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Update #21: Cold-Formed Steel Supports Affordable Housing, Award-Winning Church and Training Facility

Cold-formed steel (CFS) framing continues to shape projects around the world, including prefabricated housing in England, an award-winning church in Washington and a training facility in Oregon.

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BuildSteel™ is dedicated to tracking the use of cold-formed steel (CFS) framing in projects across the globe. This post features prefabricated CFS framing in a housing development in England, an award-winning church redevelopment in Washington and a workforce training facility in Oregon.

See the highlights in this video:

 

Prefabricated Steel Framing Supports Affordable Housing

Cold-formed steel (CFS) framing plays a central role in the new $53 million Etherow Grange housing development in Glossop, England. The project includes 156 homes, with 40 designated as affordable housing. The development features a mix of 2, 3 and 4-bedroom homes designed to expand local housing availability.


Construction teams are using prefabricated CFS framing to improve efficiency and support sustainability goals. The offsite process helps reduce waste and lower the project’s carbon footprint compared with traditional methods. Steel framing also supports fire resistance, acoustic control and thermal performance. The system helps crews complete installation more efficiently.

Project teams say the offsite process can reduce construction schedules by 30%. The approach also reduces vehicle traffic and site disruption during construction. Fewer deliveries help limit congestion, dust and emissions around the development.

Read the full article. 

Steel Framing Shapes Award-Winning Church

The Vietnamese Martyrs Parish church in Tukwila, Washington, uses cold-formed steel (CFS) framing throughout. Crews demolished much of the original structure before constructing a two-story addition. The design draws inspiration from the Notre Dame Cathedral Basilica of Saigon.

Vietnamese Martyrs Parish Dome Cold-formed steel framing

The 44,000-pound central dome used custom cold-formed steel (CFS) framing engineered and fabricated before installation. Image credit Mehrer Drywall

CFS framing supports the structure’s Gothic design elements. These include twin bell towers, arched openings, a soaring nave and a 44,000-pound central dome. Crews engineered and fabricated the dome as a detailed custom steel-framing assembly before erection. The installation required continuous layout adjustments as framing progressed upward.

Crews prefabricated much of the framing offsite before craning the main dome and tower into place. Offsite construction helped crews manage the project’s scale and complex geometry more efficiently. Despite the level of custom work involved, crews completed the project within budget. 

The project received a 2026 Outstanding Projects of the Year Award from The Northwest Wall and Ceiling Bureau. Judges reviewed design, workmanship, material use, jobsite innovation and overall project impact.

Read the full article.

CFS Strengthens Workforce Training Facility

The award-winning Industry and Trades Education Center in Eugene, Oregon, features cold-formed steel (CFS) framing. The center serves as a new workforce training facility at Lane Community College. It replaces Building 12, which had various maintenance and seismic deficiencies. The new facility supports career technical education and apprenticeship programs through flexible learning environments.

 

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Designers selected CFS framing to support long-term durability, energy efficiency and future flexibility within the building. Designers also targeted LEED Gold certification through energy-efficient systems, durable materials and responsible construction strategies.

Crews managed an aggressive schedule targeting occupancy within 19 months of groundbreaking. Early procurement, detailed planning and close coordination helped crews maintain progress despite material procurement challenges. CFS framing also helped crews address seismic concerns identified in the original structure. 

The project earned a 2026 Outstanding Projects of the Year Award from The Northwest Wall and Ceiling Bureau. Judges reviewed design, workmanship, material use, jobsite innovation and overall project impact.

Read the full article.

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