A New Trend Taking Form in SA

Green Building Way Forward

An article published on the Engineering News website has drawn attention to the successful introduction of ‘green’ building systems into the industry by steel framework building company, Vela Steel Building Systems.

Vela Steel MD, Brent Harris says that the company will extend its ‘green’ building system across all sectors and is confident about the decision, particularly in light of the fact that many developers and builders in the private market are becoming aware of the advantages of steel framed building, which consists of a reduced building program, cost savings and improved thermal qualities.

Steel is fully recyclable and building a house on an elevated platform essentially minimizes the impact on its surroundings. Transporting an entire house on a truck reduces the number of heavily laden vehicles on the road.

According to Harris, “Many houses have already been built using our lightweight steel frame system. Property developers are starting to realize that houses that are built with a steel framework as opposed to conventional brick and mortar offer better insulation during the winter and are cooler in the summer. Another advantage that a steel framework offers is the fact that it is easily erectable, offering quicker turn around times and is built to customer specifications”.

Vela Steel uses computer aided design (CAD) software in the design of these frameworks. “With the CAD software the company is able to factor all variables into the building of a house, so that the customer can specify the look and feel they require,” explains Harris.

The company has been involved in a number of residential projects recently. Towards the end of March this year, a project was completed at the Vaal Dam near Vereeniging, just south of Johannesburg. It required the construction of a 450m² luxury home using lightweight steel frames and roof trusses.

“Once the framework had been erected the external walls were clad with OSB board and Vermont plank and internally with gypsum board. The insulation in the wall cavity provided the thermal insulation. Vela SBS was awarded the contract towards the end of November 2007, construction time was about four months with completion of the project in March this year,” said Harris.

Another project involved the erection of a steel framework and roof trusses for a home in Fourways. “The project was very similar to the Vaal project. The only difference being that GDS [a property development company] opted to cover the outer steel framework with a combination of a single brick skin and Vermont plank. GDS approached Vela SBS with the project towards the end of 2007 and like the Vaal project, the house in Fourways took three months to complete. Both developers are currently building their second steel framed house. The second Fourways house is a double storey plus loft, which has proved to be quite challenging, yet our system has proved to be more than capable,” Harris added.

Considering the latest global trend towards being more ‘green’ conscious, this move by Vela Steel could well be the way of the future. Already, architects are being challenged to design homes that mould into their environment and make use of natural light and shade to supplement warmth in winter and protect from the harsh sun during summer. Builders are also coming up with innovative ways to insulate homes and make them less of a strain on the natural environment.

The information in this article is courtesy of Jonathan Faurie (“Building company introduces green building system”, Engineering News, 11 July 2008).

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