The concept of prefabrication is gaining prominence in the Indian construction market. The entry of prefabricated homes in India has paved the way to innovative and technologically advanced construction and design methods for all kinds of construction, such as high rises, low rises, villas, and mass townships. Recently, frequent implementation of affordable housing support policies has created huge market potentials for prefabricated construction.
WHAT IS PREFABRICATED CONSTRUCTION?
Prefabricated Construction is a process of constructing buildings where components are manufactured separately and transported to the construction site where it is assembled, instead of being manufactured directly at the site.
Prefab construction is hardly new. What is new is the idea that this method of construction can be used to revolutionize the entire construction industry.
“When it comes to affordable housing as per the vision of our Honorable PM Modi Ji, the volume of homes that need to be made is huge. This is definitely not possible with the conventional methods of construction. I feel the more advanced technologies like LGSF, Pre-cast, etc need to be considered and their potential exercised.” says the Managing Director of Stratus Steel, Mr. Vidur Chandra.
PREFABRICATED CONSTRUCTION USING LGSF – LIGHT GAUGE STEEL FRAMING TECHNOLOGY
The most advanced form of prefab construction is Light Gauge Steel Framing technology.
LGSF structure construction is a quick and easy solution for single to multi-story buildings. Light Gauge Steel Frame construction uses cold-formed steel as the primary construction material. LGSF can be used for roof systems, wall systems, floor systems, roof panels, decks and also for the entire building.
Light Gauge Steel Frame construction is made of Cold-formed steel (CFS) and it has a number of advantages such as high strength to weight ratio, dimensionally constant, easy to handle, cost-effective, lightweight, vermin resistant, and can be fabricated with ease to a wide range of products and sizes with nearly no material wastage. The top benefit of LGSF structure construction is that; it is sustainable in nature whose material properties that do not change with time.
Prefab construction using LGSF offers unparalleled benefits over other technologies and offers fast track and affordable housing solutions. This is the best mode of construction one can pick.
Having said that, let’s look at a few benefits of LGSF as follows:
- Lesser turnover period
- Lesser skilled personnel are needed for assembling.
- The steel parts in LGSF have pre-made holes for electrical purposes and attaching fasteners. All the parts are labeled before shipping to avoid confusion while assembling. Thus, the chances of error happening is negligible.
- LGSF construction is time-saving since the majority of the components are made off-site. Thus, assembly and the production work can take place simultaneously which speeds up the construction process.
- Maximum efficiency can be obtained from LGSF construction as all the components are designed to act together as a uniform system.
- LGSF structures are aesthetically appealing and provide seamless finishes.
- These buildings offer good resistance against seismic actions since it is made of materials that have optimum strength to weight ratio.
- Steel is recyclable, and most of the materials can be used again.
BENEFITS OF ADOPTING PREFABRICATED LGSF CONSTRUCTION – MODERN CONSTRUCTION SOLUTION
In prefabricated LGSF construction, each of the building units can be easily disassembled and transported to a different site. This significantly reduces the demand for new materials, the expended energy, and overall construction time.
Also, the prefabricated gsf construction method gives you flexibility in terms of the home’s structural design, and you get limitless opportunities to design the house as per your specific requirements. There are prefabricators in India like Stratus Steel who ensure that your dream home is built to be aesthetically brilliant with exquisite architecture, and stunning interior design with maximum utility.
Thus, it comes as the perfect construction solution for all who are looking for a home that is a perfect combination of aesthetics and structural strength.
HIGH-SPEED CONSTRUCTION
Prefabricated LGSF construction takes significantly less time to complete the project than the traditional on-site construction method. In many cases, prefabrication takes less than half the time to complete the building as the traditional construction methods. You can collaborate with Stratus Steel, one of the best solution providers in the LGSF prefabrication construction sector, for your prefab home. We offer several prefab solutions and ensure that your dream home is ready to move in!
CONSISTENT QUALITY
Since prefabricated LGSF construction takes place in a controlled manufacturing environment, each assembly unit is built following specified standards. This means the structure of the construction unit will be of uniform quality. Also, some of the building components are constructed using state-of-the-art technology that guarantees precision and consistent output adhering to the building code.
SAFETY AND SECURITY
One of the most important concerns that people have about the on-site construction method is the safety and security of the workers, laborers, and people in and around the site. There is a myriad of things that can go wrong, which puts the lives of people at risk. Apart from the on-site risk, people are exposed to on-site weather risks.
With prefabricated LGSF construction, a significant part of the construction is done in a controlled factory setting, which significantly reduces the risks of on-site accidents. Throughout the construction process, the workers follow strict safety norms and procedures. This significantly reduces the risk of on-the-job accidents, injuries, and liabilities. Further, in today’s post-pandemic world, off-site construction ensures that there are minimum workers at the site, thereby ensuring social distancing and safety for all.
ENVIRONMENT FRIENDLY
Prefabricated LGSF construction is one of the most energy-efficient and environment-friendly construction methods. The traditional construction methods often required extra material, which increases the risk of wastage. In fact, Stratus Steel’s light gauge steel frame construction solution has environmental benefits in the range of 48% to 61% as compared to a similar conventional structure, when analyzed over a range of life cycles.
Thus, with so many benefits associated with prefabricated LGSF construction, it is fast gaining acceptance and popularity in India. With this construction method, you get the benefits of environment-friendly construction, consistent quality, high-quality structures, and faster completion.
WHY ARE PREFABRICATED BUILDINGS USING LGSF THE BEST CHOICE FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING?
“When it comes to affordable housing, it needs to be quick and seamless. Nothing beats the speed and quality of construction when it comes to LGSF in this case.
The advantages of Prefabricated homes using LGSF include that the technology is green, uses less water and electricity, reduces wastage and most importantly, the steel used is recyclable. This technology allows lesser vehicular movement to and from the site thereby reducing air pollution and also offering lesser dependency on labor. The insulation and finishing rendered by these homes are far better than other technologies thereby proposing a better lifestyle for those occupying them.
Once the home is made, hassles of maintenance are lowered by using prefab construction. Since the materials are made under supervision in a factory-controlled environment, these homes pose as more reliable and safe in the longer run.
Taking all of this into account, I feel Prefabricated construction using LGSF is the best choice for fast-track, affordable construction. “ says MD, Vidur Chandra.
A prefab structure reduces construction cost, manpower cost, material cost, water consumption and labor cost significantly, hence, making it cost-effective.
Offsite construction cuts project costs by up to 30% and delivery times by up to 50%, as compared to conventional construction techniques, while producing high-quality and custom-built buildings and facilities.
Today, India’s construction industry suffers from a shortage of skilled labor, long gestation periods, increasing prices of raw materials, and wastage. Developers can derive cost benefits from offsite construction technologies, through timely completion of their projects.
Prefab technologies are cost-effective if there is greater usage of the system. In other words, the system proves economical, wherever mass clusters of buildings or campuses need to be constructed.
CONCLUSION
Prefabricated construction is a revolutionary technology but definitely not a new one. With the demand for affordable housing rising each day, it is certainly worth adopting and exploring its full potential.
This technology has been widely accepted and approved by our Indian government too. It has been recommended in a lot of tenders and Stratus Steel is proud to share that they have manufactured and supplied LGSF for various affordable housing projects for the government.
Stratus Steel believe prefabricated construction using LGSF technology enables an environmentally sustainable, rapidly scalable & economical option for affordable housing projects of any size.
For more information, visit our website www.stratus-steel.com or write to us at work@stratus-steel.com. You can also call us at 9156551671.
