Prefabricated steel houses
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Prefabricated steel houses
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The prefabricated steel house, also defined as “steel frame architecture”, represents an evolution of the prefabricated construction system, with a gradual overcoming of traditional brick and concrete construction.
Steel frame construction system
The light steel frame construction system, literally meaning “light steel structure,” is based on the use of press-bent profiles made of thin galvanized steel sheets to create the building’s load-bearing skeleton. These profiles can be cold-formed or cold-rolled, so much so that they are also known as Cold Formed Steel (CFS).
What are the advantages of prefabricated steel?
The use of this construction system is constantly increasing throughout the world due to its numerous advantages:
- Speed of execution, production, product delivery and containment of manpower;
- Long-lasting, moisture-resistant;
- High resistance to seismic events;
- Ease of transport and traceability;
- Significant water savings during construction;
- Being a lightweight material, the use of large lifting equipment is not necessary;
- Modularity and numerous compositional possibilities. Prefabricated steel homes can be both traditional residential buildings and offer countless compositional possibilities;
- Production of individual building components under quality control. This allows for standardized production processes for each component, triggering and promoting so-called “economies of scale.”
The value of the project
Traditional construction is undergoing a drastic but inevitable evolution in its construction processes and methods, placing an ever-increasing emphasis on eco-sustainable and green aspects.
The steel frame system fits into this new green building paradigm, combining it with established construction elements and techniques, such as wood and glass. By combining the standardization of various construction systems, a high-quality project can be achieved that meets the client’s criteria and needs, providing a product with great technical potential.
Prefabricated steel houses costs
Despite the new and innovative construction technique, the price range is in line with the construction costs of a prefabricated wood and concrete house. Construction costs generally range between €1,300 and €1,800 per square meter. The price range will depend on the details, dimensions, and finishes. However, the fundamental difference lies in the fact that the highest level of quality is demonstrated and certified.
In contrast, in traditional construction, the cost of the building is uncertain. Consider that design decisions generally follow and accompany the actual construction of the property. This inevitably leads to changes in construction, which can lead to work being suspended, demolition of existing sections due to changes in plans, and extensions to the construction schedule.
Reaction of building systems to earthquakes
Steel frame construction systems are lightweight systems that offer little mass to seismic action, while maintaining the material’s inherent elasticity. The entire load-bearing structure of the building, floors, and supporting structures are made of galvanized steel profiles. This allows for a load-bearing structure consisting of a single block, without any discontinuities, which is more resistant to seismic events than traditional structures. The steel frame system offers a high degree of tolerance and minimizes the damage caused by earthquakes. The only concrete structures used are the foundations.
The steel frame system: a dry construction solution
Dry construction is a sign of a cutting-edge, green project, which allows for savings in water and connecting materials during construction. It also allows for absolute precision in factory-produced components based on a meticulously designed executive plan, minimizing the risk of errors. Each element must be carefully considered and designed in the preliminary phase, including its interaction with other systems in the home:
- Heating system
- Plumbing system
- Electrical system
The steel frame system offers a wide range of installation options, and any customization that can be made in the factory allows for savings in costs, time, and quality.
The environmental sustainability of dry-assembled systems
Steel is a 100% recyclable material, a feature increasingly sought after for construction materials. This property is known as upcycling: the ability to obtain a new material with the same original characteristics from waste material, unlike demolition waste, which is difficult to reuse for the same process. Any other material associated with steel structures can similarly be 100% recyclable.
The CSF construction system can naturally be combined with other construction systems, resulting in a mixed construction system:
- Prefabricated houses in steel and wood
- Prefabricated steel and glass houses
In the long run, this will allow for a reduction in costs because there will be no need to extract them, thus impoverishing the land, but they will simply be reused.