Mid-Atlantic Steel Framing Alliance
MASFA is an independent regional alliance affiliated with the Steel Framing Alliance (SFA) and Cold-Formed Steel Engineers Institute (CFSEI). Our objective is to help educate architects, engineers, owners, developers, distributors, contractors and building officials in the effective use of cold-formed steel framing. MASFA's dinner meeting is the best place in the Northern Virginia, Washington and Baltimore region to network with people in the cold-formed steel (CFS) industry: Contractors, suppliers, manufacturers, and designers are always part of the mix. Our dinners provide you the opportunity to network with industry colleagues during our cocktail hour and learn about important industry topics (many of which include continuing education credits) from various industry experts. For more information, visit www.masfa.com.
About FRAMECAD
FRAMECAD is an advanced, end-to-end design and build system enabling the rapid construction of quality buildings for businesses, governments and communities worldwide. FRAMECAD offers all the design expertise, intelligent software, steel framing manufacturing solutions, building products and support needed to produce rapid, durable, cost-effective quality buildings. For more information, visit framecad.com
About Scottsdale Construction Systems
Scottsdale Construction Systems is a global leader in cold-formed steel framing technology, providing advanced roll forming machinery and software solutions for efficient, precision-built structures. With over 25 years of innovation, Scottsdale empowers builders to deliver smarter, faster, and more sustainable construction. For more information, visit scottsdalesteelframes.com.
How Cold-Formed Steel (CFS) Contributes to Resiliency
- CFS is highly ductile. CFS can easily bend or stretch without breaking when force is applied. This gives it a higher degree of resistance to lateral loads, uplift and gravity loading, such as those imposed on a structure by seismic or high wind events.
- CFS is non-combustible. According to the Steel Framing Industry Association, tests conforming to ASTM E119 show that both load-bearing and non-load-bearing CFS-framed assemblies remain fireproof for up to four hours.
- CFS is durable. CFS is corrosion resistant. It does not retain moisture and will not harbor mold growth. CFS uses zinc or similar coatings to boost durability. It resists corrosion for hundreds of years before its protective layer breaks down.
- CFS is impervious to pests. CFS is one of the few building materials completely impervious to termites and other pests in any climate or building type.
- CFS is a highly sustainable material. Steel framing contains on average a minimum of 25% recycled content and is 100% recyclable at the end of its life.
The Steel Framing Industry Association (SFIA) has released a revised Environmental Product Declaration for Cold-Formed Steel (CFS) Framing, a must-have tool for contractors, building owners, architects and others who strive to deliver advanced building designs that meet the latest LEED™ and other sustainable rating systems, programs and standards. The new SFIA EPD for CFS Framing — SCS-EPD-07103 (version Apr. 11, 2025, valid through May 27, 2026) — can be seamlessly integrated into project specifications as an option with company-specific EPDs. SFIA offers the SFIA Specifications Review Service for steel framing, which is a completely free checkup.
The SFIA Environmental Product Declaration (EPD), version April 11, 2025, is valid through May 27, 2026.
The Steel Framing Advantage
Cold-formed steel (CFS) leads the way as the preferred framing material for prefabricated structures for multiple reasons. CFS is:
- A pre-engineered material that can be cut to exact lengths
- Dimensionally stable and does not expand or contract with changes in moisture content
- Lightweight compared to wood and concrete
- Resilient and will not warp, split, crack or creep when exposed to the elements
- Sustainable and 100% recyclable
- Durable and has a high tensile strength
- Non-combustible and is a safeguard against fire accidents
Surge in Fires: The Case for Steel Framing
Download this free article brief exploring the rise of fires in mid-rise wood construction across the U.S., highlighting incidents in California and Texas. The report outlines the key advantages of steel framing as a noncombustible alternative to significantly reduce fire hazards.
Cold-Formed Steel Engineers Institute
The Cold-Formed Steel Engineers Institute (CFSEI) comprises hundreds of structural engineers and other design professionals. Together, they are finding a better way to produce safe and efficient cold-formed steel (CFS) designs for commercial and residential structures. CFSEI members develop industry standards and design methods. CFSEI issues technical bulletins, organizes seminars and provides online training so that engineers and design professionals can improve their knowledge and skills. CFSEI is part of the Steel Framing Industry Association (SFIA) family. For more information, visit www.cfsei.org.
About SFIA
The Steel Framing Industry Association (SFIA), a unique organization representing steel mills, coil coaters, stud and connector manufacturers, component fabricators, Cold-Formed Steel Engineers Institute (CFSEI) members, suppliers/distributors, contractors and others, provides members with exclusive access to technical cold-formed steel (CFS) framing services, including CFS certification, environmental product declarations, market data and analysis, technical design guides, specification review services, architectural services, the Steel Framing Learning Portal , the SFIA Awards and more. SFIA is an accredited ANSI Standards Development Organization. Follow SFIA on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and X.
