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Steel Frame Residential & Commercial Building Advantages
AGF ALTEX Vivienda Construccion & Empoderamiento        AGF ALTEX Housing Empowerment & Fundraising
Ventajas Acero Panelizado                                                Steel Frame Building Advantages                                       
AGF ALTEX Commercial & Emergency Housing

AGF and ALTEX decided to select the use of steel framing as the principal construction material in their housing development program because the exceptional qualities and advantages it offers to everyone. The following are some of those advantages:

Steel is a superior construction material
Steel has a consistent material quality
100% recyclable - inorganic - will not warp, split, crack or creep - highest strength to weight ratio of any building material - not vulnerable to termites or any type of fungi or organism - high steel strength results in safer structures, less maintenance and slower aging of structure; Exceeds all building codes.

 
Benefits to builders:
Lighter than other framing materials
Makes straight walls and square corners
Windows and doors close as they should
Customer perceives steel as better
Less scrap and waste (up to 20%)
Small punch list and returns for repairs

Steel is superior to any other construction material
Highest strength to weight ratio of any building material
100% recyclable
Non-combustible - does not burn and will not contribute fuel to the spread of fire.
Inorganic - will not rot, warp, split, crack or creep.
Dimensionally stable - does not expand or contract with moisture or temperature changes.
Consistent material quality - produced in strict accordance with national standards, no regional variations

Benefits to the Builder
Lighter weight than other building material
Easier material selection - no need to cull or sort - no warps, splits or knots
Straight walls - all studs are straight and true.
Square corners.
Windows and doors open and close, as they should.
Small punch list - because of the stability of steel, interior and exterior walls will not crack or split
Less scrap and waste - 2% for steel vs. 20% for lumber - less site clean up, hauling and landfill expenses - sell the scrap for cash.
Price stability - steel prices have been stable since 1980 while wood prices continue to rise.
Environmental selling and "Green" positioning
Consumer perceives steel as better quality

 
Benefits to the Customer
High strength results in safer structures.
Fire safety.
Not vulnerable to termites or chemical pesticides.
Not vulnerable to any type of fungi, mold or any organism.
Less probability of foundation problems - less weight results in less movement.
Less damage in earthquakes, hurricanes, hail storms, snow loads - lighter structure with stronger connections results in less seismic force.
 

Environmental Benefits
More steel recycled in the USA each year than aluminum, plastic and glass combined - with the industry's overall recycling rate of 64%.
Each year, steel recycling saves energy equivalent to powering about one-fifth of the households in the USA (about 10 Million homes) for one year.
Steel's unique magnetic properties make it easily identifiable as a recyclable material.  If a magnet sticks, the consumers can be sure it is steel and should be recycled.
More than 10 Million cars (virtually every car taken off the road) were recycled in 1998 - enough cars to circle the earth one and three quarter times.
Steel recycling programs reduce the solid waste stream resulting in saves landfill space and conservation of natural resources.
Every ton of recycled steel saves 2,500 pounds of iron ore, 1.400 pounds of coal and 120 pounds of limestone.
In 1998, 88% of the steel taken from commercial construction demolition sites was recycled.

IT TAKES APPROXIMATELY 100 TREES TO BUILD AN AVERAGE HOUSE. 

WITH THE WORLD'S DEMAND FOR WOOD AND THE SUPPLY, WE ARE WIPING OUT THE RAIN FORESTS - THE LUNGS OF THE EARTH!

Contact: 
Ingeniero Victor Pinzon
Americas Global Foundation
ALTEX International
930 M Street, NW Suite 609 Washington, DC 20001
202-371-9696   Fax: 202-216-9550   vicpinzon@theamericas.org
Copyright © 1996-2004 ALTEX for  Americas Global Foundation. All rights reserved.

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