Can the benefit of thermal mass be realised with a steel framed building?

The thermal mass of a building can be used to reduce the requirement for active heating and cooling. People instinctively associate the cool inside churches with their mass, but it has far more to do with the lack of windows and low solar gain along with an absence of heat generating electrical equipment and lighting.

Optimum thermal mass is mobilised from the first 100mm thickness of concrete floor slab, which is available in standard steel-framed construction. The extra mass associated with heavier weight structures is a waste, which is compounded by the larger foundations required.