African Design Magazine ADM #36 December 2017 | Page 13

thickness) glass wool insulation, the walls have a be er insulation with a R-value of 3.23 –
almost 50% higher than the minimum requirement, and five times higher than the insulation
offered by a double leaf brick wall. In addition, double-glazed PVC windows have been
used for their excellent thermal and acoustic insulation properties.
Charl van Zyl, who represents Rancor Meyer Bros the contractor building the Wilcox Jones
house, explains that the project comprised the demolition of the remains of the burnt-out
house, the digging of the foundations, the laying of the slab and then the erection of the new
200m² double-storey LSFB house. Work began on the 19th September 2017 and will be
completed by the 10th December 2017.
“That is 82 days or 12 weeks, which is remarkable for a house of this size and detail,” says
van Zyl. “In fact, this is one of the main reasons why the owners chose LSFB as they are
renting accommodation while waiting for the house to be completed. This speed of
construction will translate into significant bo om line savings for them. They were also
a racted by the energy efficiency and the saving of electricity for heating and cooling over
the long-term.”
Van Zyl adds that a particular advantage of LSFB on this steeply sloping site, was that the
light steel frames and trusses, as well as the cladding and lining materials, were relatively
easily brought up to the site. “The delivery and handling of heavy masonry materials would
have been a huge problem and the significant increase in loads required with these materials
compared to LSFB materials would have exacerbated the situation”, he says.
One of the unique solutions that Rancor Meyer Bros introduced on this project was the pre-
painting of the external cladding material while it was still on the ground. Van Zyl says this
was quicker than if they had painted after erection and added that both sides of the fibre
cement planks could be primed enabling a be er-quality job overall.
Meanwhile Rancor Meyer Bros have signed up a further three residential projects in Knysna
Heights since they started building in Campbell Street. “By observing the rapid progress of
the building process, architects, developers and owners are clearly impressed by light steel
frame building,” van Zyl concluded.
PROJECT MATERIALS
The external cladding - which consists of OSB board fixed to the light steel frame covered by
the vapour permeable membrane (Tyvek) and cladding on the outside with fibre cement
planks fixed in shiplap fashion – was supplied by Marley Building Systems.
The steel frames for this project were profiled using ArcelorMi al's high strength galvanised
steel sheet by Cape Town-based light steel frame manufacturer, Pholaco.
LSFB – DEMONSTRATING THE ADVANTAGES
The Southern African Light Steel Frame Building Association (SASFA) held a well- a ended
workshop in Knysna, South Africa, to present light steel frame building (LSFB) as a possible
solution for the replacement of houses destroyed during the recent spate of fires. The event
was sponsored by ArcelorMi al, Marley Building Systems and Saint-Gobain...
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