ABSTRACT
The choice of a structural system is part of the integrated design process and affects a number of aspects of the building being designed. Apart from the structural performance itself, such aspects include: space planning, form and shape, other materials for the fabric, cost as well as environmental performance. This chapter will discuss some of the commonly used structural components and systems used in dwellings. The discussion is not meant to be a comprehensive survey of structural systems but, rather, an overview of some of the structural components.
