Building Industry Magazine - November 2011 - (Page 58)

Steel: Forming a New Niche BY JUDITH SHINSATO While cold-formed steel (CFS) continues to make gains in single-family residential construction, especially among many master-planned community developers such as Castle & Cooke Homes Hawaii, Inc. and Haseko, those involved in steel also foresee potential growth in the demand for load-bearing CFS in the construction of mid-rise structures, typically from four to nine stories. Here’s why: Cold-formed steel, such as these CEMCO steel studs, is seeing a growing demand for use in mid-rise structures. Bearing the Load “The interest in (load-bearing) CFS mid-rise construction in Hawaii is growing but still at an infant stage,” says George Proctor, territory manager of ClarkDietrich Building Systems. He also explains some of the reasons behind the expected increase in demand for mid-rise structures: “Less land is available and at increasingly higher prices. This drives the market into mixed-use structures, more so in developed urban and commercial areas. We need to build upward, especially to satisfy the need for low-income housing. More bang for the buck in the same footprint equates to more housing availability per total property square footage the building sits on.” On Oct. 3, the Hawaii Steel Alliance (HSA) held the 2011 Cold-Formed Mid-Rise Conference at the Honolulu Country Club, in an effort to educate the local building industry on the opportunities that lie ahead for this building material. Presenters from the mainland – where the use of load bearing CFS in mid-rise structures is more common – shared their advice and experiences with CFS mid-rise construction projects. During opening statements, Don Allen, technical director for the Steel Stud Manufacturers Association, Steel Framing Alliance and Cold-Formed Steel Engineers Institute, said one reason why CFS is well suited for mid-rise construction is that it is a manufactured product that lends itself to panelization, which shortens the construction schedule. For these structures, he also recommends using experienced contractors and panelizers. “The straight, light characteristics of CFS lend itself well to panelization,” agrees Tim Waite of Simpson Strong-Tie, president of HSA. “The latest tools, fasteners and connectors are all integrated into the panelization process. Panelized CFS construction can offer a much more predictable and shorter schedule than its competitors in the mid-rise market. Buildings framed with CFS can go up much faster than traditional heavy materials like concrete and masonry; up to three months or more can be shaved off the schedule of a mid-rise project. CFS allows you to move paying customers in the door fast which can significantly change your financial model by shaving financing and other soft costs related to cycle time and by accelerating your revenue stream compared to heavy construction. Panelized construction used in the CFS industry for both commercial and residential construction can minimize rain and other weather delays.” However, stresses Michael Whitticar, president of Worthington Construction Group, Inc., whose first CFS-framed mid-rise structure was built in 1982, not The Villas at Maluohai, being developed by Castle & Cooke Homes Hawaii and framed with CFS, is nearing completion. 58 | BUILDING INDUSTRY | NOVEMBER 2011

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Building Industry Magazine - November 2011

Cover
Contents
Datebook
Kapolei Low-Income Housing Poised to Start
Construction Starts for Habitat Project
Kahi Mohala Renovation Blessed
AIA Hosts Sixth Canstruction Competition
Best Practices
East Oahu Residential Project Breaks Ground
Contracts Awarded
Maui FEATURE
Concept to Completion: CVS/Longs Kapolei Distribution Center
Construction Equipment - FEATURE
Inside the BIA FEATURE
Continued Success for PBTE
Spotlight on Success: CACTF, Kahuku Training Area
Low Bids
Steel FEATURE
News MakerS
New Products

Building Industry Magazine - November 2011