When erecting a building, there are quite a few very important issues to consider such as:
Soil depth, for the design of basement, foundation, retaining walls and other below ground level structures;
Roof design, especially in areas where heavy snow is experienced; the snow carrying capacity of the roof must be determined and the pitch of the roof is to be designed accordingly.

Wind speed, another factor that can influence the construction and even the design of a building. Wind speeds will mostly depend on the site where the building is erected and does not influence whole areas or sections of land. Seismic areas; here there are certain structural design codes to be followed. These design perimeters are also, like the wind speeds, location based. This information can be obtained from Geological surveyors
Load resistance is another factor in the building business and the specifications can either be prescriptive, defining a specific construction method, or they can be the engineered version, prepared by qualified engineers, and demonstrating the resistance the structure will have to withstand concerning the vertical or the lateral loads.
Gravity also plays a part in the construction of a building and certain requirements must be met. For example, the supporting points of beams are calculated by engineers and load carrying capacity is worked out precisely.
It must be kept in mind those laws governing the erection of these beautiful, towering buildings, down to the simplest of retaining walls are there for the safety of the people living and working in them. At times, most of these structural requirements can be difficult for the layman to grasp, and is best left to the qualified contracting engineers. It can be a very interesting, and at times an awesome experience to watch some of these cloud scrapers rise to dizzying heights, knowing that it will be a safe environment to work and play in because the engineering code has been implemented.