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Update #16: Cold-Formed Steel for Wildfire Recovery, Campus Housing and Martha Stewart Prefab Homes

BuildSteel™ is dedicated to tracking the use of cold-formed steel (CFS) framing in projects across the globe. This post features CFS framing projects that enable faster builds, modern design and efficient delivery.

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Update #16: Cold-Formed Steel for Wildfire Recovery, Campus Housing and Prefab Construction by Dan Snyder

Steel Framing Delivers Resilient Homes After SoCal Wildfires

Time is critical as Pacific Palisades and Altadena homeowners rebuild after last year’s Southern California wildfires. And Austin, Texas-based Ghost Factory, launched in 2025, is bringing mobile cold-formed steel (CFS) manufacturing directly to the rebuilding sites. The Ghost Factory platform produces CFS framing on demand and on site. The company completed the first steel-framed home in Pacific Palisades.

Ghost Factory uses recycled steel sourced from Steel Framing Industry Association (SFIA) member U.S. Steel to support its sustainable construction.

“The biggest difference between our job site and everything else in town is there’s no waste bin,” said Matt McRoskey, Ghost Factory’s director of business development. “If you’re building a massive multifamily project, you’re just printing the studs right on site — you can’t do that with wood.”

Ghost Factory reports that steel-framed packages now cost less than comparable wood systems on competitive bids. The company plans expansion into Altadena and Malibu. Steel framing positions these communities to rebuild faster, stronger and with greater long-term resilience than wood.

Read the full article.

Florida Tech Builds a ‘No Wood’ Student Residence

Florida Tech is expanding on-campus housing with a new steel-framed student residence called Crimson Crossing. The six-story, 556-bed building is rising on the Melbourne, Florida, campus.

University leaders plan to open the residence by August 2026. The project will replace aging residential facilities and increase campus housing capacity by 27%.

 

Construction teams are using a proprietary 3D light-gauge steel system made with cold-formed steel (CFS) framing. The building will rely on steel framing throughout the structure and exterior. The construction team described the system as “No wood, all metal, inside and out.” 

“It’s easy to see how a modern residential facility at the campus entrance strengthens our identity,” said David McMann, Florida Tech’s vice president for student affairs. 

Crimson Crossing reflects the university’s focus on providing a modern campus infrastructure for its students.

Read the full article. 

Prefab Steel Framing Speeds Martha Stewart Homes to Market

Martha Stewart’s iconic homes are now available as prefabricated kits through a partnership with Marquee Brands and Hapi Homes. The collection uses prefabricated cold-formed steel (CFS) framing to shorten construction schedules by up to 40%. 

 

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Hapi Homes delivers these residences from permitting in 4 to 12 weeks. CFS framing enables factory precision, reduces carbon impact and limits on-site waste.

The designs draw inspiration from Stewart’s well-known residences. Buyers can choose full-size homes or accessory dwelling units. Kits start at $150,000 for ADUs and $450,000 for full-size homes. Buyers can customize their layouts, finishes and timelines through a digital design platform. The collaboration highlights how steel framing supports fast, predictable residential construction.

Read the full article. 

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