Photo: At the Exempla Saint Joseph Hospital, prefabricated exterior wall panels cut the construction time frame by at least seven months.
The coronavirus pandemic has launched one of the most difficult times in history for construction companies, according to several reports. COVID-19 has exacerbated the industry’s skilled labor shortages, disrupted supply chains and put existing construction insurance policies in jeopardy. A survey by insurance company Nationwide found that 70% of construction companies have been negatively impacted by the pandemic.
As building professionals return to work as the economy improves, they confront challenges that require a shift in the way buildings are constructed. Cold-formed steel (CFS) framing provides builders with innovative solutions to solve these challenges.
Challenge #1: Labor Shortages
The construction industry shut down for several months at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Though construction was quickly deemed an essential service, and the pause in construction activity was allowed to continue, the sector lost more than 1 million workers, notes CNN. Since then, the industry has recouped nearly 80% of its workforce, but it will need to hire over 430,000 workers this year to meet demand, according to Associated Builders and Contractors.
To help complete projects with less manpower, a growing number of architects and engineers are specifying prefabricated CFS building components. CFS is the ideal choice for prefabricated construction because it is lightweight and can be cut to precise specifications.
An example is South Valley Prefab’s work at Catbird, a seven-story, 165-unit, extended-stay hotel in Denver, Colorado.
- South Valley Prefab prefabricated 277 individual CFS exterior finish panels a month prior to installation
- Only six installers were needed on site, whereas normally it would take up to 70 people to complete the panel installations
- The use of CFS eliminated 90% of on-site labor required by traditional construction practices
Innovations Using Steel Framing
Cold-formed steel (CFS) framing enables building professionals to complete projects more efficiently, in less time and with lower costs. For example:
- The use of portable steel roll-forming machines to fabricate mobile structures is an emerging technology gaining traction within the U.S. Navy
- Using CFS framing components and an automated fabrication system, Straight Cold Rollin in Wyoming used four untrained laborers to build a 60-by-140-ft. pole barn in two months
- A white paper from FrameMax lists five steps to investing in CFS roll-forming equipment and saving money in the process
Challenge #2: Supply Chain Delays
While it is said that a chain is only as strong as its weakest link, with the COVID-19 pandemic weak links in global supply can be found everywhere, says Forbes.
Massive dislocations are present in the container market, shipping routes, ports, air cargo, trucking lines, railways and warehouses. The result has created order backlogs, delivery delays, a spike in transportation costs and shortages of raw materials and finished goods.
One option to reduce supply chain delays associated with framing materials is to use CFS. Thanks to innovations in steel framing, it’s possible to manufacture steel studs on site.
Vega Construction Group launched a “factory in a can” to manufacture steel frames on site.
Vega Construction Group launched a “factory in a can” to manufacture steel studs on location. The Essex based specialist provides a FRAMECAD CFS roll forming machine in shipping containers, which can be transported from site to site, according to Construction Enquirer.
The CFS system was used to create an apartment complex in Croydon, England. In 2021, it will be used on an 118-bed student residence in Gloucester.
The Future of Construction
Traditional methods of construction are struggling to keep up with the demand for better, more efficient and affordable buildings. As a result, many construction professionals are turning to alternative methods and materials, such as cold-formed steel (CFS), to solve their problems, writes FRAMECAD in its eBook The Future of Construction.
Challenge #3: Tightening Insurance Markets
According to Insurance Journal, many insurance carriers are tightening their stance on the construction industry. Contractors need to be concerned about increased insurance premiums caused by more strict underwriting guidelines, but also their existing policies may be in jeopardy.
Non-combustible structures built with CFS framing have a better loss history than combustible wood framing. This translates into lower costs and broader overages for many types of construction insurance. The US Assure Builders Risk Plan, insured by Zurich, automatically offers low non-combustible rates on CFS.
As an example, the Holiday Inn Express in Hearne, Texas, achieved significant savings with CFS due to reduced construction, risk and property insurance premiums. The hotel’s property insurance premiums dropped since, compared to wood, because CFS is non-combustible. Steel simply does not burn and never contributes to the spread or intensity of a fire, resulting in lower insurance costs.
Additional Resources
- One Architecture Firm’s Post-Pandemic Future Includes Steel Framing
- The Pandemic Moves the Construction Industry Closer to Technology
- 3 Design Trends Being Shaped by Social Distancing