In the past, the question was more about what material and system you were going to use for the structure of your home. Once that was decided, the way the building looked on the outside was already determined. With modern insulation techniques and the need for energy efficiency, how your building is covered is now a matter of choice, and there are a lot of ways you can do it. So how do you decide? Aside from personal taste, there are factors to consider such as cost, durability, maintenance and the ecological impact.