Light steel frame building (LSFB) offers the construction industry and its clients the opportunity to reduce energy wastage by using the high performance alternative building solutions offered by construction group Silverline Group.

“It not only produces only 2% of waste during construction operations but also reduces the carbon footprint by up to 80% during the life of the building,” says Silverline Group CEO Charl van Zyl.

LSFB is a construction method that uses structural roof trusses and wall frames that are manufactured from cold-formed, light-gauge galvanised-steel sections, while the exterior wall cladding comprises fibre cement board fixed to the steel frames.

“LSFB has a reduced carbon footprint, as the mass of its walls are ten times lighter than that of a brick wall, resulting in less transport costs to the building site, while material wastage at the construction site is also reduced. The lack of material wastage further reduces costs, as the need to remove truckloads of building rubble after construction has been completed, is eliminated,” project manager and co-owner of the Silverline Group franchise Robbie Meyer tells Engineering News. 

Silverline Group co-founder and MD Jonathan Pepler agrees that this building method is “ideally suited for South African conditions, especially owing to the high transport costs and the long distances that building materials have to be transported”.

He adds that the building method is generally about 5% to 10% cheaper than conventional construction and suited for any type of building, but that it is ideal for mid- to high-end residential and commercial buildings.

Green Value
Meyer reiterates that the energy savings findings, confirmed by a research project by the Built Environment division of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) in 2011, indicated that its comparative thermal analyses indicate that light steel frame buildings offer improved energy efficiency – such as savings of between 20% and 90% of the electricity required for the heating of conventional residential buildings.

“This is as a result of the enhanced insulation of the building. It is therefore cooler in summer and warmer in winter. Tests also indicate that there is a difference of between 10% and 15% between inside and outside temperatures in such a building, making for very comfortable living. Some commercial clients do not even install air conditioners, owing to the internal comfort levels, ” he says, adding that the client can also get an earlier return on his investment with earlier occupation and usage of the building.

He notes that LSFBs can be insulated about a 1 000% times better than standard brick and mortar buildings, owing to the high R-value, which represents the thermal conductivity through the building.

The higher the R-value, the more effective the insulation of the building, Meyer adds.

He explains that, when the R-value of 3.76 for LSF walls is compared with the conventional brick and mortar R-value of 0.18 for a standard single-brick wall and 0.26 for a standard double-brick wall, the LSF wall is significantly better insulated.

Further, Pepler says that, although the speed of erecting a building has a significant impact on the viability of particularly a commercial building, “the client can get an earlier return on his investment with earlier occupation and usage of the building”.

High-impact 15 mm gypsum board, fixed to the LSF, is typically used for internal wall cladding and ceilings, while the plumbing and electricity is installed in the cavity created by the steel frames.

Silverline Group also often completes the foundations using a Geoplast Flooring Module, which consists of recycled plastic modules that raise the slab off the ground and create ventilation ‘space’, Pepler says. This floor system also has an R-value of 0.1%, unlike conventional floors with no R-value.

“While about 15% of a building’s energy is lost through the floor, this method is very useful in not only reducing energy loss but also adding to the ‘green factor’ in construction, for which Silverline Group is known,” he adds. This flooring system also allows for building in clay, sandy or wet areas.

The steel manufacturing processes, using recycled material to produce the new steel, also result in reduced pollution and increased energy savings, Meyer notes.

Industry Demand
Silverline Group notes a significant increase in demand and interest from companies and private individuals that want to use approved alternative building methods, he says.

Meyer notes that, due to the demand and public interest, Silverline Group has grown by at least 500% since 2012.

Key milestones for the company include contracts from large international restaurant, retail and motor vehicle chains.

In addition, Silverline is constructing a multimillion-rand, 1 000 m² conference and accommodation centre for national defence force employees in Centurion, Gauteng, and has various other building projects across the country.

Although LSFB methods have been applied in South Africa for just the past seven to eight years and the industry is still in the “infancy stage”, Pepler emphasises that this method continues to experience exponential growth.

“This construction method is also sought after by architects, as it is a flexible building method and with a LSF, any shape or design that the architect can envision, can be constructed.”

Pepler concludes that Silverline Group believes that the construction industry is excited about the method, as it is “a fresh and modern concept using the latest technology available”.