As Wildfires Rage On, One Homebuilder Urges a Shift to Steel Construction

Featured image: NASA’s Fire Information for Resource Management System map for October 1, 2024.

The western wildfire crisis is no longer just a seasonal challenge; it is a devastating reality that has already left many communities in ruins. Perhaps due to climate change, the frequency and severity of these wildfires have worsened, leaving homes in the western United States and Canada vulnerable to destruction. 

In this context, Clio, California, homebuilder Mike Roddy of Butte Built Better, a seasoned steel-framing expert with over 560 steel-framed homes under his belt, believes the construction industry must embrace a vital shift from framing homes with wood to framing them with cold-formed steel (CFS).

Mike Roddy of Butte Built Better

The Case for Steel Framing

Roddy’s extensive experience spans the globe, from the United States to Japan, and includes more than three decades of constructing CFS-framed homes. Although retired for over a decade, Roddy has re-engaged with the construction world, seeing a dire need for change out west, where catastrophic fires have laid waste to entire towns. 

The fires have devastated towns and forced evacuations, most notably in cities like Chico, California, with a population of over 101,000. Such disasters are prompting a growing interest in alternatives to wood framing, which traditionally has been the go-to framing material for homes in the west.

“The builders here don’t know what to do,” Roddy says. “They have no real activity to set up a system for building steel-framed homes, and that’s a big missed opportunity.”

According to Roddy, the issue boils down to a lack of knowledge among homebuilders and area carpenters. He believes that with proper training, western homebuilders could easily make the switch to steel framing. Roddy says education is the key, noting that the principles of steel construction, including the use of CFS studs and trusses, are relatively straightforward.

Canadian homebuilder Cantiro is piloting a program to frame with cold-formed steel (CFS) rather than wood. Photo courtesy of Scottsdale Construction Systems / Dominion Metal Frames, Inc. 

Steel’s Cost and Competitiveness

While wood has been the default material for residential construction, Roddy says steel is a noncombustible alternative that’s competitive on price.

“We can price-match wood with steel as long as we put together the key components for the walls and trusses. When we do that, we can even beat wood on price,” he says.

The challenge lies in the upfront costs and logistics associated with setting up steel-framed construction, as well as the specialized knowledge required to handle the materials correctly, Roddy says. Many builders, who are used to working with wood, struggle with steel’s precise specifications, especially when it comes to cutting materials to exact measurements and using the right screws and tools. Yet, Roddy sees these challenges as surmountable with training and the right leadership in place.

“Steel is different from working with wood, but in some ways it’s simpler because everything is cut to precise specifications,” Roddy notes. 

To help bridge this knowledge gap, Roddy says steel stud and track providers and industry experts, such as Dr. Reynosa Serrette, associate professor at Santa Clara University’s Department of Civil, Environmental and Sustainable Engineering, could help lead the way. Serrette has been instrumental in developing steel framing standards for residential construction, Roddy says.

Steel Is Noncombustible

In areas like Northern California, where wildfires have devastated communities, one of the most compelling reasons for the shift to steel is its noncombustibility. Unlike wood, steel cannot serve as fuel for a fire.

“We also have to make sure other elements are included such as mineral wool, a material that adds an extra layer of fire resistance,” Roddy says.

This layered approach can make a steel-framed home more resilient and give homeowners a greater sense of security in the face of the increasingly dangerous fire seasons.

Growing Interest in Steel Framing

Recent fires have piqued the interest of many Northern California builders in steel construction. Roddy suggests that builders should start by constructing metal warehouses as an initial step toward understanding steel construction. He says homebuilders need space to stack materials and support an assembly line for constructing elements according to plans, and a warehouse setup would give them that space. By starting small, builders can provide hands-on training for local workers, showcase the benefits of steel framing and build confidence in their ability to use steel framing effectively.

For Roddy, the solution is clear: Western builders must embrace steel framing, and the time to do so is now. Recent fires have demonstrated that wood-framed homes are not sustainable in an environment where wildfire threats are becoming the new normal. Steel framing, which offers a viable, noncombustible alternative to wood, could become the standard for new home construction.

The question is, Will the homebuilding industry rise to the challenge before the next wildfire season?

Additional Resources

• Examining the Surge in Mid-Rise Wood Construction Fires: The Case for Steel Framing
• Fire Chief Offers Perspective on Wood Framed Mid-Rise Buildings
• Steel’s Fire Resistance
• California Homes Destroyed by Wildfires Being Rebuilt with Steel Framing