HFX Steel Framing Solutions, a steel-framing company based in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada, is transforming the region’s construction industry by leveraging an innovative steel technology to expedite the construction of multistory apartment buildings.
Supported by a grant to purchase advanced steel-forming equipment, HFX Steel Framing is expanding its operations from smaller steel structures to larger-scale projects.
Opting for steel framing over traditional wood framing enables the company to achieve greater heights and ensures enhanced structural integrity, paving the way for more ambitious developments.
“With wood, you’re really capping at four stories for apartment buildings, but with steel we can go up to seven stories, and if we pushed it, up to eight,” says Khalid Al-Hammadi, president of HFX Steel Framing Solutions in the PNI Atlantic News.
View this post on Instagram
Steel Beats Wood and Concrete for Speed and Height
Cold-formed steel (CFS) framing offers substantial advantages over traditional materials like wood and concrete. One clear advantage is that steel framing can drastically cut project timelines.
“We can complete a floor in three or four days for a 10,000-square-foot building,” says Al-Hammadi of his company’s use of CFS studs, track and joists.
Unlike wood, which typically limits buildings to four or five stories, steel studs enable structures to be built seven and eight stories, making steel framing ideal for Halifax’s urban developments.
“One benefit of the process is that steel gives developers the option not to use concrete,” says Al-Hammadi. “Concrete is slower, more expensive.”
Prefabricated steel components enhance construction speed, durability and design flexibility, Al-Hammadi says.
View this post on Instagram
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
New Equipment Enhances Production ‘Significantly’
Specializing in CFS framing for houses, sheds and garages, HFX Steel Framing has invested in steel roll-forming equipment to speed up the fabrication and construction process. The roll-forming equipment enables the fabrication of 14-gauge steel panels efficiently, while also reducing costs and boosting production capacity.
“We want to push the envelope so we can ramp up construction speed significantly,” Al-Hammadi says.
With the equipment, and its new shift in construction practices, HFX Steel Framing is growing. It’s adding employees and now taking on larger-scale projects. These include high-rise apartment buildings.
HFS Steel recently completed a new 40-unit prefabricated apartment building using CFS framing.
“Our new machinery addresses the complexities we faced with joist fabrication, maintaining efficiencies across all building components,” says Al-Hammadi.
Future of Steel in Halifax
As HFX Steel Framing Solutions ramps up its operations with cutting-edge steel technology, the company is not only meeting the current demand for higher-rise buildings but also setting the stage for future growth in Halifax’s construction industry.
“Our prefab steel construction is a game-changer for Halifax,” says Al-Hammadi.
With continued support and a dedicated workforce, the company is ready to elevate the city’s architectural landscape, one prefabricated steel-framed building at a time, he adds.
Additional Resources
- Prefabricated Cold-Formed Steel Framing Streamline Mid-Rise Construction Projects
- EXCLUSIVE: Ambition and Automation — Inside South Valley Prefab’s Success
- Modular Steel Units Elevate Supportive Housing Project in Los Angeles