The Southern African Light Steel Frame Building Association ( SASFA ) reports that there has been an encouraging growth in southern Africa in the past two to three years in the awareness of light steel frame building as an environmentally friendly and sustainable building method . Training has been fundamental to this growth .
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SANDF trains troops in light steel frame building
The Southern African Light Steel Frame Building Association ( SASFA ) reports that there has been an encouraging growth in southern Africa in the past two to three years in the awareness of light steel frame building as an environmentally friendly and sustainable building method . Training has been fundamental to this growth .
SASFA director John Barnard says that the successful training programmes undertaken by SASFA have been key in the promotion and growth of light steel frame building ( LSFB ) in southern Africa . “ Education is the foundation for getting the advantages of a new method understood as well as for to protect and enhance the quality of building through the growth phases and beyond ,” says Barnard .
The latest to come on board is the SANDF which requested SASFA to present a five-day training course for LSFB contractors at the Old Fort Rd Military Base in Durban . The aim of the course is to qualify their foremen and artisans in LSFB , in preparation for a building project comprising five three-storey blocks of flats and offices .
The students of Regional Works Unit KwaZulu-Natal under the command of Captain ( SAN ) S Mashigo – who enrolled for the course included , among others , plumbers , electricians and project managers . Colonel E Jacobs coordinated arrangements for the course from the SANDF ’ s side , while SASFA members who supplied support for the course and made it possible included Saint-Gobain , Martin and Associates and Simpson Strong-tie . Bosch Tools illustrated its wide range of equipment suitable for use in the LSFB industry .
THE COURSE WAS SPLIT INTO TWO
Steel frame materials , components , and erection ( three and a half days ), covering introduction , the steel making process and properties of coated steel sheet , followed by sections on foundations , manufacturing of light steel frames and trusses , construction tools , wall frame set-out , handling , loads , floor framing , wall framing , roof structures , planning and the installation of services and internal lining , external cladding and insulation ( one day ), covering the properties , manufacturing and benefits of glasswool insulation , acoustics , energy efficiency , environmental issues , storage and handling of glasswool and tools and installation methodology .
This was followed by a section on gypsum plasterboard , covering properties , storage and handling , cutting , tools and application for walls , ceilings and finishing .
SANDF students taking part in a LSFB training course . Image : SANDF
Finally , fibre cement board for external cladding was addressed , including the installation of the vapour permeable membrane , sizes and availability of fibre cement – boards and planks , fixing accessories , installation guidelines and door and window frame installation detail was presented .
As part of the course , students had to write two tests to assess their understanding of the subject matter . Certificates of successful completion were issued to those who passed the tests .
“ Generally , this course is growing in popularity as an increasing number of building contractors , developers , architects and engineers want to become more knowledgeable about LSFB in general and also on a practical level ,” concludes Barnard .
The successful training programmes undertaken by SASFA have been key in the promotion and growth of light steel frame building .
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