INDUSTRY PROMOTES HOMEBUILDING BENEFITS TO REBUILD GULF COAST WITH STEEL
The Gulf Coast Steel Initiative urges increased use of steel
as a durable homebuilding solution for the region.
Washington, D.C. – In its continuing efforts to promote innovation in housing technology and to
improve the quality, durability, affordability, and environmental performance of homes in rebuilding
the Gulf Coast, the North American steel industry today urged the use of steel for lasting
reconstruction of the region. Launched by a group of North American steel companies, the Gulf Coast
Steel Initiative (GCSI) focuses on implementing long-term strategies to positively impact future
construction practices in the region. The Initiative's goal is to "rebuild stronger with steel" a region
subject to severe storms.
"It is inevitable that homes built along the Gulf Coast will again have to endure more high wind and
high water and there is intense pressure to get construction underway before the next hurricane
season. In the debate over where to rebuild, considerable attention needs to be placed on how to
rebuild,"Andrew G. Sharkey, III, president and CEO of the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI), a
Washington, D.C.-based association that developed the business plan for GCSI, said. "We need to
recognize that new construction is required to meet higher wind loads, be more resistant to mold and
mildew, be environmentally friendly and still be affordable."
The hot, humid climate of the Gulf Coast posed significant challenges to the durability of residential
and commercial structures even prior to Katrina's landfall. Through the Gulf Coast Steel Initiative, the
industry aims to provide steel-intensive solutions for rebuilding and fortifying the region against
future storms.
"The rebuilding effort is a monumental undertaking since an estimated 350,000 houses need to be
replaced in a region that once built only 30,000 houses a year. To meet this unprecedented demand,
new technologies need to be employed that will provide builders with the economies of scale to
produce the volume of houses that are needed at a price that residents can afford," said David C.
Jeanes, AISI senior vice president of market development.
Benefits of using steel for homebuilding include –
High Performance Construction - Steel framing and metal roofing can be designed and engineered
specifically to hold up under extreme conditions such as flooding, earthquake, high wind or fire – that
can cause degradation or destruction of the structural system. Steel is flexible; making it more resilient
compared to other brittle materials when exposed to earthquakes and high-wind conditions, and has
inherent strength in uplift and gravity loading. Steel-framed structures are also non-combustible, and
framing members and roofing do not burn or contribute to the spread or intensity of a fire.
Steel is an inherently stable, engineered material with consistent properties and attributes and
therefore behaves in a highly predictable manner when subjected to the structural loads and stresses
imposed by events such as high winds. Steel framing and metal roofing can be designed to withstand
wind speeds of 150 miles per hour. Metal roofing systems are available that have wind resistance and
uplift resistance above the new building code requirement.
Durable - Steel framing is naturally dimensionally straight and connected mechanically, creating a
stronger, more resilient building. It is also naturally protected against deterioration by a galvanized
coating of zinc. In a seven-year study titled Galvanized Steel Framing for Residential Buildings
sponsored by the International Lead Zinc Research Organization (ILZRO) and conducted by the
NAHB Research Center, corrosion test samples were installed and monitored in the exterior walls and
vented crawl and attic spaces of four houses located in different geographic locations (inland, marine,
and industrial). In this study, the life expectancy of the coating was determined to be 377 years.
In addition, termite damage in the Greater New Orleans Metropolitan Area costs more than
$600 million per year.1 Steel framing can help mitigate the occurrence and growth of mold in
buildings, as steel does not provide a food source for the fungi that cause mold and mildew growth in
residential construction.
Cost Effective - There is a general perception that using steel for homebuilding is more expensive
than using wood. Recent research conducted by a field evaluation team of the Steel Framing Alliance
has found that the cost of building a home using steel versus wood is 1-3 percent of the total cost of
construction. Ongoing cost reduction technologies and practices have considerably increased the
affordability of the steel framing system. Homes built with new techniques using steel makes them
more marketable since buyer confidence is higher knowing issues like termites and decay are avoided
and longevity of the structure is higher. In fact, experienced steel homebuilders appreciate the value,
quality and efficiency of the steel-framed system.
Environmental - All steel products, including steel framing contain recycled steel. Steel framing
contains on average a minimum of 25% recycled steel2 and is 100 percent recyclable at end of life. In
contrast to many other building materials, steel is routinely collected in aggregate quantities from
construction and demolition sites and recycled into new steel products. Steel structures are also more
energy efficient and do not require maintenance with chemicals for insects, mold and mildew.
Larry Williams, president of the Steel Framing Alliance said, "What we are doing is creating a higher
standard in homebuilding. The powerful hurricanes that have struck the Gulf Coast require us to
develop new techniques and alternative materials to build homes that have higher resistance to
natural disasters. With our work in this area we see a unique opportunity for the steel industry to
rebuild stronger homes in this region."
The Gulf Coast Steel Initiative is a $1.1 million effort of 12 North American steel companies. The
supporting companies of the Gulf Coast Steel Initiative are: AK Steel Corporation; California Steel
Industries, Inc.; Dofasco Inc.; IMSA ACERO, S.A. de C.V.; IPSCO Inc.; Mittal Steel USA; Nucor
Corporation; Shenango Incorporated; Steel Dynamics, Inc.; United States Steel Corporation;
USS-POSCO Industries; and Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel Corporation. The initiative involves
partnerships with local government disaster relief efforts and will establish higher-performance
construction criteria by promoting state building codes that define state-of-the-art practices for
hurricane-prone areas. In the coming months, the Gulf Coast Steel Initiative will launch a series of
training and educational programs that will provide additional skilled workers to the building and
roofing contractors throughout the region.
The Metal Roofing Alliance is a consortium of metal roofing manufacturers, suppliers, distributors, and contractors with the main goal of educating consumers about the many benefits of metal roofing.
