The construction industry is evolving rapidly, and light steel framing (LSF) is positioned at the forefront of this transformation.
With its sustainability, precision, and adaptability, LSF offers a compelling alternative to traditional materials like concrete and timber. As technological advancements drive steel production toward a lower-carbon future, the industry has a real opportunity to redefine its role in sustainable construction.
However, as Ben Towe, Managing Director of Hadley Group explains, widespread adoption will depend on increased awareness and education. The sector must highlight the benefits of LSF, its efficiency, durability, and ability to meet ambitious design requirements.
As more and more people adopting offsite technology and the sector continues to grow, where do you see LSF's role within this ongoing expansion?
Light steel framing has an enormous role to play in the future of construction. The alternatives, such as concrete and timber, each have significant drawbacks.
Concrete is not particularly environmentally friendly, and timber, while often seen as sustainable, has a carbon footprint of between 48 per cent and 52 per cent, depending on the type of timber.
Some may argue that steel itself is problematic due to its manufacturing process, but the reality is that there has been significant advancement in process technology. This means the steel industry is improving its sustainability credentials at a rapid pace. We are moving towards lower-carbon steels, and beyond that, there is a commitment to achieving zero-carbon steel production.
There are currently at least three mills worldwide under development that have the potential to produce zero-carbon steel. This gives us more than a fighting chance to redefine steel framing's role in sustainable construction and enhance its credibility as a responsible building material.
Electric Arc Furnaces (EAFs) are a crucial part of the solution. They play a significant role in reducing steel's carbon footprint. However, cold roll-forming a piece of steel is already an incredibly low-carbon process.
The real challenge lies in steel production itself. When you break it down, the biggest contributor to steel's carbon footprint is the energy required to manufacture it. The production of a single tonne of steel typically results in between 2.2 and 2.5 tonnes of CO2 emissions. However, around 1.4 to 1.8 tonnes of that comes from the electricity required to power the furnaces.
This highlights the importance of transitioning to renewable energy sources for steel production. If we can fully power steel manufacturing with renewable energy, the carbon footprint of steel can drop significantly below that of its competitors.
What does the LSF sector need to do to boost its profile?
To raise the profile of light steel framing, the sector must employ several key strategies to increase visibility, adoption, and perceived value. First and foremost, education and awareness are critical.
Many people remain unfamiliar with the advantages of light steel frame construction, its sustainability, speed of assembly, and durability. Conducting educational campaigns and providing accessible resources for architects, engineers and the general public will go a long way in shifting perceptions.
Training programs are also essential, as hands-on experience in the construction market naturally leads to greater adoption. We've already seen this happen.
Steel framing is widely accepted in commercial construction, but there are still some sectors, such as housebuilding, where it has yet to become mainstream. However, as more people become familiar with the process, it's only a matter of time before adoption grows in these areas as well.
Beyond education, the industry must highlight innovative design and application.
Unlike traditional methods, where construction relies on manual bricklaying with room for error, steel framing is highly precise. The technological advancements behind it ensure that clients, architects and engineers have a much clearer picture of the final result before construction even begins.
This level of predictability and efficiency is invaluable. Light steel framing is incredibly versatile, not just for residential homes but also for commercial buildings, multi-storey structures and complex architectural designs.
The more complex the design, the less feasible traditional construction methods become. This is where light steel framing gains a distinct advantage. The flexibility it offers allows clients to achieve exactly what they envision, rather than compromising due to the limitations of traditional methods.
Technologies like artificial intelligence or electric cars were initially met with scepticism, but over time, they have become widely accepted. Do you see light steel framing following a similar trajectory, where it will eventually become a well-known and widely adopted solution?
Absolutely. Right now, we don't have the market scale needed to drive widespread adoption. That's not to say the technology isn't there – it absolutely is – but the industry hasn't yet reached a tipping point.
Once steel framing surpasses 50 per cent adoption in the market, the rest of the industry will have no choice but to follow suit. That's when we'll see exponential growth.
Until then, we need to focus on awareness campaigns, as I mentioned earlier. Another key strategy is strong marketing backed by real-world case studies.
Light steel framing is already delivering fantastic projects, but these success stories aren't as widely known as they should be.
We need to showcase these projects and engage with industry influencers, the architects, designers and construction professionals, to create compelling content that demonstrates the advantages and feasibility of steel framing. Partnering with media outlets and industry influencers will help us reach new audiences and drive further adoption.
