Blog

The flexibility and simplicity of steel framing systems draws many clients because there are no interior load-bearing walls, so remodeling or re-configuring rooms when needs change is a snap. “When children leave at 28, you can easily knock down walls.  And when they return at 32 you can erect them again,” BONE founder and president Marc Bovet joked (perhaps, inappropriately) about the ease with which his system allows a steel building frame to be reconfigured.

Recycled, and recyclable, steel buildings and steel-framed houses are making their way into Toronto, Canada thanks to a pre-cut steel framing system, developed by BONE Structure, arrives at the site ready to be snapped together.

Speaking of snap, the structural members snap together, with no nails or other fasteners, a lot like Legos.  This significantly cuts down on the amount of time it takes to frame a building.  Houses can be completely framed in five days. “What Tesla Motors and its electric car is doing to the automotive industry in terms of ecology, durability and sustainability, we are doing to the construction industry,” says Bovet.

In addition to the recycled steel in the structure, these steel buildings and houses are greener due to the lack of construction waste and a reduced need to support construction crews over long periods.  There is no also no scrap or construction waste created, as the entire structure is manufactured for the specific design.  This could potentially speed up construction timeframes, as finish materials, such as cabinets, could be “measured” up before the building is even on site.  With the snap together system, dimensions are guaranteed to be as designed.

Cost is another area that the BONE system has an advantage.  Conventional steel framing may cost as much as 15% over the cost of a similar design framed in wood.  A BONE house costs only about 5% more in framing costs compared to traditional wood-framed homes. “I’d love to find a lot and build something like this,” said Michael Taylor, a spectator viewing the first BONE home in Toronto.  “It’s environmentally friendly, flexible in design.  What’s not to like?”

By: Dawn Killough

Source | Images: TheStar.com | Green Building Elements