Residential

The Metek Building System has been extremely well received by the construction industry where rapid-build steel construction methods meet their demand for high levels of acoustic performance, speed of construction and quality. Multi-storey residential buildings also benefit from using light steel infill walls and long span flooring where excellent thermal and acoustic levels can be achieved.

ADVANTAGES OF LIGHT STEEL FRAMING IN RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS

• Speed of construction and reduced time on-site
• Many cladding options Improved acoustic and thermal performance
• Good sustainability
• Habitable roof space

APARTMENT COMPLEX, CAMBRIDGE (below)

Metek Building Systems' light steel framing solution was used for the external walls on the main façades and for the roof structure. Building ABA01 (above) was one of the first to be completed and consists of 4 storeys with a penthouse apartment enclosed by a curved steel roof comprising Rectangular Hollow Section (RHS) beams, light steel purlins, and light steel in-fills. The 3-storey FCB10 terrace buildings emphasised the public amenity by creating communal first floor space and included 9m high chimneys feeding all apartments. The structure of these chimneys was conceived using steel posts and light steel in-fills - the first known application of this technology in such tall chimneys. The patio doors required a light steel supporting structure capable of over 4m span which Metek provided. The curved roof of building ABA01 posed particular technical questions, which were solved by bending of the 200mm x 100mm RHS rafters to a radius of as low as 700mm.

residential

THREE-STOREY LOCAL HOUSING SCHEME PURLEY, LONDON (below) The Metek Building System was used for 17 social-housing town houses in Purley, London, which include rooms-in-the-roof. The three-storey buildings were built in just seven weeks, demonstrating the main advantage of off-site prefabrication. The speed of construction during inclement weather periods of January and February proved that MBS methods could cope with the worst of the British weather. The project benefited from a portable manufacturing unit set on site, where frames were manufactured, saving on transport costs and reducing local disruption. The 'warmframe' construction ensures there is zero degradation during the life of the building. High acoustic and thermal performances are achieved, often below 0.2W/m2K. The cavity construction is achieved with a brick outerskin, fixed back to the frame with Furfix wall ties. Light steel framing is an advantage on 'brown-field' sites where foundations can be substantially reduced because of its light weight.

resdential

^{Metek manufactured and installed the load-bearing light steel framing of the three buildings in just five months allowing for phased handover.}

^{Application benefits of Metek's light steel framing system}

• ^{Excellent floor stiffness and acoustic insulation}
• ^{Structural performance substantiated by tests}
• ^{Long span floor joists}
• ^{High levels of insulation easily achieved}
• ^{Light weight provides thermally responsive construction}
• ^{Occupied roof space}
• ^{Faster speed of construction}
• ^{Increased site productivity}
• ^{Predictability of process}
• ^{Safer construction process}
• ^{Increased quality}
• ^{Good energy efficiency}
• ^{Construction periods reduced by up to 30%}