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Is it Possible to Build a Comfortable, Livable Steel House?
Have you considered STEEL as a building material for your new home? Think twice before you laugh it off!
The idea that you might build your house out of steel may sound bizarre to most people but, in fact, it is a concept that is gaining popularity in countries like India, and you should not dismiss the idea out of hand. There are numerous benefits to a steel house, like weather resistance, for one.
In the United States the trend is starting with condominium and association halls, and new health care facilities and the idea of residential steel buildings is being tested with good results.
Architects who design with steel say that, while the idea may seem radical, living in a steel home is no different than living in a house made of concrete.
OK, so you can’t hang a picture without some planning, but you can decorate your steel home. You just have to limit your pictures and wall adornments to a spot where the steel support beams run behind the wallboard.
If you think the temperature inside a steel house would be high during the summer months, you would be wrong! Studies of the steel houses built in India reveal that they are one degree cooler in summer, on average, than comparably sized concrete house.
The architect of these steel houses says that this surprising results is because the steel walls are smoother than concrete, and they reflect more light. The steel sheets used for the construction are also thin so there is less surface to conduct heat. The steel home is well insulated, the windows are glazed, and window placement is planned for optimum cross ventilation. All of these are important factors in the design.
The design includes a roof pitch that is appropriate to reduce solar heat in the room and considers the angle at which the sun enters the room.
An international architectural competition held a year or so ago, created more buzz about steel houses. These designs were meant to be used for home construction, and to create houses that were sustainable in any environment.
The winning design is available for builders and architects who want to construct steel houses, but aren’t sure about design and materials.
Steel houses compare favorably with concrete construction because the steel ration of ‘strength to weight bearing’ is higher for steel than for any other material, and it is easy to form and join steel pieces.
Because the materials for a steel house is ordered to specification, the home is built from custom pieces that require less preparation onsite, and therefore the construction process results in less dust and noise, and the total time for construction is decreased.
Steel is sturdy, and light, and easy to use in construction. Yet, steel structures can more successfully withstand storms and earthquakes. Steel houses do not require much maintenance, and you don’t have to paint them to keep them looking new.
The cost of a steel house or building is a bit higher than the price of a concrete building, but your costs will vary widely depending on how you intend to use the building, and the quality of finish materials you choose.
U.S. homebuilders and architects have not yet fully embraced the concept of steel houses but the trend is beginning! Architects are designing roofing with steel and steel has become more popular as a decorative or complementary component of the home exterior.
Architects are designing commercial structures with steel as well. Already there are more steel buildings and designs for health care facilities, schools and other institutional buildings
If you want to live on the cutting edge and you are about to build your own home, you may be ready for steel. Just think! You could be the first one in your neighborhood to live in a steel house!
Writen by Raleigh Renfree
Copyright 2006
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