PARTNER NEWS
Light Steel Frame Building riding high
The steel consumption of the Light Steel Frame
Building Industry (LSFB) has grown to 25 000t
per annum of high strength galvanized steel sheet,
achieving double digit annual growth rates over the
past five years. This is according to John Barnard
director of the Southern African Light Steel Frame
Building Association (SASFA). “The biggest growth
of LSFB is in multi-storey office and commercial
buildings, where it is replacing heavy masonry curtain
walls,” Barnard says.
He adds that at the recent Steel Awards, 19 LSFB
entries were received – a third of the total number of
entries! “There is no doubt that LSFB has come of age
in South Africa. In the last eight years it has become a
viable alternative building method for a range of low
to medium rise buildings fully accepted by engineers,
architects, quantity surveyors, builders and the
financial institutions.”
Training
Barnard says that one of the central reasons for the
success of the LSFB method has been the ongoing
training initiatives, undertaken by SASFA with the
help of the industry at large, to protect and enhance
the quality of LSF buildings. This year, the training,
which focused on designers, building contractors and
building inspectors, included:
• A 6-day LSFB training course for builders in
Alberton, Windhoek, Durban and Midrand. A total
of 79 people attended bringing to 245 the number
of people who have successfully completed the
course. The course presented in Namibia was the
first outside S.A. borders with students attending
from the DRC, Zambia and Namibia.
• A lecture to University of Pretoria final year
building science students, which was delivered to
a full lecture room – 110 students.
• Lectures to assessors for the banks in Sandton.
Some 80 assessors attended.
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Codes & Standards
From inception one of the most important tasks of
SASFA was to develop codes and standards for the
then fledgling LSFB industry, which it did successfully.
Barnard reports that this year work has started on a
comprehensive revision of SANS codes and standards
with the following being achieved in the process:
• Representation by SASFA on the SANS 10400L
(Roofs) committee of the SABS, to ensure that LSF
is correctly covered in the code revisions.
• Representation by SASFA on the SABS committee
SC98C, which is responsible for all standards
dealing with steel or aluminium in building and
construction.
• Representation by SASFA on the working group
tasked with the revision of the NHBRC handbooks.
• Thorough revision of SANS 517 which should be
completed by year end.
Another important milestone for the LSFB industry
in 2014 was the assessment by the University of
Stellenbosch of the three LSF building systems in use
in South Africa, which were accredited as suitable
for use in his country. “This is a significant step
forward for the industry and to keep the momentum
going, final preparations are underway to roll out the
certification of LSF builders throughout the country.”
In terms of quality control, Barnard says that SASFA
is playing an increasingly important role in ensuring
the highest possible standards in the industry.
“For example, SASFA was recently approached by
three clients who were not satisfied with their LSF
buildings. The technical aspects of the projects were
investigated by SASFA and remedial measures agreed
with the builders. We believe that it is now clear to the
industry that one of SASSFA’s key roles is the ‘policing’
of standards and that we will act swiftly and efficiently
to bring into line any sub-standard service providers,”
Barnard says.