Planning ahead in construction is crucial, especially when it comes to selecting the right materials. Choosing the right material can lead to reduced costs while maintaining work quality and output.

Cold-formed steel (CFS) framing has a proven track record of providing cost-effective and sustainable benefits for low and mid-rise buildings. Unlike wood, steel is dimensionally stable and will not warp, split, crack or creep when exposed to the elements. CFS framing systems offer significant cost benefits over competitive building materials when total costs of construction are considered. Here are five ways CFS framing systems can lower total construction costs.

1. Shorter project cycles

Panelizing, or assembling wall panels offsite, reduces onsite labor costs and increases overall quality. Creating steel components to precise specifications reduces construction waste and total project time. Consequently, steel’s shorter construction cycle means equipment can move on and off the jobsite faster, reducing crane costs and scaffold rental times.

For example, a student housing project at California Polytechnic State University was completed six months earlier than predicted for a concrete structural frame, resulting in savings for the university.

2. Earlier building occupancy and flexibility

A reduced construction cycle lowers interim financing costs for projects while narrowing the window of construction-related liability, allowing for earlier building occupancy.

In a recent project at The University of Virginia, Augustine Group LLC used panelized CFS, tapping into the versatility and durability of steel. Cold-formed steel allowed the company to build seven stories—two st

ories higher than the threshold for wood-framed buildings—resulting in additional occupancy potential and increased ROI.

Additionally, steel framing systems can be readily and economically adapted to cope with changing requirements of occupants, avoiding functional obsolescence and the high cost and disruption of refurbishment, redevelopment or demolition.

3. multi-season construction

One of the major material advantages of CFS framing is its durability and its resistance to the environmental factors that typically threaten the integrity and lifespan of other framing materials. Because CFS framing is resistant to corrosion, mold and vermin, it does not require costly treatments or repairs often encountered with other building materials. Using steel during winter construction also eliminates the need for artificial heat required to properly cure cement, which can save lost time during winter.

4. Minimize risk

Because steel is noncombustible and it melts at temperatures far above the temperatures of typical building fires, steel-framed structures tend to suffer less internal damage and cause less damage to adjacent properties in fires. Owners of wood-framed, mid-rise buildings typically pay higher insurance rates. The must consider the possibility of project delays due to fire damage or legal actions that could result from the damage to adjacent properties during a fire occurring in the construction process.

This is of particular concern for mid-rise buildings, which are often built on infill sites as a method to curb urban sprawl. In 2015, a fire at an apartment construction site in Edgewater, N.J., displaced hundreds of tenants from nearby buildings. Lawsuits were filed against the building owner citing the known risk of fire associated with wood construction.

In contrast, steel minimizes the risk of fire spreading to adjacent buildings and reduces the possibility for subsequent legal action, putting less burden on building owners and firefighters.

Builder’s risk insurance premiums are typically lower for steel projects than wood. Builder’s risk insurance for a four-story, 400-unit hotel built over 24 months with CFS in Ohio cost $360,000. The same buil

ding would have cost $1.6 million to insure had it been built with wood.

5. reduced life cycle costs

When it comes to selecting CFS, the strength-to-weight ratio, resiliency, adaptability and durability significantly exceeds wood or concrete while reducing life cycle costs in projects. As a strong and relatively lightweight product, CFS systems reduce a building’s total load, which allows the owner to save costs beginning at the foundation.

For example, for a 6,000 square foot office renovation at the Chart Industries, Inc., a manufacturing plant in La Crosse, Wis, CFS was chosen for its cost benefits and flexibility to integrate with other systems. Compared to masonry wall construction, the CFS system saved about $2.50 per square foot on the project.

Photo credits: KHS&S Contractors and Landmark Urban Construction