News Showcasing Light Steel Frame Construction through Time-Lapse
Off-site light steel frame construction is a growing trend in the UK building industry, especially for use in urban mixed-use developments.
Light steel frames are being increasingly used to construct medium-rise residential, office and mixed-use buildings across UK cities, due to the speed, cost-effectiveness, and versatility of the product. Showcasing light steel frame construction through time-lapse videos is an excellent way to highlight these benefits. With high-resolution above Ultra HD footage, the video can capture the speed, ease and precision involved in light steel frame construction.
What are the benefits of light steel frames?
The main benefits of using light steel framing are its speed and adaptable nature, as it can be used for a multitude of building types, from two-storey houses right through to medium-rise multi-use structures.
Light steel frames are factory manufactured, using technology and engineering to produce high-quality products with minimal waste. As the frames are manufactured off-site, this leads to faster on-site construction and project completion, which makes it a more cost-effective solution. Projects can be sped up further by co-ordinating the on-site groundwork with the off-site manufacturing of steel frames.
The off-site manufacturing of building structures, such as light steel frames, is growing year on year, as it increases construction productivity and decreases costs. These benefits are all in line with the government’s strategy for change, Construction 2025, whose targets are reduced building costs, quicker construction times and buildings that create lower emissions throughout their lifetimes.
Where are light steel structure frames mainly used?
A key sector for light steel framing is medium-rise residential buildings and multi-use buildings in urban settings. These buildings tend to be up to eight storeys high with retail and commercial space on the ground floor and car parking in the basement.
The success of these builds is due to the lightweight nature of the construction, which reduces the loads on the supporting structure and foundations. A light frame equals shallower foundations, which means a quicker build time and less disruption to the surrounding area.
Successful use of steel-framed construction in an urban setting can be seen at Wellington Place, in the heart of Leeds. Wellington Place is part of the regeneration of a large industrial site, where a range of mixed-use buildings of offices, commercial and retail spaces, residential and hotels have been developed. The project is so expansive, that there have been several phases and it is still ongoing. 7-8 Wellington Place alone is 378,000 sq ft of Grade A office space.
All the buildings at Wellington Place are of different footprints and designs, to fit within the sites available, but each one of them uses steel frames. In this instance, the steel frames are combined with cellular beams to make the structures even more lightweight.
Light steel frame buildings can go up to 12 storeys if necessary, and as well as being used for residential, offices and commercial spaces they are also popular in student accommodation and hotels. This is as their single leaf walls provide good sound insulation, an important factor for such accommodation types.
How green are light steel frames
Light steel frames are sustainable, as produced in a controlled factory setting, there is very little waste. Due to the off-site manufacturing of the frames, there are fewer on-site deliveries which reduce the carbon emissions and the impact on the surrounding environment.
Structures such as The Alchemist at Salford Quays are sustainable as the whole steel frame can be recycled once the building has reached the end of its life.
Why use time-lapse videos?
Time-lapse videos play an important role in promoting the use of light steel frames. Visually documenting the on-site build process with high-quality video showcases the ease and speed of light steel frame construction. It is worthwhile bringing light steel framing into the spotlight, as it is part of the off-site construction industry that can help the government reach the targets set in Construction 2025.
As the UK’s leading time-lapse video company, we have the expertise and know-how to produce steel frame and light steel frame construction time-lapse videos to high specification requirements. Please contact us for more details and to discuss your next project.