KNYSNA NEWS - Rebuilding Knysna could be greatly facilitated by the use of light steel frame building (LSFB), delegates were told at a special workshop last week.
Architects, engineers, municipal authorities and homeowners all gathered at Conrad Pezula on Friday 8 September to hear director of the Southern African Light Steel Frame Building Association (SASFA) John Barnard highlight the benefits of using LSFB.
“LSFB has all the attributes required for rebuilding Knysna. It has speed of construction, it is incombustible, uses very little water on site and is ‘green’ and sustainable,” said Barnard. He added that the insulation used with the process is three times more than that of a double-brick wall.
The method has been used for decades and is growing in popularity worldwide, especially in the United States, United Kingdom and Australia, said Barnard.
The steel for LSFB is manufactured from high strength, thin gauge galvanised steel sheeting that is optimally designed to provide the required structural strength for building, Barnard said, making it the perfect product for roof trusses and walling systems.
He said the manufacturing process is dependent on the plans for the building. “The architect’s plans are copied into a building system design facility (referred to as CAD/CAM) by an engineer.
Click here to view a photo gallery.
The design is linked to a roll profiling machine which then produces the sections needed to the exact required length, and punches holes for rivets, screws, wiring and plumbing marked in the correct sequence of assembly, thus making the finishing-off of the building faster and easier with no wastage.”
Some of these sections, like the trusses and wall panels, said Barnard, can be assembled in the factory using these pre-punched holes. He added that once on site and the floor slab has been cast, erection of wall frames and roof trusses can be completed within two to three days, “depending on the size of the construction”.
“With the pre-cut holes for plumbing and wiring, there is no need to cut into a brick wall and make a mess,” said Barnard. A vapour permeable membrane, which allows moisture to escape but not penetrate, is fixed to the frame of the outside walls.
This method of building can be used for small and large constructions, and from single to multistorey constructions. Cladding and linings of all sorts can be used, and are attached directly to the frame of the building.
Advantages:
According to Barnard, LSFB is tried and tested, complies with rational design requirements, is structurally sound with structures being signed off by an engineer, is noncombustible, uses only quality certified materials, has a 50-year warranty on galvanised frames, can accommodate an imperfect foundation and sloping sites, can be designed to resist seismic tremors, sections are assembled under factory conditions, has superior insulation and excellent acoustics.
Cost-efficient:
Barnard said LSFB is fast, dimensionally accurate in that “everything fits”; produces minimal wastage; is durable with a predicted life of 100 years or more; is lightweight thereby slashing logistical costs; energy efficient; allows for flexibility and design freedom; could add floor space; is accurate in costing and allows for earlier occupation.
LSFB examples:
Macaneta project in Mozambique, Ugie housing project in the Eastern Cape, Novo Warehouse in Paarl, Villa Mall in Pretoria, Pan African Games athletes village in Maputo, and the Antigua Estate in Amanzimtoti.
More info on LSFB: sasfa.co.za
ARTICLE: STEFAN GOOSEN, KNYSNA-PLETT HERALD JOURNALIST
'We bring you the latest Knysna, Garden Route news'
