally most cost-effective.